The damage: PC Fair Malaysia 2008
Aug 1- 3rd 2008: PC Fair 2008 in Kuala Lumpur; at KL Convention Centre. We went there on the 3rd at abt 3pm; and it was still crowded as expected. In fact, there were so many people, at one time I felt the air was running out (yes, serious as a heart attack!). And since the was so little room to move around — we quickly concluded that prices were just slightly cheaper than those listed at LYP on normal days.. and that we would just need to find the “designated exit” (the organizer has decided, yet again, to have limited designated exits, so that visitors would have to walk and go through all the halls before one could go out).
well.. that was the original idea.
By 8pm, we summed up the damages to be:
- 1 set of Altec Lansing VS computer speaker
- 5 sets of canon MP300 cartridges (yes, for 5 colors, thats 25 boxes!)
- Another 5 sets of Imprint cartridges (yes, for that MP300)
- 2 units of 19″ BenQ LCD monitors
- One computer headphone (with those big muffs)
- Canon EOS40D urrgg dropped from the list: we are sure we could get a better offer elsewhere
- Blistered fingers (from dragging all these from Hall 1 to ISETAN & car park! — that’s probably 2km)
Big complaint: get rid of the walk-flow system where you have to go through Hall 1 until Hall 5 to exit from that place. With all those stuffs; we could hardly walk in-gadget styles without stomping, stumbling, kicking and cursing.
Additional damages due to PC Fair 2008 fever:
- Intel P43 P5QL-E motherboard with Intel C2D
- GeForce 8600GT XFX Graphics Card (yes, with dual monitor support for the 2 benq lcds)
- LG DVD-RW driver
- Windows XP
The SMART tunnel is opened.
The 4.5km SMART tunnel water/roadway (actual tunnel length was reported 3km) was opened earlier this week; and I used it for the first time today on the way to KL City Center; see above. It feels so long; yet well lit and little traffic!
SMART is an acronym for Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel, a project under the Federal Government initiated to alleviate the flooding problem in the city centre of Kuala Lumpur.The first mode, under normal condition where there is no storm or low rainfall, no flood water will be diverted into the system.Under the second mode, SMART system will be activated and this happens when there is moderate storm.
When the second mode is activated, flood water is diverted into the bypass tunnel in the lower channel of the motorway tunnel and it is important to note, that, up to this stage, the motorway section is still open to traffic.
At the third mode of operation the motorway will be closed to traffic. With extensive and effective monitoring stations, when the third mode of operation is needed, the motorway will be closed to traffic. Sufficient time will be allocated to allow the last vehicle to exit the motorway before the automated water-tight gates are opened to allow flood water to pass through. The motorway will be reopened to traffic within 48 hours after the closure.
See SMART website for more info about this project!
If you want to watch a video by someone inspecting the tunnel, go here.
Kaamatan KDCAKV 2007: Finger Wrestling
One of the traditional sports event is mipansa (finger wrestling); here two participants are set to mipansa.
Back in our hometown in Sabah, Kaamatan celebration includes traditional sports such as buffalo race (milumba karabau), arm wrestling (mipulos), knuckle and finger wrestling (mipansa), wrestling (migogol), blow pipe shooting (monopuk), stilts race (mamarampanau), tug of war (mitarik lukug), running (manangkus), bamboo rafting (mamangkar), single-bamboo pole rafting (manampatau) and so on.
Being a sport that doesnt require a large area or special equipment; mipansa is a quick, socially popular and competitive sport.
You have to be talented at it: it requires strength and stamina, as well as skill and knowing the right time to make full use of the energy to bring down the opponent. It is really a homeland sport of the Kadazandusun.
Kaamatan KDCAKV 2007: Dancers
The dancers from Sabah Cultural Board, taking a short rest during the KDCAKV Kaamatan celebration in KL.
Kaamatan KDCAKV 2007: Unduk Ngadau
The highlight of the celebration is the crowning of 2007 KDCAKV Unduk Ngadau, Miss Jaycintha (spelling?) Kaur of Penampang.
THE LEGEND OF HUMINODUN
The Unduk Ngadau of Kaamatan Beauty Queen
A long, long time age, the staple food of Kinoingan and his people was a type of grain called “Huvong”. One day, there was no huvong left to plant, nor other grains left for food. Kinoingan was so worried and felt very sorry for his people sufferings. It was said that Kinoingan sacrificed Huminodun, the only child to Kinoingan and Suminundu. She was the most beautiful maiden in her time, truly anyone who gaze at her lovely countenance would be transfixed and fall in love with her. She was also kind hearted and blessed with wisdom beyond her years.
