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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Pesta Kaamatan @ ST. LOUIS, Taiping.

Okay, so the title says it all. 20/7 we went to Taiping to attend mass for Pesta Kaamatan celebration of our Sabah and Sarawak friends. It was a long journey from Kampar to Taiping, we were basically all fishing in the car. So 3 UTARians went, which is me, my friend Christovery, and another guy call Sylvester (if i didn't spell wrongly), and the other were our Sarawak and Sabah uncles, aunties, and friends.  


St. Louis church, Taiping

Mother Mary, and also Jesus' crucifix as the reflection. I didn't know that this photo reflects a crucifix on the background until i posted it up. Haha

My mom used to tell me that if you go to a new church everytime, you get to make a wish. And it is likely that your wish will come true. I used my precious time, stood in front of mother Mary, and started saying out my wishes. I hope for world peace, for all the wars and sickness and disasters that are happening around us, around the world, globally. I also pray for my family, i wanted them to always stay healthy, always take care of themself. I also prayed for my personal intentions, recently had been hectic, tiring and sad for me, so i pray, for energy, for assistant and for joy. 



I have no idea how long this church have stood on this very ground, but i know that it's a very special and unique looking church. 


The tents were out there for the celebration after mass, Pesta Kaamatan. 







Of course i took the front place, i need to take a lot of photographs and also be the front person to take photos when special scene appear. I feel so awed by the atmosphere im feeling, the people, the new environment, all the senses just keep coming up to me. 





And that's when 2 sabahans sat beside me, i handed my camera to my friend and was like "OMG, i want to take picture with them." And she was like "Want or not? i help you take lah." I was in a dilemma and kept thinking, afraid of embarassing myself, it's like i've seen aliens and GOSH, THEIR UNIFORMS ARE COOOL. 
There's this lady who sat in the front row of me too. Her culture dress are so unique, it's all carefully beaded and i supposed that it's not a cheap dress where you can just purchase from any other places. Referred to my Sabah friend, she told me that this type of dress and shirt and skirt, some of them are hand made and tailor-made for that person. So each of them has their own uniqueness. They don't come cheap. 

Entrance performance. They danced along the aisle. Very traditional, very eye-opening. 


This little girl was in front of me, i was very very distracted by her. First, she was super obedient and cuteness overload. Before she started pinching what seems like her aunt's nose, and wrapped tissues around her head, pinching and pinching, and then slowly it turned violent when she tried to bite her face, her nose off, and then she cried so loud when other aunties dragged her away. 

Priest.

Here's the traditional indian culture wear and in front is the sabahan/sarawakian's clothing. I'm actually quite confused with their clothings, i can't really determine which is which's. 


From what i remember on my secondary school life textbooks, sejarah. Pesta Kaamatan means it's a celebration where they have during musim menuai padi. Which is when they are collecting the crops. And this lady here wear a basket behind her, while the priest was shown the correct way to menuai padi and put it in the basket that the lady is carrying. 


Another priest. 


Of course, how can i forget to take photos with all these beautiful and stunning full of traditional taste womans? 



THIS ONE TOTALLY LOOKED LIKE A ROYAL FAMILY DON'T CHA THINK? 

Thanks for bringing me there Christovery. :) I learnt a lot of new stuff and it's truly eye opening to me, and another tick off my "imaginary" bucket list. 


Celebration after mass. 

Of course, what is a celebration without food? 

It's weird i know. Pesta Kaamatan, many Sabahans and Sarawakians arrived at Perak to celebrate toegther as a family. But one thing that get everyone asking is "Why are we served indian food?" Shouldn't we try some Sabah and Sarawak cuisine and delicacies? 

The choir performance, performing their traditional songs and sing praise to God. 
They also organized some fashion show. For both kids and adults where they will wear their traditional clothes and walk around the stage. Each represent different ethnic groups. The Kadazan, the Dusun, the Iban etc etc.

Here's a cute grumpy 3-year-old.

Aren't the kids cute? But the sun that day was scorching hot, that's why their eyes are like that. 




Again the grumpy 3 year old. The youngest of all contestants. 


Traditional dance.

Like i said, the weather was a killer. Luckily we had sunglasses with us, it actually soothes the eyes a lot. 
And this is the adult fashion show contest where we can see all the adult version of traditional ethnic group clothings.






That day in microfashion. 

Meet Nicholas. :) Cute kid that followed us from Kampar to Taiping. 





And the famous bamboo dance, which most of my friends knew, and i don't. Which is kinda sad, because this dance is the most special among all other dances. 


How they did it? It's like they open and close the bamboos, and there's these dancers dancing around the bamboo. If they're not careful enough, they might get their foot stuck between the bamboos when the bamboos are closing. I gotta say, when the bamboos close, they make super sharp and loud noise. It's DEFINITELY gonna hurt when you caught your legs in between. NO MERCY GIVEN.





AI'GHT.
I guess that's all for today.
kthxbai.