The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Regatta Lepa – a boating festival Sabah style


Regatta Lepa is an astounding festival that pays homeage to the Lepa, the traditional single – mast sailing boat of the Bajau of Semporna. During the Regatta Lepa festival, we may witness the crowning of the most beautiful lepa as well as the Lepa Beauty Pageant, plus, enjoying the cultural performances and fireworks.

Semporna in far southeastern Sabah is wellknown for its world class diving sites that lie just off the coast – Sipadan. But the Bajau mainly town comes alive around March to April when the colourful Regatta takes place. Regatta – Borneo festival with traditional, single mast sailing boat.


the Lepa boat of Bajau in Semporna (picture credit to www.MySabah.com)


Semporna itself is a pretty little place with stilt houses sprawled across the bay, which in turn was filled with boating activity, markets and trade. During the Regatta Lepa festival, tents and stalls are set up. It is the perferct time for you if you wish to witness some of the traditions of the region.


tents selling crafts and goods



unique crafts at the booth selling


Usually, there are also some cultural events taking place on the town field with dancing in traditional dress, music and singing. And there are some traditional wooden hulled lepa boats already sailing around, decorated and ready for the boat parades of the morrow. These single-mast sailing boats of the Bajaus of Semporna give the festival its name and it was exciting to experience by ourselves.


Lepa boat ready for the boat parade 
(picture credit: http://attractionsinmalaysia.com/img/calendar/Regatta-Lepa.jpg)

There will be single kayak or group canoe events, an event in which competitors had to climb a pole and try to push each other off, and even a tug of war competition in which boat competitors could use their legs only to row. It was noisy, raucous and thoroughly enjoyable with teams getting resounding cheers when they returned to the docks.

After this the regatta of the boats began with a colourful stream of lepa boats decked out in flags and even dancing women in traditional dress. They smiled, swayed, and moved impossibly long finger-nailed hands around while men behind them beat on gongs, drums and other local instruments.


Bajau dancer on the Lepa boat (picture credit to www.MySabah.com)


So for this year the Regatta Lepa will be held again from 25 - 27 April 2014, at Semporna Sabah.

For more information about the festival, please contact:

Semporna District Office
Bangunan Urus Setia, Jalan Habirun, P.O Box 1, 91307 Sempornaaa, Sabaaaaaaa
Tel:6089-781 518/663
Fax: 6089-781472






1 comment:

  1. The worst time has passed”However, it is true that there are more improvements than before...because of the rising numbers of people living with HIV in the state of Nevada. How could they stigmatize all of them? Therefore everything becomes a little easier and we start to share everything... We also started to invite and visit each other in a community. You know, it is six years since I started taking antiretroviral drugs...Yet whatever problems I face, the worst time has passedWhen I was evicted from the family home by my mother, my father rented a small room for me. But my mother and brothers believed that having HIV was my own fault – and that I deserved to be punished...I also considered myself unworthy and without hope... But I have a child and eventually I convinced myself to live for my child’s sake.
    My mother knew nothing [about HIV]. She didn’t understand anything. Do you know why? She didn’t have [the chance] to go out of the house and communicate with society. However, my father does interact with the community. I know his friends are mature and dignified africa america. So he has a better understanding than her.My father came call me on a sadfull day sitting on my couch about a friend of his from africa who introduce him to Dr Itua herbal  cure in africa in which he advise we should purchase his herbal medicine to cure my hiv so we did and Dr Itua prescribed I should drink the herbal medicine for two weeks to cure although we were so curious about the whole thing ,I finished the herbal medicine like he advised then he talked to me to visit my nearest clinic for check up I did and now I'm totally cured from Hiv my father was my rock and I and my family are now happy together also Dr Itua has be helpful in my community ever since he cure my Hiv so why I'm leaving  my story on here today is to reach out someone out here to hope on God and never give up no matter the situation you that you are facing especially through this pandemic seasons which has really taught us all on how we should be helpful to each other and cherish one another.Dr Itua cures the following diseases.....  Herpes,Liver cancer,Throat cancerLeukemia.,Alzheimer's disease,Chronic Diarrhea,Copd,Parkinson,Als,Adrenocortical carcinoma  Infectious mononucleosis.
    Intestinal cancer,Uterine cancer,Fibroid,Bladder cancer,Hiv,Esophageal cancer,Gallbladder cancer,Kidney cancer,Hpv,Lung cancer,Melanoma,Mesothelioma,Multiple myeloma,Oral cancer,Sinus cancer,Hepatitis A,B/C,Skin cancer,Soft tissue sarcoma,Spinal cancer,Stomach cancer,Vaginal cancer,Vulvar cancer,
    Testicular cancer,Thyroid Cancer.You can contact Dr Itua Herbal Center on E-Mail: drituaherbalcenter@gmail.com  Or Whats-App Chat : +2348149277967

    ReplyDelete