- December 22, 2018 @ 3:22pm
PENAMPANG: The Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) has set up an unduk ngadau gallery here to be part of the cultural attraction for tourists, said its president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
“After almost 58 years of celebrating Kaamatan (harvest festival) with the Unduk Ngadau (beauty pageant) as the highlight of the celebration, we finally have a gallery,” he said in a speech read by KDCA deputy president Datuk Seri Clarence Bongkos Malakun at the launch of the gallery today.
Pairin, who is also huguan siou (paramount leader of the Kadazandusun community), said the unduk ngadau competition helped to preserve Kadazandusun culture in terms of the authenticity of traditional costumes and using the mother tongue.
“Those traditional costumes should be preserved and documented for research so future generations will always have a reference in the future in this era of ever-changing technology.”
KDCA women council chairman Joanna Kitingan said the gallery was meant to exhibit the history of Kadazandusun women, role of the bobolian (high priestess) and the unduk ngadau, as well as authentic and full traditional costumes.
“Over the years, the traditional costumes have been modified and worn in a manner that is inappropriate,” she said.
“It is therefore our role and responsibility to make sure that young people know the true meaning of the motifs and how it is properly worn.”
Joanna encouraged former unduk ngadau to sponsor or donate full traditional costumes to the gallery.
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