Celebrating Kaamatan without the pageantry, the crowd or Unduk Ngadau

A group of Bobohizan performing the magavau at Tambunan, Sabah in 2017. — Filepic

Every year, towards the end of May, I would update my YouTube playlist of Kadazandusun songs and listen to them in the office. Kaamatan, or Harvest Festival, falls on May 30 and 31 in Sabah, and while I rarely go back to my hometown in Kota Kinabalu for the celebration, I try my best to recreate the lively atmosphere here in Selangor.

Last year, I got my colleagues to watch the Unduk Ngadau (beauty pageant, one of the main fixtures of Kaamatan that celebrates Huminodun, a woman who was sacrificed by her father in order to save the people from starvation) finals with me. It was shown live on Facebook, and we watched intermittently while doing our work. It was fun to be able to share that part of my culture with them. To top it off, one of our choices – Francisca Ester Nain of Karambunai – won the crown.