CULTURES OF MALAYSIA

the Proto-Malay groups, for example the Semai around central Perak and Cameron
Highlands.

The Proto-Malay Orang Asli such as the Jakun, Temuan and Orang Seletar are said to
be the most pure ancestral cousins of modern Malays and their languages are part of the
Austronesian family, of which all Malayo-Polynesian languages in Southeast Asia are
members. The latest ethnolinguistic research finds that the Austroasiatic and
Austronesian families of languages are more closely related than previously thought as in
some languages there is a clear relation between the two ethnolinguistic families.

Indeed, while most Negrito and some Senoi have a clearer physical identity of darker
skins and curly hair, many other Senoi and most Proto-Malay individuals in contemporary
situations look and speak no differently than average village Malays.

1.6.4 RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS
For the most part, the various Orang Asli of all groups, like historically the pre-Islamic
Malays, were animists.

They shared a form of basic belief system that is termed animism. Animism is the belief in
the supernatural i.e. spirit or of different spirits in nature inhabiting most natural objects or
phenomena. In Malay this spirit is called “semangat”, and animism took various forms of
spiritual practice, while most tribes do have a basic belief in God as an ultimate
supernatural power i.e. “Tohan” among the Batek and Che Wong or “Nyenaang/Jenaang”
among the Semai and so on.

For some groups, these spirits need to be appeased or taken care of and given formal
expression, which gave rise to creative carvings that can be seen in for example the Mah
Meri spirit carvings.

Today there are many Orang Asli who have converted to either Islam (the largest
conversion, at about 30%) or Christianity due to dakwah and missionary work.

1.6.5 TABOOS AND RITES OF PASSAGE
The Orang Asli have many different taboos that differed from group to group. Most of
these taboos came about over long periods of observation and experience of their
aboriginal life, usually related to survival needs. For example the Semai have a taboo
against mixing food from different habitats, which came about to ensure that they do not
over-consume food sources that they can find (note that many Orang Asli practiced
hunting-gathering rather than fixed farming). The Semai also have other behavioural
taboos, called “punan” such as “It is punan (taboo) to mock a trapped animal”.

There were also taboos or rites observed especially for the appeasement of spirits to
ensure safe passage through their daily lives in the jungle.

The most important Orang Asli social and individual rites of passage are blessings for
birth and death, and especially marriage where people from other villages will trek 2-3
days to come and witness a wedding. Usually there would be a wedding feast where
helping the bride and groom’s family is a gift in itself, similar to the “gotong-royong”
among Malays.

Among Orang Asli groups, only the Semelai and Jah Hut practice circumcision as Malays
do. Unlike for example the Iban of Sarawak, they do not have traditions of head-hunting
or a young male’s rite of passage into manhood by ceremonial killing, nor for that matter
any form of organised violence such as war. Orang Asli generally do not kill except for
food and sustenance.

1.6.6 FESTIVALS
Due to their simple and subsistence lifestyle, large-scale festivals are traditionally rare
among Orang Asli groups except for marriage as mentioned above, as well as some tribal
celebrations for those that do practice swidden agriculture.

However in more recent years among the new Orang Asli farming communities especially
in Perak, the “Jis Pai” or “Genggulang” harvest festival is celebrated annually. It brings
together diverse Orang Asli groups such as Semai, Temiar, Lanoh, Kensiu and Jahai tribes
to give thanks for their harvest, even if it means having to travel long distances.

Other festivals are usually cultural festivals or events that are organised by the Government to
honour and promote Orang Asli traditions.

1.6.7 COSTUME
Most Orang Asli traditionally have distinctive costumes made or taken from natural
materials such as woven grass-leaf skirts, headdresses and accessories, tree bark
clothes and so on.

Leaves are taken from the Nipah palm tree. The usually beige and dark green colours in
the weavings are obtained by interweaving young and mature leaves. It takes a full day to
weave the “songkho” (plaited headband), “selipang” (sash) and “dendan” (skirt) that the
Mah Meri make. Woven costumes can also be made from the Mengkuang palm leaves.

However through historic barter trade they have known and used normal cloths including

batik and sarong. Today in the modern lifestyle very few Orang Asli wear natural material
clothing daily, except during festivities.

It is also getting more difficult to find the right Pokok Terap that is most usable for making
the prized bark cloth, and these bark clothes are also by nature very fragile.

1.6.8 FOOD
Traditional Orang Asli cooking is by modern comparisons rather simple, but this is more
than made up by its freshness straight from the forest source. Since most Orang Asli
practiced some combination of shifting cultivation and hunting-gathering, their food
ingredients are just about anything that is edible in the jungle, with some taboos for
spiritual and sustainability reasons.

Besides chickens which are sometimes reared, most other meats are hunted. Similarly
with plants of which some were cultivated, many such as bamboo shoots, mushrooms
and chillies were gathered from nearby groves. Freshwater fishes would come from
nearby rives or lakes. Rice was rarely grown in large quantities and in the olden days
usually supplemented from barter trade.

A most usual method of cooking is boiling, with some frying in limited oils, and all cooked
over a firewood stove.

1.6.9 ARCHITECTURE, ARTS AND CRAFTS
The original traditional architecture of the Orang Asli was entirely based on natural
materials that are sourced from the surrounding jungle where they lived. There is much
use of bamboo, rattan and some timber with thatched roof made from palm leaves. Like
the traditional architecture of all other Bumiputra groups like Malay houses or even the
Rumah Panjang of Borneo, Orang Asli houses are also raised on stilts. This makes much
sense for protection against wild animals and against occasional floods when near a river.
By modern standards, traditional houses would be described as ‘makeshift’ and indeed
for the most part these houses were not meant to be permanent over generations, as the
people would build new houses when they moved around the rainforests.

Traditional Semai house in Cameron Highlands raised on stilts and built of natural
materials. Photo from Ahmad Najib Ariffin
These days however, usually with Government assistance, more and more Orang Asli
families are moving into sedentary villages in timber houses more typical of Malay
kampungs.

Ulu Geroh village, gateway to the Orang Asli-run Bukit Kinta eco-tourism nature trail.
Photo from Ahmad Najib Ariffin

Many Orang Asli, even when they now stay in more modern style villages, still retain their
ability to make their traditional arts and crafts, especially rattan and bamboo-based
objects that are very ingenious and intriguing.

The Orang Asli groups are also excellent at making useful daily objects that were true
handicrafts, from woven objects to carved wooden pieces. For this the Mah Meri are
among the most famous for their wood carvings of anthropomorphic and sometimes
grotesque but very creatively interlocking depictions of spirits as a means of communing
with them. They are exquisite pieces and are highly prized, while UNESCO has also
recognised them as human heritage objects. The Mah Meri as well as a few other Orang
Asli groups also create masks and ceremonial carvings.

1.6.10 PASTIMES AND PERFORMING ARTS
The traditional life of the Orang Asli was largely filled with necessary daily activities for
survival but certain pastimes actually became integrated into this lifestyle, such as
singing. The various groups have many songs, some of which have been recorded and
preserved for posterity.

The different Orang Asli groups each have their own performing arts such as dances,
singing as well as musical instruments of various kinds.

One of the most famous is the Sewang dance. Originally it was meant as a healing dance
but today is performed at all kinds of events including weddings. It involves moving in a
circle with swaying hands accompanied by the rhythm of beating bamboo poles and is
quite engaging.

Music produced by beating pairs of bamboo poles, called “cehtong” or “cehten”. Photo
from Ahmad Najib Ariffin

Another is the Mah Meri Mask Dance, called Main Jo-oh, performed to invite the
“muyang” or ancestral spirits to join in the festivities. The two male dancers wear
grotesque masks and make gestures that relate everyday events such as fishing. Female
dancers move anti-clockwise around a “busot” or earthen mound accompanied by music
from the “tuntog” (bamboo stampers), “jule” (viola), “tambo” (double-headed drum) and
“a-tawa” (brass gong). A vocalist also renders out ritual songs.

Some Orang Asli especially the Proto-Malays and Senoi groups have a unique seruling
hidung or nose flute made of thin bamboo or wood and played by blowing air through the
nose.

Even fishing, while being a necessity for food, also became a pastime to be enjoyed.
These were the joys of living an “asli” or “pure” aboriginal lifestyle at one with nature.

RUJUKAN:
The Encyclopedia of Malaysia series, Various prominent writers and editors,
Archipelago Press
Articles from newspapers: New Straits Times, The Star
References from Jabatan Hal-Ehwal Orang Asli,
Malaysia Centre for Orang Asli Concerns, Malaysia

Malaysian Siamese

Malaysian Siamese is a term commonly referred to Malaysians of Thai ethnicity. They
are recognised as Bumiputeras. They have very close ties with their relatives in
Thailand. However some of the traditional practices and customs are slightly different
from their ancestors’ in Thailand.

Distribution
Total population of the Malaysian Siamese is approximately 60,000 (2010). The
majority of them are in the northern states: Perak, Perlis, Kedah and Kelantan.

Religion and Beliefs
Majority of them practice Theravada Buddhism, while a few of them are Muslim.
Besides that they also have a strong belief in black magic.

Some of the Beliefs and Taboos are:
• Siamese people greet their visitor or guest by saying “sawas-di” with both the
palm together below their chin.
• Visitors who visit Siamese families should remove their shoes before entering
the house. It’s common to slightly bend the body while passing by any other
person in the house and its polite to say the equivalent of “excuse me”.

