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Regatta Lepa 2008
The Annual Water Festival of the Sea Gypsy in Sabah

18 - 20 April 2008 Semporna

Regatta Lepa-Lepa is an annual event in Semporna Town which celebrates the age-old Bajau tradition of boat-making. Semporna Town is home of the seafaring East Coast Bajaus who are known for boat craftsmanship. The lepa boat is a beautifully hand-made vessel which during celebrations, is adorned with a dramatic decorative sail - the sambulayang. Since 1994, the Regatta Lepa-lepa has become a big tourist attraction in Sabah, with international tourists came just for the parade of these splendid boats...

The most beautiful lepa, local ethnic music and dance performances, beauty pageant and sea-sports activities are among the activities each year.


It was a beautiful sight to see the silhouettes of sambulayang sails from various Lepa-lepa boats as they skimmed across the sea water.

A typical Lepa boat measuring 5 meters in length and 1.5 meters wide.

These boats were used in almost every aspect of Bajau life - their floating homes, their fishing boats and their transport vehicle.

Those you saw in  in competitions are vary in size, some were build for this annual  competition.

The body of the Lepa consists  4 main parts :

1)  the pointed bow (tujjah),

2)  its boat body  (lepa),

3) the walled-house structure (tapi) and

4) the sago palm leaves-made roofing (kajang).

 


LEPA KING of 2008

The winner of the most beautiful LEPA for 2008 came from Kampung Tampi-Tampi.

On 20th April 2008, Mr. Maman Indang of Kg Tampi-Tampi was crowned the new Lepa King for winning the most beautiful Lepa in 2008

The winning prizes were presented by Sabah Head of State Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah that day.

The Bajaus,  a bronzed-skinned nomadic seafaring people, living off the sea a distinctive lifestyle characterized by their hand made  LEPA boat.. They only come on land for food, water supply and funerals. For these Bajau people, Lepa Boats are multi utility. The boat serves as a fishing vessel and as a means of transportation. It is also utilized for wedding venues and cultural performances.
 

Semporna celebrates the annual Water Festival of Regatta Lepa in April. LEPA boat has been a significant part of the Sabah Bajau fishermen since immemorial time. The Regatta Lepa is an occasion to show-off all the beautifully built Lepas. The annual event's highlight is a competition to choose the most dazzling lepa.  Colorful adorned lepas grace the waterfront, decked with the smiling faces of dancers and musicians.

Regatta Lepa is an annual gathering of the most skillful fishing boat builders in Sabah. The Bajau in Semporna have their yearly festival for remembering their old heritage. In this festival the Bajaus from different village and different island will meet. And during the festive meeting they select the best lepa boat of the year.

During the 2 to 3 days. the  Bajau's show their lepa's with the different  style's and color. In each lepa is a group of musicians and a couple dancer.  The flotilla of colorful banners ridden lepas  will make a round in front of the VIP's and the judge's stage. The judges will give a point for their performance related to beautiful lepa's and the best dancer's.

The activities of Regatta Lepa-lepa celebration were in two areas; the traditional event showcasing the beautiful lepa-lepa boats around the water front and exhibitions events at the town padang, where mini-village comprising of traditional huts were on display.
 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sambulayang sails
 
Decoration
Music & Dances
Tapis-tapis flags


Traditional Festival Costume of Bajau Laut tribes (sea gypsy people) of Malaysia.

Not only good in costume, the Bajau Laut people also skilled at making large mats for use at home.

See more about Sea Bajau of Semporna...

Tawau Cultural Carnival 2007

Bajau Dancers in Tawau Cultural Festival 24-25 March 2007

See more photographs in our photo gallery...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajau


How to get to Semporna...

  1. Express Bus
    From Kota Kinabalu to Semporna   Fares: RM58 Duration: 9 hours
     
  2. Daily Flights
    MAS - from KK to Tawau  Fares: *check with the nearest travel agents  Duration: 45 mins
     
  3. Taxi
    From Tawau to Semporna  Fares: RM80 - RM100  Duration: 1hr 45mins
     
  4. Mini Bus
    From Tawau to Semporna  Fares: RM12 - RM20  Duration: 1hr 45mins
 

 

Bum-Bum Islands - Lepa origin :

Lepa is Bajau for single masted sailing boat  made of Ubar Suluk or Red Seraya Wood. Lepa boat serves as home of the gipsy people

LEPA boat is believed to be originated from the Pa'alau Bajau people who live in Bum Bum Island and used by fishermen along the coast of Semporna.  The unique lifestyle and festival is a cultural legacy inherited by many generations.


The Bajau community on the East Coast of Sabah have a very unique lifestyle – They live on Lepa and only come ashore for food, water supply and during this LEPA festival.

LEPA : In Sabah East Coast Bajau community dialect, lepa means "boat". The lepa boat is a cultural legacy inherited by Bajau  people from many generations ago. The existence of lepa is believed to originate from the fishing community who live in Bum Bum Island and used by the Pa'alau people along the coast of Semporna.

Regatta Lepa : The Regatta Lepa has been celebrated every year since 1994 to commemorate the Bajau tradition of building these splendid boats.


The lepa regatta was first held in 1994 as a district-level event before being upgraded into a state festival. Since 2003, Regatta LEPA became an national event in the Malaysia water festival.

This sleepy town comes to life as the colorful sails take to the sea to compete for the prize of the most beautiful lepa. This is judged based on its decoration, local ethnic music and dances performed on board, sambulayang (sails) and tapis-tapis (small flags).

The Bajau seafarers' proud maritime heritage came alive recently in this annual festival of Regatta LEPA, featuring their boats, the LEPA with participants dancing at the helm of their boats, decorated in full color. The event attracted thousands each year.

Highlight of LEPA : The high light of LEPA event is to choose the most dazzling Lepa from the beautifully, colorfully adorned boats which are lined up at the waterfront.
On the decks are smiling dancers and musicians dressed in equally colorful traditional attires.

Other attractions in Regatta LEPA : include sea sports such as rowboat, sailing and kelleh-kelleh (small dugout boat) competitions, lepa tug of war, and duck catching competition. Colorful cultural night performance.


The most beautiful lepa REGATTA LEPA is to choose the most dazzling  boat from the beautifully built, brightly adorned lepas lining up at the waterfront.

On the decks of the boat lepas are smiling dancers and musicians dressed in equally colourful traditional attires of the Sea Bajau.

The most beautiful traditional sailboat judged base on its decoration, local ethnic music and dances performed on board, sambulayang (sails) and tapis-tapis (small flags).



Where to stay in Semporna ...
Seafest Hotel  Dragon Inn Resort

Regatta Lepa 15

The Annual Water Festival of the Sea Bajau of Semporna

Date: 18 - 20 April 2008
Organiser : District Office of Semporna / Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd
Contact Person : Jaafar Haji Ismail / Zachary S. Mobijohn
Telephone : +6089 781518, 232121
Fax : +6089 781472, 265540
Email Contact : zachary@sabahtourism.com

Venue : Bandar Baru II, Semporna


 

About Semporna : May 01, 2008 02:03:46 PM

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