USLA supports creation of Momogun Festival

15 September 2024

KOTA KINABALU: The United Sabah Lotud Association (USLA) fully supports the establishment of a new statewide native celebration, to be known as the Momogun Festival.

USLA's Deputy President, Richard Libun Adou, stated that this annual celebration will be a valuable complement to our existing government-funded Pesta Kaamatan (Harvest Festival).

“With the institution of the Momogun Festival, the Momoguns will be able to further enhance the Momogun collective identity,” Adou said. “We will also be able to have more freedom in creating the festival’s format in accordance to the pure native culture of the respective districts they will be organized.

The festival is actually the brainchild of the Sabah Original People Momogun Organization (Pertubuhan Orang Asal Momogun Sabah) or OAS. In announcing the new cultural celebration at the “Momogun Development Agenda Discussion” organized by the Momogun National Congress (MNC) and held at the Kinsabina building in Penampang last Saturday, OAS’ President, Stephen Nogiris, said that the festivsal is not intended to compete with the long-established Pesta Kaamatan but to complement it with additional sociocultural features in line with OAS’ vision to “protect, preserve, defend and to refine our cultural heritages, culture (including customs and tradition, art, handicrafts, costumes, and mother tongues of the Momogun people.”

Nogiris said that the inaugural celebration will be organized by OAS in Kota Marudu on October 26, to be officiated by a senior state minister. “All are cordially invited to this history launch of the Momogun Festival,” he said.

Meanwhile the President of the MNC, Tan Sri Wences Angang is supportive of the festival’s idea, and said it will be brought for discussion in the MNC’s supreme council meeting. “I feel that starting next year it is best held in conjunction with the World’s Indigenous Peoples Day celebration, annually held on the 9th August. This is because the indigenous day celebration will also be organized in Sabah by MNC.”

Adou said that USLA will also discuss the matter in its supreme council meeting with the hope to celebrate it as well.

“We understand that the Momogun Festival has no connection with harvesting yields but purely a celebration of the Momogun’s collective cultural heritage,” he said. “As such there shouldn’t be any issue of conflict, but rather a diversification and to further enhance the expression of our rich cultural heritage.”