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KOTA KINABALU: There was a time when many Sabahans would immerse themselves in the sea or river to buang sial or wash away bad luck accumulated throughout the year in order to usher in the new year. But as the seas and rivers become dirtier, many have made slight changes to their yearly tradition by washing themselves with flower-scented water, locally known asmandi bunga. A family in Penampang here took up the new practice of mandi bunga about 10 years ago when the river behind their house, where they used to wash themselves to symbolise getting rid of bad luck, became too dirty.
“Many people used to jump into the sea or river as a way to cleanse themselves of all the bad luck they had accumulated throughout the year,” said 75-year-old Kadazan farmer Ivy Junin. “However, when the river became dirty, we decided to switch to mandi bunga,” she said while preparing seven types of flowers, including chrysanthemum, dahlia and daisies, to be put into a large bucket filled with water to wait for midnight. Junin said her family had opted for the new tradition as mandi bunga was much cleaner and the water smelled nice. As the clock struck midnight, Junin gathered her children and grandchildren Ian Albert, 18, Krysenty Erica Albert, 10, Adeline Isabelle, 11, as well as nine-year-old Adrian Ivan, and bathed them in the flower-filled water she had prepared. Many other villagers in the vicinity have adapted a similar tradition with their families to usher in the new year.
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