Taking Kaamatan to Penang

Penampang: The rich cultures of the Kadazandusuns in Sabah will be showcased in Penang next month as the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) branch on the island will be organising the Harvest Festival celebration there for the first time.

It will be a Penang state level event with cooperation from its State Government and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, universities and the private sector, including Sada Borneo, a popular band comprising Sabahan and Sarawakian musicians who only play traditional acoustic instruments.

KDCA Penang Deputy Chairman II Murasun Murphy said the main event will be held on May 13 at Kompleks Bukit Jambul.

“Our main objective is to enable Sabahans here to celebrate the harvest. Aside from that, we want to share the Kadazandusun ethnic cultures and traditions with people of other races here, including tourists,” he said.

He said there are younger generation of Sabahans who have been living in Penang and other states in the peninsula for a long time and are no longer familiar with their cultures and traditions, hence the importance of the celebration.

He said they expect Sabahans who are residing in other states in the peninsula to come to the island to join the celebration.

There are more than 40 indigenous ethnic communities under the KDCA.

Penang is one of three KDCA branches in the peninsula. The other two are Klang Valley and Johor.

Murasun said the highlight of the event will be the Unduk Ngadau and Sugandoi finals.

Currently, organisers are calling for interested individuals nationwide to register as contestants for both contests.

He said they must be Malaysian citizens above 18-year-old from any of the more than 40 ethnic groups of the Kadazandusun, or at least either parent is of that race.

Auditions will be held on April 28-29 at the KDCA office at Goldhill Complex, Ayer Itam in Penang.

“We will select seven finalists for the Unduk Ngadau and five for Sugandoi,” he said.

The prizes for the Unduk Ngadau winners are RM1,200 cash, not including products and accessories, RM700 (second place), RM500 (third place) RM150 each for the fourth and fifth place.

Prizes for the top three Sugandoi winners are RM700, RM500 and RM300.

The winners will represent Penang for the finals in Sabah during the state level Harvest Festival celebration on May 30 and 31.

Source: Daily Express