Tag Archives: Kadazandusun

Himpogot, the money belt

A guy is lucky if he is born with a silver spoon in his mouth. It’s a blessing if a Kadazandusun lady inherits a himpogot from her mother. Himpogot is a “money belt” made of 18 or more British silver coins chained together, and it is the most shiny accessory of traditional costume of Kadazandusun, the largest indigenous group of Sabah.

The older the Tangkong and Himpogot, the more valuable they are

In old days, wearing precious metal such as silver is a way of showing off a person’s wealth. Now himpogot is a symbol of elegance and classy beauty. The “ori” (original) himpogot means antique silver coin belt passed down (to daughters normally) as heirloom from ancestors and it’s very rare now.

Himpogot is a common accessory among Kadazan, Dusun and Murut people of Sabah

Therefore, due to its rarity, it’s a great pride for a Kadazandusun girl to wear a full set of 3 sparkling ori himpogot belts, which weigh more than 1.5 Kilograms, about as heavy as a big bottle of mineral water. The term Himpogot is derived from the Kadazan word pogoton, which means to tighten the tie.

One to five Himpogot belts are worn

Himpogot is widely used in traditional costumes of native tribes in Borneo and have different names, e.g. Botungkat in Dusun, Pipirot Linggit in Murut, and Sementing Ringgit in Iban. The way Himpogot being worn is also different among ethnic groups.

Standard way of wearing himpogot by Kadazan Penampang

The “standard” way of wearing himpogot is usually referring to Kadazan Penampang style. A maximum of three himpogot belts are used, one on the waist and another two, before and after the tangkong brass belts. This looks beautiful with black velvet dress with gold trimmings (siling).

Bajau lady (left) wearing Himpogot

In contrast, Dusun Lotud uses one himpogot together with Lilimbo (Rattan Hip Band), whereas Dusun Tempasuk from Kota Belud will wear up to 3 himpogot on the hip. Kadazan Papar ladies use one on the waist and 2 or 3 on the hip.

The coin belts (Sementing ringgit) and dangling coins (Sementing Buchai) of Iban girl

Though Iban is considered as a Sarawak tribe, Sabah has some Iban people living around Sipitang and Tawau too. In addition to silver coin waist belts (Sementing ringgit), Iban female also wears the dangling silver coin chains on skirts, hundreds of coins are used, pretty impressive. But Iban has its whole way of using and wearing silver coins, and I won’t cover more.

The men of Dusun Tindal also wear Himpogot

The prices of himpogot can vary considerably. The “ori” (original) himpogot can cost more than 1,000 Ringgit. The fake or imitation ones usually cost from RM90 to RM200, depending on the quality.

Tangkong (left), the brass belt and Himpogot (right), the silver belt

The original Tangkong brass belts also cost a fortune. A complete set of 3 tangkong and 3 himpogot belts can worth over RM15,000 (≈USD$3,750). But these are traditional jewelleries that are seldom available for sale.

Himpogot worn as shoulder bands by a Murut Paluan woman

Miniature Himpogot for children, which is half the size of standard himpogot.

British Trade Dollar

Most of the time I only see old British coins used in himpogot. The most common coin being used in himpogot is the British Trade Dollar issued between 1895 and 1937 . This silver coin consists of 90% silver and was used to be a ‘Trade Coinage’ (coins manufactured by one country for use in another country) widely circulated in China, Hong Kong, Malaya, Borneo and Brunei as an international currency in early 20th century.

Antique himpogot exhibited in Monsopiad Cultural Village

Now let’s play a game to see if you can identify an original himpogot. There are two himpogot below, tell me which one costs RM3,500 and RM150. Guess. Don’t scroll down too fast for answers ok.

Guess which Himpogot is MYR150 and MYR3,500

On the coin is the Britannia standing on a shore, holding a trident in one hand and a shield in the other, with a merchant ship under full sail in the background. This coin was known as Ringgit Tongkat (Walking Stick Dollar) and Botungkat (having a stick) in Malaya and some Dusun respectively because of this figure. Britannia is the female personification of the British Isles and she symbolizes unity, liberty and strength. The Britannia side must face outward when himpogot is worn.

This himpogot is valued at MYR3,500 (≈USD$880)

Answer: The second (bottom) himpogot is valued at RM3,500, while the one on top is only RM150. Have you gotten the right answer? The average price of each coin in ori himpogot is RM184! I checked eBay and found these coins are worth more than USD$50 each (collector’s quality). FYI, each coin has different value. Anyway, their prices exceeds silver value due to their numismatic (coin collector) appeal.

Himpogot using faked coins is a lot cheaper

Look at the photo of RM150 himpogot above. The words and graphics have shallower emboss and the surface is more whitish in color. According to the seller, the shiny surface is a plated silver. Another thing you can see is the year on these coins are all the same.

The coins of ori Himpogot in different years (1897, 1898, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1911).

Now look at the original himpogot above. The British trade dollar coins are naturally worn and have different years. The weight of this .900 fine silver coin is about 26.95 g. Stanis, the seller, says the real silver coins will make crisp ding-ding sound when hit each other, whereas the fake coins will make “ta-ta” dull sound. It’s a fake too if it is magnetic. You can read this article to spot counterfeit British Trade Dollar.

These three “ori” himpogot cost MYR2,500 to MYR3,500.

Above are three original himpogot that costs (from top to bottom) RM2,500, RM3,000 and RM3,500. It costs RM9,000 if you want these three belts as a complete himpogot set! On the reverse of the coin is an arabesque design with the Chinese symbol for longevity in the center, and the denomination in two languages: Chinese (壹圓 = One Dollar) and Jawi ( ساتو رڠڬية‎ = One Ringgit). You can learn more about the history of this coin.

