KOTA KINABALU: A month-long festival known as Magahau will see the Rungus community promote their ethnic fashion at the international level.
Sabah Momogun Rungus Association (Samora) president Datuk Jelani Hamdan said one of the programmes is Mitarab Gimpuhut Momogun which is equivalent to a beauty pageant.
“There are many Rungus traditional costumes such as “sukolob” and spiral brass anklet (lungkaki) that are now almost forgotten by the community.
“By having 21 lasses, aged between 18 and 25 years old, to promote and wear these improvised attires and accessories on stage, could relive and commercialise them at a higher level," he said during the finalists’ tour at Sabah Museum, here.
Jelani said for there has been collaboration with tourism departments and agencies for the past two years which saw winners of the pageant showcasing the Rungus fashion in London, Germany and Italy.
Besides that, Jelani added the Rungus people used to celebrate the festival in ancient times but only in 2009 the community made it happen again and received recognition from state and federal governments in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
Throughout the programme, the finalists will be able to learn their mother tongue, visit village areas and relive their ancestors’ lifestyle, among others.
“There is an estimate of 250,000 Rungus community in Sabah, but many of them are of mixed parentage.
“By joining this programme, they will be equipped with the native language and usually they can master it within a month,” he added.
The culmination of the festival will be held at 2pm on Tuesday at Puruvan Square in Matunggong where Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Jaujan Sambakong is expected to launch it.
Winner of the pageant contest will be sponsored with air ticket to represent the association at the 2018 World Travel Market (WTM) in London and RM10,000 cash prize.