Kaamatan Harvest Festival & the Unduk Ngadau

CARMEN: Every May, is the Harvest Festival season or Kaamatan in Sabah. It is actually a Kadazandusun people's celebration but today, everybody joins in to have a grand festival. This celebration is to mark the end of harvesting. Rice harvesting that is. The finale will be on 30 and 31 May each year and a grand celebration and many activities will be held on these two days. We normally go to the Cultural Centre or the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) building to join in the fun. Like the bull ride and the arm wrestling, but the event I like most is called the Unduk Ngadau or Cultural Beauty Pagent, or when translated, means "Heart of the Sun". It is to honour Huminodun, who had sacrificed herself during a drought season and people in Sabah are starving, so that it will rain and all the people will be able to plant paddy and have food on earth. The "old people" said that the rain is actually Huminodun's tears, and her body came rice seeds.

TESSY: It is just a myth Carmen...

CARMEN: Yes, but we must be proud of the legend of Huminodun and learn from it you know? The Unduk Ngadau or the beauty queens are supposed to have all the good qualities Huminodun had like beauty, grace, strength and bravery. It is not just a beauty contest like Miss Universe or Miss World, but also, a very cultural thingy.

TESSY: Is Huminodun's daddy a God?

CARMEN: Yes Tess. Huminodun's daddy is the God of the Kadazandusun people called Kinoingan I think, and her mom is called Suminundu. Why?

TESSY: Cozzzzz...., he could have made it rain, right?

CARMEN: Tessy...., it is just a symbolic thingy. But the "old people" said that Kinoingan needed to show to his people that he really love them, and was willing to sacrifice even his own beloved and beautiful daughter.

TESSY: Just kidding Car... he..., he..., he...

CARMEN: I don't think its funny, Tess. Mom was an Inanam's Unduk Ngadau before and she was in the State's final too. So, you are making fun of her?

TESSY: No Car.... It's only a joke. You are too serious. I know that as a half Kadazandusun, or sino-Kadazandusun, we should..., we should..., always promote our culture to the world, and the..., and the..., Kaamatan festival and..., and..., the Unduk Ngadau. Happy now, Car?

CARMEN: Hmmmm, Yeah..., but most important, I think we should not forget our ancestor. It is very unique as the Kadazandusun people can only be found in Sabah.

TESSY: Cheer up Car..., Let us go to the Kaamatan celebration, ok?