Note the Mexican coin (used as buckle)

Sometimes other silver coins are used in himpogot, like the Mexican coin above and the following copper-nickel 25 Pence in 1977 that celebrated the Silver Jubilee (25th Anniversary) of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, Straits Dollar, and Hong Kong Silver Dollar. Himpogot with coins that aren’t drilled with holes has higher value.

Himpogot made of copper-nickel 25 Pence coins in 1977 that celebrates the Silver Jubilee (25th Anniversary) of Queen Elizabeth’s reign (Photo from the book “Cultures, Customs and Traditions of Sabah Malaysia – An Introduction”)

Himpogot with Chinese words that reads “中國古代四大美女” (means 4 prettiest ladies in ancient China), with name and portrait of these women on the coins. (actually this isn’t coin)

Himpogot made from France coins?

Just a thought. Does anyone make new himpogot with new silver coins? For example, they can buy new British silver coins, which costs about RM75 to RM90 each, for making of a new himpogot which costs about RM1,500. Though it’s not an antique, it’ll become ori after passing down for a few generations, a good investment.

Handicraft stall of Stanis in Tamu (open market) of Donggongon town

If you want to buy original himpogot, you may look for the stall of Mr. Stanis in Tamu (open air weekly market) in Donggongon town, which is open in Thursday and Friday mornings. His stall is the largest handicraft stall in the middle of tamu.

His stall only opens in the morning of every Thursday and Friday.

However, these himpogots are stored in his little treasure chest. You can ask him to show you. You better hurry. Last time I mentioned about his RM8,000 Tangkong and it was sold. Original himpogot is a rare and highly sought-after item, so I’m sure it’ll be gone soon. No, he didn’t pay me any commission or ad fee.

Special thanks to Anne from Chanteek Borneo Gallery for providing a lot of information about Himpogot.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Result: Unduk Ngadau 2016 (Miss Harvest Festival, Sabah)

1 Reply

A new queen was born on 31 May 2016, after 44 contestants from different Sabah and Malaysia districts competed for the State-Level Unduk Ngadau 2016* title (Miss Harvest Festival of Sabah), which marks the end of month-long Kaamatan celebration (Harvest Festival). The photos below are clickable to zoom in.

Top 7 Winners of Unduk Ngadau 2016. From left to right: Patriciaelsa Jimy (Klang Valley), Vinny Alvionitta Sasising (Matunggong), Claryssa Henry (Kudat), Sherry Ann Laujang (Penampang), Fenny Ester Joslin (Banggi), Christine Joan Charles (Papar), Charmine Bartholomew (Kapayan)

Result: Unduk Ngadau 2016

The following is the result:
Unduk Ngadau 2016: Sherry Ann Laujang (Penampang)
1st Runner-Up: Claryssa Henry (Kudat)
2nd Runner-Up: Fenny Ester Joslin (Banggi)
3rd Runner Up: Vinny Alvionitta Sasising (Matunggong)
4th Runner Up: Christine Joan Charles (Papar)
5th Runner Up: Patriciaelsa Jimy (Klang Valley)
6th Runner Up: Charmine Bartholomew (Kapayan)

From left to right: 1st Runner-up: Claryssa Henry (Kudat), The Queen: Sherry Ann Laujang (Penampang), 2nd-Runner-up: Fenny Ester Joslin (Banggi)

Unduk Ngadau Beauty Pageant has been around since 1940s, but it only becomes an official annual competition in 1960. It is the highlight of the Kaamatan, and in the video below, you can see the crowd went crazy when the top 7 finalists were “unveiled”.

Unduk Ngadau 2016: Sherry Ann Laujang (Penampang)

Sherry is simply gorgeous. Her skin is so “radiant” that it almost makes my photos overexposed, no kidding. She has the look of a queen. However, she was extremely nervous during the contest. Her elder sister, Samantha Sharon C.E. Launjang, is the 4th runner-up of State-Level Unduk Ngadau 2012.

Unduk Ngadau 2016: Sherry Ann Laujang (Penampang)

Most guys would agree with me that many beautiful Kadazan sumandak (girls) are concentrated in Penampang area. Out of 56 State-Level Unduk Ngadau contests in the past, Penampang won the title 25 times (now 26)!

Sherry Ann Laujang in traditional Kadazan costume

Sherry is 21-year-old, and she is from Kampung Ramayah. She is a Kadazandusun with 25% British blood (her great-grandfather was a Briton), and she just earned her accounting diploma from UiTM Sabah.

Sherry Ann Laujang in evening gown

1st Runner-Up: Claryssa Henry (Kudat)

Claryssa was the strongest rival of Sherry. Her name was heard everywhere in the beginning, and she has a lot of supporters.

1st Runner-Up: Claryssa Henry (Kudat)

Claryssa Henry was wearing a traditional Rungus costume called sukolop. Many people didn’t think that it’s a good idea because sukolop is a thinner clothing Rungus women wear at home and farm, and too simple for formal events. She proceeded anyway to create more awareness about this dress.

After the competition, there is a hot debate which says Kudat should have won the first place, because most people think Claryssa was doing better than Sherry in Q&A session.

Claryssa Henry in evening gown

I don’t understand Kadazandusun language, so I don’t know who is right. Anyway, the judges had mentioned that 40% of the score is based on beauty, 30% on traditional costume, 20% on presentation and 10% on attitude.

