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1 Huguan Siou, Tapantang, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima, Joseph Pairin Datuk Kitingan J.P. President of the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) Sabah.
2 KADAZANDUSUN Our Sacred Identity -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ Sacred Divine-Human Identity, Worldviews, Beliefs, Culture, Justice, Spirituality and Ecological Being -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ Huguan Siou's KDCA Vision 1: " Kadazandusun, our Sacred Identity to be fully accepted and respected." -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ Mt. Akinabalu, Sacred Temple of the Kadazandusuns and World Heritage Site - Sabah, Malaysia -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------
3 KADAZANDUSUN Our Sacred Identity -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ Our Sacred Divine-Human Identity, Heritage Worldviews, Beliefs, Culture, Justice, Spirituality, and Ecological Being -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievable system, or transmitted in any form, or by any other means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent from the author or the KDCA authorized Official. © Benedict Topin Director, KDCA Socio-Cultural Heritage Division Published by © Koisaan Publications First Published in 2017 Second Publication 2023 Cover Concept & Design © Benedict Topin Printed by: BUZZ PRINT Lot 29-1 & 29-2, 1st Floor and 2nd Floor, Bloack D, Plaza 333 Kobusak Cemmercial Centre, Jln Pintas, 89500 Penampang, Sabah Malaysia Tel: 088-711614; [email protected]; www.buzzprint.com.my; facebook.com/buzzprint -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------
4 Kadazandusun Our Sacred Identity -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ Kopisunduan “Pantango no Kosorumbahan miagal ko Tama Nu; Winorun miagal ko Tina Nu, Kadayan miagal dika sondiri, om Koinsanai Mogigiyon id Winorun, i Okito om i Amu Okito, miagal ko Koworisan om Koobpinaian Nu”1. ("Honour the Upper-World as your Father; the Earth as your Mother; Fellow Humans as Yourself; and All Living Beings on Earth, seen and unseen, as your Relatives.") © Bolungkitas, Odu Sokindoi Kundiau, Kg Tombotuon Tambunan Kopiwosian Peace comes within the souls of us when we realize our being, our relationship, our openness, our connectivity, our oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when we realize that at the center of the universe dwells Kinoingan (God The Almighty), and that this "All That Is Central Divinity" is really everywhere, it is within each and every one of us, whom our Bobolians fondly call "Diwato @ Koduduo".2 ©DBT - 17062017 We are not alone, as our heritage Momolian Religion declares that: We are the very earth/land (kagana'an), the plants/flora (kosumunian), the animals/fauna (kodupotan), the water/hydrosphere (kowoigan), the wind/atmosphere (kosorupan), the stars, sun and moon and the stellar space /universe (tadau, wulan, korombituonan om kagayaan), the living spirits of our ancestors (gimbarans), we are our soul-spirits (kosunduan koduduo), as the expression of God’s (Kinoingan) own divinity in humanity (Diwato-Koduduo) as well as humanity in divinity (Koduduo-Diwato)3. © Tindarama Bolungkitas Amman Sirom Simnuna (Kg Bangkahak Kota Belud) and Bolungkitas Aki Sator Gadut (Kg Tontolob Tambunan). -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------
5 KADAZANDUSUN Our Sacred Divine-Human Identity, Worldviews, Beliefs, Culture, Justice, Spirituality and Ecological Being Towards Realisation of Huguan Siou's KDCA Vision 2025 (v1) " Kadazandusun, our Sacred Identity to be fully accepted and respected." -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ Contents i. Foreword by Huguan Siou, YBhg Tan Sri DSP Joseph Pairin Datukk Kitingan J.P., President of KDCA ii. Message from Bulawan Sigah, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Clarence Bongkos Malakun J.P., KDCA Deputy President and Chairman of KDCA 2017 Goals Implementation Committee on on Huguan Siou's KDCA Vision 1: "Kadazandusun, our Sacred Identity, to be fully accepted and respected." iii. Message from Datuk Ir. John Anthony, KDCA Secretary General and Chairman of the Coordination and Monitoring Committee in the Implementation of KDCA 2017 Goals. 1. Situationer 2. Kadazandusunology 3. Kadazandusun - A unique Sacred Identity 4. The "Kadazan" and "Kadazandusun" Resolutions: (1961, 1989, 1995 & 2004) 5. Kadazandusun Cosmology and Worldviews 6. Kadazandusun Genesis and Destinies of the Soul 7. Kadazandusun Beliefs, Culture and Heritage Laws (Adat) 8. Kadazandusun Individual Essence of being and Spirituality 9. Kadazandusun Multi-dimensional Levels of Ecological and Universal Being Appendix: 1. KDCA Central Committee Members (2015-2018) 2. KDCA District Coordinating Committees Chairpersons (2015-2018) 3. Huguan Siou's KDCA Letter to the Chief Minister (Copy) 4. Surat Kepada YB Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri daripada Setiausaha Sulit YAB Ketua Menteri "When a process of innovation begins but we lack the words to identify the new, we often find it necessary to ransack our cultural attic for the language, practices, and symbols required to give voice to needs for which suitable names do not exist as yet.4" © Melucci, Alberto
