BELURAN: Motivated by her passion to preserve culture, Vrenda Joaan Deftenneay Taji Paul harboured a dream to walk on the Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan pageant stage, with the title to her name.
It was indeed a dream that came true for the 21-year-old lass who was crowned as Unduk Ngadau Borderless for Beluran district-level recently.
With the annual Kaamatan or Harvest Festival celebrated online due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Vrenda vowed to promote the uniqueness of the Dusun Labuk culture, especially its traditional costume - Baju Labuk on a "virtual stage" platform to the best of her ability.
The Dusun (or Kadazan) Labuk community is found largely in the districts of Beluran and Telupid in Sabah.
The "Baju Labuk" (and that of the sub-group) is named after the Labuk River that runs through the districts and forms the lifeline of the people.
Interestingly, their "Baju Labuk" which originated from Kampung Kuala Sapi, Beluran is not merely a traditional attire but also a symbol of the Dusun Labuk culture, history, and tradition.
"The most distinctive feature of the Baju Labuk is the floral embroidery in pink, green, blue, and yellow to depict the diversity and unity of the Dusun Labuk.
"The flower motif called 'Gosing' is embroidered by hand against a black background," she said, explaining that "Gosing" or Melastoma malabathricum is a popular flower with the Dusun Labuk because of its myriad of uses by the community and can be found in abundance in the forests of Beluran and Telupid districts.
One example is it can be used to clean and prepare the "tajau" or jar for storing the "kinomol", a traditional beverage made from fermented cassava, because it is widely believed to enhance the flavour of this alcoholic drink.
The entire outfit is simple, yet elegant and modest in design.
"The tight-fitting long-sleeved blouses and sarong follows the olden days daily wear for women in Labuk called 'Baju Impit' (the cutting is quite similar to the Kebaya) which is traditionally black in colour," she told the New Straits Times.
Each embroidery detail including choice of colours also has its own unique meaning.
For instance, the curved "V" shape embroidery design from waist up to the shoulder on the central opening of the blouse illustrates "kopiiso ginavo" which means perfect agreement and the true harmony among the Dusun Labuk people over opinions - bridges to a successful community.
As for the colours blue and green, although two different colors, but for the Dusun Labuk community, they are both called "Otomou".
"It symbolises the people in Labuk who share cultural similarities especially in terms of language and traditional music despite coming from different sub-ethnic groups," she said while giving credit to researchers for providing well-rounded documentation on the authenticity of Baju Labuk as a reference to the younger generation to ensure this priceless heritage does not disappear with time.
The Baju Labuk is usually matched with traditional accessories like "kambot" (money belt made of British silver coins), "korunsang" (multiple coins brooch), "simbong" (earings), "kalung" (necklace) and "golong" (bangles).
Vrenda said possessing accessories was also an indication of one's economic status because these were made of gold, silver or bronze, which made the valuable items the preferred choice as wedding gifts.
However, the costume and accessories should not "compete" with each other, and in addition, do not overshadow the beauty of the magnificent embroidery elements.
"I hope to use this opportunity to showcase Baju Labuk to the global audience. I believe the Unduk Ngadau pageant empowers women, giving us confidence and pride to keep our cultures alive," said Vrenda who is among those vying for the state-level Unduk Ngadau title for this year's Kaamatan.
Meanwhile, Colin Kar, who is the coordinator for the Beluran Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan, said that one of the best ways to preserve traditional costumes is through the Unduk Ngadau pageant.
"We are not denying fashion evolution but we must preserve the authenticity of our traditional costumes because Baju Labuk represents our identity as Labuk people," he said, hoping and encouraging all to wear Baju Labuk with respect and understanding of the Dusun Labuk culture.
Last year's Kaamatan, one of the many unique cultural festivals in the country, was scrapped due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases throughout the nation.
It is back this year and the theme is "Borderless Kaamatan for Reconciliation and Peace" (Kaamatan Aiso Wolit Montok Piompunan om Pibabasan/Kaamatan Tanpa Sempadan Demi Pendamaian dan Keamanan).
The Unduk Ngadau pageant is one of the most important highlights of the Kaamatan festival, which celebrates Huminodun, a maiden who was sacrificed by her father, Kinoingan, to save the people from famine and to bring about a bountiful harvest.