Claryssa Henry (Kudat) and Sherry Ann Laujang (Penampang) during Q&A round

Therefore, Q&A is not the sole factor for winning, though it’s important. No matter what, hopefully everyone will stop quarrelling about this during festive time. Both of them are fabulous girls.

2nd Runner-Up: Fenny Ester Joslin (Banggi)

Fenny Ester Joslin in a traditional Rungus costume called tapi

Fenny Ester Joslin in evening gown

3rd Runner Up: Vinny Alvionitta Sasising (Matunggong)

Vinny is my favorite candidate actually. She is picture perfect. She will definitely win the Miss Photogenic title if there is one. She is awarded the subsidiary title of Miss Natural Beauty.

3rd Runner Up: Vinny Alvionitta Sasising (Matunggong)

Vinny Alvionitta Sasising in traditional Rungus costume

4th Runner Up: Christine Joan Charles (Papar)

Whenever Christine showed up, the people went gaga, and their scream almost broke my eardrums. There must be something special about her. Can anyone tell me please?

4th Runner Up: Christine Joan Charles (Papar)

She is also the winner of Miss Conservation WWF Subsidiary Title. She will be attached to Sabah WWF to raise awareness on the conservation and wildlife issues from 1 Jun 2016 to 31 May 2017.

Christine Joan Charles in traditional Kadazan Papar costume

5th Runner Up: Patriciaelsa Jimy (Klang Valley)

Besides contestants from Sabah, we also have participants from Klang Valley, Labuan and Johor.

5th Runner Up: Patriciaelsa Jimy (Klang Valley). She is wearing traditional Dusun Tindal costume

Patriciaelsa Jimy in evening gown

6th Runner Up: Charmine Bartholomew (Kapayan)

The Crowning

As there are over 40 Unduk Ngadau, so the competition took a long time and finished at 7:40pm.

Ryannie Neils Yong, the Reigning Queen (Unduk Ngadau 2015), came to say Hi Hi and Bye Bye. You know the drill.

In first round, 15 contestants were selected, then shortlisted to top 7 in second round, and at last the Q&A round to decide the winners.

The moment of the final announcement

The Rungus ladies from northern district rocked the stage this year, when contestants from Kudat, Banggi and Matunggong won 1st, 2nd and 3rd runner-up (plus Miss Natural Beauty) respectively. Besides, Unduk Ngadau of Pitas also won the Most Creative Evening Gown (with Rungus motif as theme).

Yay! A new queen is born!

Kudat district is used to be famous for three things, i.e. longhouse, coconut and peanut. Now I guess it is famous for pretty girls too lol.

Crowning of Unduk Ngadau 2016

From left to right: 1st Runner-up: Claryssa Henry (Kudat), The Queen: Sherry Ann Laujang (Penampang), 2nd-Runner-up: Fenny Ester Joslin (Banggi)

Sherry Ann Laujang (Penampang) is named the State-Level Unduk Ngadau 2016

Subsidiary Titles

There are three Subsidiary Titles being awarded during Sodop Unduk Ngadau Charity Dinner on 29 May 2016. Below is the result:
Miss Conservation WWF: Christine Joan Charles (Papar)
Miss Friendly (Tati Tosuau): Dorizah Noh Tongod (Tongod) (Can I add her in Facebook?)
Miss Natural Beauty (Tati Topiodo): Vinny Alvionitta Sasising (Matunggong)

Unduk Ngadau Charity Dinner on 29 May 2016

Winners of Subsidiary Titles

Miss Natural Beauty (Tati Topiodo): Vinny Alvionitta Sasising (Matunggong)

Miss Conservation WWF: Christine Joan Charles (Papar). Ok, please scream.

Miss Friendly (Tati Tosuau): Dorizah Noh Tongod (Tongod)

Top 7 Most Creative Evening Gown

That evening every Unduk Ngadau was wearing evening gown designed with Sabah ethnic theme. Top 7 best designs were selected, and the dress (designed by Petrus Boyd Pensin) of Treacy Chee from Pitas won the Most Creative Evening Gown award.

Most Creative Evening Gown designed by Petrus Boyd Pensin, and presented by Treacy Chee from Pitas

This colorful theme is inspired by Rungus motif. I saw patterns that symbolize flower, lizard and people.

Most Creative Evening Gown presented by Treacy Chee from Pitas

This gala night is a good time to see the youthful side of Unduk Ngadau. You can check out my Facebook album for more photos.

One of the Top 7 Most Creative Evening Gown (Model: Hyellene Danius, Unduk Ngadau of Tuaran )

One of the Top 7 Most Creative Evening Gown (Model: Sharon Joseph, Unduk Ngadau of Libaran)

One of the Top 7 Most Creative Evening Gown (Model: Norfainie Binti Diwalang, Unduk Ngadau of Pagalungan)

One of the Top 7 Most Creative Evening Gown (Model: Muntel Binti Santangan, Unduk Ngadau of Lahad Datu)

One of the Top 7 Most Creative Evening Gown (Model: Laura Simon, Unduk Ngadau of Likas)

Congratulations to all the Winners!

Bare feet beauty pageant

You may notice this beauty pageant is very different. First, everyone is on bare feet. Second, “Gong Hair” is the standard hairstyle for the contestants. If you like their hair, watch the video by Beverley Shim to make one:

In fact, Unduk Ngadau Contest is a tradition to commemorate Huminodun, a maiden who sacrificed herself to save the starving people. You can read the very interesting and informative article titled Not just a beauty pageant, written by Melissa Leong, to understand the true meaning of this event.

