Life In Borneo

Posted by Daniel on June 23rd, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals, Legends

The World Harvest Festival 2008 was held at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, Sarawak on the 24th and 25th of May. Lifeinborneo.com took this opportunity to cover the two day annual Borneo cultural event which featured ethnic music and costumes, locally made products such as food and handicrafts, an Ethnic Beauty Pageant and a spectacular theme play based on a Bidayuh folklore.

In the third part of our coverage of the World Harvest Festival 2008, we have a theme play based on a 500 year old Bidayuh legend, titled Panglima Kulow. The show was played out at the Sarawak Cultural Village’s lake at night, with an army of casts and a display of impressive special effects worthy of a movie.

Once Upon A Time, In The Land of the Hornbills…

The theme play for World Harvest Festival 2008 was titled Panglima Kulow – The Saviour of Bung Bratak. Several generations ago in Sarawak, Panglima Kulow was the leader of the Bidayuh village of Bung Bratak, which have prospered peacefully for generations. He guided his people in time of prosperity, in times of hardship, and in times of rebuilding and renewal. This theme play retold that epic story, using Disney-like special effects and dozens of actors and actresses to play out the tale in front of live spectators.

Lights Off. Silence Please.

As any show would do, the theme play started with the telling of the origin of Panglima Kulow’s tale. But what caught our attention was HOW they start off the show.

Before they began the theme play, they turned off the lights. The entirety of Sarawak Cultural Village was covered in total darkness. Only the whispers of the audience and the creaking chatter of insects could be heard.

Blind as a mole and with only the staffers’ flashlights to illuminate the walk path, we made our way to the guest seatings while imagining how they were going to perform this theme play. As we reached our destination, we discovered that the seating was positioned directly overlooking the lake. It was at that moment that a realization set upon us: they were going to use the lake and its surrounding as their stage.

A Legend Re-enacted

Seven fireballs flew down from the night sky like meteorites, each one trailing after another, and splashed down into the lake in front of an audience of hundreds. A spotlight then moved to highlight the rooftop of one of the longhouses by the lake, where seven dancers were dancing in a graceful and hypnotic motion.

That was how the show’s introduction went off – it gripped the audience’s attention right from the start.

Watching the theme play was like hearing those mystical stories your grandparents used to tell you about, only that it was actually happening right before your waking eyes. Suffice to say, we have never seen anything like it before (in person at least). The amount of special effects that went into this production must have been immense; without those visual effects, the theme play would not have been as jaw-dropping or as memorable.

And they lived happily ever after

The essence of the story, I believe, was unity. Panglima Kulow held his people together in times of hardship throught the unity of his people. Towards the end of the theme play, he united two communities together through the marriage of his son and the daughter of the other tribe. Like the bedtime stories our grandparents used to tell us, the tale of Panglima Kulow’s mystical pull was that it combined entertainment with storytelling in the most surreal way. And like those bedtime stories, there’s always that moral-of-the-story at the conclusion of the tale, and in Panglima Kulow, the point of it was unity. Take out all those visual effects, all those colourful props, and you’ll find a story that teaches you the virtue of living in harmony.

Entertainment, art, culture, teaching – all creatively woven into a brilliant theme play.

Up next, the most unique ethnic beauty pageant…

Stay tuned to lifeinborneo.com as we bring you the final part of our coverage of World Harvest Festival 2008, where we have the Miss Fair & Lovely Ethnic Beauty Pageant.

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Posted by Daniel on June 9th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals

The World Harvest Festival 2008 was held at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, Sarawak on the 24th and 25th of May. Lifeinborneo.com took this opportunity to cover the two day annual Borneo cultural event which featured ethnic music and costumes, locally made products such as food and handicrafts, an Ethnic Beauty Pageant and a spectacular theme play based on a Bidayuh folklore.

In the second part of our coverage of the World Harvest Festival 2008, we have stage performances from the participants of the International Cultural Concert. The show was held inside the Dewan Lagenda located within the Sarawak Cultural Village on the 24th and 25th of May.

Minstrels of Culture and Tradition

This year, the World Harvest Festival brought in guest cultural performers from Pahang, Indonesia and Senegal to enlighten the audience with their own brand of uniqueness to Santubong. They also invited 22-year old Erhu virtuoso from Perak, Ell Zain Hyder Zainuddin (also more famously known as Endang) who enthralled the audience with her soulful play. Although we didn’t managed to catch the Senegalese group in action, we were more than ecstatic to have seen the performances of the other groups.

