Pretty faces in padi fields: (From right) Francisca, Ellyanti and the others smiling for the camera while harvesting padi.
KOTA KINABALU: For generations, May has been a season of harvest for the natives in Sabah.
During this period, padi is harvested, processed and packed before being stored in special stores or tajau (ceramic jars) as village folk prepare for the Kaamatan festival throughout the month.
Although methods have been modernised with the changing times, some continue to practise the traditional ways of harvesting because not everyone can afford the expensive machines that help them with the job.
To honour this tradition, a group of women comprising former beauty queens, or Unduk Ngadau (Harvest Queens), joined in a village programme called “Ruyung Mongomot” in Kampung Kobu Baru Ranau.
Ruyung Mongomot (in Kadazandusun) refers to a traditional community event centred around padi harvesting.
During this gathering, people come together to take part in various tasks such as harvesting, cooking and other related activities. The event culminates in a joyful celebration.
According to Sabah Unduk Ngadau Association president Ellyanti P. Nelson, participants in this programme recently had the opportunity to experience padi harvesting the traditional way.
“For starters, we were guided by Madam Maliah Yambak, who taught us about mongomot, mongogik, mangatap, posilang, monutu and moniri,” she said.
Mongomot means harvesting padi using a traditional curved sickle-like knife called “linggaman” while mongogik is the process of separating the rice from its stem (either by stepping on it or threshing), she said.
“Then a flat round rattan tool that functions like a sieve called ‘nurod’ will be used, allowing the padi to fall out of its husks, leaving the ones with the rice grains in them on top,” Ellyanti said when explaining the stage of mangatap.
The grains are then dried under the sun (posilang) for the next step of monutu, which involves lightly crushing and grinding the peel from the grain using a wooden bowl-like tool with a round-tipped stick, she said.
She added that the final step, moniri, will involve cleaning up the rice from its peel, shell and stem.
Ellyanti also spoke about the challenges of working long hours in the scorching sun and contending with exhaustion.
“That is why when these harvesters are doing their job, they tend to chat a lot to relieve the stress, heat and fatigue.
“This was a humbling experience for us all because we really got to feel the sun beating down on us as we did the work. Plus, the amount of energy needed was insane,” she said.
Ellyanti believes that all Sabahans, or at least the natives, should try to experience padi harvesting the old way, just to keep this tradition alive and to better understand and appreciate a farmer’s life.
Among those who joined the programme were the state Unduk Ngadau Francisca Ester Nain (2019), Mandy Nandu (2005), and 2023 Unduk Ngadau Kinabatangan Chellyana Tensu.
The yearly Kaamatan is marked by the native Kadazandusun, Murut and Rungus communities as they enjoy their yields for the year.
The festival culminates with the crowning of a new state Unduk Ngadau (Harvest Queen) on May 31.
On April 26, Kadazandusun Cultural Association deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who is also a Deputy Chief Minister, reminded attendees – locals or foreigners – to behave themselves at events during the festival.
Offenders will be slapped with a “sogit” (traditional penalty) in kind or cash, he said, adding that such conduct tarnishes the reputation of the traditional celebration.
