Seamex Sabah

22/09/2025

🌟🎭 A Belated but Proud Announcement of our achievement🎭🌟

Although we are a little late in sharing, we are truly honoured to have received the Best Supporting Ethnic Theatre Award 2024 from the State Government last year. 🙏✨

This award is not just a recognition of our small contributions, but also a celebration of the cultural journeys we’ve embarked on together. In 2023, we brought to life Huminodun, and in 2024 we staged The Hidden Charms of Sabah and this two ethnic musical theatre productions that highlight the beauty, charms, wisdom, and resilience of our indigenous culture and traditions. 🌾🎶

This recognition inspires us to continue working harder, creating meaningful cultural products for our state, and most importantly, sustaining and celebrating our heritage for generations to come. 💖

Thank you for this honour and for believing in the power of theatre to tell our stories. 🌍✨

22/09/2025

Sabah SEAMEX Association Honoured with State Arts Award on the 21 September 2025
The Sabah SEAMEX Association is proud to announce it has received the State Arts Award 2025 for Best Supporting Non-Government Organisation (NGO). This prestigious award recognizes the Association's dedication and significant contributions to the promotion of culture and the arts.
The Sabah SEAMEX Association expresses its gratitude to the State Government for this esteemed recognition. This award serves as a great inspiration to continue working diligently to promote our culture and arts as a humble contribution to our nation.
We extend our sincere thanks and give Glory to God for this honour.

22/09/2025

Before embarking on our plan for the musical theatre production entitled "The Last Tantagas - Keeper of the Sacred Text," we began our journey to the Land of the Tantagas to interview them. The interviews will be published in a book entitled "Tribute to the Tantagas" in conjunction with the musical play. On the way, I took a picture of Mount Kinabalu, or Aki Nabalu, which, in the cosmology beliefs of the Dusun Lotud, represents the heart of the world within their worldview. It was created by their supreme deities to give life to the Earth. This made me wonder about the greatness of God's creation, which represents an iconic cultural symbol to our indigenous people.

10/08/2025

I got over 30 reactions on one of my posts last week! Thanks everyone for your support! 🎉

09/08/2025

Last night, we had the privilege of watching the musical theatre Rugading, a timeless legend of the Dusun Kimaragang people from the northern part of Sabah. The tale unfolds around a heartfelt love story between a young, strong man from the physical world and a mystical being from the spiritual realm and a romance that bridges two worlds and stirs the soul.

Beautifully choreographed by a gifted young choreographer, the performance used modern and contemporary movements to breathe fresh life into an ancient tale. To me, it felt as though a wise grandfather was telling this story to his grandchildren, children of the digital age by passing down heritage through the warmth of his voice and the power of imagination.

The plot was plain yet powerful, simple yet captivating. It carried values and moral lessons that lingered long after the curtain fell. Congratulations to JKKN Sabah for bringing this production to the stage despite the limitations of a low budget, Jkkn Sabah your dedication keeps our stories alive.

Yet, as I watched, I couldn’t help but feel that more must be done. Our government and cultural institutions should give stronger support to musical theatrical arts, not only to entertain, but to highlight our culture, sustain our legacy, and protect the heritage that shapes who we are. Without such efforts, these treasures risk fading into silence, taking with them the voices of our ancestors.

Let us remember: a culture without stories is a tree without roots. By investing in the performing arts, we are not merely funding a show but we are keeping alive the heartbeat of our identity for future generations to cherish and be proud of.

07/08/2025

Reflections on the Regatta Lepa: A Tradition at the Crossroads

Revisiting the annual Regatta Lepa had always been one of my cherished rituals. Each year, I would eagerly look forward to the vibrant atmosphere , the excitement of the traditional boat parade lepa cantik, the enchanting malam maglami-lami, and the much anticipated closing event, malam penangguhan.

However, during my recent visit last June, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of loss. I missed the old Regatta Lepa, the one that used to feature miniature traditional houses filled with rich cultural exhibitions, alive with authentic Sabahan traditions. In the past, there were bustling activities such as the tagunggu/tagugguan competitions, traditional igal performances at each cultural house from different zones, and cooking competitions, just to name a few. These elements gave the festival its soul.

