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Papar to kick off the Kaamatan this time
March 24, 2009 (Source:
Daily Express)
Kota Kinabalu:
Papar will start this year's Harvest
Festival celebration on May 1, Deputy Chief
Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan
announced, Monday.
Speaking
after chairing the Harvest Festival Main
Committee meeting at his office in Sembulan,
here, he said the theme for this year's
celebration is 'Together We Mould a Better
Future" (Bersama Membentuk Masa Depan Yang
Lebih Baik").
He said it
has been a while since Papar hosted the
event and hoped the proximity of the
district to the city will see more people at
the launching.
He said
dates for the Harvest Festival at
district-level are still being finalised and
will be released to the media at a later
date.
As with
past Harvest Festivals, the aim is to
showcase the State's rich cultural heritage,
he said, adding that events such as 'Sugandoi'
(singing) and the Unduk Ngadau pageant as
well as traditional sports and
agriculture-products exhibition, will also
be featured.
On another
matter, Pairin said there was no
confirmation yet on whether there will be a
national-level Harvest Festival celebration
such as the one held here last year.
"The
matter is still in the agenda but there is
no confirmation yet," he said.
Meanwhile,
Pesta Kalimaran, an annual cultural festival
of the Murut community that will take place
at the Murut Cultural Centre in Tenom about
two hours drive from here from Apr 3-5,
promises to be more colourful and merrier
this year.
Chief
Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman is scheduled
to officiate at the opening on the second
day (April 4), said State Tourism, Culture
and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun
told a press conference, Monday.
He said
some RM250,000 would be spent on this year's
festival, which is being organised jointly
by the State Government and Sabah Murut
Association (SMA).
Of this,
RM100,000 is from his Ministry, RM100,000
from the Sabah Cultural Board and another
RM50,000 from various sponsors.
Inviting
all to the festival, Masidi said there will
be big prizes for those coming in attractive
Murut traditional costumes regardless of
what community they are from, between 7am
and 9am on April 4.
He said
the prizes include a live cattle each for
the man and woman winning the best Murut
traditional costumes, and a goat to each for
second and third placing in both categories.
Other than
that there will be a Ratu Kalimaran contest,
singing competition, cultural dance
performance including the Magunatip, the
Lansaran, exhibition of mock traditional
marriages, handicrafts, etc |
