Tadau Kaamatan - Sabah

In Sabah, the main festive event is Tadau Kaamatan or Harvest Festival, celebrated in a merry and grand manner with thanksgiving to the rice gods. For Kadazandusuns, an indigenous group representing almost 30 percent of Sabah’s multi-ethnic population, the Kaamatan is observed amid cultural and religious traditions. The Kadazandusuns believe rice has a spirit that should always be treated with reverence.
It is believed that their god, Kinoingan, sacrificed his daughter Huminodun to save his people during a great famine. From her flesh scattered all over the land sprang the first rice plants. Thus, the Kadazandusuns believe that Huminodun is embodied as the spirit of rice known as Bambazon.

The Kumogus ceremony
There are altogether six ritual stages for Kaamatan. The first is the Kumagos ceremony. Before a harvest begins, a Bobohizan (high priestess) will select, tie-up and put aside seven stalks of the best rice from a plot of rice field. Once when the crop on that particular field has been reaped, the Bobohizan will again visit the area and scatter the seven stalks of rice all over the field. This gesture is to inform the other spirits who may be present among the rice fields not to disturb the people during harvesting period and that each of the spirits will receive a `gift’ after the harvest.

The Kumotob ceremony
The second ritual known as the Kumatob ceremony involves a Bobohizan selecting another seven stalks of rice from the areas yet to be harvested. The selected stalks of rice are tied up and placed in a tadang (a type of basket). Following this process, the people finish harvesting the fields.

The Posisip Ceremony
The Bobohizan will go to a rice hut together with the seven stalks of rice kept in the tadang. While reciting chants, she takes out the rice stalks and inserts them in a bamboo pole kept in the tangkob (rice container). The chants invoke the spirit of the rice to remain in the rice hut until the next planting season.

The Poiib Ceremony
In the rice hut, the Bobohizan carefully pours the rice into the tangkob. This process is repeated several times until there is no rice left in the tadang. The Bobohizan then recites chants appealing to the rice spirits to watch over the rice stored in the tangkob.

The Magavau Ceremony
Pests, natural disasters or even the carelessness of farmers themselves pose threats to the rice spirit, Bambazon. The Magavau ritual is performed in the paddy field during the first full moon after the harvest. Moving in a single file, close to one another, the Bobohizans enter the `world’ of spirits in search of the `lost’ Bambazon to bring it safely `home’. Every time a stray Bambazon is located, piercing cries express joy at the find, ensuring the people would have another good harvest. This ritual is often held in the house of the owner of the field.

The Humabot Ceremony
During the final stage of the Kaamatan rituals conducted in the villages and districts in the Sabah state usually on May 30-31, gong-beating competitions, buffalo races and other traditional sports are held during the Humabot. Those present at the celebration are served chicken, eggs, meat and the best of tapai or rice-wine. The highlight of the Humabot ceremony is the Unduk Ngadau (Harvest Queen) beauty pageant. The event pays respect to the legendary Huminodun. A selection is made among Kadazandusun beauties for one who best exemplifies the ascribed traits of Huminodun.

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Gawai Dayak - Kuching

This celebration of unity, aspiration and hope for the Dayaks mark the end of the rice harvest and ushers in another year of bountiful goodness. During this festival, almost everyone dresses in traditional costumes while the elders perform traditional rites.

First celebrated on 1st June 1965, it is the feast for the eyes with its colourful rituals, traditional music, cock fighting, feasting and games. It is simply a time for merrymaking.

Tuak (rice wine) and an array of traditional food are generously served. Widespread celebrations are held not only in the main cities and towns but also in the interior settlements. Gawai is an occasion for parties, fun and games, processions and open houses.

In remote villages, guests are expected to taste tuak and eat at each household. Music and dancing usually follow suit.

In Kuching, for instance, celebrations start a week before with colourful street parades and cultural activities. On the eve of the Gawai, a grand state dinner is usually held with singing, dancing and a beauty pageant, which culminates in the crowning of several Gawai Queens, one each for Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu communities.

Obviously, Gawai Dayak is the best and the most interesting time to visit Sarawak as you can see and sample the lifestyle and its festivities.

Where to Go

-The Skrang River (Iban Longhouse)
Experience life at the longhouse with this exciting destination. The journey to Skrang is firstly by road, and then by a motor propelled long boat up the river. The highlight of any visit to a Skrang longhouse is the entertainment by the longhouse residents featuring traditional dances and music.

-The Lemanak River (Iban Longhouse)
Upon arrival at the longhouse, the Iban natives will greet and welcome you with tuak, the local traditional rice wine. Explore the longhouse and gain an insight into the unique culture of the Iban communities. This longhouse is home to 23 families. All resides under one roof. Have a chat with the Iban old folks to understand more of their culture and the history of headhunting. The trophy of the headhunting days can be seen hanging from the rafters and antique Chinese jars.

-Batang Ai (Iban Longhouse)
Arrive at the Lemanak jetty and take an hour boat ride upriver amidst overhanging foliage. Upon arrival at the longhouse, the longhouse occupants with generous flow of tuak will greet you with the traditional dance. Explore and visit the longhouse where you will see many things such as human skull hanging from the rafters, antique Chinese jars dated back hundreds of years and some 25 families living together under one roof.

