Unduk Ngadau held in peninsula in past 21 years: Pageant head
Published on: Tuesday, May 14, 2024
The annual Unduk Ngadau, originally known as the harvest festival queen, a heritage of the Kadazan Dusun community, has evolved into a showcase of cultural diversity and heritage in Sabah, promoting unity. - Bernama pic for illustration only.
Kota Kinabalu: A little-known fact about the Unduk Ngadau, a traditional beauty pageant held during the Kaamatan Festival, often associated solely with Sabah, is that it has also been celebrated in Peninsular Malaysia for the past 21 years.
Joanna Kitingan, the Sabah Unduk Ngadau Committee Chairperson, stated that this year six Unduk Ngadau from the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) branches in the Klang Valley, Putrajaya, Johor, Melaka, Perak, and Penang were crowned.
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She explained that the six representatives, one delegate from Labuan and Sarawak, and 41 participants from Sabah, will vie for the title in the 2024 Unduk Ngadau Sabah finals, scheduled for May 31 in Penampang.
Joanna
“This year marks the 64th anniversary of the Unduk Ngadau since its inception in 1960. As for Peninsular Malaysia, it was first held in 2003, involving the Klang Valley KDCA branch.
It has been also held in Peninsular Malaysia for the past 21 years, with other states gradually participating within a span of six to seven years,” she clarified.
“This shows how the Unduk Ngadau and the Kaamatan Festival serve as symbols of unity. Besides fostering camaraderie, it allows those outside Sabah to appreciate our culture and traditions, enabling us to celebrate together as Malaysians,” she emphasised.
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The annual Unduk Ngadau, originally known as the harvest festival queen, a heritage of the Kadazan Dusun community, has evolved into a showcase of cultural diversity and heritage in Sabah, promoting unity.
In 2003, renowned national celebrity Daphne Iking, who hails from Keningau, Sabah, clinched the inaugural Unduk Ngadau title at the Klang Valley level, while Carol Abbey Gail from Papar was crowned Unduk Ngadau Sabah.
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To date, Romandawi Gapari, Allvera Azerra Jaunik, and Qheesthyna Issandra Ladzrus were crowned Unduk Ngadau for Johor, Putrajaya and Sarawak, respectively.
Joanna highlighted that the Unduk Ngadau contest in Peninsular Malaysia is organised to provide an avenue for Sabahans, specifically those of Kadazan Dusun descent living outside the state, to participate in the Kaamatan Festival.
“Even after marrying into various cultural backgrounds in Malaysia, such as Indian and Chinese, these individuals continue to cherish Sabah’s traditions and heritage.
Therefore, contestants in this competition come from multicultural backgrounds spanning both the Eastern and Western regions of Malaysia,” she added.
She said that on May 26, all 49 participants are set to assemble in Sabah for a series of preliminary events and briefings, before the final competition in Penampang, where they will compete for over RM100,000 in prizes.
“We genuinely regard them as part of our family. Their presence here brings us immense joy. We seize this moment to impart knowledge about their heritage and to mentor them towards success in life, serving as inspirations for many other youths,” said Joanna.
When queried about the prospect of hosting Unduk Ngadau contests abroad, Joanna acknowledged the keen interest among Malaysians of Sabah ethnic descent in international competitions, including Australia, and expressed readiness to support such endeavours.
“Our people abroad want to celebrate the Kaamatan Festival together. They want to hold events such as Sugandoi (traditional song performances in Sabah’s ethnic languages) and Unduk Ngadau. We hope this becomes a reality so that we can showcase our culture and traditions abroad,” she said.
This year’s Kaamatan Festival, themed “Kaamatan Beyond Food Security,” was launched on May 1 in the Ranau district and is being held in various districts until the grand finale in Penampang on May 31, with today being Kudat’s turn as host.
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