Kota Kinabalu (Jan 6) - A powerful stage musical rooted in Sabah’s indigenous heritage, “The Last Tantagas: The Musical – Keepers of the Sacred Texts,” will be staged later this month, offering audiences a rare insight into the spiritual traditions of the Dusun Lotud community.
The production will be performed at the Auditorium Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara (JKKN), Sabah, with three shows scheduled over one weekend. Performances will take place on Friday, January 23, 2026, at 8.00pm, Saturday, January 24, 2026, at 8.00pm, and Sunday, January 25, 2026, at 3.00pm. Each performance runs for approximately two hours.
The musical follows the final journey of four spiritual guardians, known as tantagas, who are entrusted with preserving sacred ritual knowledge among the Dusun Lotud people, a community closely associated with the Tuaran area on Sabah’s west coast. The Dusun are one of Sabah’s major indigenous groups, made up of many distinct communities, each with their own cultural practices.
In Lotud tradition, the tantagas are specialists trained to memorise and recite rinait — long, complex ritual chants and prayers passed down through generations. These sacred texts contain prayers, stories and ritual instructions that form the backbone of the community’s spiritual life.
The story centres on four ageing guardians who have devoted their lives to upholding centuries-old rituals, including the sacred Rinait Monumbui. With no successors to inherit their role, they are forced to confront the painful reality that their lineage will end with them. The musical revisits the demanding journey of becoming a Tantagas Wagu and explores the heavy responsibility of preserving traditions that the modern world no longer fully understands or values.
In a final act of dignity and devotion, the guardians choose a sacred buffalo sacrifice as their farewell, symbolically releasing the spirits and closing the duties they have carried for a lifetime. The production stands as a moving tribute to identity, legacy and the final breath of a living tradition.
The musical features performances by In Unity Chorale and the UMS Chamber Choir, under the musical direction of Adsone Matthew, adding vocal depth and emotional resonance to the storytelling.
Tickets are available based on seating categories, priced at RM200 for Platinum, RM150 for Diamond, RM100 for Gold, and RM50 for Silver. Members of the public can purchase tickets by contacting Tim (010-232 6887), Shima (016-803 9980) or Jud (013-860 2088).
“The Last Tantagas” is presented in partnership with arts and cultural organisations and is expected to draw audiences interested in Sabah’s indigenous heritage, performing arts and the preservation of intangible cultural traditions.