Sabah Malaysian Borneo - A land where nature comes alive in all its glory

Here you’ll find an Incentive and Meeting destination that’s totally unexpected, offering the world’s oldest rainforests, endless pristine white beaches, unique flora and fauna and a skyline of mountains that range among the highest in the region. Sabah’s stunningly beautiful from every angle – whether from a luxurious 5-star hotel room or out in the wild. Few Incentive and Meeting destinations offer first-rate facilities combined with such unique and memorable experiences for delegates.

Your Journey To The Warm Heart of Borneo Starts here...
Sabah's population is heterogeneous and culturally diverse, with more than 30 different ethnic races and over 80 local dialects spoken. Traditions and customs have long been part of our daily lives. Most of it has survived for eons; others have barely endured, touched by other influences that have led others yet to be forgotten altogether.
Well known as the Land Below The Wind and also Land Of The Sacred Mountain, Sabah is a land of varied landscapes and natural wonders. One will normally ask what kinds of people live in this land of eco-treasures? Often by further understanding our spectrum of cultures, you will find the answer as all types, colours and creeds. All these ethnic groups live together harmoniously while at the same time preserving their own culture, traditions, festivals and customs to make Sabah a multiculturally exotic experience unlike any other that you might have already experienced.
Like the rest of the Southeast Asian archipelago, Sabah has been culturally affected by the powerful external, continental influences from mainland Asia. However the heterogeneous population often dramatically reveals its well-preserved wonderful customs and practices. Though the country modernizes, and certain rituals and special ceremonial occasions are less frequently performed, one can still experience and observe Sabah's rich tapestry of custom in the local population's daily life as well as their special local festivals.
This segment will take you through a virtual experience in getting to know Sabah through the understanding of our traditional musical instruments, costume and ethnic lifestyle. The interactive on-line video streaming featuring Sabah - Malaysian Borneo in general will give you an insight of our unique customs and a special section on the wonderful sounds of Borneo will captivate your heart and soul.
Come to Sabah and let us show you the way to indulge yourself in our most precious custom and shower you with endless affection in our very own unique Sabahan way.

The People of Sabah
With around 32 indigenous groups in Sabah, one can expect to see tribal dresses of various styles. Most of these have retained much of their original design and color.
Many of these traditional costumes are of black material, and one of the reasons for using such a sombre color is that in the past, the people could rely on a few types of vegetables and plants from which to extract dye to color the cloth. If they needed to add color to the black, beads of red, orange, white and green were sewn on.
Traditional costumes also included antique bead necklaces and belts, antique hand-engraved silver jewellery, and belts of old silver dollar coins. Most of these accessories have been handed down from generation to generation. All are very valuable and priceless.


The Kadazandusun
This is the largest ethnic category in Sabah and is predominantly wet rice and hill rice cultivators. Their language belongs to the Dusunic family and shares a common animistic belief system with various customs and practices. Their ancient beliefs on the verity that everything has life - the rocks, trees, and rivers are all living things.
They have souls and spirits that must be appeased from time to time through specific rituals. In these modern times, some of the rituals are less performed accept during certain festivities.

Customs & Beliefs

Pesta Kaamatan or Harvest Festival is a unique celebration of Kadazandusun society. It's a celebration to honour the Rice Spirit - Bambaazon or Bambarayon and giving thanks for yet another bountiful year. The festival begins on the first of May at many district levels. The rites and customs of the Pesta Kaamatan is a tribal practice of Kadazandusun and also Murut peoples. The Bobohizan or Bobolian who are the High Priests or Priestesses (depending on the district/area undertaking the preservation) will conduct the ritual. In different districts, the priests or priestesses may be addressed to differently, for instance in Tambunan district they are known as Bobolian, in Tuaran as Tantagas and in Penampang as Bobohizan.
It is believed that rice in whatever form embodies Bambaazon that must be protected from harm. The homecoming of Babaazon is an integral part of the Harvest Festival. Ancient folklore tells of the ultimate deed of Kinoingan or Minamagun - The Almighty God or Creator, who sacrificed his only beloved daughter, Huminodun so that his people would have food. Various parts of her body were planted from which plants grew. During the Magavau ceremony, the Bobohizan will select some stalks of rice that are left undistributed until the harvest is over. In some districts, the chosen stalks are cut before the field is harvested and are then brought into the owner's house. The task of Bobohizan is to search and salvage the lost Bambaazon who are hurt or separated from the main mystical body. In the old days, this ceremony was often performed in freshly harvested fields during the first full moon after the harvest to invoke the rice spirit.
The language used by Bobohizan is archaic whose meanings have been buried in time and known only to the few remaining Bobohizan these days. The vital aspect of Magavau is the paraphernalia used to summon Bambaazon. The sacrament of Magavau may vary according to district practices but the ceremony always ends with food offerings to Bambaazon and merry making for the village folks.
The highlight of Pesta Kaamatan is the selection of the pageant queen or "Unduk Ngadau" which can be literally translated as "Zenith of the Sun". It conceptually derives from the sacrifice of Huminodun. The maiden who has the honour of being selected should bear semblance to Huminodun and will represent all that is virtuous in the revered Huminodun.