Bah Bola, from Pahang

From Pahang there was Bah Bola, an indigenous cultural group consisting of members of the Semai (whom are natives of Pahang) and have performed throughout many events in Malaysia. Palm leaves, intricately handcrafted and integrated into their costumes, were obviously central to their unique cultural performance along with musical instruments fashioned out of bamboos. But it was their lead singer that won the hearts of the crowd with his rapid recitation of the word “Bola!”.

Sanggar Tari Bengkawan, from Kalimantan, Indonesia

Hailing from Kalimantan, Indonesia, the Sanggar Tari Bengkawan cultural group showcased traditional dance and music of ethnic Kalimantan people. This was their second time performing for World Harvest Festival. One of the dance piece the group performed was about the rivalry of two princesses; one was of good heart, while the other was wicked. The dance was a show of beauty and motion, in which the dancers were storytellers retelling a folk tale in a poetic ballet.

Endang, from Malaysia

Far from her humble beginnings in Perak, she has since performed on many international arenas such as China, Barcelona, Paris, Singapore and throughout Malaysia. Now Ell Zain Hyder Zainuddin or Endang may add another internationally renowned location to her list of visits. She is an Erhu virtuoso, a Chinese musical instrument of classical charm which, when played perfectly, exudes a hypnotic sound like the calling of an angelic maiden of the orient. Endang played the magic of the Erhu so well it befitted the listening ears of emperors and kings – and the audience definitely felt as such.

Sarawak Cultural Village Dancers

And not to forget, Sarawak Cultural Village’s very own dance troupe, which performed an array of ethnic dance and music such as the Iban Ngajat and the Joget.

The Dance and Music plays on…

Stay tuned to lifeinborneo.com as we bring you Part 3 of our coverage of World Harvest Festival 2008, where we have the theme play based on a Bidayuh folklore, titled Panglima Kulow.

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Posted by Daniel on June 4th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals, Legends

The Unduk Ngadau Grand Finals was held in the Main Hall of KDCA’s Hongkod Koisaan on 31st May 2008. 36 contestants represented their respective districts, including one from Klang Valley. Dressed in traditional ethnic costume, the contestants graced the audience with their charm and beauty in the most anticipated event of this year’s Kaamatan Festival.

In the footsteps of a Legend

The first Unduk Ngadau competition was held in the early 1960s, but the true history and meaning of the beauty pageant goes back to the time of myth and legends, when the earth was plagued by the seven scourges sent down by the deity Kinoingan to punish mankind for their sinful ways. The seventh scourge was draught and famine which threatened to end all life on earth. Kinoingan’s only daughter Ponompuan, often referred as Huminodun, took pity on mankind’s plight and sacrificed herself to end the famine that had plagued her father’s people. Her body parts were planted as seeds and became rice, the food resource of the world. Thus the importance of rice in the lives of the Kadazandusun, as rice embodies the spirit of Huminodun who sacrified herself to save humanity.

Ethnic Beauties of the Harvest

Earlier during the event, the hosts introduced the contestants one by one on stage as they walked on stage, accompanied by roaring cheers from the crowd, which filled up every seats there were on that day. The ladies of the pageant were garbed in the most dazzling traditional ethnic costumes, with accessories befitting a princess of princesses.

The Finalists

Out of 36 potentials, 15 made it through to the second round. Also known as the question-and-answer round, the second round has always been regarded by many as the most difficult stage of the competition. This is the stage where the contestants’ wisdom are tested; to walk on the path of a legend, one must not only have the heart but also the mind. The winner of this year’s Unduk Ngadau gave the best answer to the best question, in which the crowd responded in a thunderous applause.

After the second round, only 7 finalists were shortlisted.

The results were announced in reverse order from 7th place to 3rd place. It all went down to these two lovely ladies; Ms. Florence Masimbin and Ms. Leonie Lawrence Gontuni.

And the Unduk Ngadau 2008 title goes to..

Ms. Leonie Lawrence Gontuni!

