Regatta Lepa Semporna

Ratu LEPA-13th 2006

Beauty Queen of 13th Regatta Lepa Semporna, 2006

Date	:	Apr 15 - 16 2006
Venue	:	Semporna Town, Sabah
Organizer	:	District of Semporna/Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd
Phone	:	6089-781 518/6088-232 121
Fax	:	6089-781 472/6088-265 540

Balwant Singh Kler, Technical Advisor for Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn. Bhd., was awarded Tokoh Lepa by the district of Semporna for his years of dedication and outstanding contribution to the Regatta Lepa. The event commemorates the use of the Lepa, a traditional boat of the Sea Bajau people. The award was presented by the Head Of State, Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah.

Colourful lepas in the waters off Semporna during LEPA Water Festival 2006. They were competing for the title of most beautiful lepa.

More than 100 of LEPA vessels went on display before a crowd of some 15,000 people including Sabah Yang Di-pertua Negri Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah who launched the event.

Decked with colorful sails 'sambulayang' and topped with triangular flags 'tapis', the boats were paraded in front of the Semporna Marine Tourism Centre amid applause from the crowd.

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. Semporna 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).

Lepa origine : 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.

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 : 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).

	14th April 2006 (Friday)
Time	Event	Venue
07:30 am	Semporna’s colorful Cultural Show	Community Hall
11:30 am	Selection of Lepa Beauty Queen	Community Hall
07:00 pm	Colorful Tanglung (lantern) procession	Town field
10:00 pm	End of event

Date	15th April 2006 (Saturday)
Time	Event	Venue
06:30 am	Traditional sea sports activities (heats).
12:00 pm	End of sea sports activities.
03:00 pm	Arrival of the beautiful Lepa boats.
08:00 pm	REGATTA LEPA SEMPORNA WATER FESTIVAL LAUNCHING. Guest of honour, Sabah Head of State. Choir singing. Performance by local and national singers.
10:30 pm	End of event.

Date	16th April 2006 (Sunday)
Time	Event	Venue
08:00 am	Traditional sea sports activities. Individual Kelleh (traditional dugout canoes) race. Kumpit paddling competition. Kelleh Race for doubles in the women category. Swimming competition. Free hand underwater diving competition. Tug of war using canoes competition. Tug of war using canoes competition for women. LEPA PROCESSION - competition for the most beautiful Lepa.
12:00 pm	End of Event.
07:00 pm	SELAMBA ROCK RTM SABAH CONCERT	Town field

About Semporna : April 21, 2008 03:46:19 PM