Kaamatan Festival 2022 - Sabah Sarawak

Just returned from an immense festival celebration in Eastern part of Malaysia known as Sabah & Sarawak. Having being a chunk of this festival known as #kaamatan or Harvest Festival, I found it my pleasure writing the experience starting with a short history associated.

History

It is said that there was a time when there was a severe crop shortage that caused a significant number of population died of hunger. So in order to please the 'God of Earth' to show some mercy, the local tribes had sacrificed a woman whose blood mixed with the soil and grew Paddy. They believed it since then and continued this practice until early 18th Century. Since then on, the practice has turned from sacrificing a women to throne a woman as a their Harvest Queen instead. Nowadays, there's a #kaamatan #pageant contest takes place every year in the month of May to find a Harvest queen amongst the participants from all districts of Malaysia.

Celebration

How do you think any celebration would be, difficult to guess 'kan', folk dancing, local dishes cooked and served in traditional style. soothing music, loud laughs, gatherings and a lot more.

To start with, #Sabah is divided into multiple districts and each one have their own tradition costumes, music, food and dance however with a marginal difference. Everyone gathers in capital city #KotaKinabalu and simulates their cultural home designs and within that premise they perform their traditional dance and musical stuff.

Talking of celebration, how could we just miss the locally prepared food, so here's a glimpse for you.

And this was just one of those available in the region. Since I am not a big time eater, I just had this and could imagine how marvelously delicious others would be. Here's an brief of what this plate has got:

Nasi kerabu - The purple color is obtained from a flower named as Pea. It contains grated coconut.

Sayur kangkung - Local and colorful vegetables rich in all nutrients and easiest to cook

Durian - That's right! It could be used as a vegetable as well, even I was surprised! But turned out delicious.

Hinava - This is a meshed raw fish with bitter gourd, onions, red chilies and drops of lime that actually marinates and cook.

Now, probably we must be thinking of how would you be treated being an alien to the land and among people, the answer is 'Just like one of them'.

Hospitality has been so gladdening that you could ever envisage. I have been invited to dance with them, play musical instruments, click photographs and have the content of this plate above.

So we have covered #eatingtogether, now comes #clickingtogether.

Click 'Satu'

Click ' Dua'

Next is #dancingtogether

And since I do not want readers to yawn and fall asleep while reading this, let me finish by showing my gratitude towards a family that helped me exploring everything on this little Island, the Marajin Family who have been the guardians throughout my journey and here they are :)

Oh by the way, by the time I am finished writing this blog, the winner of beauty contest is already declared.

Connect with me from the contact page if you would like to ask more on this place and wish to have a pleasant and happening visit.

Thank you for reading, do visit Sabah once in your life and have a great life ahead!