THE LEGEND OF HUMINODUN

The Unduk Ngadau of Kaamatan Beauty Queen

That Kinoingan so loved the world that He sacrificed His only beloved Daughter,
Ponompuan. This greatest love of all was the expression of Kinoingan’s purest love for
mankind. Overwhelmed, they repented, genuflected and uttered prayers of thanks to
Kinoingan, Sumundu and Ponompuan whom they now call Huminodun, (the transformed
Sacrifice).

Huminodun’s rusod (spirit) now lives in every plant. Huminodun’s rusod in paddy is
regarded as Sunduvan in status and is fondly called Bambarayon by Bobolians to denote
the highest hierarchical position of this plant in the eyes of all Kadazandusuns

The Legend

“Unduk Ngadau” owes its origin from that part of Kadazandusun genesis story, which
pertains to sacrifice of “Huminodun” – Kinoingan’s only begotten daughter. The legend
went on to relate the following:

A long, long time age, the staple food of Kinoingan and his people was a type of grain
called “Huvong”. One day, there was no huvong left to plant, nor other grains left for
food. Kinoingan was so worried and felt very sorry for his people sufferings. It was said
that Kinoingan sacrificed Huminodun, the only child to Kinoingan and Suminundu. She
was the most beautiful maiden in her time, truly anyone who gaze at her lovely
countenance would be transfixed and fall in love with her. She was also kind hearted and
blessed with wisdom beyond her years.

Huminodun was willing to be a sacrifice and be an offering to the great earth so that there
will be seeds once agaon for planting and there will be food for the people. Kinoingan
was deeply saddened, but seeing that there was nothing else he could do to dissuade her,
Kinoingan went ahead and cleared the land for planting. Through his supernatural
powers, he was able to clear such a large area over many hills without any difficulty.
When the time came for planting, Huminodun was brought to the cleared plot. As she
was leaving, one cold hear the pitiful wails of great sadness from Suminundu, her mother.
It was not at all easy for Huminodun to leave her mother and likewise her mother letting
her only child go. The young men who had fallen in love with Huminodun could not let
her go either. Indeed, they too cried and begged her to change her mind. However, there
was nothing anyone could do, Huminodun had decided that her father’s people came
before her.

When she arrived at the cleared plot, she turned to her father and said: “Father, you will
see that my body will give rise to all sorts of edible plants for the people. My flesh
will give rise to rice; my head, the coconut; my bones, tapioca; my toes, ginger; my
teeth, maize; my knees, yams and others parts of my body to a variety of edible
plants. This way never again will our people grow hungry to the point of dying.”
“However,” Huminodun continued, “Do follow these instructions of mine for it will
guarantee us a bountiful harvest. When you have strewn parts of my body all over this
clearings, do not come and see me for seven days and seven nights. When the padi has
ripened, and it is time for harvest, do not start the harvest without doing this; take seven
stalks of rice (padi) and tie them to one end of a spliced bamboo stick and them, plant this
stick at the centre of the rice (padi) field. Only after this may you begin your harvesting
activities. Later, place this bamboo stick with the seven rice (padi) stalks in the rice (padi)
storage container (tangkob) when you bring it home after the harvest. For your first day
harvest, do keep them in a big jar (kakanan). And, Father, do not give away your first
year’s harvest because the grains may become bad. You can only give away your harvest
to others in the second year.” (That is why to this day, the Kadazandusun people do not
give away their first years harvest.)

Kinoingan agreed to follow all her instructions. So it was that when Kinoingan sacrificed
Huminodun, the whole world turned dark and there was awesome thunder and lightning.

That year, the people had never seen such a harvest. It was plentiful. Kinoingan had done
as Huminudun instructed He also kept away the first day’s harvest in the kakanan and
harvested the first seven stalks of rice from the rice plot. The seven stalks of rice
represented Bambaazon, the spirit of the padi or rice.

As for the rice in the jar, the kakanan, on the seventh day a beautiful maiden miraculously
stood up out of the big jar. She was referred to as Undul Ngadau, the spirit of
Huminodun. It was said that this Unduk Ngadau was the one who instructed the first
Bobohizan or Kadazandusun priestess in her prayers.

Therefore to this day, the Kadazandusun people have included the Unduk Ngadau
Pageant as a grand part of their Kaamatan Festivals. It is a manifestation to the deep
sense of respect and admiration that the Kadazandusun people have for the legendary
Huminodun. It is a sacred title ascribed to Huminodun, to her absolute abedience to
Kinoingam, so much so as to be a willing sacrifice for the sake of the father’s creation.
“Unduk Ngadau” then is commemorative term in praise of Huminodun’s eternal youth
and the total beauty of her heart, mind and body.

The term “Unduk ” or “Tunduk” literally means the shoot of a plant, which, in it most
tangible description, signifies youth and progressiveness. Likewise, in its literal meaning,
“Ngadau” or “Tadau” means the sun, which connotes the total beauty of the heart, mind
and body of an ideal Kadazandusun woman. In essence therefore the “Unduk Ngadau” is
a processual event of selecting from among the Kadazandusun beauties, one who would
resemble the ascribed personality of “Huminodun”.