Unduk Ngadau its origin from the part of kadazandusun genesis story, which pertains to sacrifice of Huminodun - kinoingan's only begotten daughter. The legend went on to relate the following story:
A long, long time ago, the staple food of kinoingan and his people was a type of grain called Huvong. One day, there was no huvong left to plant, nor other grains left for food. Kinoingan was so worried and felt very sorry for his people sufferings. It was said that kinoingan sacrified Huminodun, the only child to Kinoingan and Suminundu. She was the most beautiful maiden in her time; truly anyone who gazes at her lovely countenance would be transfixed and fall in love with her. She was also hearted and blessed with wisdom beyond her years.
Huminodun wa willing to be sacrifice and be an offering to the great earth so that there will be seeds once again for planting and there be food for the people. Kinoingan was so deeply saddened, but seeing that there was nothing else He could do to dissuade her, Kinoingan went ahead and cleared the land for planting. Through his supernatural powers, he was able to clear such a large area over many hills without any difficulty. When the time came fot planting, Huminodun was brought to cleared the plot. As she was leaving, one cold hear the pitiful wails of great sadness from Suminundu, her mother. It was not at all easy for Huminodun to leave her mother and likewise her mother letting her only child go. The young men who had fallen in love with Huminodun could not let her go either. Indeed, they too cried and begged her to change her mind. However, there was nothing anyone could do; Huminodun had decided that her father's people came before her.
When she arrived at the cleared pot, she turned to her father and said: "Father, you will see that my body will give rise to a variety of edible plants for the people. My flesh will give rise to rice; my head to coconut; my bones to tapioca; my toes to ginger; my teeth to maize; my knees to yams and other parts of my body to a variety of edible plants. This way, never again will our people suffer of hunger to the point of dying."
"However," Huminodun continued, "Do follow these instructions of mine for it will guarentee us a bountiful harvest. When you have strewn parts of my body all over these clearings, do not come and see me for seven days and seven nights. When the padi has ripened, and it is time for havest, do not start the harvest without doing this; this seven stalks of padi (rice) and tie them to one end of a spliced bamboo stick and then, plant this stick at the centre of the padi field. Only after this may you begin your harvesting activities. Later, place this bamboo stick with the seven padi stalks in tangkob (padi storage container) when you bring it home after the harvest. For your first day harvest, do keep them in a bog jar kakanan. And, Father, do not give away your harvest to others in second year. This is why to this day, the kadazandusun people do not give away their first years harvest.
Kinoingan agreed to follow all his daughter instructions. So it was that when Kinoingan sacrificed Huminodun, the whole world turned dark and there was awesome thunder and lightning.
That year, the people had never seen such a harvest. It was plentiful. Kinoingan had done as Huminodun instructed he also kept away the first day's harvest in the kakanan and harvested the first seven stalks of rice from the rice plot. The seven stalks of padi (the Toguruon) that has become the symbol of the Kaamatan Festival, represents Bambaazon or the spirit of the padi.
As for the rice in the jar, the kakanan, on the seventh day a beautiful maiden miraculously stood up put of the big jar. She was referred to as Unduk Ngadau, the spirit of Huminodun. Is was said that this Unduk Ngadau was the one who instructed the first bobohizan or known as the kadazandusun priestess in her rinait or manteras.
Therefore to this day present, the kadazandusun people have included the Unduk Ngadau Pageant as a grant part of their kaamatan Festivals. It is a manifestation to the deep sense of respect and admiration that the kadazandusun people have for the lagendary Huminodun. It is a sacred title ascribed to Huminodun, to her absolute abedience to Kinoingan, so much so as to be a willing sacrifice for the sake of faher's creation. Unduk Ngadau then is a commemorative term in praise of Huminodun's eternel youth and the total beauty of her heart, body and mind.
The term Unduk or Tunduk literally means the shoot of plant, which, in its most tangible description, signifies youth and progressiveness. Likewise, in its literal meaning, Ngadau or Tadau means the sun, which connotes the total beauty of the heart, mind and body of an ideal kadazandusun woman. In essence therefore the Unduk Ngadau is a procession event of selecting from among the kadazandusun beauties, one that would resemble the ascribed personality of "Huminodun".
source: Various Kaamatan Festival Publications.
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