This year’s Unduk Ngadau features two sisters of mixed Iban and Kadazan Dusun heritage qualifying for the national level. They each represent their parents’ villages — Sarawak and Telupid, Sabah — at this year’s cultural pageant, held in conjunction with the Kaamatan celebrations.
A sisterly journey in Unduk Ngadau
A long-standing cultural beauty pageant organised post-WWII, Sabah’s pride, Unduk Ngadau, annually celebrates the beauty and traditions of the ladies within the 40 ethnicities of the state. This competition, held since 1960, is said to be based on the legend of Huminodun.
According to the legend, the land of Sabah and its people were suffering from a famine. With food scarcity, the people decided to meet with the god Kinoingan. However, when they arrived, they couldn’t recognise the place because it had transformed into a land filled with food crops and fruit plantations.
The bountiful harvest was said to have come from the sacrifice of Kinoingan’s daughter, Ponompuan. Her body transformed into various crops and plants, providing enough nourishment to save the village from the great famine. For her sacrifice, Ponompuan was known as the Huminodun, which means “miraculously transformed redeemer”.
Upholding the legend, the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) organises the Unduk Ngadau competition yearly as part of the Kaamatan celebrations. This year’s national-level crowning will be held tomorrow at the Hongkod Koisaan, Penampang, Sabah, with the theme “Kaamatan, Poingalib Kohimaganon Taakanon” (Kaamatan Beyond Food Security).
Joy for two sisters
This year sees an extraordinary feat, as among the 51 finalists from across Sabah and representatives from KDCA Labuan, Sarawak, Melaka, Johor, Putrajaya, Perak, Penang, and Klang Valley are two sisters who won the title at the district-level in Telupid and the state-level in Sarawak.
With a mixed parentage of Iban and Kadazan Dusun, Queency Isabelle Ladzrus (Unduk Ngadau representative from Telupid) and Qheesthyna Issandra Ladzrus (Unduk Ngadau representative from KDCA Sarawak) are both currently students at local universities in Kuching, studying Arts Management and pursuing a Diploma in Business, respectively.
With the unique trait of this year’s Unduk Ngadau, New Sarawak Tribune recently met with the two sisters to talk about their experiences in the cultural pageant and their sisterhood.
Queency Isabelle Ladzrus
“Yoku i Queency Isabelle Ladzrus, Unduk Ngadau Telupid 2024. Maganu oku do kosivatan diti do mamason, kotobian tadau tagajo do kaamatan.” (I am Queency Isabelle Ladzrus, Unduk Ngadau Telupid 2024. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Kaamatan).
The 23-year-old is passionate about music and knows how to play various instruments, including the guitar, ukulele, and piano. Growing up with her sister, she reminisced about how they would record videos together, joke around, and become different characters while doing so.
Sharing her pageantry history, Queency said that this year is her fourth time participating in the Unduk Ngadau pageant. To her, the love for her cultural heritage is so deep that she wanted to gain the experience to raise awareness beyond it.
“As the reigning Queen for Telupid this year, I hope to have a more positive impact on society and to continue portraying a good example. I hope to inspire others not to forget their roots,” she said.
She added that she aims to leave a legacy by contributing to more cultural community events and activities to encourage the younger generation to preserve the traditions of the Kadazan Dusun, as well as those of other ethnicities in Sabah.
“Every culture has its own unique traits. Before it ceases to exist, it’s important to preserve it.”
When asked how she felt about competing with her sister on the national level, Queency said that despite the competition, they still help each other and offer tips to one another.
“Then, whoever wins later on, it is our own rezeki (luck), so we just compete positively.”
Qheesthyna Issandra Ladzrus
“Ngaran ku ie Qheesthyna Issandra Ladzrus, maganu oku do kosiwatan diti do momason kotobian Tadau tagayo do kaamatan.” (I am Qheesthyna Issandra Ladzrus. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Kaamatan).
With a deep interest in business and preserving her mother tongue, 19-year-old Qheesthyna is participating in Unduk Ngadau for the second time this year. Wanting to see how much she has improved and to gain more experience, Qheesthyna revealed that the beauty pageant has taught her to be a more committed and disciplined person.
As her goal is to continue preserving her mother tongue, she said that this is the aim of the pageant (aside from the traditional attire) — to continue preserving it amidst modernity.
“Though the competition will be over soon, I will still be in the fight to showcase our culture more.”
She also said that because of the Unduk Ngadau, she has improved her mother tongue — the dialect from the Dusun Labuk.
Donning attire from the Dusun Labuk community during the interview, Qheesthyna also shared that she doesn’t mind competing with her sister; in fact, she is more glad to do so. Recalling a memory of them growing up together, she fondly remembers them playing an instrument and singing together.