“Kaamatan without Unduk Ngadau is not kaamatan. It will be like a song without rhythm.” -Joanna Kitingan (Chairperson of Sabah state-level Unduk Ngadau)

*”Unduk” literally means the shoot of a plant, signifying youth and progressiveness, and “Ngadau” means sun, connoting the beauty of the heart, mind and body of an ideal Kadazandusun woman.

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Traditional Food of Kuala Penyu

4 Replies

Kuala Penyu is a small town in south-west of Sabah, and majority of the population there are Dusun Tatana, Orang Brunei, and Bisaya people. Personally I call Kuala Penyu a “quiet corner” of Sabah because it looks like an ordinary countryside of Sabah, but they do have some special food.

Ambuyat

Ambuyat is a traditional dish of the Bisaya and Orang Brunei in Kuala Penyu district, as well as a popular traditional Sabah cuisine. It is a type of starch extracted from sago palm tree.

Ambuyat with side dishes (bamboo shoot, fishes, shell (tuntul), curry)

This translucent and sticky sago paste is almost tasteless, so the locals usually eat it together with side dishes such as fishes and curry, or dip it in sour sauce or fish soup.

“Chopsticks” of Kuala Penyu

The people of Kuala Penyu use Candas, which looks like Chinese chopsticks but is thinner and made from sago leaf stalk or bamboo stick, to scoop the slimy ambuyat.

Right way to use candas

They twirl the soft ambuyat around the prongs of candas to bite-sized, and then dip it into a sour or hot sauce. That could be a fun experience if you try this food the first time.

Bisaya girls

Ambuyat is one of the staple food in Kuala Penyu. Due to its popularity, some hotels also have ambuyat on their menu, so tourists can try it out. There is a joke that says, “If you are poor, you eat ambuyat at home. If you are rich, you eat it in a hotel.” LOL

Orang Brunei people

Tinimbu Dumpling

With a population of 6,000, Dusun Tatana is a unique indigenous group which is influenced by Chinese culture, because there were groups of China merchants who traded and married the locals in Kuala Penyu more than 250 years ago. For example, they also celebrate Chinese New Year.

Tinimbu dumpling

My first impression of Tinimbu (or Tinimbuh) of Dusun Tatana is – it looks like a miniature version of Chinese dumpling, and I also wonder if they learn this from Chinese in the past. Tinimbu is made from glutinous rice and wrapped in triangular shape by pandan (or bamboo) leaves and tied with lamba vine. Unlike Chinese dumpling, Tinimbu has no filling.

Dusun Tatana from Kuala Penyu. Some of their ancestors may have lineage of Chinese.

Tinimbu is served during occasions such as Chinese New Year. To eat, dip it in coarse sugar and enjoy the aroma of sticky rice and pandan in each bite. I’m sure children like it.

Sago Grubs (Butod)

The last and the least appetizing food is Sago Grub (locally known as Butod), which can be eaten raw or cooked. I have tried both. The live worm tastes like coconut milk and the fried butod is like dry fish skin.

Fried Sago Grubs (Butod)

Though many Sabahans struggle with eating Butod, some people really love it because it improves hair growth, increases sex drive, and reduces obesity. These health benefits are quite powerful motivations to eat sago grub (even if it tastes bad which it doesn’t).

Dusun Tatana food on display during Harvest Festival of Sabah (Kaamatan)

There are still many Kuala Penyu food that are not introduced here. To learn and sample traditional food of Dusun Tatana, you may visit the Kuala Penyu house in KDCA Penampang during Kaamatan Grand Finale (Harvest Festival) on 30 and 31 May every year.

Traditional food of Dusun Tatana people

Or you can try these food in Kuala Penyu homestay. For more information, please contact Dr. Monih Epin (Tel: +60 19-8106786) or Ms Monica Gualin (Tel: +60 13-8517633), the operator of Borneo Kuala Penyu Homestay.

Photos taken in Kuala Penyu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Sabah Tea Garden, the Organic Tea Farm of Borneo

2 Replies

Walk into any coffee shop in Sabah, and you would quickly learn�that Chinese Teh Ping (Iced Chinese Tea), Teh-C Ping (Iced Milk Tea), Lemon Teh (Lemon Tea), Teh Tarik (Pulled Tea) are commonly ordered beverages among locals.

Sabah Tea

Our friends�from Peninsular Malaysia are always surprised�to find that Sabahans are fond of tea break and high tea too. Besides asking our friends to go Yamcha (drink tea), Sabahans would say “Let’s go High-Tea” too. Tea drinking is definitely part of our culture, and it fits well into our laid-back lifestyle.

Sabah Tea Plantation during sunrise

“Tea drinkers take a break; coffee drinkers need a break.”

Not only that, Sabah also has its own local tea brand named Sabah Tea, which has established since 1978. Sabah Tea Garden is the only organic tea farm in Borneo. The tea leaves from its 2,480 hectare plantation are 100% pesticide free.

Variety of Sabah Tea products

Anyway, you don’t need to be a tea lover�to enjoy a trip to Sabah Tea Garden. Located 692 Metres above sea level, the cooling highland of Sabah Tea is an ideal place to escape the hot weather of cities.

Sabah Tea Garden is the largest commercial tea plantation in Borneo, and now they produce eight flavors of tea, namely, cinnamon, ginger, geranium, pandan, tongkat ali, lemongrass, and misai kucing (cat’s whiskers). I tried their Pandan-flavor Pulled Tea (Teh Tarik Pandan) and I really love its�rich flavor, a must-try!

