The costume for the Lilibu dancers typically features the traditional attire of the Bisaya ethnic community. It consists of black garments adorned with gold lace embellishments and dangling beads. Female dancers wear long sarong skirts, while male dancers wear long trousers. Male dancers are also dressed in a Salindang Songkit, a sash made of songket fabric. The attire is further enhanced with a Sawit, a red sash overlaid with circular aluminium decorations resembling silver coins. This Sawit is worn diagonally across the shoulder of each dancer. The unique aspect of this dance costume lies in its intricate and elaborate accessories. Female dancers wear approximately 12 types of adornments, while male dancers wear seven.

For Head Accessories, a female dancer wears a Pisanggul, a headband with dangling beads or small flowers at the corners, reaching down to the chest. Alongside the Pisanggul, a floral arrangement known as Kubamban is styled atop the dancer's head. Conversely, male dancers wear a Tajuk, a traditional headgear made of songket fabric. Both male and female dancers are required to wear a forehead ornament called Sarabang, made of silver and designed to curve along the brows, featuring star-shaped engravings.

Each dancer wears a necklace known as Kotol for neck and arm accessories. The arm accessories, called Golong Longon, are silver or aluminium bracelets intricately engraved with floral motifs. For the waist, male dancers wear a gold-coloured metallic belt known as Aut, while female dancers wear a silver belt featuring circular patterns. This intricate combination of attire and accessories highlights the rich cultural heritage and elaborate craftsmanship of the Bisaya community, making the Lilibu dance both visually stunning and culturally significant.

The musical instruments accompanying this dance include a set of Kulintangan, Gendang, and Gongs, comprising five different types of gongs that vary in size and resonance. In certain performances, wooden sticks are alternately struck to mimic the rhythmic sound of pounding with the Batang Alu-Alu. The dancers' singing, known as Bedaup, further enriches the ensemble, creating a harmonious blend of music and vocals.

This dance is typically performed in pairs, featuring two to five pairs of dancers. The choreography highlights movements that symbolize winnowing rice for the female dancers and pounding rice for the male dancers. The performance often narrates the entire process of rice cultivation, beginning with planting, progressing to harvesting, and concluding with winnowing.

Risim Aham. Chairman of The United Bisaya Association of Sabah, P.O. Box 507, 89808 Beaufort, Sabah. 1 November 2024