Language

Their home mother tongue is the Thai language, but most of them are multilingual
Thai and Malay.

Rites of Passage

Birth
When a baby is born, normally visitors or relatives will bring along gifts for the baby.
Any remarks on the baby like ‘cute, heavy and pretty’ by visitors are not encouraged
because this is not pleasant for the host, but any remark like the baby is ‘not cute, ugly
or not attractive’ is acceptable.

On the seventh day, the newly born baby will be put in a cradle. During this occasion
the newborn baby’s hair will be shaved. After that the parent will conduct earth
stepping ceremony. The relatives come to celebrate together and they will be served
with yellow and white glutinous rice.

Wedding
The Siamese community is very particular on the date and time of the wedding
ceremony which they believe will determine the newly married couple’s happiness and
prosperity in their life. They will get advice from the priest or shaman regarding the
numerology and the astrology.

Before the wedding ceremony the bride and groom will pray to Gautama Buddha. The
priest will recite the blessing mantras and conduct the wedding ceremony. The bride
and groom will put on garlands made of silk strands and the priest will connect both
garlands - the bride and the groom as a symbol of the newly united couple as husband
and wife .The priest will also bless them with holy water which is kept in a shell known
as “Hoai Sang”. At the end of the wedding ceremony the priest and family members
will pray together.

Death
The Siamese community will receive visitors during funerals. If the deceased died
naturally the funeral ceremony will be held at home. However if by accident or
abnormal death, the body of the deceased cannot be brought home and the ceremony
will be conducted at a funeral hall of any ‘Wat’ or Siamese Buddhist temple.

Wat Machimarram
Location :Tumpat, Kelantan (northern east coast of Malaysia)

Culture
 Traditional dance – Menohra (gold fingers) & Mak Yong (story telling)
 Celebrate Wesak Day & Songkran Festival (Water Festival + New Year)
 Food – Tom Yam (chicken, seafood etc), Thai Fried Rice, Pineapple
Rice, Pandan chicken, Nasi Paprik, Nasi Pattaya etc

1.8 CULTURES OF THE ETHNIC GROUPS OF SABAH

The people of Sabah are varied in their respective cultural background. The
indigenous population is made up of some 30 groups using more than 50 indigenous
languages and not less than 80 dialects or variants from the main languages.

1.8.1 KADAZANDUSUN

1.8.1.1 DISTRIBUTION

The largest ethnic group is the Kadazandusun which comprise about one third
of the population. Due to similarities in culture and language with the Dusun
ethnic group, and also
because of other political
initiatives, a new unified
term called "Kadazan-
dusun" was created.
Collectively, they form the
largest ethnic group in
Sabah.

Photo above from http://www.encyclopedia.com.my/volume12/kadazandusun.html

The various subgroups within the Kadazandusun group which include the
Kadazan of Penampang and Papar, the Lotud, the Rungus and other

subgroups from the Tempasuk, Tambunan, Ranau and other districts, share a
common belief system with variations in customs and practice. Some of the

lesser known sub-entities in the Kadazandusun group include Kwijau, Bisaya,
Dumpas, Mangkaak, Minokok, Maragang, Tangaah, Liwan, Tatanah,

Sino-natives and other tribes.

Photo from http://www.sabahtourism.com/sabah-
malaysian-borneo/en/culture/6-the-kadazandusun/

1.8.1.2 HISTORY

According to folklore, many Dusunic groups trace their origins to Nunuk
Ragang, a fig tree located at the confluence of the Liwagu and Kogibangan

rivers in the heart of Sabah. This is where three rivers, Liwagu, Takashaw, and
Gelibang meet to the east of Ranau and Tambunan.

Nunuk is a Dusun word for ‘Bayan Tree’, Ragang comes from the word
‘Aragang’ which means red. Nunuk look like giant that provide good natural
shelters. It’s tree top was estimated to be able to shelter under seven
Kadazandusun huts. However, existing archaeological and physical
anthropological evidence, considered with the results of historical and
comparative studies, suggests that the Dusun are descendants of populations
migrating into northern Borneo in successive waves some time about 4,000 to
5,000 years ago and possibly earlier.

They brought with them a Neolithic, or food-producing, way of life, based on
swidden cultivation supplemented by hunting and foraging. Change in Dusun
life, derived from contacts with other cultures, has been taking place for a long
period. The historical record indicates contact, particularly in coastal
communities in western and northern Sabah, between Dusun and Indians,
Chinese, Malays, and Europeans.

1.8.1.3 RELIGIONS, BELIEFS AND TABOOS

Kadazandusun believes on the existence of a supernatural world that is
presided over by two supreme deities and inhabited by a multitude of good and
evil spirits. Rituals or ceremonies are performed from time to time to invoke,
pacify or exorcise spirits, both the good and evil, to restore peace and harmony
in the relationship.

While ceremonies vary between different Kadazandusun groups, they all share
a common creed, centred on the cultivation of rice. Rice is the staple diet of the
Kadazandusun and provides the fundamental source of their wealth, good
health and wellbeing. Thus, great care is taken throughout the rice cultivation
cycle to uphold the good relationship with the spirits.

Shamans, priestesses and ritual specialists act as intermediaries between the
human and the supernatural worlds, and perform ceremonies to maintain
harmony between the two.

Religious rites were presided over by the Bobohizan, the shamans of Sabah.
Those ritual specialists were usually female. It is interesting to note that even
though the ceremonies vary from one village to another, the underlying basic
belief is the same throughout all Dusunic groups: one sole Creator only is

recognised. However, being an animistic religion there are also the spirits of the
dead, the living, and the demons. An especially important spirit is Bambaazon,
the rice spirit.

The Kadazandusun were traditionally organised on a tribal basis. Adat
(traditional law or customary law) provided the legal as social framework to
govern and regulate the conduct of the community.

In Penampang, the village is governed by four (4) authorities as per table
below:

Authority Function
Village Head
(Huguan Pogun or Chief administrator of the community, chosen
Orang tua) by the council of elders. Presided over
community meetings and hearings. Ensure that
Council of elders traditional land boundaries, individual
(Komohoingan ownership of certain natural resources, and
tangabaa) customary laws and rituals were followed.
Priestesses
(Bobohizan) Knowledgeable in Kadazandusun adat and
advised the village head on the conduct of
Warriors (pangazou) village affairs.

Influential figures who advised the village head
on matters relating to the traditional beliefs,
customs and sogit (compensation). Involved in
all aspects of community life – birth, marriage
and death, and daily activities such as farming,
hunting and fishing

Looked after the security of the village,
protecting it from intruders

1.8.1.4 LANGUAGE

Varying in user-size of several hundreds to hundreds of thousands, the
Kadazandusun language under the Dusunic language family is a pool of 13
languages including respective dialects which can account for over 500,000
speakers in a total Sabahan population of 3.06 million.

Speakers of the Kadazan and Dusun languages are mainly found along the
west coast of Sabah and also some distance inland. The term Kadazandusun is
the official name of the shared language used in Sabah schools. More recently,
the word has been used as a general umbrella term for both Kadazan and
Dusun people and their language.

Some of the examples of Kadazandusun words are shown below, and are
translated into Bahasa Malaysia.

KOMOIBOROS
KAMUS

Minsingilo do boros Kadazandusun om Murut-Timugon.
Mengenali perkataan dalam Kadazandusun dan Murut-Timugon.

Boogiyan Ngaawi' Do Tayar Ru Kalayam Bahagian-bahagian
Mato Om Kabang Di Kaki

Kadazandusun Murut-Timugon Malazu'

Mato Mato Mata
Kudou Rutu' Bulu kening
Tanak mato Anak ru matu Anak mata
Hinsou mato Unor ru mato
Kiop Kuliop Biji mata
Kabang Kabang Bulu mata
Munung Bibil
Monsis Sinsilon Mulut
Nipon Ripon Bibir
Diha' Rila' Gusi
Gigi
Lidah

NUNU KA DOID KADAZANDUSUN?
What is it in Kadazandusun?

There are also some words Kiwaa nogi' do piipiro o boros di
loaned from the English noolos mantad boros Onggilis di
language that have been notorimo om nadadi dii do boros
accepted and have become Kadazandusun.
Kadazandusun words
Kadazandusun
Onggilis
Lominit
Lemonade Lansum
Lump-sum

Spirit Sipilit
Frying pan Parimpan

Orderly Udili'
Scooter Sikuto
Culvert Kulabut
Calculator Kalkulato
Roundabout Lounabaut
Blouse Balaus

1.8.1.5 RITES OF PASSAGE

For the Kadazandusun’s rite of passage, they believe in ‘hot’ and ‘cold’
relations. ‘Hot’ representing anger, stress and displeasure. During the wedding
ceremony, the bobohizan is invited to offer citation of sacred texts over
chickens. The ritual’s aim is to cool off or remove the hot relations or negative
elements between the couple. This rite is also performed to ensure that the
couple will have good harvest of crops and will have good and healthy children.

The passage of the deceased is aided by a lumuvas ceremony, which is
performed to remember the souls. This is to ensure that any remaining souls
that are lingering around are sent off to the final resting place in Nabalu (Mount
Kinabalu).

1.8.1.6 FESTIVAL

Tadau Kaamatan

Tadau Kaamatan is associated with the harvest season and it is celebrated
annually. The harvest festival is celebrated by the Kadazandusun and their sub-
groups, who were traditionally rice-farming communities. It is held in order to
thank the spirit of the rice, which is called Bambarayon. The festival
commences on 1 May and culminates on the last two days of the month, which
are state holidays.

