The Legend of Huminodun

Long ago, when time was young and the earth was new, there lived a young
woman whose beauty was reknown throughout the land. Her name was
Huminodun, and she was truly beautiful that anyone who met her would be
mesmerised and held spellbound by her beauty. She was gentle and blessed with
kindness and wisdom beyond her years. Huminodun was the only child of the god
Kinoingan and his wife Suminundu.
The Earth they lived in was generous, and the harvest was bountiful and there
was plenty of food for the people.
However, a long drought soon came over the land. The earth became parched,
the rivers ran silent and dry, the trees and plants wilted and died. The colour
of the land turned from bountiful green to stark yellow of heat and dust.
The day came when the land was bare. Kinoingan became worried when he saw
that there was no longer any food to eat; his people might die of hunger and
starvation. Seeing his father's sadness, Humindun asked "Father, why do you look
so sad?"
"We have run out of food and we have no grain left to plant, not even the
huvong," replied Kinoingan. "I am worried for our people; how are they to feed
themselves and their families?"

Huminodun thought carefully and said "Father, please do not worry. Go ahead
and clear the land for planting. I am willing to be sacrificed. Let my body, soul
and spirit be offerings to the great Mother Earth; then, this drought will end
and you will have seeds once again for planting and there will be food for all our
people," she said.
Kinoingan was very sad when he heard this but he knew that his daughter spoke
the truth. He also knew that once Huminodun had made her decision, he could
never change her mind.
With a laden heart, Kinoingan cleared that land for planting. Through his powers,
he was able to clear a large area over many hills easily. When the time came for
planting, Huminodun was brought to the cleared lot. Everyone in the land was
sad. As she was leaving, Suminundu begged her daughter not to go. The young
men who had fallen in love with Huminodun pleaded her to reconsider. Many
cried and begged her to change her mind, however, Huminodun remained
steadfast; she had decided that her father's peoples needs must come before
hers.
When she arrived at the cleared plot, she turned to her father and said,
"Father, you will see that my body will give life to many plants for the people.
My flesh will give rise to rice; my head, the coconut; my bones, tapioca; my
toes, ginger; my teeth, maize; my knees, yams. Other parts of my body will
become edible plants as well. Never again will our people go hungry; never again
will famine be a visitor to our land."
She continued, "However Father, to ensure a good harvest, you must remember
this: when you strewn parts of my body all over this clearing, do not come near
here for seven days, and seven nights, When the rice has ripened, and it is time
to bring them in, start the harvest by taking seven stalks of this new rice and
tie them to a long bamboo stick. Put this pole in the middle of the rice field.
Only then begin your harvest. When you bring home your harvest, place the
bamboo pole in the tangkob along with the rice."
"One more thing, Father, keep your first days harvest in the kakanan. Do not
give away any part of your first year's harvest or the remaining grains will turn
bad. The second year onwards, you may do as you wish to your harvest."
Kinoingan agreed to follow all her instructions. Then, he proceeded to sacrifice
his only beloved daughter. The world turned black, thunder clapped and lightning
struck, and the ground beneath shook and rumbled at her death.
And then the rains came. The parched earth soaked in the reviving moisture,
and the air became pure and clean once more. Huminodun's predictions came
true; as her blood touched the earth, life was reborn. It was as she had said, as
the dry earth drank in the rain and her blood, plants of many kinds began to
bud and sprout in all the land.
That year, Kinoingan's people saw a bountiful harvest never before experienced in
their memory. Following Huminodun's instruction, he kept the first day's harvest
in the kakanan and chose the first seven stalks of the harvest for the bamboo
pole.
The seven stalks of rice were to honour the seven Bambaazon, the paddy spirit.
As for the rice in the kakanan, it produced another gift. On the seventh day of
the sacrifice, a beautiful maiden rose from the jar. She was the beautiful,
selfless Huminodun, resurrected in spirit to return and care for her people.
She was called the Unduk Ngadau.
It was this spirit of Huminodun that first taught and instructed
the Bobohizan or priestesses in their chants and rituals, thus beginning the
spiritual traditions of the people.
To this day, the Unduk Nagdau pageant is the central part of the Kadazandusun
harvest festival, to commemorate the legendary Huminodun, who despite her
beauty and position, gave her life in exchange for the lives of her people.
Her gift of life remains our legacy, exemplary deeds which will continue to teach
and remind us of the importance of sincere caring, and love for peace and
prosperity through the spirit of our culture