This year, I found myself wondering: is this still the Regatta Lepa I once loved? The traditional sea sports and cultural highlights seemed overshadowed or absent. I promised myself that maybe, this would be my last time attending.

Even the closing night, despite the large budget clearly spent which we felt more like a concert than a cultural celebration. Though they included a short musical drama this time, it still felt flat. Many of us, including the other guests, left immediately after the VIPs departed. We were relieved, in fact, that we didn’t have to sit through modern pop songs with backup dancers, which have increasingly become the norm.

Our group returned to our homestay feeling empty and disappointed. We unanimously agreed not to come again next year.

And yet, one moment stood out, a silver lining. My friend’s daughter performed an igal based on an inspired dance for us, using a modern song but with traditional movements. It was simple, genuine, and beautiful. This is what we want to see Just a small gestures of love for our heritage. These young ones must be nurtured and guided to embrace the traditional igal dance with its many rich repertoires.

I fear the festival is losing its identity. If we truly care about preserving this cultural heritage, we must rethink how it is planned and implemented. The Regatta Lepa must be revitalized to ensure it remains a viable and sustainable legacy, one that respects and celebrates the traditions that make it unique.

06/08/2025

The prestigious Bertitik Festival organized by the Bajau Sama association in con junction with Festival Kebudayaan Rumpun Bajau is currently taking place in Lok Batik, Tuaran. This cultural celebration is a reflection of the vision of our Honourable Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji bin Noor who himself a proud Bajau, who has been instrumental in promoting and preserving Bajau heritage, ensuring its relevance and sustainability for future generations.

We were privileged to witness the semifinals of the Bertitik Kulintangan Competition, featuring 15 outstanding groups. Each group came well-prepared, showcasing their mastery through three to four diverse repertoires. The performances were of such high calibre that it proved to be a challenging task for the judges, as many of the participants were experts deeply rooted in their craft.

Congratulations to the organizing committee for a successful and impactful event that continues to uplift and celebrate our cultural legacy.

05/08/2025

🌀 The Last Tantagas of Dusun Lotud 🌀

We had the rare chance to speak with the last remaining Tantagas,the traditional ritual priestesses of the Dusun Lotud for our upcoming project. 🏞️

Odun Badin and Odun Ribut shared their heartfelt stories and the painful reality: with no apprentices, their sacred roles and ancestral knowledge may end with them. 💔

In their twilight years, they’ve chosen to follow the religion of their children. However, they hold on to one final hope,that their rituals, wisdom, and cultural legacy will be fully documented and preserved for the next generation.

Let’s not let their voices fade into silence.

05/08/2025

Our research team had the privilege of interviewing and filming Mr. Janvin Janteng from Kampung Patikang, Keningau, a proud member of the Nabai Murut ethnic group.

He passionately shared his journey and innovation in revitalizing the traditional Nabai Murut Linangkit, also known as pinikitan Linangkit. His interest in learning linangkit began in 2018, driven by curiosity and love for his cultural roots. Inspired by his family's heirloom collection, some over 100 years old where he began learning independently by closely studying the intricate patterns.

With a background as a lecturer in mathematics, Mr. Janvin used his expertise to develop innovative methods for learning and teaching linangkit. He explained that linangkit is deeply rooted in ethnomathematics, relying heavily on geometric principles, including odd and even numerical sequences to form its knots and patterns.

In 2023, he conducted a linangkit workshop within his own community, sharing his knowledge and inspiring others to appreciate and preserve this unique heritage.

We need more passionate individuals like Mr. Janvin who are dedicated to perpetuating and sustaining our cultural legacy for future generations.

25/07/2025

23/07/2025

🎥✨ Another inspiring field trip to Kudat!

We had the honour of documenting and filming linangkit making with the talented Dee Silva, a Rungus artisan who has been crafting Rinongkitan (also known as sinambitan) since childhood.

Dee shared that originally, rinongkitan featured just two basic motifs. But through creativity, innovation, and deep connection to their environment, the Rungus community now celebrates over 50 unique motifs inspired by local flora and fauna. 🌿🦋🌺

We’re incredibly lucky to have Dee as one of our demonstrators, proudly representing her heritage and keeping this beautiful tradition alive. 💛🧵

28/09/2024