The Murut Festival in Tenom - April 09

Plan your holiday in Sabah to include the Pesta Kalimaran of the Murut people - the third largest indigenous group here! It is held in Tenom every year in April. This year it was over the weekend of April 3-5. What an event! It was visually stunning - a kaleidoscope of colour. People were having a good time and there was a strong sense of vitality.

Going to a festival like this reminds me why I love Sabah so much. It's that 'Sabah style' with everyone being so welcoming, hospitable and inclusive. We were always being approached to introduce ourselves and people wanted to explain what was going on, especially on Sunday when they had the 'wedding' ceremony. They made sure we always had something to eat and drink and somewhere to sit. And where else could you ask your local MP to fill in a few minutes by singing a couple of songs to the huge audience?!?

The cultural performances included a gong competition, dance display and bamboo dance competition. There were interesting and informative displays, showing arts and crafts, as well as the clothing of the 7 different Murut ethnic groups. There was also a variety of stalls to look at and a range of food and drinks for sale. And even a ferris wheel!

The whole festival was professionally done and very well organised with events starting on time and introduced by very competent mcs. They even threw in the odd comment in English for the foreign guests - us!

Every year at this festival, they include a particular aspect of the traditional culture. This year it concerned the final dowry payment made by the husband's family to his wife's family. The couple get married after the dowry has been agreed, but the payments may happen in instalments and take years - even until grandchildren have been born! Nevertheless, when the final payment is made, it is a reason to have a feast. The gifts are accepted, speeches are given, songs are sung, the gongs are struck, the rice wine is drunk - and everyone has a great time. The payment can be in the form of cloth, ceramic jars, wine and strings of beads, for example.

It was the first time I had seen rice wine in the traditional tall jars, with the bamboo straws to drink from. The expectation is that you will drink until the level of the rice wine drops to the next red mark - an enormous amount to drink! I couldn't do it - even though the wine was delicious - but there were others who certainly could.

If you have any comments or questions, please just send an email to: ron@astsabah.com or jude@astsabah.com. We'd love to hear from you.