Swiss stands out among the rest at Kaamatan in KDCA

Penampang: Swiss-born Herman Scholz stood out at the state-level Pesta Kaamatan as he does every year.Scholz has lived in Sabah for 19 years and makes it a point to celebrate the festival at the Hongkod Koisaan building here.

During his stay here, he has learnt how to make the traditional rice wine, lihing, and has developed a penchant for chewing a concoction of betel nuts, Areca leaves and lime or ninggat, which some claim can be cancer-causing.

His nickname is "ginggit", which means a person who likes to chew the concoction.

"This is an event many people look forward to because we get to be with friends, meet new ones, see beautiful costumes, cultures and be happy.

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"You can't find this where I come from," said the part-time tour guide, who runs a stall at the festivities this year, selling fruit-flavoured rice wine.

Formerly a hotel executive and a chef, Scholz, who speak fluent Malay and Kadazandusun, lives alone in the Sugud area.

He is also a freelance German and French interpreter.

Thousands of visitors thronged the Hongkod Koisaan building to visit and participate in the activities, such as playing musical instruments, dancing the Sumazau and taking part in a singing competition.

Visitors, including those from other countries, tried out traditional dished such as tuhau (pickles), hivana (a fish salad), bambangan (wild mangoes) and rice wine.

There were traditional sports such as migazat dukug (tug of war) and rampanau (walking with bamboo poles), among others.

The annual celebrations were an opportunity for local ethnic groups to showcase their costumers, cultures and traditional.

Among them were Dusun Tinagas from Ranau, Dusun Malapiah from Papar, Murut Rundum and Murut Sumamba from Tenom, Sungai Makiang from Tongod, as well as Dusun Gobukon from Kota Marudu.

A bobohizan or bobolian, a medium in Kadazan Dusun rites, was present to appease the rice spirit, "Bambaazon".

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Melvin Sebastian, 44, said although bobohizan were usually practised by women, he had been learning it for more that 20 years from his aunt.

"As a member of the young generation of the Kadazan people, someone have to inherit the practices," said the farmer, adding that he would be performing the appeasing ritual together with more than 20 bobohizan at Hongkod Koisaan.

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