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The various ethnic groups, particularly the Kadazan, Dusun, Murut and Rungus of Sabah celebrated the Harvest Festival or the Kaamatan Festival, as a tribute to Bambaazon, the spirit of Kinoingan’s daughter Huminodun beginning the first week of May with Magavau ritual to invite the spirit of Bambaazon to the celebration and will continue till the end of the month; with the peak of the celebration being held on 30 and 31 May annually. This ritual is performed only by the high priestess known as Bobohizan, as without the spirit of Bambaazon, the festivities cannot be proceeded and it is through Magavau that the Rice Spirit is invoked.
Similarly, the native ethnic of Sarawak, particularly the Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Murut and more celebrated the Gawai festival as a thanksgiving and harvest festival marking the bountiful yields and the planning of future prospects as the festival marks the end of the harvesting season, an event similar to Kaamatan festival of Sabah on the 1 and 2 June 2019.
Coincidentally, after a whole Ramadan month of fasting, which began on 6 May 2019, Muslims in Malaysia celebrate the end of Ramadan month and the beginning of the Islamic new Islamic month, Syawal, beginning on 05 June 2019, by praying at mosque and having get together at relative’s and friends’ places by hosting “Open House” – the traditional way of inviting families, relatives and friends to their houses.