Fresh tea leaves

Sabah Tea Garden has one of the most beautiful plantations in Sabah. Just take a morning walk during sunrise time�around Sabah Tea, you will see the breath-taking view of misty rainforest around the lush tea plantation with majestic Mt. Kinabalu as the backdrop.

Sabah Tea plantation under Mt. Kinabalu

However, Sabah Tea Garden is more than a tea plantation with scenic view. They have successfully turned Sabah Tea into a recreational and educational site, which is friendly for family and student groups. Whether they have�a day trip or overnight stay at Sabah Tea, there are so many things visitors can do there.

Tea processing in factory

If you only plan for a short educational visit, you can pay a small fee to join one of the following day tour at Tea Factory. Note the best time to visit is between 8am-12pm (Mon-Sat) and Tea factory tour is not available on major Public Holidays:

RM7 (?US$1.75): 30-min Factory Tour for Primary School students
RM14 (?US$3.50): 45-min Guided Tour of the Tea Factory
RM17.50 – RM42 (?US$4.38 – 10.50): 1.5-hour factory tour with tea tasting (with Sandwiches, Tea Bites, or Set Lunch)

Visiting Sabah Tea Factory

Accommodations

For an “anti-oxidizing” trip by fresh air and tea, I would recommend you to spend a night or two at Sabah Tea. They have two types of accommodations:

Longhouse: 25 rooms (triple sharing), can fit 75 people at a time. 14 shower rooms, 6 toilets.
English Cottages (4 units): total of 16 rooms (1 queen bed + 1 twin bed), can host 48 people. Air-conditioning, Hot Shower and TV available

Longhouse accommodation of Sabah Tea

Cottage of Sabah Tea

The cottages at Sabah Tea Garden are named after colorful personalities in Sabah’s colonial past. The cottage where I stayed was named after Lofty Hodges, an Australian hero who rescued the survivors of Death March during World War II.

Bedroom of Sabah Tea Cottage

Living Room of Sabah Tea Cottage

Sabah Tea put some good efforts to create a farmstay experience. They have flowers and herbs, colorful ornaments, fish pond and Bunny Villa (rabbits) in the plantation, all these small and big things make this�place fun to explore.

Coloured Tree showcases the United Colours of Sabah which underlines the social fabric of the local communities.

Hornbill made of used tyre

Feeding rabbits of Sabah Tea. Each rabbit has a nickname such as Tennie, Ah Beng, Bala and Puteri.

Tea Adventure

Tea drinking has over 3,000 years of history, so it’s good to know more about this most consumed beverage next to water. Sabah Tea Garden offers “The Journey of the Tea” tour for visitors who want to learn how tea is processed.

Harvesting tea leaves

Collecting tea leaves with Wakid�basket

Participants of Tea Adventure will have a chance to harvest, process and sample the tea from their 1,000 acres tea plantation. They will provide you native hat and wakid (basket), then brief you the right�way to pluck the tea leaves and buds. Did you know an experienced tea picker can collect about 32 Kg of tea in a day, which is enough to make 14,000 cups of tea!

Tea harvesting at Sabah Tea

After harvesting the tea leaves for an hour of fun, you can leave your freshly collected leaves dry and wither. Then you will use them�to make Oolong and Green Tea the old-fashioned way later.

Fun with tea harvesting

Oolong Tea is semi-fermented and Green Tea is unfermented, and their processing steps are different.

Drying the tea leaves

For Oolong, the tea leaves are left oxidized before they are roasted in wok, while Green Tea is cooked in steamer.

Oolong and Green Tea

The end result is Green Tea will have milder taste and more astringent than Oolong Tea, which is in light brown color, with richer and stronger flavor. The participants will sample both tea and learn the difference.

Making tea balls

Tea ball

Their staffs are very keen to share their tea knowledge. They also conduct tea talk for you to gain a better understanding of tea culture. Who knows your appreciation and enjoyment on drinking tea will go up next level.

Tea laboratory of Sabah Tea

Can you tell which tea is of better quality? (The one at the right has too much coloring, bad..)

Tea sampling

Other Activities

I was also�impressed by a full array of activities at Sabah Tea Garden available from day to night.

Misty forest near Sabah Tea

The forest, hill and river adjacent to Sabah Tea are in clean and pristine condition, and we can enjoy many types of nature based activities.�For example, you can hike to the hill, trek in rainforest, swim in the river (if you can stand the cold!), mountain biking and even camp around.

Group photo after taking part in Tea Adventure Programme

If you love wildlife, Sabah Tea Garden is a good site for bird-watching and night walk for spotting insects too.

Fun game after dinner

Sabah Tea Garden is also able to organize team building, game challenges, obstacle course�and various group activities for corporate retreats (for a minimum of 15 people).

“Tea” Cuisines

Tea can be used in food too. You can try such dishes at Sabah Tea, like their chicken soup cooked with vegetables and young tea leaves, and one-of-a-kind�dessert, Tea pancake with honey.

Sabah Tea Chicken Soup

Sabah Tea Pancakes

Others local dishes are also available at Sabah Tea, just to list some, Fish with Bambangan (this Fruit only found in Sabah), Tuhau Beef (Sabah’s Wild Ginger Beef), Sabah Tea Black Pepper Lamb, Butter Prawns and Soy Sauce Free Range Chicken.

Restaurant and Gift Shop of Sabah Tea

Local cuisines at Sabah Tea

Yes, the food are delicious.