The full list of winners:

• Unduk Ngadau: Ms. Leonie Lawrence Gontuni (Penampang)
• 1st Runner Up: Ms. Florence Masimbin (Kinabatangan)
• 2nd Runner Up: Ms. Emily Majil (Tambunan)
• 3rd Runner Up: Ms. Petronella Cherry Bernard (Papar)
• 4th Runner Up: Ms. Verone Lansu (Keningau)
• 5th Runner Up: Ms. Aloysia Thecla Philip (Kota Belud)
• 6th Runner Up: Ms. AnneMary T. Khan (Klang Valley)
• Celcom Tati Tavanus: Ms. Florence Masimbin (Kinabatangan)

The end of Harvest Festival

The winner of Unduk Ngadau, Ms. Leonie Lawrence, gave the best answer to the best question of that day. The question was: “What makes the Unduk Ngadau Beauty Pageant different from other beauty pageants?” And Ms. Leonie’s answer was: “Unlike other beauty pageants, Unduk Ngadau re-lives the story of the legend of Huminodun, who sacrified herself to save mankind.” That answer tells a lot about the people of Sabah, their traditions and their culture. And for that, the title of Unduk Ngadau was deservingly hers. Lifeinborneo congratulates all the winners and all the participants for re-living the legend, and preserving the ways of the Kadazandusun.

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Posted by Raz on May 28th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals

To celebrate a good harvest, the Ministry of National Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage is organising the Tadau Kaamatan National Open House and you are invited! Come to this all-day festival with the theme “Unity Through Culture” in conjunction with the Harvest Festival in Sabah. Savour the treasured traditions of Sabah’s peoples during this time of merriment with a variety of colourful cultural and contemporary performances in celebration of a good harvest.

Catch the show featuring renowned Malaysian artistes like Syafinaz Selamat, Kogee and Linda Nanuwil to name a few during the evening concert and don’t forget to visit the exhibition booths for a chance to sample Sabah’s ethnic recipes!

Event Programmes
Date : 31 May 2008
Time: 07:30am – 17:00pm
Exhibitions, Cooking Demo, Drawings and Games

20:00pm – 22:30pm:
Grand launching of the Tadau Kaamatan National Open House 2008

Further Information
Organiser : Ministry of National Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage
Venue : Padang Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu
Contact Person : Ariah Judah
Telephone : +603 – 26127600 / 26974080
Fax : +603 – 26918461
Email Contact : ariah@heritage.gov.my

source: www.sabahtourism.com

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Posted by Daniel on May 19th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals

At KK Kaamatan Carnival 2008, the citizens of Kota Kinabalu were treated to three nights of carnival last week celebrating the Harvest Festival at municipal level. Held at Lintasan Deasoka, the three-night event started with its officiation on Thursday night by Yang Berhormat Datuk Dr. Yee Moh Chai, Minister of Resource Development & Information Technology, and ended with the closing on Saturday night with the crowning of the winner of the Unduk Ngadau. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Iliyas Bin Ibrahim, Mayor of Kota Kinabalu City and his wife Yang Berbahagia Datin Naimah Hajjah Hassan attended all of the events.

Harvest Festival and Peace Through Culture

Sumazau Dance

The aim of the organizer this year is to promote the Harvest Festival or Kaamatan alongside the other various cultures in Sabah, as well as to promote the city of Kota Kinabalu as a tourist destination, a platform to promote locally made goods, and to choose representatives for Kota Kinabalu to compete in Sugandoi (Star of Kaamatan) and Unduk Ngadau (Beauty Queen) at Sabah State Level on the 30th – 31st May 2008.

The Municipal Council also took this opportunity to promote its on-going campaign to educate the public on the importance of keeping the city clean, which was also pointed out during the Mayor´s speech.

Locally made handicrafts

Throughout the three-day nightly event, visitors could loot at and even purchase a variety of locally made handicrafts, displayed in a long-house style display booths brilliantly constructed out of wood and bamboos, recreating the feel of a traditional Sunday bazaar or Tamu as it is more commonly known by the locals. A variety of other goods were also being sold at the nearby Gaya Street, a stretch of road also well-known for its weekly Sunday Tamu.

Three Nights of Festivities

Thursday Night – The Opening Night

The events on Thursday night includes the Opening Ceremony (including the officiation of the event by Yang Berhormat Datuk Dr. Yee Moh Chai, Minister of Resource Development & Information Technology), the Magavau Ceremony (a traditional ritual to appease ¨Bambaazon¨ or ¨Bambarayon¨, the Spirit of Rice), and lastly performances by a choir group, a cultural dance group and local artists. It was also on Thursday night that the Unduk Ngadau contestants for the Municipal Level were lined-up on stage and introduced to the public for the first time.

