Pesta KaamatanPeringkat IPTA/IPTS Kali Ke-7 2008 Universiti Malaysia Sabah

PESTA KAAMATAN 2008 UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SABAH KE-7

TEMA

"Kepelbagaian Bangsa Mewarnai Budaya"

Minggu Pesta Kaamatan Peringkat IPTA/IPTS Sabah Kali Ke-7 2008

Tarikh : 31 Julai hingga 02 Ogos 2008
Masa :9.00 pagi hingga 6.00 petang
Tempat :Kawasan Letak Kereta(Perpustakaan UMS)

Malam Kemuncak Pesta Kaamatan Peringkat IPTA/IPTS Sabah Kali Ke-7

Tarikh :02 Ogos 2008
Masa :6.00 petang hingga 11.00 malam
Tempat :Dewan Canselor Universiti Malaysia Sabah

Upcoming events of Exco Artistic & Cultural, MPP UMS

Pesta Kaamatan : 26/07/2008
Forum Jenayah : 02/08/2008
Kempen Derma Darah MPP : Ogos-September

Segala perkembangan terkini berkenaan kandungan program akan dipaparkan dalam masa terdekat...Nantikannya...



Untuk sebarang komen dan maklumat lanjut, sila hubungi:

Raja Kumar Sundaram 016-5049128
Mosimar Bin Abu Bakar 016-8411721

Pesta Kaamatan 2008 (30/31-5-2008)

Pesta Kaamatan

Most native Sabahans consider rice to be more important than just the main staple food. There is a certain sacredness attached to it, for it is a food given to them by Kinoingan, the Almighty Creator so that his people should never want for food. He sacrificed His only daughter- Huminodun and from her body parts, padi (rice) grew. This was Kinoingan's ultimate act of benevolence and to this day, His people repay the deed by conducting various ceremonies to honour Bambaazon, the spirit of Huminodun as embodied in rice.

The most well-known of these is Pesta Kaamatan or Harvest Festival which begins on the first of May and celebrated throughout Sabah. Of major importance to this thanksgiving ceremony is the Magavau - a ritual to invite Bambaazon to the Pesta and is conducted only by the Bobohizan or high priestess. Festivities cannot proceed without the presence of Bambaazon and it is through Magavau that the Rice Spirit is invoked.

In the past, Magavau was conducted in the padi fields on the first full moon night after the harvest. A party of Bobohizan led by the foremost senior, would weave a slow procession through the fields chanting prayers to Bambaazon. A male warrior would walk ahead of this group waving a sword in the air, to ward off any evil that might try to disrupt the ritual. The food offered must be of the best quality. When the spirits come, only the Bobohizan will be able to feel their presence. The spirits will find, neatly laid out for them on banana leaves, the choicest chicken meat, eggs, betel leaves and pinang (areca nut), tobacco and kirai ("rollie"). The finest tapai or rice wine is offered to the spirits.

A second offering arranged in a winnowing tray is placed on a specially built bamboo platform. This is for the spirits to bring back to the spirit world to feed those creatures that would otherwise feed off the padi. Pesta Kaamatan around the state culminates in the state level celebrations on May 30 and 31 every year with Magavau being enacted indoors before the celebrations begin.