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Kaamatan

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Kaamatan
Bobohizan and their apprentices
A group of bobohizan and their apprentices leads the procession of guests of honour during Kaamatan Festival, at the Hongkod Koisaan KDCA, Penampang District, Sabah
Official nameKaamatan
Also calledTadau Kaamatan,[1] Pesta Kaamatan[2][3]
Observed byKadazan-Dusun, Murut (Kalimaran), Rungus
TypeEthnic, cultural
SignificanceCommemoration of Huminodun, the sacrificed Ponompuan — Daughter of Kinoingan (God)[4]
CelebrationsFamily and other social gatherings, symbolic decoration
ObservancesBeauty pageant of Unduk Ngadau, dance performance of Sumazau, Sugandoi singing competition, and other arts and crafts performances
Begins30 May
Ends31 May
DateMay 30, May 31
FrequencyAnnual
Related toKalimaran

Kaamatan, Tadau Kaamatan or Pesta Kaamatan is a form of harvest festival celebrated on 30 and 31 May annually in the state of Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia.[5][6][7]

It is observed annually on the month of May by the Kadazan-Dusun, Murut, and Rungus ethnic groups as a commemoration for the sacrifice of Huminodun towards her community where various cultural and crafts performances were exhibited throughout the celebrations at the Hongkod Koisaan KDCA Hall in Penampang District with symbolic decoration followed by family and other social gatherings.[8]

History

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During the "Conference of the District Chiefs and Native Chiefs" of the Crown colony of North Borneo in 1956, the native chief of the Interior Dusuns, OKK Sedomon Gunsanad Kina, proposed for the Kaamatan celebration to be declared and gazetted as an official public holiday in North Borneo.[9] The British colonial authorities agreed on the proposal during the conference and on 9 May 1960, the celebration was gazetted by the British colonial authorities as an official public holiday for the region of North Borneo,[10][11] under which it was announced during the "Annual Meeting of the Kadazan Association" under the then Chief Minister Donald Stephens.[12][13] The first celebration was held in 1961 and was considered a special celebration since it was the first time the festival public holiday was given the official status of recognition, where it is still remembered more clearly and with more enthusiasm than the 1963 independence celebration day.[14]

Symbolic significance of Kaamatan

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Hongkod Koisaan KDCA Unity Hall in Penampang District where the main annual celebration of Kaamatan are being held every year

According to a belief shared by all Dusun peoples, with some variations, the human race, created by the Supreme Being Kinoingan,[15] experienced a severe famine at the beginning of time.[16] Kinoingan's maiden daughter, Ponompuan (later named as Huminodun), sacrificed herself to provide food for humanity, resulting in the production of rice as the main staple, along with other essential crops such as coconut, tapioca, ginger, maize, and yams from different parts of her body.[16][17] The myth further narrates that Huminodun was transformed into Bambaazon, a spirit emerging from a large jar containing the rice harvested by humans on the first day.[18][19] An essential aspect of the myth includes Huminodun's instruction that, before starting the harvest, the father should take seven stalks of paddy (called toguruon), tie them to one end of a spliced bamboo stick, plant them at the centre of the field, and then store them in the rice container after the harvest.[20] These seven stalks of paddy symbolise the spirit of rice, bambaazon (or bambarayon in interior dialects), which is believed to be responsible for abundant harvests.[4][21]

The bobohizan perform the magavau

This creation story played a central role in the traditional belief system of the Dusun peoples and formed the basis of numerous rituals performed annually during the rice harvest.[20] The most significant of these rituals was the magavau ceremony, led by the ritual specialists known as bobohizan, to recover grains of rice that might have been lost or left in the field, carrying the Bambaazon with them and thereby preventing future crop shortages.[21][22] Harvest-related rituals were the most important of the year, involving extensive celebration and feasting within villages. Another traditional ritual was the moginakan, which was costly and held during particularly good harvests, as well as for events like house reconstruction, childbirth, or recovery from illness.[20]

Celebration activities

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Sumandaks (Kadazan-Dusun), Ralaa (Murut) and Sumuni/Suni (Rungus) from each of participating Sabah's districts and territory as well as KDCA branch representatives from West Malaysia will be participating in the annual beauty pageant of Unduk Ngadau during Kaamatan

Kaamatan is normally celebrated by the ethnic Kadazan-Dusuns, as well as by other related ethnic groups in the state such as Murut (named as Kalimaran) and Rungus, and the celebration lasts for the whole of the month of May, ending with a public holiday on a date selected by a priestess known as the bobohizan.[23][24]

A beauty pageant known as Unduk Ngadau will be held and it ends the harvest festival with a newly crowned Unduk Ngadau in the annual host district, Penampang.[17] The Harvest Festival comes under the ambit of what is known as Momolianism, the belief system and life philosophy of the Kadazan-Dusun.[19] There is also a dance performance called the Sumazau along with various dance styles and performances displayed by each different Kadazan-Dusun sub-groups together with a singing contest called Sugandoi, a bodybuilding competition, and other arts and crafts performances.[25] Competitions such as hitting the gong and folk sports such as: mipulos (arm wrestling), mipadsa (knuckle wrestling), monopuk (blow piping), momolositik (catapulting), and migayat lukug (tug of war) have also become one of the main events in this festival.[3][25]