The Spirit of Rice

The Magavau Ceremony

Officiation by Datuk Dr. Yee Moh Chai

Fireworks after the officiation

Choir group with traditional costume

Friday Night – The Search for the Star of Kaamatan

The main event for Friday night was the search for Kota Kinabalu´s Sugandoi, or Star of the Harvest Festival. It is singing competition where the contestants were required to sing two songs (one from a compulsory list and the other one of their own choice) in the span of two rounds. The songs drawn from the compulsory list were all in Kadazandusun language. Between the rounds, the audience were treated to a performance by the Universiti Malaysia Sabah´s Musical Orchestra. The night ended with the prize giving ceremony to the winner of Kota Kinabalu´s Sugandoi, who will go on to represent the City of Kota Kinabalu at the State Level at the end of May.

Saturday Night – The Crowning of Kota Kinabalu´s Unduk Ngadau

On the third and final night of the Kota Kinabalu Kaamatan Carnival 2008, the crowd gathered to see the crowning of the Unduk Ngadau. Before that, the hosts of the event re-told the legend of Huminodun, and also the meaning as well as the importance of Unduk Ngadau to Kaamatan.

Below are the contestant that reach to the final seven..

Ms. Viola G. Julasim

Ms. Alvira Cora M. Jipinis

Ms. Kimberly Fay Cathrinus Sham

Ms. Noemi Halima Dingle Ligunjang

Ms. Andrea Peter

Ms. Flina Runtum

Ms. Jizeresta Jimmy

Just like the Sugandoi, the Unduk Ngadau were split into two rounds, with the second round being the final round. After the end of the second round, as the judges went on to discuss who will be crowned as Unduk Ngadau, local artists (one of which was the winner of Sugandoi the night before) entertained the crowds with a selection of local songs. But before the announcement of the winners and the prize giving ceremony, the dignitaries were invited to dance with the Unduk Ngadau contestants.

Crowning of the Unduk Ngadau

Kota Kinabalu Unduk Ngadau 2008 winners

The Winners of Kota Kinabalu City Unduk Ngadau 2008:
First Place – Ms. Jizeresta Jimmy
Second Place – Ms. Flina Runtum
Third Place – Ms. Andrea Peter
Fourth Place – Ms. Alvira Cora M. Jipinis
Fifth Place – Ms. Noemi Halima Dingle Ligunjang
Sixth Place – Ms. Kimberly Fay Cathrinus Sham
Seventh Place – Ms. Viola G. Julasim

The Spirit of Paddy Lives On

Despite the heavy rain on Thursday and Friday night, the locals pressed on night after night to support the event. The crowd was at its largest on the final night of the carnival, which was probably the most important night of all. The success of the event meant that the Spirit of Paddy lives on. And so will the traditions and cultures of the Kadazandusun.

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Posted by Daniel on May 5th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals

Sabah Fest 2008 – The Launching

“Welcome to the most spectacular celebration of Sabah’s cultural riches, Sabah Fest!”
That was the first two lines printed on the introduction of the booklet. Indeed, the launching of this year’s Sabah Fest on 3rd May, held at the Magellan Sutera last Saturday, was nothing less than spectacular!

Sabah Fest 2008 – Harmony In Diversity

Sabah Fest is a yearly event aimed to provide visitors the opportunity to see, taste, hear and feel Sabah’s unique culture through a kaleidoscope of cultural performances and spectrum of activities lined up throughout the month of May. Visitors will get to sample local delicacies such as cakes and traditional foods, and also witness unique works of crafts demonstrated live by skilled handicraft makers of various ethnic groups.

This year’s theme is ‘Harmony In Diversity’, which paints a picture of the people of Sabah living in unity within a society of diverse races and cultures. This was strongly reflected in the opening presentation of the launching ceremony with a mock enactment of a wedding ritual of a Bajau bride and a Murut groom. The display began with the matrimonial preparations and celebrations of Bajau bride’s family, which was then joined by the various races to celebrate that occasion and then concluded with a bridewealth presentation and dances of the Murut.

A Spectacle of Diversity and Unity

The evening started with a cultural dance performance by several ethnic groups. Dancers dressed in multitudes of colourful costumes – symbolizing the unity of the people of Sabah – bore gifts to bid a warm welcome to the dignitaries. Among those that attended the event were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussein, Datuk Masidi Manjun who is the current Minister of Culture, Tourism and Environment, and Sabah’s Head of State Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah bin Abdullah, who officiated the launching.

Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah bin Abdullah officiated the event with the hitting of the Gong

Datuk Masidi Manjun presents a souvenir to Head of State Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah bin Abdullah

After the opening presentation, the guests were treated to a variety of ethnic performances. Traditional dances of the Kota Belud Bajau were showed earlier on, namely the Limbai dance, the Kuda Pasu and the Berunsai.

