GOASIAPLUS November 2016

Road Trippin’ Around Sabah
The town of
Kudat is a
fishing village
located 190
kilometers
north of KK
which is home
to the Rungus
tribe of Sabah.
It used to be
a settlement
for the British
North Borneo
Chartered
Company
but now is a
quaint town
by the sea for
those seeking
to experience
fresh seafood
and the
charms of
provincial
Sabah life.
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Clockwise: The brass gongs made by the Sumangkap people, Beaded souvenirs available at the bee farm, The interior of
the longhouse made from various natural wood
Meeting the Rungus People
In the Kudat district, there are several kampungs with traditional
longhouses that offer accommodation to travellers seeking to stay
in these traditionally-made abodes. Kampung Bavanggazo offers
two lodging options which are Maranjak Lodge or the Bavanggazo
Longhouse located just past the town of Sikuati.
We experienced the culture and food of the Rungus people during
our stay in the longhouse. The young ones performed their
traditional dance called magigol sumundai with graceful hands and
perfect synchronization wearing colourful beaded attire synonymous
with their tribe. The family cooked authentic dishes from wild jungle
vegetables like fern and banana blossom with a humble breakfast of
battered fried tapioca and bananas.
Nearby the kampung, we visited Kampung Gombizau where the
people harvest honey. For a fee of RM5, get up close and scarily
personal with the bees as the tour guide opens one of the many
‘honey bee hotels’ to show a frame filled with bees and honeycomb.
Don’t worry, they use smoke from burning coconut husk to
temporarily disorient the bees. A tip is to stand relatively still and
avoid swatting.
Kampung Sumangkap on the other hand, is a kampung where its
villagers pass down the art of making gongs. It is a hard trade to
learn as these gong masters physically mold these gongs using
mallets to the desired shape and most importantly sound. We even
bought a miniature one as a souvenir for RM10.
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