During Tadau Kaamatan, the communities gather for eating, dancing, drinking
of tapai (rice wine), dancing the Sumazau (ritual dance), singing and communal
sports. The bobohizan is called to perform a ritual known as magavau, which is
the climax of the cycle of rice farming. The rice spirits who may have got lost or
left behind in the field are called back by bobohizan. A table is set in the field to

entice the spirits and the feast comprises of the best rice, tapai, eggs, salt and
chicken.

Ancient folklore tells of the ultimate deed of Kinoingan or Minamagun - The
Almighty God or Creator, who sacrificed his only beloved daughter, Huminodun
so that his people would have food. Various parts of her body were planted
from which plants grew. During the magavau ceremony, the bobohizan will
select some stalks of rice that are left undistributed until the harvest is over. In
some districts, the chosen stalks are cut before the field is harvested and are
then brought into the owner's house. The task of bobohizan is to search and
salvage the lost bambarayon who are hurt or separated from the main mystical
body. In the old days, this ceremony was often performed in freshly harvested
fields during the first full moon after the harvest to invoke the rice spirit.

The highlight of Pesta Kaamatan is the selection of the pageant queen or
Unduk Ngadau can be literally translated as "Zenith of the Sun". It conceptually
derives from the sacrifice of Huminodun. The maiden, who has the honour of
being selected, should bear semblance to Huminodun and will represent all that
is virtuous in the revered Huminodun.

Pesta Rumbia

Kuala Penyu, approximately 2 hours from Kota Kinabalu celebrates this special
event every year. Rumbia or sago comes from the family of palmae. It is mostly
found in Kuala Penyu and the surrounding districts of Beaufort and Papar. The
starch or sago that is rich in carbohydrate is an alternative staple food for the
Bisayas and Kadazan (Dusun Tatana) people and is locally known as
"ambuyut".

No part of the sago palm is discarded. The locals use the leaves as roofing
materials and the branches (known locally as kumbar) for making their house's
walls. Floor mats and baskets are just some examples of things made entirely
from the plant.

A rumbia information center is located at Kampung Kasugira in Kuala Penyu
and it also provides displays of sago and its uses, handicrafts as well as
demonstrations of sago delicacies.

Pesta Jagung

The Pesta Jagung or maize festival is held in the district of Kota Marudu,
about 130 km or two hours from Kota Kinabalu. Maize or jagung is one of

the many agricultural products in the state that has provided an important
economic contribution to the lives of mainly the Kadazandusun communities in
Kota Marudu. This festival serves to highlight the significance of this plant to the
people. The events held during the festival include jagung cooking and planting
competitions, cultural shows and the Jagung Fashion Queen.

1.8.1.7 COSTUME

Generally, the trimmings and embroidery on the Kadazandusun costume are
simple and dignified in comparison with other ethnic groups.

Women

The traditional costume of the Kadazan-Dusun womenfolk comprises a black
velvet long-sleeve blouse called siya and a black velvet knee-length skirt called
gonob.

The siya is embroidered with gold lace and sequins are stitched along the cuffs
and neckline. At the front are eight pairs of gold buttons called kubamban and
an equal number of buttons is stitched to the sleeves. A white undergarment is
worn over the siya and three brooches are pinned vertically to the front. Some
may also wear antique gold coin brooches called korusang.

The gonob is decorated with hand-stitched panel called rinangkit. In addition,
accessories such as silver-coin bangles and silver-coin belts are worn. The
belts provide an indication whether the woman is single, married, or widowed.

For the Kadazandusun of Penampang, there are three different styles of
blouses for the women. Sinuangga is a blouse with short sleeves worn by
young ladies. Another is a blouse with ¾ sleeves known as Sinompukung,

which is worn by middle-

aged ladies for daily or

casual use. The third type

of blouse is called
kihongon and it is worn by

elderly women and female

ritual specialists or

bobohizan during

ceremonies. Tapi is a long

cylindrical wrap-skirt worn

by the ladies.

Photo from http://insightsabah.gov.my/article/read/434

The women also wear accessories such as a hip belt known as tangkong and
himpogot, hair pin called tiningkokos, brass or silver bracelets known as gohong
and simbong, which is an earring.

Men

Traditionally, the Kadazandusun men wear
gaung, a long-sleeved shirt without embroidery.
However, modern Kadazandusun men wear
shirts that are decorated with gold trimming and
gold buttons. Gaung is normally accompanied
by souva, which is a black trousers with wide
indigo-blue waistband. The headcover is known
as siga and it is folded or twisted in a number of
distinctive ways. The siga may resemble python
or pot holder. Siga is normally supported by tupi
sinikat, a circular hat or sturdy string made with
the coil and tie technique.

Photo from http://borneoarts.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html

1.8.1.8 FOOD

One popular Kadazan Dusun dish is the
hinava tongii or pickled Spanish mackerel
(ikan tenggiri). It is a local traditional dish

made from raw fish with lime juice, chilli,

ginger and the grated seed of the
bambangan which is a fruit from the mango

family.

Photo from

http://mostdangerousthings.wordpress.com/category/kadazan-dusun/

The Kadazandusun also have other dishes such as the Tuhau which is a
pickled dish made from a plant which looks like lemongrass but tastes like
ginger.

Another dish from Sabah which has very unique flavour is Bambangan.
Bambangan is a type of wild mango with brown skin and a somewhat pungent
smell. This is not eaten fresh as a fruit but made into a pickle or cooked with
fish for a distinctive flavour.

The durian in Sabah has 15 wild varieties. One unique variety has red flesh,
and lacks the distinctive fragrance of the durian. This red durian is – sacrilege to
durian lovers elsewhere- fried with
onions and chilli and served as a side dish
or sambal.

Photo from
http://www.sabahtravelguide.com/culture/de

fault.ASP?page=trad_cuisine

Rice wine accompanies all Kadazandusun
celebrations and rites. In the making of lihing
(Kadazan-Penampang for Rice Wine),
nothing but ‘pulut’, glutinous rice rich in
sugar, and natural yeast, called ‘sasad’.
ometimes, lihing is referred to as hiing
(certain Dusun languages), and others call it
kinomol, segantang, kinarung, kinopi, linahas,
and even tapai.

Photo from http://www.flyingdusun.com/003_Taste/000_lihing.htm

1.8.1.9 ARTS AND CRAFTS

Photo taken from
http://shw.kawaikinoz.fotopages.com/
14765551/Bakul-rotan-kadazan-
Dusun.html

Crafts

The different types of handicraft in Sabah are reflective of the lifestyles of those
who made them. The Kadazandusun are known for their woven baskets and
musical instruments made from bamboo.

Kadazandusun make a particularly elegant basket
called thewakid.

This back carrier is cylindrical at the base and has
a flared-out top. The body is made of pieces of
carefully split bamboo which are tightly fitted at the
elongated base. The spokes of the bamboo flare
at the mouth of the piece. The ends are secured,
lashed individually to two or more rattan hoop
using split rattan twine.

Photo from http://www.fascinatingmalaysia.com/unik/sabahbas.html

The handicraft market next to the Central Market in Kota Kinabalu is one of the
best spots to find these treasures. At Jalan Gaya, in the heart of Kota Kinabalu,
open-air street markets are held every Sunday with traders selling a variety of
farm produce, handicraft and foodstuff.

Musical Instruments

The tongkungon or tongkongan is technically a chordophone, a tube zither
made entirely of one large section of poring bamboo. Another chordophone of
the Kadazandusun communities in Sabah is the sundatang, a strummed lute
made from nangka (jackfruit) wood. Some of the instruments have obtained a
reputation of magical powers, as legends and myths surround them. The
sompoton is an aerophone, and maybe the most fascinating of all the Sabahan
native musical instruments. It is constructed from a dried gourd and eight
bamboo pipes arranged in a double-layered raft.

Sompoton. Photo taken from
http://www.fascinatingmalaysia.com/unik/sompoton.html

Dances

Photo from

http://kotabelud.pid.net.my/sect

ion.cfm?id=26

Sumazau is one of the most
well-known traditional dances
in Sabah as well as throughout
Malaysia. It belongs to the
Kadazandusun tribe. This ritual dance serves varied functions such as thanksgiving for
bountiful paddy planting and harvesting, prayer against evil spirits, honouring the spirits
as well as to cure illness. The movement and rhythm of this dance is elegantly soft and
slow. The dancers, male and female, will face each other, move their feet in small
movements and move their heels up and down to the beat of the music. While dancing
the dancer will spread up their hands and move it up and down just like a bird spreading
their wings to fly. The Sumazau is usually performed during festive occasions and
gatherings.

Mongigol Sumayau dance of the Dusun Lotud ethnic group is another traditional dance

for the Kadazandusun group. The Sumayau is the main element of a special chanting

ceremony or "Mengahau" as it is called in Dusun. It is not performed in ordinary

celebrations. A

"Monolian", an elderly

female priestess who is

also a ritual specialist,

would lead the dance

ceremony. It is a rule of

the tradition that this role

is held only by the

descendents of the previous "Monolian".

Photo from http://odysseyist.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/traditional-dances-of-sabah-
mongigol-sumayau/

1.8.2 BAJAU

1.8.2.1 DISTRIBUTION

Bajau, the second largest group, was once known as the sea-gypsies, and
indeed, they used to live their entire life on boats, the Lipa-lipa. They were true
nomads, and extremely skilled in navigating the seas even though they had no
compass on their small, richly decorated boats. Another group of Bajau is called

the West Bajau who lives
in mainland and they are
involved in agriculture
and well known for their
expert horsemanship.

