KOTA KINABALU: The Kaamatan mood is in the air, and one cyclist showed it by donning a shirt adorned with traditional Sabah motifs while pedalling along the picturesque 60km Tamparuli -Kundasang route.
Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) Youth Council chairman Steve Mositun said his ride was just a “spur of the moment” thing.
“I have been doing consistent short rides for a year, and hardly had time to have long or uphill rides.
"But suddenly, on Sunday (April 28), I just had the urge to go for a longer ride, so I called up two other friends and asked if they would like to cycle to Kundasang. They agreed, the rest is history,” he said when interviewed recently.
Mositun said his cycling companions Ariffin Maribin, 44, and Rayim Sidik, 69, opted for a longer journey, starting from Inanam and cycling to Tamparuli to meet up with him before continuing on to Kundasang.
His companions' ride covered a total distance of 85km.
“(Even as) the youngest among us, I could not match their fitness level. Ariffin and Rayim decided to take up this challenge after their initial plan to join an event in Labuan was shelved," said Mositun, 40.
After meeting in Tamparuli, the trio left for Kundasang at 7.30am.
Nearly eight hours later and “after three pit stops to vomit for being unfit”, Mositun said he reached Kinabalu Park, at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu in Kundasang, at 3.30pm.
“The heat posed the biggest challenge, and I had to keep my mental strength, especially during the long ride towards Togol and Pekan Nabalu.
“We were lucky motorists gave way to us, but it was still nerve-wracking and somewhat dangerous when long trailers and buses passed by,” he recounted.
Mositun said that apart from parading his ethnic wear, he also aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle.
“Maintaining a balance between work, family and health is crucial. I wore my traditional shirt and aspired to foster unity among Sabahans, and Malaysians as a whole, to live in peace and harmony, in the spirit of Kaamatan,” he said.
To aspiring fitness enthusiasts, he stressed the importance of mental readiness, having a supportive team to foster positivity, and above all: “Keep laughing throughout the journey.”
The Kaamatan Festival, one of Sabah’s biggest cultural events, is observed largely by the Kadazandusun, Murut and Rungus communities in May, with Ranau hosting its official launch on Wednesday (May 1).
Activities during the festival include traditional dances, music, rituals and food to foster unity and preserve cultural identity.
The festivities culminate in the state-level celebration at Hongkod Koisaan in Penampang on May 30 and 31, with the Unduk Ngadau (beauty pageant) taking centre stage as the highlight where some 50 beauties from all over Sabah, as well as Sabahans living in Labuan, Johor, Klang Valley, Melaka, Perak, Putrajaya, Sarawak and Penang, will vie for the crown.
Unduk Ngadau celebrates Huminodun, a maiden who was sacrificed by her father Kinoingan to save the people from famine by bringing about a bountiful harvest.
