Kota Kinabalu: A second timer to the Sabah International Folklore Festival – Republic Sakha Yakutia – Siberian region of Russia, is sending what they call a "repeated laureate".

Meaning 'Dukeebil' – a winner of many regional, national and international competitions, such as Sprockets Tompo, Oyor-teber o5o Sas, Polar Star, Sadanalah Aartyk, Diamond notes, Golden Deer, Northern Rainbow, Comus dor500n and Koundoul.

If the titles are hard to swallow, it is another sign of an exotic troupe in our midst.

Formed in 1999, it will present a repertoire of dances of the people of Sakha.

Troupe members are either students or graduates of cross-Haldzhayskoy Children's School of Arts Choreography Department.

Members span an age range from younger, average to senior with staff always taking part in all events whenever and wherever it takes them.

Well travelled, "Dukeebil" claims a string of 'bests' - "The Best Dance Group", "Best Director", "Best Manager" and "Best North Dance", "Er-Khaan Bootur", "Best Costume" and "Audience Award".

Their trip to the 2012 International Festival Tour "Children shine in Paris" (Poland-France-Germany-Czech Republic), where they were awarded cups and diplomas, was rated their best besides being a Grand Prix winner of a district competition of young talents and a Grand Prix winner of competitive competition dance.

Ethnically, Yakuts are Turkic peoples and the Republic of Sakha Yakutia is one of 10 autonomous Turkic republics within the Russian Federation.

Area wise, the Republic covers 3,083523 sq km or almost as big as India but population wise its totals a scant 958,538 with Yakuts being only 46 per cent and hence a minority people who live in a region well known for extreme and severe climate regularly dipping to minus 40 degrees Celsius in Winter.

Interestingly, Sakha Yakuts, Turks, Uighurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, all speak or once spoke a similar Turkic language but because the Yakuts migrated to far flung Siberia so early that the Turkic language the Yakuts speak are no longer intelligible to other Turkic peoples.