Photo taken from
http://www.asiaharvest.org/pages/profiles/nonChina/Malaysia/Bajau.pdf

1.8.2.2 HISTORY

Although they are the second largest has
indigenous people in Sabah, the precise
origin of the Bajau is unknown. They may
have come from Johore, in peninsular
Malaysia, long before the two Borneo
states became a part of the country.
Wherever they came from their migration
been attributed in part to their
pursuit of trade, particularly in a sea
cucumber species called the
trepang. It is considered a delicacy
and is used in soups made as far
away as China, where it is also used
medicinally.

Photo from
http://www.sabahtourism.com/sabah
-malaysian-borneo/en/culture/7-the-
bajau/

There was also the Bajau Laut

group that charts particularly the

waters of the Sulu Sea, off the southwestern coast of the Philippines, till the
seas that surround the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. These are among the
most dangerous waters in the world with a very high incidence of open piracy.
Yet, these Bajau Bajau claim never to have wielded weapons, instead they
prefer to simply flee from potential attack.They come ashore only to bury the
deceased and to live temporarily while making new boats.

Other Bajau began living entirely on land about 200 years ago. Many of these
are to be found in Malaysia's eastern state, Sabah, on the island of Borneo.
Many of the originally seafaring Bajaus made their living from fishing.

Those who have left the seafaring lifestyle have become farmers, cattle and
horse rearers, earning them the local nickname, "Cowboys of the East."

Bajau horseman. Photo from
http://www.mysabah.com/wordpress/?m=gvgkztdcbwiwlab&paged=32

1.8.2.3 RELIGIONS, BELIEFS AND TABOOS

The Bajau are Sunni Muslims of the Shafi’e school, like the Malays. Perceived
differences in degrees of Islamic practice are also associated with the relative
status of different Bajau groups. Those most closely identified with the historical
trading states of the region are generally regarded as the most orthodox, with
the Bajau Laut, as the most peripheral group, seen by others as less orthodox.
Owing to their boat-nomadic way of life, Bajau Laut Muslim groups lack
mosques. For those ashore, the mosque represents the primary focus of
community leadership and religion. In adopting settled village life, the members
of Bajau Laut communities normally construct a mosque in addition to individual
houses, and so undergo not only ethnic assimilation but also overt Islamisation.

They do believe that human purposes may also be thwarted or furthered by the
actions of spirits or the agency of human evildoers. These forces are dealt with
mainly by charms, amulets, offerings, mediumship, and divination. Except for
boat-nomadic groups, every qariah or parish is served by a set of mosque
officials. These include an imam, who leads parish members in prayer; a bilal,
who performs the call to prayer; and a khatib, who gives the Friday mosque
reading. The imam also officiates at life-crisis rituals, counsels parish members
in religious and legal matters, and leads them in prayer during minor rites of
thanksgiving. In times of misfortune or crises, other religious practitioners may
also be consulted, including midwives, herbalist-curers and spirit mediums.

1.8.2.4 LANGUAGE

The Bajau people most commonly refer to themselves as ‘Sama’. The term
‘Sama-Bajau’ has been used by linguists to refer collectively to these peoples
and their languages. A total of nine Sama-Bajau languages have been
identified. Seven of these are located in the southern Philippines, most of them
in the Sulu region. West Coast Bajau is the only language geographically
centred in Borneo, specifically in Sabah. Part of their wide geographical
distribution owes to the fact that the Sama-Bajau have long been known as boat
dwellers or ‘sea nomads’, though some have now adopted a sedentary lifestyle.

The language of the Bajau comprises a chain of mutually intelligible dialects
which has been influenced by the Malay language. It is sometimes referred to
as Borneo Coast Bajau. This language is mutually unintelligible with the Sama
(East Coast Bajau) languages spoken on Sabah’s east coast and in
the region of the Sulu Sea.

One of the most commonly used West Coast Bajau kinship words is denakan,
which literally means ‘sibling’ but can also mean ‘relative’ (extending
collaterally, e.g. ‘cousin’, rather than lineally, e.g. ‘father’). The word denakan
can even be used to address someone not personally related to the speaker, to
indicate close friendship or brotherhood.

Some examples of the West Coast Bajau words are:
• emma’ ‘father’
• emma’ too ‘grandfather’
• iyang ‘mother’
• iyang too ‘grandmother’
• pa’ ‘uncle’ (also what a speaker calls a man his/her father’s age)
• bu’ ‘aunt’ (also what a speaker calls a woman his/her mother’s age)
• ka’ ‘older sibling’
• di’ ‘younger sibling’
• sioko ‘oldest sibling’
• siari ‘youngest sibling’

Literature
The Bajau language has a rich oral tradition. For example, some Bajau
speakers are skilled at composing kalang, which may be similar in form to
Malay pantun. Kalang are frequently exchanged on special occasions. In terms
of a written language, people have been informally writing the Bajau for some

time, such as to prepare scripts for radio broadcasts or to print lyrics for
cassette tapes featuring Bajau popular music.

1.8.2.5 RITES OF PASSAGE

Marriage

Traditionally in Bajau culture, parents chose marriage partners for their children.
Young people today have more choice in the matter, but the customary
practices associated with marriage are still observed. For example,
representative parties of the bride and groom arrange the actual engagement
(seruan). At the seruan, someone skilled in the art of highly indirect
(metaphorical) speech (tilaw-tilaw Idaan) makes the actual marriage proposal,
and the bridewealth (berian) is negotiated.

The wedding is held at the home of the bride, whose family is responsible for

putting on an elaborate feast for the entire village. Traditionally, the playing of

gongs and drums (betitik) and the

runsay dance are performed the night

before the wedding, though frequently

nowadays the entertainment of choice

is karaoke.

After they get married, the couple are
generally free to decide where they
want to live. Often it is initially in (or
next to) the home of either the bride’s
or the groom’s family.

Bajau couple. Photo from
http://alaminabdullah.wordpress.com/2009/12/12/bajaus-wedding/

Death

For the Bajau community, the demise customs or the death rituals are slightly
similar to the demise customs of the Malay community; the ritual starts by firstly
bathing the dead body, performing a prayer for the dead body, wrapping the
dead body in a shroud and lastly, burying the dead body. Generally, a feast for
the dead or the kenduri arwah will be held for seven days and seven

nights. Besides that, a grand feast to remember the dead will also be held on
the seventh, fortieth, hundredth day of the death and upon completing one year
from the date the dead ‘leaves’ the world. Interestingly, the ngeduang ceremony
will be performed during these grand feasts.

Implicitly, ngeduang symbolizes the act of feeding the dead and helping him or
her to go on with the new life in the new world. Ngeduang also means the deed
of alms by the family of the dead to the poor people and the people who attend
the feast. The alms refer to the food called duang which will be given away
(disedekahkan) by the family of the dead to those people who attend the feast.
Thus, ngeduang means to prepare the duang..Normally, duang contains few
traditional foods (which appear to be obligatory) such as kuih sinsim, kuih jala’,
kuih penyaram, kuih berate, kalas, saging randang (banana fritters which are
fried flourless), kuih wajid, inti’ (sweet dish which is made of coconut and sugar
cane) and also rice and dishes where each will represent something. The
semiotic interpretation of these traditional foods will be explicated according to
the Bajaus’ interpretation and perception of their cultural identity.

Importantly, during the ngeduang ceremony, the family of the dead or the host
will provide plenty of duang known as duang ruma’. Normally the host has to
prepare a minimum of 60 and maximum of 200 duang ruma’ in every ngeduang
ceremony.

1.8.2.6 FESTIVALS

Islamic Festivals

The annual Islamic calendar includes: a month of fasting (puasa ) ; Hari Raya
Puasa, a feast to celebrate the end of Ramadan; Hari Raya Haji, a feast of
sacrifice observed during the month of Jul-Hadj; tolak bala, a ritual bathing
performed to cleanse away evil during the month of Sappal; and Maulud, the
birthday of the Prophet. Among boat-dwelling and formerly boat-dwelling
groups, community spirit mediums are assembled at least once a year for a
public séance and nightly trance-dancing (magigal jin). In times of epidemic
illness, they are also called on to set a spirit-boat (pamatulikan) adrift in the
open sea beyond the village or anchorage site in order to remove illness-
causing spirits from the community.

There is another ngeduang ceremony which is held during the Hari Raya
festival only which is called duang raya’. The purpose for preparing duang raya’

is to celebrate the big day because in the past there is no concept of having
open house during Hari Raya like most people do nowadays. Traditionally, the
Bajau will bring their own duang and gather at a mosque or surau where they
will change their duang with another person. Another name for duang raya’ is
duang subu. The purpose is the same as duang raya’ but it is called duang
subu because the duang owner do not have to go to the mosque to find the
duang recipient. Instead, he or she will take the duang at dawn to the house of
the individual whom he or she has promised to give the duang and vice versa.

Regatta Lepa

The Regatta Lepa has been celebrated every year since 1994 to commemorate
the Bajau tradition of building these splendid boats or lepa-lepa. Lepa means
boat in the Bajau community. The Lepa is a cultural legacy inherited by Bajau
people from many generations ago. The existence of Lepa is believed to
originate from the Bajau fishing community.

The Regatta Lepa festival opens with the arrival of various boats from different

villages, headed by the village leader. The highlight of the Regatta Lepa

includes a competition

of the most beautiful

Lepa-Lepabased on

the boat's decoration,

local ethnic music and

traditional dances

performed on board.

The night embraces

colourful cultural dances

performed by the Bajau.

Photo from

http://www.jpop.com/Sabah

Photo from
http://arunghayatsemporna.blogs
pot.com/2010/11/regatta-
lepa.html

1.8.2.7 COSTUME

Maiden in blouse called 'badu sampit' and sarong
called 'olos berangkit'. The neck piece is
'mandapun'whilst the head dress is known as
'sarempak'. The Bajau male wearing Baju Cekak
Musang, trousers, samping and headgear.

Photo from
http://borneoarts.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html

1.8.2.8 FOOD

Traditional Bajau cooking is actually very simple. The must-have ingredients in

any Bajau kitchenare
turmeric,

ginger,and
lemongrass.

Several
Bajau

specialties are tehe-tehe (sea

urchins), one of the more

surprising dishes in which the sea

urchins are stuffed with rice and

boiled; kahanga (spider conch)

with chilli peppers and

lemongrass stir-fried in oyster

sauce; and kapayas, or young

buds of the papaya plant.

Tehe-tehe. Photo from http://www.sabahforum.com/forum/the-food-

channel/topic9843-30.html

The ocean is their main source of living - fishing, collecting clams and mussels,
and other aquaculture activities, and fish is normally used in daily cooking. All
the food is meant to be eaten with putu, or steamed tapioca powder, the Bajau's
version of rice.

One of the famous foods in duang is Kuih Sinsim. The shape of kuih sinsim
looks like a car stering and wheel except for the color and size. It has circular

shape, palm size, white color, sugary taste and solid structure. This kuih is
made from flour and sugar. The white color and the solid form signify human

bone structure which means that humans have to work hard to fulfill their basic
needs by using their tulang empat kerat.

Kuih Penyaram is another obligatory food in duang. It is also known as kuih
telinga keling in west Malaysia. This kuih can be found in three dominant colors;
white (made from white sugar), chocolate/brown (made from sugar cane) and
green (made from daun pandan/pandan leaf) and has two distinguished shape,
round and samarinda. It has sweet taste because it is made from rice flour and
sugar. In the Bajaus’ perception, penyaram stands for human heart based on its
soft and spongy texture.

Kuih Penyaram. Photo from
http://www.sabahforum.com/forum/the
-food-channel/topic9843-30.html

1.8.2.9 ARTS AND CRAFTS

Handicrafts

Bajau craftsmen have traditionally created ornaments of shell and turtle shell,
and embellished houses, boats, house furnishings, and grave markers with
carved designs. Pandanus mats are made by women for both sale and home
use. In the Tempasuk area of western Sabah, Bajau women weave several
types of textiles. The most important are kain mogah, long cloths of small,
somewhat somber design, used mainly as trade cloth and for house hangings,
and destar, square headcloths worn by men, woven mainly in rectangular

design elements, using
brighter dyes and often
incorporating figurative
motifs.

Photo from http://gandukutvillage.blogspot.com/

Traditional Music

Music and dance are richly elaborated. Musical
instruments include the kulintangan, an
idiophone of between seven and nine knobbed
gongs suspended horizontally in a wooden
frame. The kulintangan, providing the main
melodic line is played by women, together with
suspended gongs and drums, the latter played
by male musicians, either alone or in
accompaniment to dance.

Kulintangan. Photo from

http://madeinsabah.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/tadau-kaamatan-festival-open-
house-2009-short-visit/

The gabbang, a wooden xylophone, normally of seventeen keys, is also played
by women, either as a solo instrument or in accompaniment to singing and
dancing. The main dance form that employs the gabbang is the daling-daling,
performed usually at weddings or betrothals, in which male and female dancers
exchange improvised verses of song.

Bajau drum. Photo from

http://www.borneokraf.com/craft.php?item=bk0087

1.8.3 MURUT

1.8.3.1 DISTRIBUTION

The third largest group is The Muruts, who inhabit the interior and south-eastern

parts of

Sabah and the

territory straddling the

Kalimantan and

Sarawak border. They are mostly shifting cultivators, and hunters with some
riverine fishing. Murut means 'people of the hills' and they can be found right up
to Keningau in central Sabah but they have indeed never cultivated the plains.
Normally their settlements were on hills close to major rivers, and traditionally
the Murut live in longhouses.

Photo from
http://www.asiaharvest.org/pages/profiles/nonChina/Indonesia/Murut.pdf
1.8.3.2 HISTORY

The Murut are sub-group of Paitanic ethnic group, though there are many other
sub-entities and languages are also varied. The Murut comprise several people
groups that are scattered in parts of Borneo Island including Brunei, Kalimantan
(Indonesia), and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. Their
largest numbers are in Sabah but some also inhabit the rural Temburong
District in Brunei. They were among the last tribal groups on Borneo to
renounce headhunting. The largest Murut people groups are Tagal, Tidung,
Timugon, Sembakung, Paluan, Bookan, Kalabakan, and Serundung Murut.

Photo taken from
http://www.sabahtourism.com/sabah-malaysian-
borneo/en/culture/14-the-murut/

The Murut used to live in communal longhouses,
usually near rivers. Today, they have abandoned
this style of living for individual family houses.
Traditionally, they used the rivers as their highways.
They planted hill rice and tapioca, and hunted and fished for a living. The men
were skilled hunters, using blowpipes, spears and hunting dogs. Today,
cultivating hill rice is their main occupation. Saw milling, timber processing and
military careers are other means of livelihood.

1.8.3.3 RELIGIONS, BELIEFS AND TABOOS

Many of the Murut peoples in both Sabah and Brunei characterize their entire
people group as being Christian. However, this is often done to distinguish their
culture from their earlier culture and from the predominant Muslim culture than
to characterize individual beliefs.

Many of those that call themselves Christian are nominal believers. Among
church members, there is a mix of Roman Catholic and Protestant affiliations.
The Murut in Sabah is about 82% Christian, 13% Muslim, and 5% other
religions.

In the by-gone era, collecting heads of enemies served a very precise function
in Murut society. A man can only get married after he has presented at least
one head that he has hunted to the family of the desired girl. Heads also play a
very important role in spiritual beliefs.

1.8.3.4 LANGUAGE

The Tagol Murut language is spoken by the Tagol (lowland) subgroup of the
Murut people, and serves as the lingua franca of the whole group. It belongs to
the Bornean subdivision of the Austronesian language family. ‘Kaansayan
Minatong’ means welcome in Murut language.

1.8.3.5 RITES OF PASSAGE

Murut weddings and funeral feasts extends for many days. The tribe values
ancient Chinese jars which are used for holding alcohol or spirits, while larger
jars were formerly used as burial urns.

The essence of Murut tradition of feasts is distinctive. No merrymaking will end
at least until sunrise and can last up to seven days later. This is especially the
case with weddings or funerals. Through modernization, no more heads must
be furnished for weddings but jars along with cloth, beads, gold and ivory
bracelets have taken its place. All these dowry items will be proudly displayed
at the ceremony. Jars or “sampa” holds a prominent status in their customs.
The Murut know the age of sampa and treat them will due respect. Jars are also
a place of spirits. Beads play an integral role in Murut life. Wedding beads must
be presented in the form of belts, necklaces, headgear and decoration. The
wedding ceremony must be held in the bride’s longhouse, tapai or rice wine
must be served and all the meat has to be pickled.

The Murut keep the bodies of their deceased in a jar and place them in colourful
and elaborately decorated grave-huts along with the deceased’s belongings.
The body will be placed in the foetal position inside the jar and a gong will be
placed over the mouth of the jar to close it. However this custom of burial is
becoming rare with the availability of wooden coffins.

1.8.3.6 FESTIVALS

The Murut Kalimaran Festival is an
annual cultural event in Tenom Murut
Cultural Centre that celebrates and
honours the Murut people and their
traditions. The Kalimaran Festival or
Pesta Kalimaran is akin to the Tadau
Kaamatan of the Kadazandusun.

Photo from http://aboutsabah.com/living-here/kalimaran-festival/

The festival highlights the various sub-ethnic groups that make up the Murut
population, their traditional handicrafts and their traditions, such as marriage
ceremony, and other folk-lore. Handicrafts that are very popular with the native
tribes of Sabah are beads, and the motifs that are found on the various
costumes. Also on display are artefacts that are past down from generations,
such as jars and urns which are used gifts, and weaponry of the Murut.

1.8.3.7 COSTUME

The women from Murut group wear cotton pinongkolo costume, black
sleeveless blouse patterned with traditional motifs and beads. Accessories such
as the rarangkol necklace and salupai head dress created from colourful beads
as well as coin belts.

Traditional dress for Murut men is babaru puputul and aba puputul comprises a
jacket made of the bark of the Artocarpus tamaran tree worn with a red loincloth
and a headdress decorated with Argus pheasant feathers.

The uniqueness of their costume is the beadwork
stitched on the black sleeveless blouse
(pinongkolo) and sarong (tapi), which falls just
below the knees.

Photo from
http://borneoarts.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html

1.8.3.8 FOOD

Among the traditional Murut food are Umbud Imbalua (wild vegetables), Umbus
(tapioca leaves), Lamu Binulu (rice cooked in bamboo), Linopod (rice wrapped
in leaves) and others made of bamboo shoots, preserved fish and buffalo
bones.

