In Sabah, the people will celebrate an annual event which is called as the “Harvest Festival or Kaamatan“. This festival is celebrated every year on May 30th and 31st, mostly by the “Kadazandusuns”. Kaamatan festival is about the “manifestation of the Creator & Creator relationship” or refers to the “paddy-harvesting period” which involves the traditional rituals.
It embodies the principal acts of invocation of “divinities, appeasing, purification, restoration, re-union of benevolent spirits, and thanksgiving” to the source of all. “Appeasing” is done in respect of who may have been hurt by human wrongful or acts. “Purification” is performed in respect of human and spiritual needs for forgiveness and to make themselves worthy of the gifts of life from God. “Restoration” in necessary to ensure the health and well being of spiritual beings. “Re-union” is realized in respect of human needs to be integrated in body, mind and spirit while “thanksgiving” is observed as befitting for all creations to express their gratitude and appreciation for the gifts of life and all life supportive system on earth that their Creator lovingly and generously gave them.
The festival is observed in 6 rituals stages:
“The Kumogos Ceremony”, before a harvest begins, a Bobohizan or Bobolian (ritual specialist) will select and tie-up 7 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 7 stalks of rice will then be scattered all 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 or Bobolian will select 7 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 or Bobolian goes to a rice hut together with the 7 stalks of rice which is tied up and placed in the tadang. While 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.
“The Poihib Ceremony”, in the rice hut the Bobohizan or 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 or 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 padi 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 final stage of the observation of the harvest festival and is in the form of merry-making and entertainment. This ceremony is now celebrated at village, district and state levels annually (30th and 31st May). A variety of entertainment and activities in the form of dances and traditional sports are held and the climax of the event is the selection of the Unduk Ngadau (Harvest Festival Queen). The Unduk Ngadau symbolizes Huminodun, the sacrificed daughter of Kinorohingan.
The rituals described above are typical of the Kadazan-Dusun of the Penampang-Papar area. Other dusunic groups, the murutic groups of the interior and the paitanic groups in the east have different rice harvest rituals. The essence of this ceremony however is the same, that is of thanksgiving for a plentiful harvest. During this festival, there will be a lot of activities such as the “Unduk Ngadau” (a beauty contest), “Sugandoi” (singing competition) and etc which will be held at the “KDCA” around the final week of May. All are welcome to experience the Kadazandusuns’ cultural life. Finally, Kaamatan is a celebration for the people who celebrate Kaamatan.
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