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With around 32 indigenous groups in Sabah, one can expect to see tribal dresses of various styles. Most of these have retained much of their original design and color. Many of these traditional costumes are of black material, and one of the reasons for using such a sombre color is that in the past, the people could rely on a few types of vegetables and plants from which to extract dye to color the cloth. If they needed to add color to the black, beads of red, orange, white and green were sewn on. Traditional costumes also included antique bead necklaces and belts, antique hand-engraved silver jewellery, and belts of old silver dollar coins. Most of these accessories have been handed down from generation to generation. All are very valuable and priceless.

Kadazandusun •This is the largest ethnic category in Sabah and is predominantly wet rice and hill rice cultivators.Their language belongs to the Dusunicfamily and shares a common animistic belief system with various customs and practices. Their ancient beliefs on the verity that everything has life - the rocks, trees, and rivers are all living things. They have souls and spirits that must be appeased from time to time through specific rituals. In these modern times, some of the rituals are less performed accept during certain festivities. •Pesta Kaamatan or Harvest Festival is a unique celebration of Kadazandusun society. It's a celebration to honour the Rice Spirit - Bambaazon or Bambarayon and giving thanks for yet another bountiful year. The festival begins on the first of May at many district levels

Bajau •The Kota Belud Bajau Horseman are the famous Cowboys of the East. During special occasions, the Bajau Horseman wears a black, sometimes white, long-sleeved shirt called badu sampit . Smart, gold buttons betawi run down the front opening and the shirt is also decorated with silver flowers called intiras . •The trousers are more tight-fitting than the bajau bridegroom's seluar sama . The horseman's seluar sampit is balck, and both the shirt and trousers have gold lace trimmings sewn on. He also wears a headpiece podong similar to the Bajau bridegroom's. •The Bajau horseman wears a silver-hilted dagger karis at his side. The sheath is made of wood and silver. He also carries a spear bujak and a shipping crop pasut . Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Bajau horseman is his horse, or rather pony. It has its own costume and is more gaily dressed than the rider. The ourfit kain kuda almost completely covers the pony except for holes for the eyes and nose. This cloth is tied around the pony's legs to keep it in place. •The saddle sila-sila is not like the cowboy saddles of the West but rather a smaller piece of buffalo hide so shaped to fit the pony's back. A thick piece of cloth lapik is placed under the sila-sila . Antique brass bells seriau , colourful reins tingalu and bridle kakang all make for a very festive pony costume. In all their finery, both ride and pony become quite an attraction.

Festival

ii)Unduk Ngadau •Unduk Ngadau is a beauty pageant held during the Kaamatan cultural event normally held in Sabah, Malaysia. The title comes from the ethnic word Runduk Tadau which means 'the girl crowned by sunlight'. Unduk Ngadau is one of the most recognizable cultural events in Sabah and the beauty pageant is unique to the state. •The Unduk Ngadau beauty contest was started to pay respect to Huminodun, the sacrificed daughter of the Kadazandusun spirits Kinorohingan and Suminodun. It is believed that she was the one who taught the priestesses, known as locally as Bobohizans their ritual mantras which exist today. •Contestants in the state-level pageants are generally the winner of their district's pageant. However, some districts hold joint pageants which produce more than one state-level contestant. Notably, Tuaran and Tamparuli hold a joint pageant in Tamparuli, with the first-place winner going on to represent Tuaran, and the second-place winner representing Tamparuli. •In recent years, participants from Peninsular Malaysia have been able to participate in the pageant by representing Klang Valley. •The state-level pageant is held on the 31st of May each year at the Hongkod Koisaan building in Penampang, and is the highlight and ending point of the monthlong Kaamatan celebrations.