-Annah Rais (Bidayuh Longhouse)
Bidayuh, the second largest ethnic group in Sarawak, is formerly known as the 'Land Dayak. They were also known as the 'Engineer of Bamboo'. You will be able to see the splendid architecture of their longhouse, which was build mostly by bamboo when visiting their longhouse. Annah Rais is one of the most famous Bidayuh longhouse in Sarawak, which located about 100 km east from Kuching city and quite close to the Indonesian border. The excursion will take about one and a half hour on the road.

Types of Gawai

The Ibans has many festivals called 'Gawai'. These different 'Gawai's are known as 'Gawai Kenyalang' (hornbill festival), 'Gawai Antu' (festival for the dead) and 'Gawai Dayak' (harvesting festival). During such festivals, besides the customary observance of ritual, there is usually a lot of drinking of the locally brewed rice wine called tuak, much merriment and dancing called ngajat and displays of elaborate traditional costumes.

Tuak

Tuak is a special rice wine. It is a drink for all occasions, be it Gawai, weddings or entertaining visitors. It is generally served during any sort of entertainment or festivities. When you arrive at any longhouse during the festival, the occupants will offer you tuak as a welcoming drink. It used to offend the occupants if visitors refuse the offering but now the host is more understanding as some religion like Islam forbids the consumption of alcohol of any sort.

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Petronas Malaysian F1 Grand Prix 2007

The 2007 Formula One Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix, to be held at Sepang F1 Circuit from April 6 to 8, will be officially launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi on Tuesday (January 16) at Impiana KLCC Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

The ninth edition of the Malaysia's F1 race, which will feature the second round of the 2007 Formula One World Championship, would be launched amidst a showcase of lights and colours to project this year's theme of 'It's Thrilling Out There'.
"With all the buzz and excitement surrounding the Visit Malaysia Year festivities and celebrations, we at the circuit are even more excited than before with the 2007 race," says Sepang International Circuit (SIC) General Manager Datuk Ahmad Mustafa.
Ahmad, who is the 2007 Formula One Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix event director, believed that with the support of the Visit Malaysia Year programmes with listless benefits and incentives for foreign tourists, the event would become Malaysia's best ever F1 race.
First staged in 1999, the F1 race is organized as a national event by Malaysia to enhance its image globally and as part of the Government's effort to develop motorsports in Malaysia and promote the country as an international tourist destination.
Targeting 120,000 spectators including 48,000 foreigners for this year's race on April 8, Ahmad said their effort in wooing the spectators was also helped by the fact that the new season started with plenty of uncertainties and excitement brought about the some major changes in the drivers' line-up.
"We know that Michael Schumacher will not be competing anymore. Kimi Raikkonen is driving for Ferrari; taking over from Michael but (Felipe) Massa wants to be the No 1 driver. World champion Fernando Alonso is starting new with McLaren and obviously would demand for a strong reliable machine to defend his title."
"There's also plenty of hype on the new McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton being the first black driver, Giancarlo Fisichella is now the No 1 driver in Renault and he will now have maximum support the team unlike previously when Alonso was the first driver for the team."
"Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button will obviously be stronger this year with Honda. Similarly, with Toyota, BMW and Red Bull Racing. So, there are plenty of things happening in the pre-season and plenty of excitement in store for the fans," added Ahmad.
With Sepang as the second round after Melbourne, Ahmad said the thrill and excitement would be even higher for the fans as the teams and drivers would be better prepared; having shaken off their early season jitter in the opening round in Australia.
"On top of that, the teams and drivers would be entering the race in Sepang fresh from a three-day testing at the circuit itself in the preceding week. Naturally, they will be very prepared for the race in Sepang," he added.
Watched by more than 107,000 spectators and some 600 million more live on TV, the 2006 race in Sepang was won by Fisichella; beating team mate Alonso to second place and Jenson Button completing the podium.

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The Rafflesia - World Biggest & Smellieast flower

It's the world's biggest flower, and maybe the stinkiest too. Now scientists have used genetic analysis to solve the longoutstanding mystery of the lineage of the rafflesia flower, known for its blood-red bloom measuring 1m wide and its nauseating stench of rotting flesh.

Writing in the journal Science, a team of researchers said rafflesia - discovered in an 1818 scientific expedition to a Sumatran rainforest - comes from an ancient family of plants known not for big flowers, but for tiny ones.

In fact, many of its botanical cousins boast flowers just a few millimeters wide. This family, called Euphorbiaceae, also includes the poinsettia, Irish bells and crops such as the rubber tree, castor oil plant and cassava shrub, the researchers said.
Rafflesia's many odd characteristics long had tripped up scientists trying to figure out where it fit on the botanical tree of life. It is sort of a botanical outlaw - a parasitic plant that steals nutrients from another plant while deceiving insects into pollinating it.
Rafflesia (pronounced rah-FLEZZ-ee-ah) lives inside the tissue of a tropical vine related to the gravevine, with only its flower visible. It is devoid of leaves, shoots and roots, and does not engage in photosynthesis, the process plants use to exploit the energy from sunlight.
Its flower can weight 7kg. They are blotchy blood red. They smell like decaying flesh and can emit heat, perhaps mimicking a newly killed animal in order to entice the carrion flies that pollinate it.
There are various species of rafflesia growing on the floor of rainforests in parts of South-East Asia. It is said its lineage dates back roughly 100million years to the Cretaceous period, the last act of the age of dinasours when flowering plants are believed to have first appeared. The researchers determined that over a span of 46 million years, rafflesia's flowers evolved a 79-fold increase in size before assuming a slower evolutionary pace.

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