KAAMATAN

One of the most popular festival in Sabah is the Kaamatan. This festival being held every year in the state Sabah that is also known as Bumi di Bawah Bayu. The Kaamatan festival is an annual event in the cultural life of the Kadazandusuns of Sabah since time immemorial. In its deepest sense, Kaamatan festival is a manifestation of Creator and Creation relationship, as well as InterCreations relationship. Besides that, it also embodies the principal acts of invocation of divinities, appeasing, purification and restoration, re-union of benevolent spirits, and thanksgiving to the Source of All. It is part of a complex whole some Momolian religious system centered on the paddy rites of passage and the life cycle of Bambarayon - the in-dwelling spirit of paddy. Appeasing is done in respect of Bambarayon, Deities, Divinities and Spirits, who may have been hurt by human wrongful, acts. Purification is performed in respect of human and spiritual needs for forgiveness followed by resolutions to make themselves worthy of the gifts of life from God. Restoration in necessary to ensure the health and well being of SUNIL, mankind and other spiritual beings. Re-union is realised in respect of human needs to be integrated in body, mind and spirit within the concept of the sevenin-one divinity in humanity, as well as re-union of Bambarayon with human Sunduan. Finally Thanksgiving is observed as benefitting for all creations to express their gratitude and appreciation for the gifts of life through Huminodun, and all life supportive system on earth that their Creator lovingly and generously gave to them. In the etymology, the word Kaamatan is derived from the root word tomot, a Kadazandusun term for harvest. In the context of this article, Kaamatan refers to the paddy-harvesting period, which involves a series of traditional rituals culminating finally to the Kaamatan (harvest) festival. Tadau kaamatan is a celebration for the people who celebrate tadau kaamatan. The Kaamatan Festival also have some rituals such as other cultural festival in Malaysia. The festival is observed in six rituals stages, such as The Kumogos Ceremony, The Kumotob Ceremony, The Posisip Ceremony, The Poihib Ceremony, The Magacau Ceremony and The Humabot Ceremony. The Kumogos Ceremony Before a harvest begins, a Bobohizan/Bobolian , the ritual specialist and is a female, will select and tie-up seven stalks of the best rice from a plot of rice field. These stakes of rice will only be harvested after the particular plot of field has been completely harvested. The seven stalks of rice will then be scattered al l over the rice field. This gesture is to inform the other spirits who may be present among the rice field not to make any disturbance when the harvesting work is to commenced and each of them will be given something after the harvest. The Kumotob Ceremony From the area which has not yet been harvested to the Bobohizan/Bobolian will select seven stalks of the best rice. The selected stalks are then tied- up together and placed in a tadang (a type of basket for keeping rice). The rest of the rice in the field are then harvested and the rice are turned into seed for future planting season. The Posisip Ceremony The Bobohizan/Bobolian goes to a rice hut together with the seven stalks of rice which is tied- up and placed in the tadang. While the Bobohizan/Bobolian is reciting chants, she takes out the bundle of rice stalks and insert them in a bamboo pole kept in the tangkob. The recital of the chants is to call the spirit of the rice to stay in the rice hut until the next planting season, which means when the rice spirits are called to the rice field again. The Poihib Ceremony In the rice hut the Bobohizan/Bobolian carefully pours the rice into the tangkob. This process is repeated for a number of times until all the rice has poured into the tangkob. The Bobohizan/Bobolian then recite chants appealing to the rice spirits to keep watch over the rice stored in the tangkob. The Magavau Ceremony This is the most important ceremony in the sequence of events of the harvest festival. This focuses in the restoration of Bambarayon as well as offering food to Bambarayon. In the olden days, the Magavau ritual is performed in the paddy field on the night of the first full moon after the harvest. Nowadays, this ritual is carried out in the house of the owner of the field.

The Humabot Ceremony This is the last and final stage This ceremony is now celebrated and activities in the form of Harvest Festival Queen or usually Kinorohingan. of the observation of the harvest festival and is in the form of merry-making and entertainment. at the village, district and state levels annually on 30 and 31 May. A variety of entertainment dances and traditional sports are held and the climax of the event is the selection of the known as Unduk Ngadau. The Unduk Ngadau symbolizes Huminodun, the sacrificed daughter of

The rituals described above are typical the murutic groups of the interior and the the Lotud Dusun have a series of Mogimpuun, Sumondod and Monumbui. a plentiful harvest.

of the Kadazan-Dusun of the Penampang-Papar area. Other than dusunic groups, paitanic groups in the east have different rice harvest rituals. For example, eight ceremonies - Mansalud, Monuras, Tumakau, Matang, Mongoi Rumali, The essence of this ceremony however is the same, that is of thanksgiving for

In conclusion, Malaysia has a very unic festival that are celebrated by the paitanic group in the state of Sabah and Sarawak. Kaamatan festival is one of the most important and unic festival in Malaysia. It is not known among the citizens of Malaysia only, but it was also known among the tourist from all over the world. As a Malaysian, I am very proud that my country has many amazing and unic festival.

SEKOLAH MENENGAH KEBANGSAAN JITRA 2012

ENGLISH
The Tradional Custom of Malay Wedding and The Kaamatan Festival in Sabah

Name: SITI WAHYU BINTI LONG Class: 4 PEARL Teachers name: ENCIK SHAUFIQ BIN ALI Subject: ENGLISH

TRADITIONAL CUSTOM OF MALAY WEDDING AND KAAMATAN FESTIVAL IN SABAH