Kudapasu Dance

Igal Tabawan Dance

As the evening went on, dances from other cultures were displayed such as the Dusun Tindal Mongigol, the Igal-Igal dance of the Bajau of Semporna, The Sumazau Penampang and the Sazau Papar of the Kadazandusun, The Nainung and Umang Ting-Ting by the Brunei Malays and the Dansa of the Cocos.

Umang Ting-Ting Dance

Some of the attention-grabbing presentations were performed by the youngest performers of the night. The children of the Dance and Cultural Society of the SK Kiawaian primary school from Tambunan performed the Pangkulian, a creative dance with the inclusion of bamboo play as its central theme.

Pangkulian Dance

Pangkulian Dance

Medtemu Dance

The Medtemu dance of the Ranau Dusun was awe-invoking, where the dancers performed a symbolic war dance of ‘a meeting to settle disputes’. The audience was also treated to a mock traditional Murut Tagal Wedding and the Murut Anggalang, a dance ritual traditionally performed in celebration of a victorious battle or a successful headhunting party (a part of Sabah’s culture no longer in practice). One of the best performance of the evening was the Magunatip, a fascinating dance where the dancers must dextrously skip between clapping bamboos in an ever-increasing tempo.

The Festival has Begun

The opening ceremony signalled the start of the festival, but the closure of the night’s event only marks the beginning of a month full of cultural activities. Ladies and gentlemen, Sabah Fest is back and it’s going to be a very colourful month of May.

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Posted by Raz on April 20th, 2008 in Events, Festivals

Miri International Jazz Festival aims to be the leading tourism-driven music festival in the region. By assembling regionally and internationally recognised, jazz musicians, the musical event aims to draw visitors to Miri and the Northern Region of Sarawak for a fun-filled and entertaining experience and at the same time showcasing Miri as a city of cosmopolitanism and relaxing lifestyle.

The Miri International Jazz Festival is organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board in collaboration with a select group of committee members from the private sectors.

Date: 9 – 10 May 2008
Venue: The Pavilion, Park City Everly Hotel, Miri, Sarawak Malaysia.
Tickets are available online at www.ticketcharge.com.my!
For further enquiries, kindly contact the:
Visitors’ Information Centre
Lot 452, Jalan Melayu in Miri
Tel: 60 85 434181, Fax: 60 85 434179

or log on at www.Mirijazzfestival.com
Email contact: info@mirijazzfestival.com

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Posted by Raz on April 15th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Events, Festivals

The launch of Kaamatan Festival 2008 will be officiated by the honourable Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman at the Pa’Musa Hall, Beaufort on 1st of May, 2008. An estimated 3,000 participants will be performing in traditional events and represent their respective ethnicities from all around Sabah. This ceremony will also be included in the Malaysia Book of Records. The state government has allocated RM 600,000 to organise many cultural activities.

As was the preceding year, the Closing Ceremony will be officiated by TYT Yang Dipertua Negeri Sabah Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah at the Hongkod Koisaan K.D.C.A. on 31st of May 2008. Don’t forget, this date is also the highly awaited finale that is “Ratu Unduk Ngadau” or Harvest Queen.

Celebration Events according to District/Area

translated from source: http://newkaamatan.blogspot.com/2008/02/kaamatan-2008.html

For KL’s Klang Valley, celebration will be held on 11th May. For more info, visit the KDCA Klang Valley page.

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Posted by Raz on April 9th, 2008 in Events, Festivals

Held in conjunction with the Harvest Festival holiday season, sailing enthusiasts from all over Borneo gather to celebrate this merry occasion with a regatta.

Date : 26 – 27 May 2008
Organiser : Kinabalu Yacht Club
Contact Person : Bridget Yong Stephens
Telephone : +6088 240070, 243070, 019 8808859
Fax : +6088 243007
Email Contact : kyctaru@tm.net.my

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Posted by Raz on April 7th, 2008 in Events, Festivals

A Kadazandusun festival celebrated at Sandakan level, the Harvest Festival is enjoyed by everyone, regardless of race. The crowned Unduk Ngadau (Harvest Beauty Queen) and Sugandoi (singing) champion will represent Sandakan at the State Level competition in Kota Kinabalu on 31st May 2008.

Date : 17 May 2008
Organiser : Sandakan Municipal Council
Contact Person : Catherin Chua
Telephone : +6089 224026
Fax : +6089 272112
Email Contact : Catherin.Chua@sabah.gov.my

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