This Time For TAMPARULI

This year's month long Karamayan Kaamatan (Harvest Festival) will kick off in a small West Coast town of Tamparuli. For several years now the month of May has been officially declared as the State's Harvest Festival celebration month. The beating of gong to commemorate the traditional festival will be on 1st May 2011 at Dewan Tun Hamdan, Tamparuli.

Note: Unless otherwise specified, all pictures in this article were taken by the author himself.

Related opening ceremony which happened on 1st May 2009 in Papar can be viewed here.

Image credit: Sami Bangud, PKR of N11-Kiulu

Picture showing of one of the Walai (traditional dwelling house) constructed to give a brief impression of the kind of shelter our grandparents had in the olden days.

So, lets throng Tamparuli this Sunday and get to witness first hand, not just the celebration but the taste of foods you wouldn't find elsewhere, the culture and especially the warm welcome and friendship you will feel as you walk among the folks.

Let's revisit some of the images I personally captured about Tamparuli:

Bukit Ruhiang (some call it Bukit Prahu):  The World Class Paragliding - Sabah Malaysian Borneo XC 2010 competition was held here in June 2010. Note the tiny size para-gliders waiting to be flagged off.



"Digital age":  A man in traditional costume taking picture of the crowd during the World Class Paragliding - Sabah Malaysian Borneo at Tamparuli Tamu  ground.





" Sebenrnya ramai juga saudara-mara saya di Tamparuli in..", Datuk Masidi Manjun - Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Sabah as he officiated the World Class Paragliding in Tamparuli.



"Satu kilo dua ringgit saja."  Scene of Tamu traders negotiating sale of Langsat

The two bridges of  Tamparuli. Remember the song Jambatan Tamparuli?

Tamparuli Tamu  ground. The weekly bazaar is on Wednesday. The hill at the background is Bukit Ruhiang, the highly potential take-off spot for paragliding enthusiasts.





Sun setting behind oncoming rain, seen from Jalan Ranau, Kg. Minangkob Tamparuli.




Mount Kinabalu viewed from Pekan Nabalu, Tamparuli. If you are travelling to Ranau, Sandakan and Tawau, don't forget to spend sometime to enjoy the spectacular view of the South East Asia's tallast mountain from this location.


**Picture on page top: Unduk Ngadau 2010, Miss Crystal Eve Huminodun (middle) is flanked by 1st runner up Miss Rochelle Fayrenie (left) and 2nd runner up Miss Lydia John Alai (right)**

Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan 2009

Tell you, I was not there on the final day (31st May) of the month-long Kaamatan celebration, so, no story to tell and no pics to share. Hongkod Koisaan KDCA was so crowded all day on the 30th, and in the night there was concert and all kind of other activities.

I guess that would be it and I do not have to attend the 31st day closing ceremony which normally be just formality and capped by the crowning of the final winner of Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan.


I can, however, share with you the front page stories of all the major local dailies. And, your guess is correct, they are all about the Harvest Queen and stories related to Harvest Festival.


Here are the beautiful faces splashing the papers...



The venue where all the colourful events happened


New Sabah Times talks about Chief Minister Datuk Musa Hj Aman's open invitation to all Malaysians especially those residing in Sabah to join the national Pesta Kaamatan celebration in Kota Kinabalu on June 7. Note the top five contestants of the Unduk Ngadau.


Daily Express - says that Pesta Kaamatan is certain to be "among the best platforms to unite the people of Sabah who are made up of various ethnic groups, races, and religions."

Note the three lovely winners. UNK 2009 Ms Appey Rowenna Januin is flanked by 1st runner-up, Ms Pearl Dianne Petrus (right) and 2nd runner-up, Ms Joanne Kimberly J. Majalap (left).



The Borneo Post - focuses its front page story on the winning Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan.


The Top Five as shown by The New Sabah Times are:

1) Appey Rowenna Januin - representing Papar
2) Pearl Dianne Petrus - representing DBKK (Kota Kinabalu)
3) Joanne Kimberly J Majalap - representing Penampang
4) Flina Rutum - representing Tamparuli
5) Jacqueline Joseph - representing Keningau


Congratulations Girls! and Kotobian Tadau Tagazo Do Kaamatan!

