BELURAN: The purpose of holding the Tagunggu Festival is to celebrate and promote the cultural heritage of the Sungai Labuk tribes, predominant in the Paitan area.
According to Beluran member of parliament Datuk Ronald Kiandee, one of the many meaningful successes derived from organising the festival is the launching of an album containing songs of the Sungai Labuk tribes.
“The production of the album has made the Tagunggu Festival this year to achieve a remarkable success,” Kiandee said during the opening ceremony yesterday, officiated by Deputy Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Joseph Salang.
“The album entitled ‘Wira Selusuk Sungai’ which contains 10 songs by various singers originally from the Paitan area, heightens the preservation and promotion of our cultural heritage and arts, especially by involving the younger generation,” he said.
Among the singers depicted in the album are Sri Jawani, Johnnetry Pingut, Maryatie Wulan, Haslaninah Hassan, Kamri G, John Samud, Yunus Amail and Sabturiah Tooh.
Kiandee also expressed hope that the festival would promote traditional music of all ethnics in Sabah
and the Tagunggu
festival would in due course be given the recognition for inclusion into the state’s tourism calender.