Sabah Legend Tour

Kadazandusun is the largest indigenous group of Sabah. Their legend says Nunuk Ragang is where Kadazandusun people originated, and everything begins with a father and his 3 sons, who later split and migrated to different parts of Sabah and formed three main tribes (namely, Rungus, Kadazan, Dusun).

Tour about Sabah culture and legend

At Sabah Tea, the story-telling starts in their Rungus longhouse. Ruby, their staff showed us the traditional clothes, baskets, handicrafts, farming tools, hat, mats, beads and musical instrument displayed in the hallway, to introduce the interesting culture of each tribe.

Pond next to Sabah Tea longhouse

Below is the contact of Sabah Tea Garden:
Address (see Location Map): KM 18, Jalan Ranau / Sandakan, Kampung Nalapak, Ranau (2.5-hours Drive from Kota Kinabalu City)
E-mail: info@sabahtea.net
Tel: +60 88-440882 (KK Office), +60 88-879220 (Sabah Tea Site)
Opening Hours: 8am to 4:30pm (best to visit before noon)
Website: www.sabahtea.com.my
Facebook: SabahTea
Fax: +60 88-440886

You may check out my photo album for more photos of Sabah Tea.

Beautiful pond of Sabah Tea

Photos taken in Ranau, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Traditional Food that makes Sabahans drool

12 Replies

As necessary as the air we breathe and just as instinctive as going to sleep. It wouldn’t be an understatement to say it’s been around since the dawn of man, but looking at the food we consume in day to day, one does start to wonder – how did our forefathers live without that finger lickin’ good stuff. Every now and then, we should really lay off the grease and try something more natural. In this article, we give our taste buds an adventure and explore our traditional food.

Bambangan

Bambangan is a seasonal wild mango fruit which the local indigenous people enjoy. The bambangan is a spherically-shaped, orangey fruit covered with brown skin. When ripe, it can be peeled and eaten similarly to how you would a mango fruit.

Pic: Bambangan fruit

What makes it special is the variety of ways it can be consumed. Commonly, the bambangan is pickled or cooked with fish. The unripe bambangans are usually made into “Pinasakkan” (steamed) with fish and the ripe ones are fried with salted fish. The bambangan seed is usually grated, mixed into the flesh, and eaten.

According to the locals, there is a significant change of taste when eating the bambangan with grated seeds. The bambangan is a seasonal fruit, thus you won’t be able to get it all year round. When it is in season however, they can be found in the local wet markets.

Pic: Bambangan fruit cordial is available for sale. Now you can enjoy Bambangan juice.

Tuhau

The tuhau is not a dish per se, but think of it as an ingredient. It is a type of ginger which is shaped like a small stick-like figure. First time eaters might find the tuhau’s odor very repelling, but many who have endured the smell find that they become very fond of the taste, in a very weird way the smell soon behaves as the precursor to the deliciousness of the tuhau.

The tuhau stem is used in many dishes, mainly fish. Tuhau is usually minced into smaller bits, it can then be fried with salted fish or mixed into the “Pinasakkan” fish. The tuhau can be bought at almost all local wet markets and are available all year round unlike the bambangan.

Hinava

Think of Hinava as the Kadazan / Dusun version of sashimi. The Hinava is mainly made of minced fish marinated with lime long enough to “cook” the fish. The citric acid kills the bacteria in the fish, and “cooking” it at the same time. Pretty smart for a traditional dish don’t you think?

The hinava is usually mixed with other ingredients such as onions, grated bambangan seeds, or ginger among other things. Hinava is usually available during festive celebrations.

Unfortunately, because of its short shelf life and stock of ingredients, the hinava isn’t sold. If you’re lucky to visit Sabah on Kaamatan or participate in a Kadazandusun celebration you might be able to get your hands on some hinava. But do not fret! We at breeze have another way for you to to get your hands on the hinava during non-festive seasons.

You can contact the people at Tagal Tinopikon Park and request for some hinava to be prepared for you. Placing your order a week early would be preferable as they will need time to gather the ingredients.

This write-up is contributed by Andro Matthew Anthony Sandor (Thank You Bro!). You may visit his Youtube channel “Bah palan palan” for more content:

Pic: Tuhau and Bambangan pickles are available for sale at countryside stalls along the roads to Ranau, Kundasang, Tambunan and Keningau.

Pic: Tuhau (red) and Bambangan (yellow) pickles. Please note Bambangan is seasonal.

Traditional Food Drawing

The following are more beautiful illustrations of traditional food in Sabah drawn by Tan Sheauling (陈俏绫), a talented Sabah artist and an old friend of mine. Please click the drawing for bigger picture and more detail.

Ambuyat (Sago)

Bambangan Fruit

Butod (Sago Worm)

Hinava Salad

Kuih Jala

Sayur Campuran

Tapai Wine

Tuhau Ginger Pickle

Basung Fish

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Tangkong, timeless accessory of Kadazan Dusun costumes

6 Replies

This thing can be more expensive than some LV bags and diamond rings. It is Tangkong, the hip belt worn by Kadazandusun females in their traditional costumes (Kadazan and Dusun are the largest indigenous group in Sabah). Usually Tangkong is in a set of 3. Each belt consists of about 84 to 98 brass rings and one shell disk strung together by rattan.

Normally the price of a jewelry such as gold and gem is measured by its weight and clarity. However, the value of Tangkong increases as it ages. Tangkong can cost thousands if it’s an antique passed down for many generations and looks really oxidized, as if the less shiny it is, the higher its worth. It’s always kept as heirloom because of its sentimental value, so it’s hard to find an old Tangkong even if you have money. I saw one which was for sale for RM8,000 (≈US$2,400) last week!

