Malaysia
Wikimedia CommonsChief minister Musa Aman with traditional Dusun headgear during the opening ceremony of Kaamatan 2015.
Another country that celebrates Thanksgiving by way of honoring the harvest is Malaysia. They observe the Kaamatan harvest festival, which is celebrated in the state of Sabah in Malaysia.
It’s celebrated by the native ethnic Kadazan-Dusuns people for the month of May and culminates in a two-day public holiday that’s celebrated throughout the country.
Rice is very important in the Kadazandusun communities, and as such rice is the main ingredient in the dishes served during the festival. Rice wines are also made and widely consumed.
There are numerous ritual ceremonies that take place during the month-long festival. The closing ceremony for the festival, called the Humabot ceremony, takes place on the last day of the month-long celebration. It’s the liveliest ceremony filled with a ton of different games and activities, including traditional dance and song performances.
