Kota Kinabalu: Tadau Kaamatan has officially been declared National Heritage, recognising the significance of the celebration as part of Sabah’s cultural treasures and the identity of its indigenous communities.
The declaration was announced at the Sixth National Heritage Declaration Ceremony 2026 at Dewan Sanggar Pujangga by Deputy Tourism, Art and Culture Minister Chiew Choon Man.
Sabah Native Customary Community Organisation (Maans-Sunduan Nabalu) President Murug Vinangun Shalmon Sanangan said efforts to have Tadau Kaamatan recognised as National Heritage began in 2025 through advocacy, participation in discussions on national customary heritage and efforts to highlight the importance of the customs and identity of Sabah’s indigenous communities.
“This recognition is not the achievement of one individual or one organisation. It is a historic victory for all Sabah Native communities, customary practitioners, Bobolian, Bobohizan, ethnic leaders and previous generations who have passed down our customs and culture to this day,” he said.
He said the recognition was based on the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645), particularly provisions relating to the conservation of intangible cultural heritage, declaration of National Heritage, nomination and listing in the National Heritage Register.
He said the recognition would open up greater opportunities for the documentation of customs, research, education for younger generations, the transmission of traditional knowledge and the empowerment of customary practitioners.
A total of 69 heritage items have been recognised as National Heritage 2026, including uthappam, mi kolok and kek lapis, popular foods that reflect Malaysia’s cultural diversity.
He said 39 heritage items had been declared to date, while a further 30 would be gazetted later.
A total of 11 figures were also recognised and would receive National Heritage certificates, RM20,000 in cash and incentives from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac), he said.
Those honoured included Che Mohd Nasir Yusoff for his efforts in Kelantan shadow puppetry, Salbiah Muhi for keringkam embroidery, and Siow Ho Phiew for lion dance performances and lion head craftsmanship.
Sixteen heritage objects were also accorded National Heritage status, including the Terengganu Quran manuscript, the Dewan Rakyat mace dating from 1952, the Dewan Negara mace used in 1966, and the table used for the first Cabinet meeting chaired by Tunku Abdul Rahman.
“The remaining 30 heritage items will be gazetted in due course. They include the Gawai Dayak Festival, the Adat Berkadim (joining a ritual practice) and the pending (Malay ornamental belt buckle).
“The list also features traditional Malaysian dishes such as kacang pool, nasi kandar, apam Johol, kuih chang, char kue kak and pasembur,” he said.
Other items on the cultural heritage list are Malaysian Breakfast Culture, Tadau Kaamatan (annual harvest festival), Baba Nyonya wedding customs, Tahnik (a traditional Islamic practice of touching a newborn baby’s palate with a softened date or honey), copper craft, traditional clogs, tajau (heirloom jar), sompoton (Sabah mouth organ), Kain Punca Potong (handwoven textile fabric), Kain Limar Tenggarung (Malay traditional woven textile), Baju Sikap (royal outer coat), Hikayat Puteri Saadong, the Mahsuri Legend, the Legend of Puteri Santubong and Tuhfat Al-Nafis (19th-century Malay historical chronicle).