Pic: Tangkong is also worn together with a set of maximum three Himpogot, the “silver coin” belt, as a display of personal wealth. Himpogot belt is about RM150 each.

Wearing Tangkong is a sign of wealth. Fun fact: when a gong is worn out and no longer usable, it would be melted to make Tangkong. Before the rings are assembled on the rattan ring, the maker would pray and recite certain messages as a simple ritual to inform the universe of his intention and request for wisdom and strength to complete his task, so the making of this Tangkong is blessed. This is the traditional way of making Tangkong.

Pic: the typical way how Tangkong is worn in traditional Kadazan Penampang costume. The brass rings are not polished to let the rust shows its age. Tangkong is probably an accessory unique to Kadazandusun culture because I never see it in other Borneo tribes.

Pic: Tangkong is also an important part of traditional costumes of Dusun from Ranau, Tambunan, Pitas, Kota Marudu, etc. Unduk Ngadau (Miss Harvest Festival) always wears the best collection for beauty pageant.

Tangkong is quite heavy, normal girls will feel tired if they have 3 to 5 Kg extra weight on their hip for long hours, so you may not see them wearing Tangkong in casual occasions. During grand celebrations and wedding, Tangkong is almost a must for a classic beauty look.

I don’t know why Tangkong can make Kadazandusun girls look more elegant, probably it gives a subtle hint on feminine curve, or it makes them move slower (and gracefully). 🙂

Now let’s play a guessing game. Just now I mentioned I saw a Tangkong with selling price of RM8,000. Can you spot which one it is (see photo above)? Don’t scroll down for answer right away ok.

Did you guess the silver one? No, it’s the cheapest, only RM650 (still a lot of cash though), may be made of iron.

The golden one? Nope. It’s RM850, factory made with alloy material.

Here you go. This old Tangkong is worth RM8,000 (for a set of three). Quite surprising right because of its dull appearance? As I said, aged Tangkong is more expensive. It belongs to Stanis from Inobong, whom I met in Kaamatan celebration (Harvest Festival) in KDCA. Please e-mail me for his mobile phone number if you are interested in buying Tangkong from him.

Pic: If you look closely at this antique Tangkong, no two brass rings look the same, because they were all individually made by hand. Unlike “manufactured” Tangkong today, all brass rings look the same, and it is only half the weight of a traditional Tangkong.

FYI, if the rattan of Tangkong is red color, the wearer is a single, black if she is married.

You also can buy Tangkong at Tamu (weekly open-air native market) in Sabah, or you can rent it from Sabah Cultural Board (Lembaga Kebudayaan Sabah). The rental fee is about RM105 per belt (a set of 3 is RM315 in total then). Traditional way of making Tangkong is vanishing. If you own any old Tangkong from your great grandmother, please take good care of it, as it is irreplaceable and a priceless gift.

Please feel free to share your Tangkong photo in comment section below. ^_^

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Sabah Fest 2015: AGOP, The Heritage of Sabah’s Caves

Chanteek Borneo Gallery, the Lilliput of Sabah

6 Replies

There are about 42 indigenous groups in Sabah, and some have over 10 sub-ethnics so that’s an estimate of over 200 tribes, and each has their distinct costumes. No wonder Sabah is known as a melting pot of different cultures. However, until today nobody can tell you exactly how many native tribes Sabah has.

Many organizations say they are busy documenting the culture, but only Anne Antah is able to present us something in her Chanteek Borneo Gallery near Tamparuli town. Currently, Chanteek Borneo Gallery exhibits about 300 dolls of 48 ethnic costumes and its collection is still growing. She started making these dolls in 2011 as a hobby, then the number of dolls is large enough for her to open this gallery in Aug 2014. Now it becomes a good spot to see different ethnic costumes in one place.

Pic: the number of Sabah tribes is able to fill up a hall if each group sends a representative.

Chanteek means “Beautiful” in Malay language (Cantik in Sabah slang), indeed the beautiful cultures of Sabah have been a favorite subject of photographers. These 1-foot dolls are “serious toy” to show our heritage. Visitors will be impressed by the “Lilliput” of Sabah tribes there. The gallery relies on limited information for making each doll. It’s a challenge to make authentic dress. Her research pays off and University of Zurich from Switzerland orders a whole set of dolls from her.

Pic: high priest dolls of Kadazan Dusun

Costume is our first identity to tell others who we are. Some traditional costumes also indicate whether a person is married, and in one case, how many wives a man has. It also shows the social status of a native, like the dresses of Kadazandusun high priest in photo above.

Besides ethnic costumes, the gallery also exhibits miniature handicraft, music instruments and traditional houses. They also display some life size items so visitors can look at the real things too.

Some locals come to this gallery to look for their doll and root. Most Sabahans can’t even name 10 Sabah tribes, so it’s great to learn something new there. The “Big 3” indigenous groups of Sabah are Kadazan, Bajau and Murut, and of course you can find their dolls in the gallery.

Pic: dolls of Kadazan couple
Kadazan is the largest indigenous group of Sabah. You may have seen them perform Sumazau dance in tourism advertisement of Malaysia.

Pic: Land Bajau couple
Bajau people are famous for their vibrant and colorful culture. Everything they wear and make are in bright colors. The Land Bajau in West Coast is known as Cowboys of the East due to their excellent horse riding skill. And Sea Bajau in East Coast is called Sea Gypsy, who spend most of their lives on the boat (now many have moved to land).

Pic: dolls of Murut couple
Murut means the People of the Hill. They are fearsome headhunter in the past.

