THE

KADAZAN DUSUN
OF SABAH

FARAH SYAHIRAH
MUHD FUAD NORDIN
NUR ATIQAH
RAMLAH

INTRODUCTION
Kadazan is the indigenous tribes of Sabah, Malaysia. They live
in the interior, around the local area and particularly the west
coast of Sabah.
Kadazan ethnic groups use different languages and dialects with
various cultural and traditional customs
There are 27 tribes in it. Among them are the Dusun Liwan,
Dusun Tindal, Dusun Pahu, Dusun Lotud, Bagahak, Dusun
Labuk, Dusun, Kimaragang, Tagahas, Tangara, Dusun, Rungus,
Orang Sungai, Kuijau, Tambanuo.

 It was said that the Kadazan/Dusun people

originated from a place called Nunuk Ragang.
Complete records of Nunuk Ragang were long-lost
but what remain are only the theories of Social
Sciences and the story of the legend
This place is situated in an area around the mouth
of the confluence of two rivers with the rivers
Kogibangan (from the left) and River Kawananan
(from right), which was merged into a larger river,
called River Liwogu (deep and Quiet)
Since then, the name NUNUK RAGANG has
become "identity" of the people of Sabah who
believes that "the origin" they come from, are from
this area
Nunuk Ragang. (Aragang / Ragang (Bahasa
Kadazandusun)
= Red. The notion of, Nunuk the Red

Nunuk ragang

 According to the KadazanDusun beliefs in a

long time ago before they had follow or
embrace any religion, they are
practicing mompisok in a death ritual.
After burying the dead body, 6 days later
which is call malam ketujuh (the seventh
night) mompisok will be made by the family
member.
Mompisok means to turn off the light where
someone will call and welcoming the dead
spirit on that night.
Mompisok usually will end with many thanks
to those who had come that night.

Mompisok

Bobohizan

Bobohizan is the title of the main

female healer in the tradition of the
Kadazan Dusun culture.
Bobohizan play an important role in the
Tadau Kaamatan for worship site to
ensure plants are successful crop next
year
Bobohizan the first reliable taught by
the spirit of transformation Huminodun,
the Unduk Ngadau, curse spells
practiced until now.
Many bobohizan consists of women,
but there are a number of men chosen
to reinforce the presentation or
ceremony held.

Wedding

Kadazan wedding always started with the

parents of a young man visiting the family of a
prospective bride

The father of the young man would open the

talks along these lines: I have a strong and
good son who needs a wife, and I see that
you have nice daughters. I would like you to
marry one of your daughters to my son.

They might visit the family proposing to get a

better picture of their future son-in-law, and,
more importantly, they would see if the family
was able to come up with the required nopung
(the dowry)

When family of the daughter shows that they

are agreeable to a union, the parents of the
young man pay them a second visit and the
engagement is arranged

Both parties agree to the bride price, which

customarily consists of 15 buffaloes, 10 ancient
brass canons, 3 large, Chinese jars and one
brass gong.

The parents of the future bride will first ask for a

higher price, and bargaining is expected.

When both parties agree on the nopung, they

need to agree on the terms of payment, and it
can be agreed that the dowry is paid in
installments over a certain period of time, or that
some of the items are substituted with money.

As a traditional gesture of politeness and civility,

the dowry is metaphorically laid out with match
sticks on a flat surface, with a representative
from each side pushing and pulling the sticks
across a boundary to denote the bargaining of
the dowry.

Dowries traditionally consisted of water

buffaloes, pigs, sacks of rice and even urns of
tapai.

Legends

Until now, Kinabalu's name is still a mystery.

The most popular view derives it from the

Kadazan words, Aki Nabalu, meaning 'the
revered place of the dead.

The local Kadazandusuns belief that their spirits

dwell on the mountain top. Among the bare rocks
of the summit grows a moss which early
Kadazandusun guides said provided food for the
spirits of their ancestor.

A Kadazandusun creation myth tells how the

supreme deities Kinohiringan and his wife
Umunsumundu made the earth while
Kinohiringan created the sky and the clouds

But the clouds were smaller than the earth and

Kinohiringan was ashamed

To save his pride, Umunsumundu reshaped the

earth, making it smaller, and thus created Mount
Kinabalu, the mountain that we know today.

KOTOHUADAN !