All posts tagged: kudat

Rungus women keep tradition alive

Away from urbanisation, the Rungus community in Kampung Bavanggazo, near Tinangol in the Kudat district, lead a simple lifestyle where the women rely on handicraft as a source of income. These women, mostly aged above 40, are known as the makers of inavol, which is a dying tradition. Monuraging Monzipal, 60, said inavol is a traditional woven sash with geometric motifs worn crosswise across the chest. It is also famous as a gift for tourists. She said it was normally worn by the Rungus men together with their traditional costume during rituals. “However, inavol-making is slowly dying out because the younger generation is not keen on learning the skill.

A noisy village not far from the Northern Tip of Borneo

AS the clock strikes 8am, villagers of Kampung Sumangkap in Kudat district  never fail to rise to the continuous sound of metal smacking. This noisy small village is  about three hours drive from the State capital (Kota Kinabalu). For some, hearing the sound of metal smacking first thing in the morning can be unbearable and  a nuisance, but for  these  “disturbers of  peace”, who  are  gong makers from the Rungus community, they are eking out a living as well as keeping  the tradition of gong making alive.