Pic: Dusun Tindal doll
Making costume clothing for the doll is a labor-intensive job which requires skilled hands, good eyes and a great deal of patience. Some ethnic costumes are plain and easier to work with. The most difficult one is traditional costume of Dusun Tindal, because of its complex embroidery, making it the most expensive doll too.

Pic: it’s a painstaking task to replicate the costumes in miniature scale.

The gallery is air-conditioned and well-lit. It’s a comfortable place to browse. I had never seen so many dolls in a place.

Pic: note the replica of traditional houses

The dolls are labeled with tribe name. The information is written in both English and Malay languages. Their staffs are also more than happy to tell you more about each costume. There are some nice local painting in the gallery but they are not for sale.

Normally visitors spend about 30 to 60 minutes in this gallery. If you are keen to listen to interesting story and legend of different tribes, you can spend more time there.

Just for fun. You may try to guess the ethnic of 6 toys below. You can find the answers near the end of this article. Don’t cheat.

Pic: the dresses of ancestors of Sabah natives, look elegant too.

Pic: they also use dolls to show the scene of Gayo Nakan legend. Gayo Nakan is a giant who has huge appetite, with a tragic fate.

Pic: the wedding corner. Same as other cultures, our people wear the best dresses for wedding.

In Sabah, marriage between different races is very common, especially between Kadazan and Chinese. Their offspring is called Sino, with an estimated population of 50,000 today. Most believe the actual number of Sino is far more than this official number.

Usually our natives don’t wear their costumes every day, you only see them in “full gear” during special occasions such as festivals, wedding and celebrations. To see real people in traditional costumes, you may visit annual cultural festivals such as Kaamatan (Harvest Festival) of Kadazandusun, Regatta Lepa of Sea Bajau, Tamu Besar of Bajau and Kalimaran of Murut people. Yes, foreigners are very welcome to join these parties. Sabah people are very friendly no matter what races they are. You may check out the event calendar of Sabah Tourism for the dates of these festivals.

Interactive Corner

If you have children, you can bring them to the interactive corner next door to play with dolls. You know, kids aren’t happy just by looking.

Pic: Interactive Corner of the gallery

Pic: they also can use colored cardboard to make Simpangan, the motif of Bajau.

Pic: there was no children around to be my model, so I asked Adam, the blogger of adamlai.com to demo playing dolls. He kept saying, “Isn’t it creepy? It’s so wrong!” LOL

Pic: King Kong and poor little Ann Darrow who screams all the time.

Badeeh Souvenir Shop

There is a souvenir shop in gallery where you can buy items such as handicraft, plush toys, dolls, bookmarks, keychains, beadwork (necklace, bracelet) and T-shirts.

You can buy the dolls if you like them.

Pic: this doll display with a dozen native beauties is fabulous, it costs RM2,388 (≈US$668).

There are other dolls in couple or individual set with prices range from RM39.90 (≈US$11.20) to RM260 (≈US$73). The best selling one is Kadazan doll. You can’t really value a heritage with money. You are buying a piece of art, not a toy that looks like bimbo.

Pic: cute phone straps

Shops & Cafe

After the visit, you also can drop by the shops and cafe outside the gallery. FYI, the toilet is behind the gallery.

Pic: D’Lakang Cafe, where you can order fried rice, noodle, drink, etc. You can have a good look of Mt. Kinabalu from the platform above.

Pic: traditional music instruments of Sabah. You may try playing the gong, kulintangan and other bamboo music instruments. It’s free.

Pic: T-shirt for sale

Pic: you can try wearing Dusun Lotud costume at the Libunan photo booth and get your photo taken, RM5 (≈US$1.40) only.

More Info & Contact

The ticket fee to the gallery is RM10 and RM5 for Malaysian adult and child, RM15 (≈US$4.20) and RM10 (≈US$2.80) for foreigner adult and kid, respectively.

Operation Hours:

Tue – Sat: 9am – 6pm
Sun: 10am – 4:30pm
Public Holiday: 9am – 5pm
Mon: Closed

Phone: +60 88-792018
Email: chanteek.borneo@gmail.com
Website: www.chanteekborneo.com
Facebook: Chanteek.Borneo
Address: Kg Lakang, Jalan Telibong – Tamparuli, 89200 Tuaran, Sabah, Malaysia (see Location Map)

How to get there

Chanteek Borneo Gallery is very accessible and only 30 KM from Kota Kinabalu City (KK). If you depart from KK and head to Tamparuli town, you will see it at the road side after 30 minutes of driving, about 7 KM before Tamparuli town. There are at least 3 road sign posts to guide you there. You may look at its Location Map.

Pic: U-Turn sign post to Chanteek Borneo Gallery before the Telibong Water Treatment Plant

Pic: the entrance to the gallery. It’s just opposite to the old suspension bridge of Tamparuli.

Pic: Chanteek Borneo Gallery

Answers for the Quiz

From left to right, top to bottom: Dusun Gana, Dusun Lotud, Murut Nabai, Cocos, Orang Sungai Kamansi, Dusun Subpan
How many did you get it correct? Please don’t feel bad if you can’t answer. I only got four right though I have been photographing traditional costumes for some years.

Nearby Attractions

Besides Chanteek Borneo Gallery, you also can explore, eat and play the following things near Tamparuli and Tuaran towns:-

Upside Down House (only 1 KM away)
Linangkit Cultural Village (Dusun Lotud)
Eat Tuaran or Tamparuli Noodle
Flying fox at Zip Borneo
White Water Rafting on Kiulu River

Photos taken in Tamparuli, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo