PESTA KAAMATAN DI SABAH MENJADI PEMANGKIN SOSIOEKONOMI DAN TARIKAN PELANCONGAN BUDAYA BERTARAF GLOBAL

THE KAAMATAN FESTIVAL IN SABAH HAS BECOME A SOCIO-ECONOMIC CATALYST AND A GLOBAL CULTURAL TOURISM ATTRACTION

Abstract

Pesta Kaamatan merupakan perayaan menuai tradisi suku kaum Kadazan-Dusun, Murut dan Rungus (KDMR) di Sabah yang telah berevolusi daripada upacara ritual animisme domestik kepada sebuah festival kebudayaan mega yang bertaraf antarabangsa. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis peranan Pesta Kaamatan sebagai tarikan pelancongan budaya di Sabah melalui seni persembahan seperti tarian dan muzik serta melalui sumbangan sosioekonominya dalam hasil jualan pakaian tradisional, kain Sulaman, perhiasan manik, kraftangan anyaman, peralatan muzik dan makanan tradisional kepada pengunjung tempatan dan luar negara. Hasil kajian mendapati jualan produk warisan ini telah menyumbang kepada pendapatan sosioekonomi penduduk tempatan khasnya dan pelancongan negeri Sabah amnya. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif berasaskan sorotan literatur sistematik (SLR) dan analisis data sekunder bagi tempoh 2022 hingga 2026, kajian ini juga membincangkan bagaimana rantaian nilai festival ini memacu sub-sektor ekonomi hiliran. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa Pesta Kaamatan juga turut memberikan impak pengganda (multiplier effect) yang signifikan melalui peningkatan pendapatan usahawan mikro, penginapan homestay, sektor perhotelan, industri kreatif, dan pemuliharaan warisan ketara dan tidak ketara. Kajian ini turut memperincikan usaha kolaboratif strategik antara Kerajaan Negeri Sabah dan Persatuan Kebudayaan Kadazandusun (KDCA) dalam aspek penjenamaan global dan pemeliharaan ketulenan budaya etnik KDMR. Akhir sekali, artikel ini mengemukakan implikasi dasar serta cadangan pragmatik bagi memastikan kelestarian pelancongan budaya Sabah dalam mendepani cabaran globalisasi ekonomi pada masa kini.

The Kaamatan Festival is a traditional harvest celebration of the Kadazan-Dusun, Murut, and Rungus (KDMR) ethnic groups in Sabah, which has evolved from a domestic animistic ritual into a mega-cultural festival of international standing. This article aims to analyze the role of the Kaamatan Festival as a cultural tourism attraction in Sabah through performing arts, such as dance and music; as well as through its socioeconomic contributions in the sales of traditional attire, embroidered fabrics, beadwork ornaments, woven handicrafts, musical instruments, and traditional food to both local and international visitors. The findings of the study indicate that the sales of these heritage products have contributed to the socioeconomic income of the local population in particular, and Sabah’s state tourism in general. Utilizing a qualitative approach based on a systematic literature review (SLR) and secondary data analysis for the period from 2022 to 2026, this study also discusses how the festival's value chain drives downstream economic sub-sectors. The results demonstrate that the Kaamatan Festival also generates a significant multiplier effect through the increased income of micro-entrepreneurs, homestay accommodations, the hospitality sector, the creative industry, and the preservation of tangible and intangible heritage. Furthermore, this study details the strategic collaborative efforts between the Sabah State Government and the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) regarding global branding and safeguarding the cultural authenticity of the KDMR ethnic groups. Finally, this article presents policy implications and pragmatic recommendations to ensure the sustainability of Sabah’s cultural tourism in confronting contemporary economic globalization challenges.