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Beautiful, colourful lepa(s) at the 18th Regatta Lepa,
Semporna (CNB 2011) |
As promised, here are pictures taken at the very colourful
18th Regatta Lepa (22 & 23 April 2011) at
Semporna. This annual event 'celebrates the proud heritage of the nomadic
Sea Bajau community'. More than 80
lepa (single-mast sailboats) competed for the title of most beautiful
lepa. Other activities carried on also included
kelleh-kelleh (dugout boat) competition,
kumpit (small boat) tug-of-war,
maglami-lami night & beauty queen contest, cultural performances and fireworks display.
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| More beautiful, colourful lepa(s) (CNB 2011) |
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| Yet more beautiful, colourful lepa(s) (CNB 2011) |
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| An Igal dancer on board a beautiful lepa (CNB 2011) |
The
lepa are beautifully decorated with colourful masts and buntings, some topped with little bright parasols! The lepa 'owners' in the 'beautiful boat competition' include individuals, organisations, even universities. On nearly all the lepa, dancers including children, do the
mengalai/Igal. It was fun to watch the dancers try to outdo each other - in dancing style and costume.
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| Child Igal dancers (CNB 2011) |
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| Igal dancing is in their blood (CNB 2011) |
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| A line-up of beautiful, colourful lepa(s) (CNB 2011) |
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Child Igal dancer accompanied by gongs played by
her grandparents (CNB 2011) |
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| Portrait of a young Igal dancer (CNB 2011) |
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| Young girls in their 'mengalai' (dance) costumes (CNB 2011) |
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| More Igal dancers (CNB 2011) |
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| Proof I was there! (A Tourist 2011) |
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| A teen Igal dancer (CNB 2011) |
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A young boy and girl mengalai (dance) to the beat of their
granny's drum (CNB 2011) |
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| The mengalai (dancing) begins at a very young age (CNB 2011) |
Really, I have never seen so many shutterbugs as I did that day. Tourists and locals alike were shooting away, trying to freeze these interesting and colourful moments. I could not tear myself away because I wanted to imbibe the occasion as much as I could, so I stayed till the sun was set and it was night.
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| The sun is almost setting on the lepa(s) (CNB 2011) |
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| Enchanting sunset on the lepa(s) (CNB 2011) |
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| Night falls ... on the lepa(s) (CNB 2011) |
In the evening, on the Dataran Regatta Lepa, the opening ceremony was held, and results of the various competitions were announced at this
Maglami-Lami Night. This included the
Ratu Lepa (beauty queen) contest which required the participants to don beautiful costumes and do fantastic
mengalai (dance).
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| The Ratu Lepa (beauty queen) contest (CNB 2011) |
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Cultural performance at the opening ceremony of the
18th Regatta Lepa (CNB 2011) |
On the last night, the closing ceremony was held at Padang Pekan Semporna. Apart from speeches by local dignitaries, it showcased cultural performances of the traditional Igal dances, songs rendered by Bajau and Semenanjung artistes, followed by a very impressive display of fireworks.
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| The Tarian Igal - at the closing ceremony (CNB 2011) |
April 2011
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