The Muruts are famous for their jaruk, made by packing chunks of
uncooked wild boar or river fish into a
wide bamboo tube together with salt
and cooked rice. The bamboo is
stoppered with leaves and the
contents left to ferment for several
weeks or even months, finally being
eaten in small portions with rice or tapioca starch.

Photo from
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/5/nation/5994848&sec=natio
n

1.8.3.9 ARTS AND CRAFTS

Traditional Dances

This dance belongs to the Murut’s tribe of Kuhijaw (Kwijau). The
"Magunatip" word is derived from the "apit" word, which means
"trapped". In this dance one must master and show their agility and
dexterity in jumping and putting their feet between the clapping bamboos
without being trapped. This dance does not usually require any
instrumental music because the rhythmic clapping and stamping of the
bamboos produce a loud, harmonised, beat and interesting sound or
rhythm. This dance is usually performed to highlight any festive occasion.

The musical instruments of the Murut including hanging gongs and a two-string
lute called tangkung.

1.8.4 RUNGUS

1.8.4.1 DISTRIBUTION

The Rungus in the north of Sabah (Kudat area) are arguably the most traditional
ethnic group here. The Rungus are a sub-group of
the Kadazan-Dusun, with a distinctive language and
a few dialects, architecture, adat (customs), and
outfit. Their life, as that of most tribes in Borneo,
turns around rice: the preparing of the padi filed, or
the clearance of a hill plot, the growing of rice and
looking after it, and finally the harvest.

Photo from http://www.sabahtourism.com/sabah-
malaysian-borneo/en/culture/13-the-rungus/
1.8.4.2 HISTORY

The Rungus is a sub-group of the Kadazandusun and they are one of two
indigenous communities in Sabah who live in longhouses. Even though the
Rungus is part of the Kadazandusun group, they take pride in their ethnic
identity and distinctive lifestyle. Despite the influence of modernization on their
lifestyle and livelihood, they have maintained many traditions as part of their
cultural heritage.

1.8.4.3 RELIGIONS, BELIEFS AND TABOOS

The Rungus have Islam and Christianity while some have remained animists.
However, regardless of their religious creed, the Rungus like many other ethnic
groups in Sabah have maintained their cultural and traditional beliefs. This is
seen with the continual acceptance and practice of traditional Rungus rites and
rituals among the present generation. Today, the Rungus still call upon the
services of their ritual specialists known as Bobohizan. There are male and
female Bobohizan and they perform specific rites and rituals accordingly.

In selecting the suitability of a new site for their longhouse, the Rungus will
invite the service of the male Bobohizan who will initiate a ritual, known as the
mamabat. Prayers, known as moguhok, are chanted to ascertain the health and
safety of the longhouse residents from evil spirits and beings.

When conducting rituals with the 'spiritual world', the female Bobohizan must
wear the sombre black attire consisting of a cotton top known as banat, a
sarong and hood known as tapi and kuluvu respectively, and a sash or
sandang. To contact spiritual beings, the kamagi, a special beaded necklace is
worn and the Bobohizan shakes a rattle called gonding at the start of the 'good'
spirits. These rituals may last up to a day while some take at least a week.

1.8.4.4 LANGUAGE

Besides being the local ethnic of Sabah, theRung us ethnic also one of the
original settler of Borneo island. TheRungus, usually known as Dayak
Dusun, Dayal Laut, Momogun, Momogun Rungus, Momogun Laut, Dusun
Lautor Rungus

Below are some of the examples of translation from English to Rungus
language:
Nice at far - Tarajang timpan
Walking by the farm - Manau-panau sid isan do tagad
What are you doing there? - Monguro-nguro kou ka dino?

1.8.4.5 RITES OF PASSAGE

Wedding

When a son wishes to marry, a substantial bride-price is given from the family’s
accumulated assets of brassware, ceramics, and gongs. These are received
and held corporately by the domestic family of the bride and are used to provide
bride-prices for sons of that family. The husband and his wife spend the first
agricultural season living and working with her domestic family. Then they move
into their own longhouse apartment unit built by the husband ideally onto the
longhouse of his wife’s family.

Death

Rungus souls of the deceased live for a time on the periphery of society,
coming and going from the afterworld until the final rites are held to send them
permanently on to it. During this period the souls are in a liminal state, no
longer a part of on-going society nor fully incorporated into society in the land of
the dead. It is during this time that the souls are a particular object of dread.

Consequently, there is a major focus of ceremonies and ritual to process the
souls on to the land of the deceased. But souls are recalcitrant. They do not
want to leave and go to the afterworld. They long for their families and wider

kin. And they try to lure the souls of the living to follow them to the afterworld. If
a soul of the deceased is successful, this soul loss to the living can cause
illness and eventually death. Thus, there is a series of rituals and ceremonies
following burial that repeatedly implore the souls of the deceased to leave and
go on to the afterworld.

1.8.4.6 FESTIVALS

Like the KadazanDusun, Rungus people also
celebrate Tadau Kaamatan This festival is usually
celebrated on 31 May every year. Even though
there are many similarities the way of celebration
between this two race but there is also comparison.
Rungus did not have its own ritual as in
Kadazandusun

1.8.4.7 COSTUME

Women

The women usually wear banat, a tight bodice fastened with a button to a
rectangular shouldercloth (longon banat) with a slit in the middle for the head
and loose ends hanging over the shoulders. The narrow upper zone of the
bodice (dokot) is decorated with horizontal bands filled with floating weft and/or
embroidered motifs. Tapi’ is a tube-skirt falling below the knees. Priestesses
wear a tapi' with heavy brass bells at the hem to accompany the chants. The
women also wear sukolob, which is a calf-length blue or black commercial
cotton wrap tied over the chest. Usually the motifs of the tapi' and the sukolob
indicate the social position of the wearer: sinombitan for the upper class and
tinongkupan for the others.

The following types of bracelets are always worn in the same order. Often the
traditional materials have been substituted by plastic but nevertheless these
bracelets are felt to be a sign of Rungus identity. These are worn daily and
during ceremonies.

• Satu’ - Bracelet of coconut shell worn below the elbow.
• Batakan or kimo’ - Bracelet of shell (kima).
• Saring - Brass coiled wire bracelet covering most of the underarm. The

saring is enclosed by the satu and batakan and angkop.

• Kinumai or golinsung - Bracelet of shell (kima).
• Angkop - Bracelet of coconut shell-like satu' around the wrist.

Men

The men wear badu’, a long-sleeved handwoven shirt with geometric motifs.
The trousers are known as Soval sarabulu’. It is baggy trousers with wide
waistline and rinangkit decorated seams. Plain trousers, without rinangkit are
called masap or souval tanaru'. They also wear Hokos, a waistband of long
strips of red, green and yellow cotton, sewn together. Accessories known as
pinakol (two bands of beadwork with geometric and human figures looped
crossed over the shoulders.), tinggot (narrow choker-like necklace of beadwork)
and pinikos (upper arm bracelet made of hardwood) are worn during special
occasions and events.

1.8.4.8 FOOD

Rungus speciality drink is known as tinonggilan, a slightly sparkling, reasonably
alcoholic brew made from maize.

1.8.4.9 ARCHITECTURE, ARTS AND CRAFTS

Architecture

The Rungus Longhouse is quite different form the Murut Longhouse, equally to
be found in Sabah. The houses are not perched on excessively high stilts, they
are usually only about three to five feet above ground. The roof is low, and in
olden times, longhouses of 75 doors have existed. Now they rarely exceed 10
doors, along the communal gallery that has an elevated platform of split
bamboo. The house is framed by outward sloping walls of wide-spaced poles.
This provides ventilation and a comfortable sitting area for work, relaxation and
socialising. Where there is a longhouse, some ‘one-family’ houses might exist,
and they often look as if they had been cut out of the original longhouse, like a
piece of cake.

Handicrafts

The Rungus still produce many utilitarian crafts. Woodworking and metalwork
are practised by men while women weave textiles and string beads, basketry is
practiced by both. Common crafts are those with high commercial value

especially beadwork and coilwork basketry (rinago), which are still made in
large quantities.

Certain crafts, notably handloom textiles are increasingly rare today. Cotton is
no longer cultivated as colourful, thick store-bought yarn is preferred. Weaving
(mangavol) is still carried out on a narrow width backstrap loom, mostly to
weave colourful inavol souvenir shoulder cloth.

REFERENCES / RUJUKAN:

1. Sejarah Malaysia, National Library of Malaysia
2. National Muzium of Malaysia
3. DUANG: THE SEMIOTIC INTERPRETATION AND PERCEPTION OF THE BAJAU-

SAMA COMMUNITY IN SABAH¨, Halina Sendera Mohd. Yakin & Dr. Saidatul Nornis
Hj. Mahali, Universiti Malaysia Sabah,
http://sssums.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/duang-the-semiotic-interpretation-and-
perception-of-the-bajau-sama-community-in-sabah.pdf

KERTAS PENERANGAN /
INFORMATION SHEET

KOD DAN NAMA TOURIST GUIDES HT-023-3
PROGRAM / PROGRAM THREE ( 3)
CODE AND NAME
TAHAP / LEVEL

NO DAN TAJUK MODULE 4: CULTURES OF MALAYSIA
MODUL/ MODULE NO
AND TITLE

NO DAN PERNYATAAN 05.01
TUGASAN /TASK(S) NO MALAYSIAN CULTURAL INFORMATION
AND STATEMENT
PRESENTATION

OBJEKTIF MODUL / Perform commentary on cultures of Malaysia using audio visual
MODULE OBJECTIVE system, LCD projector, computer, printer, stationeries, maps,
travel manuals, brochures and culture related publications so
NO KOD / CODE NO
that the information on cultures of Malaysia gathered, storyline
on cultures of Malaysia prepared and commentary on cultures
of Malaysia conducted in accordance with tourist guide code of
conduct and accuracy of cultures information.

