Kaamatan..Harvest Festival

Kaamatan is just around the corner. For the list of date for the district level Kaamatan celebration, visit KDCA.org.

What's the 1st thing that sprung into your mind upon hearing this festival? Let me give you some list of choices.

1. Unduk Ngadau (Beauty Pageant)
2. Lihing, Montoku, Kinomol, Bahar, pusas...Aramaiiti. (Traditional liquors and hors d'oeuvres)
3. Sumazau/Sumayau (Traditional dance)
4. Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan
5. Kaamatan? Never heard of it. (If your a Malaysian, shame on you)

To know more about Kaamatan, visit KDCA.org.

So, back to the question, what's the 1st thing that sprung into your mind upon hearing Kaamatan?

If you choose 1, Most probably you don't know much about Kaamatan (like, why is it celebrated?) weather you're a KDM (KadazanDusunMurut), a Sabahan or non Sabahan. You only know the event which attract the most spectators to Kaamatan. But, everyone are into this Unduk Ngadau [especially the men] weather they know or don't know anything about Kaamatan..hehe..

If the 2nd or 3rd were your choice, Changes that you're a KDM are very high. And you also know a bit about Kaamatan. But you are also the one that usually give Kaamatan and Sabahan a 'not so good' image towards non-Sabahan (especially 2nd choice). You know what Kaamatan is but your too drunk or too busy dancing to explain it to others. In the end, they'll thought that Kaamatan is all about 'party'.

Well, actually it is about partying if you really think about it..but that's only half of it..it's not just about 'partying'.

4th choice? You either know a lot about Kaamatan, the history, the rituals, the people or you're just into politic. Or even both. And you're definetly not born in the 90's.

5th, Either you're a foreigner/tourist or an ignorant non-Sabahan/Malaysian. If you're a Sabahan yet you don't know anything or never heard of Kaamatan, you're definetly an Illegal Immigrants with Mykad a.k.a 'Projek I.C' people.

Any other thought? Let me know...

bah Kotobian Tadau Kaamatan, nga kada ponotos kopio ilo tongo kinomol om montoku gisom kalapik ki..kosuang ko moti hilo rumah sakit, silap aribulan, kosuang ko lungun, pointanom onom kaki suang tana.

One thing come to my mind, does today Kaamatan still retain its authenticity? Hmm..that's another topic...