ethnic heartbeat.
Portrait of a gongs-man at tamu Donggongong. Volunteers sometimes get together to play a gongs ensemble at the tamu,
~Lightbox~ My tamu Donggongong set.
A gongs ensemble consists of nipple gongs of various sizes. The sound is muted and harmonious. The larger ones are hung vertically, while the small ones are horizontally suspended on ropes. Wikipedia infornation about gongs.
gongs man.
Traditional gongs man at work. Photographed at Monsopiad Cultural Village.
~Lightbox~
The entrance fee to Monsopiad Cultural Village includes a tour of the site, a visit to The House of Skulls and a cultural dance performance. The dance performance is held twice daily (morning and afternoon sessions). At the time of my visit, there were only 2 visitors.. myself and a Frenchman.
ancient jars (tajau) at the house of skulls
Old tajau (jar) at the House of Skulls, Monsopiad Cultural village. The 2nd from left is the Panding Tiga, a 16th century ceremonial jar originally from Thailand. Dried hisab palm leaves ward off evil spirits.
These ancient jars sit in the House of Skulls at the Monsopiad Cultural Village. In the middle of this house, 42 skulls covered with dried hisad palm leaves, hang from the roof. They were beheaded by Monsopiad, the Kadazan warrior. The leaves are said to keep away evil spirits.
The Monsopiad Cultural Village is constructed on ancestral grounds and is run by the 6th and 7th direct descendants of Monsopiad who lived some 300 years ago. It is located about 16 km from Kota Kinabalu city, in the district of Penampang, the Kadazan heartland.
The Monsopiad Cultural Village was one of the venues of “The Amazing Race 4”, Leg 8.
ethnic sounds at tamu donggongon (III bw)
Volunteers bring an ethnic atmosphere to tamu Donggongon.
may is harvest festival month in sabah {sumazau -traditional kadazan dance}
Sumazau performance at Monsopiad Cultural Village. May is the month of the Harvest Festival, a month-long celebrations of the Kadazan-Dusun and other indegenious races of Sabah. It is a joyous month!
another day, another story.
Learning and teaching.. gratitude and kindness..another day, another story. Photographed at the tamu at Donggongon township. Donggongon holds their weekly market on Thursdays and Fridays. The township is 10 km from Kota Kinabalu city.
sumazau -traditional kadazan dance
The sumazau is a traditional dance of the kadazan-dusun community. Cheerful, graceful, fascinating and seductive.
we don’t leave until the table is cleared
A young couple harvests from the sea at tamu Kinarut.
we don’t leave until the table is cleared
Originally uploaded by 1davidstella
old wooden shophouses at kinarut town
Old wooden shophouses at Kinarut town.
old wooden shophouses at kinarut town
Originally uploaded by 1davidstella
Kota Kinabalu, People and Places, Street Photography. 
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