TAJUK :
DELIVER INFORMATION ON THE ETHNIC GROUPS OF SARAWAK
TUJUAN :

Deliver information on the the ethnic groups of Sarawak by disseminating knowledge gained
using publications, slides/samples so that students are fully and accurately informed in
accordance to industry requirements.

PENERANGAN :

1.8.1 DISTRIBUTION OF SARAWAK ETHNIC GROUPS

By current convention there are 27 local Sarawak native groups, although to be more

detailed there are said to actually be about 40 groups and sub-groups including small
tribes. For general and tourism purposes, only the major ethnic groups that tourists are
likely to encounter are covered here, and the cultural aspects of Sarawak’s ethnic groups
are explained collectively. Several of the major Sarawak ethnic groups are listed here
together with their background and current information.

IBAN

The Iban people make up the largest
percentage of Sarawak's population, about 30%
and are spread throughout much of the state.
Reputed in history to be among the most
formidable headhunters on Borneo island, the
Iban today are a peaceful and hospitable
people. Because of their earlier presence near the coasts, they were referred to as the
“Sea Dayaks”. The first Iban settlers came via Kalimantan (today’s Indonesian part of
Borneo) and spread along Sarawak’s coast and many river valleys into the interior as
well. The Iban traditionally lived in “rumah panjang” longhouses, a long structure raised
on stilts for protection and made from bamboo and timber. A longhouse comprises many
‘apartment-like’ rooms in a row, each one housing an extended family. A longhouse is
effectively a whole village in one long elevated building, with a “ruai” common verandah in
front as a communal space that everyone can use. [Photo above]

Famed for their traditional woven “pua kumbu” cloths, the Iban also have traditional silver
accessories, wooden pole carvings, beadworks and high-quality rattan baskets and
woven mats. The Iban are also famous for their “tuak” (rice wine) that is served during
festive occasions. A majority of Ibans are Christian by religion although like many other
ethnic groups in Sarawak, many still hold on to their ancestral beliefs and rituals. They
contribute much to Sarawak’s uniquely colourful festivals such as Gawai Dayak (harvest
festival), Gawai Kenyalang (hornbill festival) and Gawai Antu (ancestors’ festival).
MALAYS (MELAYU SARAWAK)

The Malays referred to in Sarawak are only ethno-culturally related to Melayu
Semenanjung but are not from the Peninsula. They are referred to as native Borneo
Malays, like the Malays of Brunei as well. These Melayu Sarawak form about 21% of
Sarawak’s population, the state’s second largest native group. Traditionally fishermen
and traders, these seafaring people established villages on the banks of the many rivers
of Borneo and in towns that grew into cities. Sarawak Malays today work in the most
diverse professions in the public and private sectors.

Malay kampungs can still be found located by rivers on the outskirts of major towns and
cities, with individual wooden houses on stilts, some of which still have traditional cottage
industries. The Malays are renowned for their traditional Malay “songket” and other
textiles, flowery wood carvings, silver and brass crafts. The Malays are Muslim and the
religion is strongly reflected in their lifestyles and flowery or calligraphic arts in their crafts
and local architecture.

CHINESE

Early records of travelers from China date from the 6th century and they traded with
Malay communities living on stilt houses in western Borneo or Sarawak estuaries. The
Chinese in Sarawak today are descendents of migrants of the 19th and early 20th
centuries, making up 28% of the population, and are distributed all over the state.

The first Chinese immigrants worked as labourers such as in the gold mines at Bau or on
plantations. Through clan associations, business acumen and work ethnic, the Chinese
rapidly dominated commerce and industry and are today Sarawak's most prosperous
ethnic group. By religion the Chinese in Sarawak are predominantly Taoists and
Buddhists or Christians. Sarawak Chinese maintain their ethnic culture and heritage, and
celebrate all their major cultural festivals, most obviously Chinese New Year as well as
the Hungry Ghost Festival.

MELANAU

The Melanau are thought to be amongst the earliest settlers of Sarawak, especially
around the Mukah region. Many were traditionally fishermen on the coast where they
lived in large “tall houses” (labu sekayau) to defend against pirates. Nowadays they
have adopted a Malay-like lifestyle, living in kampong-type settlements, especially since
many have become either Muslim or Christian. All however celebrate the traditional
festivals such as the annual Kaul celebration.

BIDAYUH

The Bidayuh are the most numerous in the hilly interior around Bau and Serian, about an
hour's drive from Kuching. Historically, as other tribes were expanding in Sarawak and
forming settlements, the more quiet Bidayuh retreated inland and thus were also called
“Land Dayaks” and there are Bidayuh in western Kalimantan too. The Bidayuh language
is spoken in a number of different but related dialects.

While the Bidayuh also live in longhouses like many other Sarawak groups, there is a

traditional Bidayuh structure called “baruk” or “panggah”, a round-shaped house with
pointed roof that rises higher than the longhouse. This is a special community abode
where men gather for council and ceremonies. A large number of modern-day Bidayuh
are Christian but some still practice traditional beliefs.

ORANG ULU

The name Orang Ulu means 'upriver people' and is a term used to designate the numerous
tribes that live upriver in Sarawak's vast interior. Such groups include the Kenyah, Kayan,
Kajang, Kejaman, the plateau-dwelling Kelabit and other smaller tribes. Nowadays the
designation also includes tribes such as the down-river Lun Bawang, Lun Dayeh, Berawan,
Murut and as well as Ukit, Penan and Punan who were traditionally nomadic people. Each
is fairly distinct with their own sense of identity and have shared the rainforest together for
centuries. The various Orang Ulu groups collectively make up roughly 5.5% of Sarawak's
population.

Generally the Orang Ulu are artistic people with uniquely decorated longhouses and
structures on stilts sporting murals and woodcarvings. They are also famed for their
intricate beadwork and meaningful tattoos. The major Orang Ulu groups also have unique
music and dance accompanied by distinctive sounds of the sape, a stringed guitar-like
instrument akin to the mandolin. A majority of the Orang Ulu tribes are Christian but old
ancestral beliefs are still practiced by some groups.
The following are some of the more well-known tribes making up the Orang Ulu group:

Kenyah – The Kenyah are one of the largest of the Orang Ulu tribes, numbering over
30,000 people in Sarawak. They originally inhabit the upper Baram River and surrounding
areas of Belaga, with even more Kenyah found in Kalimantan as well. Traditionally they
live in longhouses (umah dado’) and many
are still farmers. Most are Christian although
some still practice their old Bungan animist
beliefs, but all celebrate the harvest festival.
Orang Ulu musicians playing the traditional
sape’ guitar. Photo from Ahmad Najib Ariffin

Kayan - The Kayan tribe are found in the
northern interiors of Sarawak around the
middle on the Baram River, the upper
Rejang River and the lower Tabau River.
There are approximately 20,000 Kayans in Sarawak. Historically some were headhunters.
Today many Kayans have become Christians, with some still practicing ancestral beliefs.

Kelabit – The Kelabit are long associated with Bario, a remote highland plateau just over
1200 meters above sea level in the Sarawak interior. They have a tight-knit community of
over 3000 people, and have practiced a generations-old form of agriculture centred around
the famous hill rice farming. They also cultivate a number of other crops which are suited
to the cooler climate of the high Bario plateau.

Penan – The Penan, numbering around 10,000 people, have been one of the world’s last
nomadic tribes but hardly 200 still live the aboriginal lifestyle. They inhabited the jungles of
the Ulu Baram district with some also in Limbang. They were known as “custodians of the
forest” due to their extensive knowledge and care of the rainforests.

Punan - Also called Punan Bah, the Punan are not related to the Penan or to some other
groups in Kalimantan also referred to as Punan. They are also not nomadic and have been
mixed farmers and hunter-gatherers living in longhouses who also traded with other tribes.
Their longhouses are found around the Bintulu region as well as along the Rejang River.

1.9.2 HISTORY

Sarawak has a mixed and interesting history that could be made a swashbuckling
adventure film. Filled with diverse tribes and movement of peoples as well as pirates
along the coast, its history cannot be separated from the rest of Borneo island, especially
today’s Brunei or Indonesia’ western Kalimantan region where many Sarawak ethnic
groups have relations. In the 16th century, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to see
and chart Sarawak, noting it as Cerava, but did not settle there.

Sarawak became a kingdom in itself by the 17th century with a famous ruler being Sultan
Tengah. However by the early 19th century the region came under the control of the
Brunei Sultanate as a loosely governed territory. When governed then by Pengiran Indera
Mahkota of Brunei it fell into chaos. In 1839 Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II ordered Rajah
Muda Hashim to bring order back to Sarawak. At this time an English adventurer James
Brooke arrived and eventually was able to help quell the rebellion against Brunei. As a
token of appreciation he was granted the area from Tanjung Datu to Samarahan river in
1841. Brooke then got himself declared the Rajah and became the first white man to rule
a large territory in the East for his own, founding a White Rajah dynasty lasting three
generations. Brooke enlarged his administrative territory through agreements with the
Sultan of Brunei and ruled until he died in 1868.

