A Life Journey: Kaamatan Queens of Yesteryears (1971-1980)

This is the second segment where I will feature the Kaamatan Queens of Yesteryears from 1971 to 1980. During this decade, the Kaamatan Queens is known as Miss Harvest Festival. You may click here for the previous post on Kaamatan Queens of 1960-1970. Related topics can be found by clicking here and here.

Kopivosian or Hai / Hello / How are you? - is a Kadazandusun word, a word commonly said by the people of Sabah to welcome visitors or tourists. Kopivosian also means Selamat in Malay or Good / Happy in English especially when greeting one another, i.e. Kopivosian do doungsuvab - Good Morning!

The picture on top is a female priestessess (bobohizan, bobolian, bambarayon) or ritual specialists. Becoming one takes many years of apprenticeship. One must learn to chant all the long ritual verses or rinait (in a ritual language) which recount the creation of the world, the action of the deities, migrations of peoples and the rationale behing social and cultural mores and morals. Spirit mediumship is also a prerequisite for becoming a ritual specialist in most communities of the Sabahan people.