Sodop Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan 2009

Date: 28th May 2009 (Unduk Ngadau Gala Nite)

Venue: Hongkod Koisaan KDCA, Penampang

Time: 6.30pm - 11.00pm

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The dinner was held at the main venue of this year's Kaamatan Festival as part the bigger event to be held on 30th and 31st later this month. The objective is to help fund the Unduk Ngadau and the proceed from ticket sales to be donated to Sabah Thalassemia Society.

This is not mineral water. It's Lihing, a traditional Kadazandusun alcoholic drink (equivalent to Tuak in Sarawak), given as welcome drink to the paying diners. I tried a couple of sip.

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Appetizer was okay, except that the crab meat stick was not fresh. The rest were 'okay' but weren't that great too. Think that's how they were supposed to be.

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Enough of food, let's start the ball rolling by letting Kebudayaan Sabah kick things up with the opening presentation

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Before parading the 41 beauties from all over Sabah, Miss Leonie Lawrence Gontuni (Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan 2008) made special appearance....

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...also, Miss Malaysia World 2007, Deborah Priya Henry was there too as special guess.

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Unduk Ngadau's (UN) were paraded...

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...dressed in colourful evening gown

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...everyone full of smile (which I think was jammed to their jaws and face muscles)..heheh

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They are parading out into the preparatory room

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..also, them

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..and them

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...and them, to be prepared for the individual introduction later

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UN from Tunku and Tambunan

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UN from Tamparuli and Klang Valley

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UN from Ranau

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UN from Penampang and Lahad Datu

. UN from Labuan and Kota Marudu

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UN from Inanam

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Past Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan from 1960-ies to 1990-ies made it to Gala Night for the first time this year. Many many thanks to all of you!

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Prior to the crowning ceremony, Filex (ex-Akademi Fantasia talent) made appearance with 2 songs. Not disappointing.You go buddy & best of luck!

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Ms Flina Rutum (right) representing TAMPARULI was crowned Tati Topiodo (Miss Natural Beauty) &

Ms Affy Jackleyinda Entawan representing BEAUFORT crowned Tati Tosuau (Miss Friendly)

Congratulations girls!!

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Tuaran Kaamatan 2009

 
Date: 16th May 2009 
Time: 8.00am "hingga selesai" - a bit confusing isn't it? It's rather weird to have indefinite time.

Venue: District community centre (Dewan Bersatu Tuaran).
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District level Kaamatan fest in Tuaran was not that 'grand', so I was told. This was based on attendance at the designated venue. We were not around when it was officially launched by Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Hj Hajiji Hj Mohd Noor, we're sort of like..late comers, LOL.

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This is how the not-so-crowded football field in front of the community centre look like.

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Participation by various ethnic group, organisations, and business communities.

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Most visited booth - the Linangkit Cultural Village

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"Okay now, carry on playing those instruments. Don't bother my annoying picture taking!"

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I like the "Kulintangan" best.
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The traditional costume of the Lotud community (a branch of the Dusun ethnic found mainly in Tuaran)...

...and this is how they look like when worn by beautiful people. But wait, don't set your eyes too fast on them, you might...

...get shot with venomous arrows by this "pahlawan". Hehehe..i was kidding, okay!

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The scale of celebration was somewhat lacking the "Umphhhh!" and you can feel the rather poor response/ participation from visitors/exibitors as well as lack of side activities, it was fairly a disappointing experience to say the least. So, we headed for the temple which is located just about 500 metres away from the fest venue.

This can be considered as landmark, a place one must not miss when visiting Tuaran...

dont act silly, you may face the wrath of these guardians. (hahaha..as if i was in the know)

It's so tall you can actually see the sea from the top floor. Well, we did not climb up though. Sigh!

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And finally, I'll leave you with this picture - winners of the Unduk Ngadau (Kaamatan Queen)competition, photo courtesy of my favourite photographer, Benny of undukngadau.com

Unduk Ngadau 2009 for Tuaran District is Miss Fredericka Richard (seated), flanked by 2nd place Miss Flina Rutum, and 3rd place Miss Myra Rosnita.
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Many many congratulations and best wishes for the coming final at KDCA on 31st May.
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