By Shalina R.
Huminodun film key to keeping heritage alive – CM
KOTA KINABALU: Huminodun, the world’s first Kadazan language movie, is a key to keeping the Sabah cultural heritages alive, said Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman.
The Chief Minister said, showcasing the film to the public is a positive step in sharing cultural heritage knowledge, especially to the younger generation.
“At a time when indigenous languages are going extinct or not spoken as widely as they were before, we risk losing our cultural identities,” said Musa, in the text of his speech delivered by Deputy Chief Minister, Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, during the movie launch at Imago Mall here yesterday.
“When a language dies, so does its culture. We run the risk of losing generations of knowledge and identity if we do not preserve, protect and expand the use of the Kadazan language and other indigenous languages,” Musa emphasized.
Musa also applauded the movie’s executive producers, Pairin, Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi, Tan Sri Dr. Herman Luping, and Kinsabina Group Sdn Bhd CEO, Datuk Francis Goh, and Siung Film Productions for creating a platform to showcase Sabah’s creative talents.
“The state government has identified the creative industry as an important area of development and seeing the work of so many Sabahans brought to life through this film complements our aspiration,” said Musa.
“The effect of the creative industry on development is something that policymakers around the world have been waking up to, with countries such as South Korea and New Zealand making it the cornerstone of their economic growth.
“I am confident this film will mark the start of many new films to come out of Sabah in the coming year - each one giving the world more insight into life in Sabah,” he added.
Siung Films worked closely with organizations, such as the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, Sabah Tourism Board, Sabah Cultural Board, Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA), KDCA Women’s Council, Kadazandusun Language Foundation, to ensure a true depiction of the Kadazandusun legend Huminodun.
Meanwhile, Pairin said he hoped the Huminodun movie hads opened the gateway to more opportunities in the state’s film-making industry, which would dovetail into the fourth industrial revolution.
“We pray that this will become the impetus for further development in the industry as well as for the people. We have started with Siung Films and we are open to working together with other groups who want to branch further in this industry as well as to ensure that our languages are not lost and that our languages and traditional intelligence will continue to grow in films,” added Pairin.