KENINGAU: The Sabah Gana Ethnic Association (PEGS) trained nearly 500 youths in traditional dances of the Gana and Kadazandusun ethnic groups during the Semarak Belia @ Hari Belia Negara celebration for the Interior division, recently held at Keningau Vocational College (KVC).
The programme was organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Keningau Division, with KVC serving as host.
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Five trainers from the association were invited to conduct traditional dance workshops and later serve as judges for the competition.
Their participation not only enlivened the event but also strengthened efforts to preserve cultural heritage by providing practical exposure to youths.
The trainers were Keathey Junidi, Angelia Posius, Nicole Tay Ming Zing, Mohd Ajai Abdullah and Alfred Junior Vetus.
Participants, comprising students from KVC and Geomatika College Keningau, were taught two traditional dances — the Kadazan Sumazau and the Gana Mansayau.
The training sessions were followed by tutorials for selected representatives from each group, who later performed before a panel of judges.
Cash prizes were awarded to all participating groups, with higher amounts presented to the top three teams.
Semarak Belia @ Hari Belia Negara is an annual state-level celebration organised under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, featuring activities focused on arts, culture, music and the Malaysia Aktif initiative.
This year’s Interior division celebration highlighted traditional dance activities guided by PEGS, alongside aerobics sessions led by the CardioFit Keningau team.
KVC director Lumang anak Lang expressed full support for the programme, saying it not only encourages youths to adopt a healthy lifestyle through dance and exercise but also motivates them to explore opportunities in the creative industry, particularly in arts, culture and music.