Huminodun was willing to be a sacrifice and be an offering to the great earth so that there will be seeds once agaon for planting and there will be food for the people. Kinoingan was deeply saddened, but seeing that there was nothing else he could do to dissuade her, Kinoingan went ahead and cleared the land for planting. Through his supernatural powers, he was able to clear such a large area over many hills without any difficulty. When the time came for planting, Huminodun was brought to the cleared plot. As she was leaving, one cold hear the pitiful wails of great sadness from Suminundu, her mother. It was not at all easy for Huminodun to leave her mother and likewise her mother letting her only child go. The young men who had fallen in love with Huminodun could not let her go either. Indeed, they too cried and begged her to change her mid. However, there was nothing anyone could do, Huminodun had decided that her father’s people came before her.
When she arrived at the cleared plot, she turned to her father and said: “Father, you will see that my body will give rise to all sorts of edible plants for the people. My flesh will give rise to rice; my head, the coconut; my bones, tapioca; my toes, ginger; my teeth, maize; my knees, yams and others parts of my body to a variety of edible plants. This way never again will our people grow hungry to the point of dying.”
“However,”Huminodun continued, “Do follow these instructions of mine for it will guarantee us a bountiful harvest. When you have strewn parts of my body all over this clearings, do not come and see me for seven days and seven nights. When the padi has ripened, and it is time for harvest, do
not start the harvest without doing this; take seven stalks of rice (padi) and tie them to one end of a spliced bamboo stick and them, plant this stick at the centre of the rice (padi) field. Only after
this may you begin your harvesting activities. Later, place this bamboo stick with the seven rice (padi) stalks in the rice (padi) storage container (tangkob) when you bring it home after the harvest. For your first day harvest, do keep them in a big jar (kakanan). And, Father, do not give away your first year’s harvest because the grains may become bad. You can only give away your harvest to others in the second year.” (That is why to this day, the Kadazandusun people do not give away their first years harvest.)
Kinoingan agreed to follow all her instructions. So it was that when Kinoingan sacrificed Huminodun, the whole world turned dark and there was awesome thunder and lightning.
That year, the people had never seen such a harvest. It was plentiful.
Kinoingan had done as Huminudun instructed He also kept away the first day’s harvest in the kakanan and harvested the first seven stalks of rice from the rice plot. The seven stalks of rice represented Bambaazon, the spirit of the padi or rice.
As for the rice in the jar, the kakanan, on the seventh day a beautiful maiden miraculously stood up out of the big jar. She was referred to as Undul Ngadau, the spirit of Huminodun. It was said that this Unduk Ngadau was the one who instructed the first Bobohizan or Kadazandusun priestess in her prayers.
Therefore to this day, the Kadazandusun people have included the Unduk Ngadau Pageant as a grand part of their Kaamatan Festivals. It is a manifestation to the deep sense of respect and admiration that the Kadazandusun people have for the legendary Huminodun. It is a sacred title ascribed to Huminodun, to her absolute abedience to Kinoingam, so much so as to be a willing sacrifice for the sake of the father’s creation. “Unduk Ngadau” then is commemorative term in praise of Huminodun’s eternal youth and the total beauty of her heart, mind and body.
The term “Unduk ” or “Tunduk” literally menas the shoot of a plant, which, in it most tangible description, signifies youth and progressiveness. Likewise, in its literal meaning, “Ngadau” or “Tadau” means the sun, which connotes the total beauty of the heart, mind and body of an ideal Kadazandusun woman. In essence therefore the “Unduk Ngadau” is a processual event of selecting from among the Kadazandusun beauties, one who would resemble the ascribed personality of “Huminodun”.
xx Visit KDCA Sabah for more info.
Kaamatan KDCAKV 2007: sinding from Dr Max
Dr Max Ongkili with a special song called RUMANDAWI.
Kaamatan KDCAKV 2007: magunatip dance
This is the magunatip dance – one of the exciting dance during the KDCAKV Kaamatan 2007. Magunatip is an East Malaysian dance that is typically performed by the young men and women of the Kadazandusun (Kwijau) community and the Muruts in Keningau, Sabah.
The dance involves jumping steps and the dance is a display of the skill of the dancers that maneuver their feet in and out so as not to get their feet trapped by the bamboo.
The 2 bamboo poles are usually approximately 6 feet long and are held by 2 dancers that beat them together and over a shorter length of wood or bamboo creating an interesting rhythm. Sometimes there are even 4 poles that are held by 4 dancers.
The tempo can be increased to further display the skill of the dancers. Among the musical instruments used are the gong and bamboo. Both are percussion instruments that provide the rhythm for the performance.
So, magunatip.. anyone?You can learn a few steps from this video but beware — this is a highly skilled dance.
Kaamatan KDCAKV 2007: Sumazau dance
The Sumazau dance can be considered the state dance of Sabah. The arm gestures are likened to that of a bird and it floats gracefully at approximately shoulder level with gentle bending of the elbow and wrist or alternatively is swung gently like a pendulum, parallel at the sides of the body.
The costumes are authentically Kadazan and are usually black in colour and made of a velvet type material adorned with the appropriate accessories.
The music is provided by gongs of different size.
