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PENAMPANG (Sabah) — Things were not quite the same in the past from what can be witnessed at present time during Pesta Kaamatan (Harvest Festival) season.

One who has vivid childhood memories of traditional Kaamatan rituals is Dr. Benedict Topin, for many years the secretary-general of Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA), and now its Executive Secretary.

“The first exposure I had was when I was around seven, in Primary school, joining in the harvest rituals at family level,” he said in an interview at his office. As a young lad, he really enjoyed the pre-harvest celebration activities including hunting for communal food for offering to the rice spirits.

“Those days, the whole village contributed whatever food items we could find. Food items included field mice, python,

Dr. Ben Topin

wild boar, aside from fish from the river, chicken and whatever else we could gather, all going into the kampung food pool, in anticipation of the Kaamatan celebrations.

“There was no such thing as going to the YB (State Assemblyman or MP) seeking donations as is done now,” he recalls.

Since there were no ice boxes then, most of the items had to be salted, dried, fermented, or smoked.

“By the first full moon after harvest, we have more than enough food for the celebrations,” recalls Topin whose home village is in the Tambunan district located in the interior region and is one of the major padi cultivation centres in Sabah.

As Executive Secretary of KDCA, he is deeply engaged with the many aspects of planning for and execution of the state-wide Pesta Kaamatan programmes, particularly the state level celebrations in the final days of May each year at the KDCA grounds in Penampang.