PENAMPANG: Having grown up in a family with strong ties to the Unduk Ngadau stage, Gelvia Vanessa Jenny etched her own name into Sabah’s pageant history after being crowned the 66th Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan.
The 23-year-old from Papar emerged winner at the grand finale held at the Hongkod Koisaan yesterday, outshining 52 other contestants representing districts across Sabah and beyond.
A Bachelor of Malay Studies graduate from Universiti Malaya, Gelvia is the third of eight siblings and comes from a family well known in the competition.
Her sister Magdalen Jenny represented Papar in 2024, while another sister, Celarin Jenny, finished third in the state-level pageant last year.
Gelvia entered the state-level competition after winning the Unduk Ngadau Papar title earlier this year, emerging champion among 17 finalists in the district-level pageant.
She was among the standout contestants in the grand finale, having won five subsidiary titles during the Sodop Unduk Ngadau event.
In previous interviews, Gelvia spoke about overcoming stage fright and strengthening her command of the Kadazan language as part of her preparation for the competition.
The victory delivered Papar its seventh state Unduk Ngadau crown and its second title in three years, following Carol Abbey Gail Grimaldi’s win in 2023.
Held in conjunction with the Kaamatan Festival, the annual pageant celebrates the cultural heritage, traditions and values of Sabah’s Kadazandusun, Murut and Rungus communities while highlighting the role of young women as cultural ambassadors.
Gelvia triumphed ahead of Juje Elor @ Francis of Tuaran and Criszelbellkah Lorris of Matunggong, who were named first and second runners-up, respectively.
Liane Melve Grace Lias (Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu) placed fourth, followed by Kerishine Danil (Pagalungan), Gadrette Gregory (Penampang) and Myra Evana Robert (Sook).
For her victory, Gelvia received RM15,000 in cash, a tiara, the UNK2026 sash, a trophy and a bouquet of flowers.
