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Kaamatan
Penampang Sabah Kaamatan-Celebrations-2014-01.jpg
The bobohizan perform the magavau
Status Active
Genre Harvest festival
Date(s) May
Begins 1 May
Ends 31 May
Frequency Annual
Country Sabah and Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia
Participants Kadazan-Dusun people

Kaamatan, also known as Pesta Kaamatan, is a special harvest festival. It is celebrated every year on May 30 and 31. This festival takes place in Sabah and Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia. The Kadazan-Dusun people and other related groups celebrate it. The celebrations last for the whole month of May. The festival ends with a public holiday. A special priestess, called a bobohizan, chooses the exact date.

The Kaamatan festival is part of a belief system called Momolianism. This is the traditional way of life for the Kadazan-Dusun people. It helps them show thanks for a good rice harvest.

Fun Activities at Kaamatan

Many exciting events happen during the Kaamatan festival. These activities bring people together. They celebrate their culture and traditions.

Unduk Ngadau Beauty Pageant

One of the most popular events is the Unduk Ngadau beauty pageant. This competition is held to find a new "Harvest Queen." The pageant ends the festival in the host district, which is usually Penampang.

Cultural Performances

The festival features many traditional performances.

  • The Sumazau is a traditional dance. Dancers move slowly and gracefully.
  • The Sugandoi is a singing contest. People show off their vocal talents.
  • There are also bodybuilding competitions.
  • Other arts and crafts performances are shown.

Traditional Games and Sports

Competitions are a big part of the fun.

  • People compete in hitting the gong. This is a traditional musical instrument.
  • Folk sports are also played. These games are unique to the local culture.

Traditional Food and Drinks

Food and drinks are very important during Kaamatan. They are shared among family and friends.

Popular Drinks

Two popular drinks during the festival are tapai and Kinomol.

  • Tapai is a traditional fermented drink.
  • Kinomol is a traditional alcoholic drink.

These drinks are served in special ways. Tapai is often drunk from a small bamboo cup. This cup is called a sumbiling. Sometimes, it is served in special glasses. These glasses are called singgarung and are also made from bamboo.

See also

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