KOTA KINABALU: The term "Unduk Ngadau" is still being misused by other private pageant organisers although it has been registered with the Malaysian Intellectual Property Corporation (MyIPO).
Expressing displeasure over such incidences, State Unduk Ngadau chairperson Joanna Datuk Kitingan said the term was registered to protect the cultural pageant from being misused, as it has in the past.
As the chairperson of the Unduk Ngadau for many years and having in-depth knowledge of the history of the Unduk Ngadau, Joanna said, she was shocked to see another beauty organisation using the word "Unduk Ngadau" in their competition, recently.
She explained that the “real beauty” of an Unduk Ngadau as recited by the Bobohizan in their “rinait” was the beauty of Huminodun who willingly sacrificed herself so that her people may live.
“She is the epitome of the empowered woman who willingly sacrificed herself," she said in a statement, Wednesday.
Joanna also explained that the Unduk Ngadau cultural pageant has been held for the last 62 years and it is still relevant now.
“A lot of other beauty pageants have emulated the Unduk Ngadau’s way of organisation at the district level.
“Even the male version of the Unduk Ngadau such as the Mr Kaamatan has made their pageants more meaningful by making it compulsory for contestants to speak their mother tongue and wearing traditional costumes from each district and describing what they are wearing,” she said.
Joanna said she does not want the word “Unduk Ngadau” to project negativity and “spoil our culture and our women.”
In the past, she said, some of the Unduk Ngadau competitions were held in inappropriate places and “that is why we registered it.”
“Other cultural bodies who organise Unduk Ngadau must have the proper understanding and respect for our culture.”
She also said that having seen and judged so many so-called beauty, culture and tourism pageants, they are a far cry from lifting the image of young girls and advocating women’s rights.
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