Popular drinks during the festival are tapai (rice wine) and kinomol, which is a traditional alak drink. Tapai is drunk from a small bamboo vessel known as a sumbiling or from special glasses called singgarung, likewise made from bamboo.[25][26]

Celebrations during Kaamatan
  • A man in traditional Dusun clothing drinking the tapai with a straw from a jar during Kaamatan
    A Dusun man in traditional clothing drinking the tapai with a straw from a jar during Kaamatan
  • A cultural group performs during Kaamatan Festival, at the Hongkod Koisaan KDCA, Penampang, Sabah
    A cultural group performs during Kaamatan Festival
  • Tobilung Dusun in their traditional dress during Kaamatan
    Tobilung Dusun in their traditional dress during Kaamatan
  • Singing during Kaamatan
    Singing during Kaamatan
  • Musical performance by the Kimaragang Dusun
    Musical performance by the Kimaragang Dusun
  • Variety of indigenous accessories sold during Kaamatan
    Variety of indigenous accessories sold during Kaamatan
  • Various food stalls set-up for visitors during the Kaamatan celebration at KDCA
    Various food stalls set-up for visitors during the Kaamatan celebration at KDCA

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Perayaan Tadau Kaamatan" [Tadau Kaamatan Festival]. Ministry of Communication, Malaysia (in Malay). Archived from the original on 8 May 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Pesta Kaamatan" [Kaamatan Festival]. Sabah State Library (in Malay). Archived from the original on 3 August 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Harvest Festival (Pesta Kaamatan)". Sabah Tourism. Archived from the original on 8 May 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  4. ^ a b "The Kaamatan cultural meanings and purposes". Kadazan-Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA). Archived from the original on 15 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Events Calendar [Public Holiday]". Government of Sabah. 2025. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  6. ^ "STATE OF SABAH [HOLIDAYS ORDINANCE] (Sabah Cap. 56)]" (PDF). The State Attorney-General's Chambers of Sabah. 2010. p. 4. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  7. ^ "JADUAL HARI KELEPASAN AM PERSEKUTUAN 2025" [FEDERAL GENERAL HOLIDAY SCHEDULE 2025] (PDF). Cabinet, Constitutional and Intergovernmental Relations Division, Prime Minister's Department, Malaysia (in Malay). 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  8. ^ Roslyna, Geena (2 May 2025). "Kaamatan: A Celebration of Culture, Spirit & Community". Hello Sabah. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  9. ^ Thien, David (3 June 2022). "Sedomon first to request the Kaamatan holiday". Daily Express. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  10. ^ Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage Malaysia 2006, p. 72.
  11. ^ Gin 2017, p. 358.
  12. ^ "Kadazan Society Sabah Hontog Kaamatan May 7". The Borneo Post. 30 April 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2025 – via PressReader.
  13. ^ Luping, Herman (21 May 2017). "Kaamatan is for Unity for all". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 7 May 2025. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  14. ^ Universiti Sains Malaysia 1990, p. 112.
  15. ^ Zaenuddin et al. 2015, p. 33.
  16. ^ a b Hong Chieh, Yow (30 May 2024). "What Is Kaamatan and Why Is It Celebrated?". Explore AirAsia. Archived from the original on 24 April 2025. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  17. ^ a b "Kaamatan, A Celebration of Culture". Sabah Tourism. Archived from the original on 24 April 2025. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  18. ^ Leong 1992, p. 73.
  19. ^ a b "Kaamatan: How it's celebrated today and why it's a highlight". Borneo Eco Tours. 9 June 2023. Archived from the original on 26 April 2025. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  20. ^ a b c Barlocco 2011, p. 605−626.
  21. ^ a b Kok On, Low; Yok Fee, Lee (2012). "Investigating the Relationship between Kadazandusun Beliefs about Paddy Spirits, Riddling in Harvest-time and Paddy-Related Sundait" (PDF). MALIM − SEA Journal of Studies. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 May 2025 – via UKM Journal Article Repository.
  22. ^ "Lagenda Pesta Kaamatan [Asal Usul Magavou]" [The Legend of the Kaamatan Festival [The Origin of Magavou]]. Sabah Education Department (in Malay). Archived from the original on 7 September 2003. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  23. ^ "11 Things About Kaamatan And Gawai You Should Know Before Going To Sabah Or Sarawak". Says.com. 29 May 2017. Archived from the original on 7 May 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  24. ^ Barlocco 2010, p. 417.
  25. ^ a b c "Perayaan Rasmi [Pesta Kaamatan]" [Official Celebration [Kaamatan Festival]]. Penampang Municipal Council (in Malay). Archived from the original on 7 May 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  26. ^ Mohamad (Wan.) 2010, p. 68.

Bibliography

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Further reading

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  • Media related to Kaamatan at Wikimedia Commons
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