James Brooke was succeeded by his nephew Charles A.J. Brooke who became Rajah

until his death in 1917. His son Charles Vyner Brooke acceded to power and ruled as
absolute potentate until 1941. The Brooke dynasty of White Rajahs were in power in
Sarawak for a hundred years, ably enlisting Malay-Muslims in administration and the Iban
as well as other Dayak tribes for policing and defensive militia. Immigration of Chinese
merchants and labourers were encouraged to spur the economy but they were forbidden
from settling in large numbers in rural areas to prevent conflict and impact on the
indigenous way of life.

Charles Vyner Brooke was ready to put a Constitution in place of his absolute power when
the Japanese invaded and the Brooke family fled to Australia for refuge. When the
Japanese surrendered in 1945 he returned to Sarawak and resumed his role as Rajah, but
British pressure and his admission that the state could not recover and progress on its
own, led to his relinquishing Sarawak to Britain. Sarawak's colonisation by the British on 1
July 1946 caused a division among the people and hundreds of government officers and
teachers resigned in protest. It even led to the assassination of the British governor by the
Sarawak Malay anti-colonialist hero Rosli Dhoby and cohorts in 1949.

Nonetheless as a British colony, Sarawak's economy expanded and oil and timber
production increased. Following Malayan independence in 1957, Britain was keen to let go
of Sarawak and British North Borneo (Sabah) also partly to counter the Communist threat.
To this end Malaysia's first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman proposed the formation of
a federation to include Sarawak, Sabah, Singapore and Brunei, as well as Peninsular
Malaya. Brunei in the end opted out while Singapore was separated after two years.
Sarawak and Sabah joined upon agreement of a degree of autonomy that has brought
much absolute progress especially when compared to the situation in comparable
provinces in other countries.

1.9.3 LANGUAGES AND IDENTITY

The large numbers of languages, dialects and sub-dialects among Sarawak ethnic groups
have been and are still being studied by linguists and anthropologists. It is said that there
are about 45 indigenous languages and distinct dialects spoken all over Sarawak
including Sarawak Malay which is the most common street lingua franca among
Sarawakians.

What is sure among linguists is that all the native languages of Sarawak, despite many
being mutually unintelligible to each other, are members of the huge language family
called Austronesian that connects languages stretching the entire Malay Archipelago
into the Polynesian Pacific islands and even to Madagaskar island off the coast of Africa.
The existence of many languages in Sarawak is naturally expected due to the long

division of tribes over vast forest areas and over hundreds, even thousands of years.

The types and categories of languages roughly coincide with the ethnic groups as
mentioned. The major native languages are thus Iban, Sarawak Malay (which although is
closely related to standard Bahasa Melayu has its own accent and many different words),
Bidayuh, Melanau and a large variety of different Orang Ulu languages such as Kenyah,
Kayan, Penan, Punan etc. which may be divided into further dialects and accents. Iban is
the most closely resembling Malay with the most words that are recognisable to standard
Bahasa speakers. The other languages are known to be related when studied but cannot
be mutually understood without learning some basic words and structure.

Besides language, if ethnic costumes are also not used, there is little physical difference
between the ethnic groups of Sarawak. While it is said that the native peoples are more
fair-skinned, there are still many locals who are brown-skinned too and so this is not a
criteria of identity. The ethnic identity of individual Sarawak natives is largely based on
ancestral ethnic group plus language and heritage including costumes and other cultural
aspects.

1.9.4 RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS

Generally, the various ethnic groups of Sarawak just like historically the pre-Islamic
Malays were animists. They shared a form of basic belief system that is termed animism.
Animism is the belief in the supernatural i.e. the spirit or different spirits in nature
inhabiting most natural objects or phenomena. In Malay this spirit is called “semangat”,
and animism took various forms of spiritual belief and practice. For example, among
Kenyah and Punan peoples they each have their “Bungan” system of spiritual belief.

For some groups these spirits need to be appeased or taken care of and given formal
expression, which gave rise to rituals and cults that are followed, or creative carvings as
well as spiritual philosophies such as the Tree of Life that is a visible part of Orang Ulu
arts and wall murals.

Today a majority of Sarawak indigenous people have converted to Christianity following a
lot of missionary work since the late 19th and 20th centuries. The most usual Christian
denomination is Catholicism followed by a new local based Church, the Sidang Injil
Borneo. A number of native Sarawak people have also embraced Islam in more recent
years.

Nevertheless, olden animistic beliefs still play a part at least culturally, especially in festive
rituals such as during the harvest festivals and other Gawai celebrations. Another aspect

of animistic belief that seriously lingers is the “Bomoh”, or “Manang” in Iban (“Shaman” in
English), which each ethnic group consult theirs to a greater or lesser extent for illnesses
or supernatural needs.

1.9.5 TABOOS AND RITES OF PASSAGE

The various Sarawak ethnic groups have many different taboos that differed from one
group to another. Most of these taboos came about over long periods of observation and
experience of their tribal life, usually related to survival or spiritual matters. For example
the Berawan people, like other longhouse dwellers, had a taboo against bringing the
corpse of dead people into the longhouse, but these taboos are changing.

For tourists, among the taboos or dos and don’ts when visiting longhouses include:
Accept food and drink respectfully with both hands. If you do not want to eat or drink, the
accepted custom is to lightly touch the brim of the glass or plate and then touch your lips
as a symbolic gesture. Sit cross legged when sitting on the floor. Bow your head when
walking past people older than you and acknowledge them with a respectful smile. Ask
permission to take photographs of individual people or of special or sacred objects,
sometimes a small fee may be asked. Do not enter a longhouse during pantang such as
a period of misfortune, normally following a death. To indicate this, there may be a white
flag of some sort hanging near the longhouse. During this mourning rite period of usually
one week, there is no singing, dancing or music and no jewellery is worn.

In the olden days, headhunting was practiced by some ethnic as a form of rite of
passage for young men to enter into full adult manhood.

1.9.6 FESTIVALS

The many festivals celebrated in Sarawak bear testimony to the multi-cultural diversity of
the state. In addition to national festivals such as the two different Hari Rayas,
Christmas, Chinese New Year and Merdeka or National Day, there are certain festivals
that are related to the indigenous peoples of Sarawak such as Gawai Dayak, Kaul or
cultural such as Pesta Meow and Rainforest World Music Festival.

Gawai Dayak is the biggest and most popular festival of the region, which marks the end of
the rice harvest. The festival is celebrated during the month of May or June. The festival is
much anticipated and indigenous delicacies are prepared a few days before the festival. The
festival itself involves feasting and dancing, including betrothals and weddings. A visit to
Sarawak during the Gawai festival offers the chance to see the traditional ceremonies,
customs and costumes of the Dayak groups. There are also a few

other types of Gawai festivals such as Gawai Antu to remember ancestors and those
who have died.

Kaul is celebrated in mid-March or early April by the Melanau community. The festival
began as an event celebrated to placate the spirits at the beginning of the fishing
season. During the festival boats packed with offerings to the spirits are floated on the
sea. One of the highlights of the festival is the exciting game of “tibou” that involves
young men swinging from the end of a single 10-metre rope. The center of Kaul
celebration, which is also considered the centre of Melanau culture, is the coastal town of
Mukah.

In recent years the Rainforest World Music Festival is an extremely popular festival
celebrated in the state, which attracts music lovers from all over the country and across
the world. This performance arts festival is held at the Sarawak Cultural Village, usually
in the month of August.

Pesta Meow is celebrated in the month of November in Kuching and relates directly to
the city’s name, which means “cat” in Malay. It celebrates all things cat-related and is of
course popular among especially cat lovers.

Besides these, many other events are also held in Sarawak including sports-related
events such as the Rainforest Cup Mountain Bike Challenge, Bau International Raft
Race, Borneo Cup Motorcross Championship, and also the Sarawak International
Triathlon.

1.9.7 COSTUMES

Sarawak’s menagerie of traditional exotic costumes, some with clanging of bells on the
attire is a mesmerising combination of ingenious design and comfort. The colours and
styles also reflect the type of lifestyle each ethnic community has evolved into.

The traditional attires combine cloths, metals, beads, bones and wood materials to form
one gigantic canvas of Sarawak that in turn creates a beautiful persona for the wearer.
Some costumes seem to be a clash of elements but strangely enough produce a
fantastic but wondrously harmonious result. It should be noted that each group’s
costumes have several variations and those illustrated here are just a sampling.

Iban costumes. Source: www.kpkk.gov.my
Traditional attire worn by the Iban people showcases patience, either in wearing or
creating it! A ‘simple’ suit can actually be several layers piled one on top of the other.
Weighing the dress down are heavy jewellery such belts made of silver coins.

The other thing that is reflected in the Iban costume is the fine silversmith work that
abounds in the fairly large pieces in each attire. The most important is the “sugu tinggi”, a
decorative headgear originally made entirely of silver.

The traditional costumes of the Bidayuh in the past were made of the soft inner barks of
trees, in recent years, this have been replaced with cotton costumes.

Bidayuh men wear traditional costumes made up of a long
loincloth called a “tawuop” or “tahup”, which is made of cotton
with coloured bands at the ends. On their heads they normally
don a headgear called the “burang sumba”, typically made of
tree bark and may be decorated with feathers. Bidayuh man.
Source: www.kpkk.gov.my