Sabahans welcome the new year with a splash of tradition

KOTA KINABALU: New Year’s Eve in Sabah was a blast, with many households and private businesses, including hotels and entertainment outlets having their own countdown parties.

Social media was abuzz with news of how users spent their New Year’s Eve and postings on fireworks being set off as the clock struck midnight.

The sound of fireworks was deafening as they were set off simultaneously around the city and lighting up the skyline.

A family in Penampang is continuing with their annual tradition of having a simple barbecue with close relatives followed by mandi bunga.

The host, Adriana Mijoh, said that the mandi bunga or bath with flower petals was a tradition she and her sister Sheilla started years back.

“When we were children, we used to jump into the river to symbolise the washing away of ill luck and anything bad before ushering in the new year with a clean slate,” she said.

The mother of four said after they grew up and had their own families, they each had their own New Year celebrations and traditions.

However, in recent years, the sisters decided to revive the tradition of washing away bad luck but in a different way.

“Our rivers are dirty now and the best idea we could come up with that is safe and can involve the whole family, including our children, is to mandi bunga,” Mijoh added.

She said for this, they would prepare a huge pail of water filled with the petals of various kinds of flowers.

When the clock struck midnight, everyone would pour the water over themselves.

“The children are the most excited as they get to splash everyone with water and then this will lead to the start of a water fight but it’s all in good fun,” she said.

Sheilla, on the other hand, said she hopes this tradition will continue on with their children as such gatherings really bring families together.