KOTA KINABALU: Come May 31, one of the 64 beautiful hopefuls will be crowned Sabah’s Unduk Ngadau or Harvest Queen.

They come from all over the state and have beaten hundreds of other contenders to represent their own constituencies and vie for the crown.

The state-level Unduk Ngadau 2019 organising chairperson, Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas, said this year’s harvest queen must not only know their mother tongue but also the in's and out's of their own culture and ethnicity.

The 2008 state Unduk Ngadau said more emphasis will be put on the question and answer sessions, as well as other aspects such as the contestants knowledge of current affairs.

Jo-Anna said though beauty as a criterion was still apportioned the highest mark overall, the contestants must not ignore other requirements of the pageant.

“This year’s Unduk Ngadau competition will be more of a cultural pageant as opposed to a beauty pageant,” she said.

She added that it was important for these aspects to be highlighted as the winner or Harvest Queen would be the ambassador for tourism and culture in Sabah.

Jo-Anna said the new organising committee wanted to emphasise the preservation of the ethnic traditions of the contestants’ respective districts – they were required to prepare a documented cultural research of their respective ethnic group.

“We also want to empower contestants’ knowledge on their respective cultures and focus on women empowerment issues and efforts,” she said.

Unlike previously, this year’s contestants would be pre-judged based on all these requirements throughout the pageant, she added.

The women from various cultural and religious backgrounds would be the symbol of beauty and epitomise the ideals of a true Sabahan lady according to the Huminodun legend.

Huminodun, daughter of gods Kinoingan and Sumundu, was said to be the most beautiful and kind girl who ever lived.

She sacrificed herself during a famine so the people would have food.

The legend is the basis of the annual month-long Kaamatan Festival, which culminates on May 30 and 31

Kaamatan is where the people of Sabah especially farmers give thanks to the Gods (during the ancient times) for the abundance of their harvest.