ANCIENT TRADITION COMES TO LIFE AT KINABALU BIODIVERSITY EXPO

KUNDASANG (Sabah, Malaysia), Dec 3 (Bernama) -- An ancient tradition which
symbolises the local people's reverence of Mount Kinabalu, came to life Friday
at the Kinabalu Biodiversity Exposition 2010 at Kinabalu Park, here.

A total of 97 villagers from nearby Kampung Kiau and Bundu Tuhan joined the
ceremony known locally as "Kakakapan Do Gayo Ngaran."

East Malaysia state of Sabah Parks research and education assistant director Dr
Maklarin Lakim flagged off the participants from Timpohon, the starting point
for the climb to the summit of Mount Kinabalu.

Seventy-eight of them proceeded to the Layang-Layang Control Post, about 4km
from Timpohon, before descending back to the starting point.

Nineteen others continued their climb to Laban Rata Friday and to the peak of
the 4,095-metre mountain Saturday morning.

Earlier, "bobolian" (shaman) Lunsin Koroh, 85, of Kampung Kiau, performed the
"monolob" tradition in which seven white chickens were slaughtered to appease
the spirit which the local people believe inhibits the mountain.

Kampung Bundu Tuhan community chief Joseph Sangau Sariman, 63, said the ceremony
took place regularly in the past.

"We, the villagers, welcome the move by Sabah Parks to rekindle this tradition,"
he said when met here.

Sabah Parks senior park assistant said the ceremony, which was last held four
decades ago, would be held annually depending on the approval of the park's
management.