6 i Foreword by Huguan Siou, Tapantang Tan Sri, Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Datuk Kitingan, President of the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association Sabah (KDCA) Kopisunduan kumaa toinsanan doid nomboh kou nopo. It gives me great pleasure to give a foreword for this commendable specific publication on Kadazandusun as our sacred identity, especially because it is long past the time for us to settle our identity and move on to progress ever on wards in a One for All and All for One spirit as 1Kadazandusun. For as long as I can remember, our Kadazans or Dusuns are one and the same people only differing in their cultural expressions, language dialects and hence terminologies such as Kokotuan for Kaamatan and Kadayan for Kadazan. Most importantly, Kadazandusuns share more common than differences in oral history, fundamental worldviews, beliefs and adat, with slight variations among the various ethnic communities. As a child from the heartlands of Sabah, I grew up as a son of Dusunic Parents. But respecting elders and leaders involved in the Kadazan Resolution 1961, I welcomed the unifying Kadazan Identity. We know that linguistically the Muruts are different from Kadazandusun but based on cultural similarities and dusunic way of life, their oneness with Kadazan was tabled, debated and voted by overwhelming majority on August 7, 1961 at the first Kadazan National Congress, and since then, especially through KCA/KDCA, we have respected and honoured with pride this legacy achievement of Kadazan unity in diversity by our pioneer leaders and elders. There are outside forces, of course, that continued to fan Dusun versus Kadazan sentiments that persisted to undermine the noble intentions of the Kadazan Resolution 1961. Lest we forget, in the bonding of Malaysia as a nation, the Kadazandusun Huguan Siou, Yang Amat Berhormat Tun Fuad Stephens was in full Kadazandusun Traditional Costumes at the declaration of Malaysia Day on September 16, 1963 at Padang Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
7 Huguan Siou Yang Amat Berhormat Tun Fuad Stephens in full Kadazandusun Traditional Costumes at the declaration of Malaysia Day on September 16, 1963 at Padang Merdeka. © Sabah State Archives Bear in mind, that in the early 1980's, our Kadazandusun community led by KCA, had successfully rejected the imposed "Pribumi" label for all natives in Sabah, and likewise we rejected "Pesta Rakyat" to re-label our sacred "Kaamatan" Festival. In 1989, during the 5th Biennial KCA Delegates Conference (November 4-5, 1989) at Hongkod Koisaan, Penampang, attended by Delegates representing KCA Branches throughout Sabah (including Labuan Federal Territory) the motion to change the Kadazan Cultural Association (KCA) to Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA), Sabah was tabled. The subject matter was thoroughly debated and subsequently unanimously voted by the Delegates as a resolution that, KCA be changed and transformed to KDCA.
8 In 1995, KDCA had the sincere cooperation of the late Datuk Mark Koding, then the President of United Sabah Dusun Association (USDA) to commonly agree "Kadazandusun" shall be the official name of the Pupil's Own Language (POL) of the Kadazandusun Community to be formally taught is schools. Our Kadazandusun Language is now taught in numerous government schools at kindergarten, primary and secondary levels. Kadazandusun language is also offered as elective subject at several national universities and we have currently the Kadazandusun Chair at University Malaysia Sabah (UMS). Meanwhile, the first batch of Kadazandusun language teachers and students taking the Kadazandusun Linguistic Degree Program at Ken College are expected to graduate in 2018. In 2004, during the 10th KDCA Delegates Conference (December 4-5, 2004) at Hongkod Koisaan, Penampang, attended by Delegates representing KCA Branches throughout Sabah (including Labuan Federal Territory and KDCA District Coordinating Committee Klang Valley Kuala Lumpur) resolved to adopt "Kadazandusun" as the unified identity of the Kadazan, Dusun, Paitan and Murut communities. Since then our Kadazandusun Community as one has seen more progress than ever before. Together, we had set up the Majlis Perunding Bahasa Kadazandusun (MPBKD) and have secured government grants and funding for the Kadazandusun Language Foundation (KLF) which has been tasked to develop not only the Kadazandusun language but also the Murutic and Paitanic ethnic languages. Through our Annual Kaamatan Festival, the world has begun to know, identify and appropriately address us as "Kadazandusuns". Recently, when the Sabah State Mufti stated that Kadazan is recently an invented terminology, we proved him wrong by the evidence of both oral and written literatures. Further research has now been unfolded from the timeless bobolian rinaits (heritage recitals by Kadazandusun spiritual specialists) the deeper sacred meanings of Kadazandusun as elaborated in this publication. Our oral traditions, our heritage rinaits and written history of self-determination by our elders and past leaders have time and again re-affirmed that there is no other alternative replacement for the term "Kadazandusun" as our sacred unifying common identity as a unique first native community in Sabah, Malaysia.
9 We have thus written officially to the Chief Minister to inform him of our request to get Kadazandusun to be gazetted as the unified common identity of the Kadazan, Dusunic, Paitanic and Murutic communities. Kotoluadan om kounsikahan tokou kumaa di Tindarama Dr (H) Benedict Topin montok buuk diti i manaak dotokou koliwanagan kokomoi Kadazandusun, kointutunan tapantang dotokou tinaru. Huguan Siou, Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Datuk Kitingan President, KDCA -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ KDCA Cultural Unity Centre (Hongkod Koisaan), Km 8, KK-Penampang Road, Sabah Malaysia. The Hongkod Koisaan since its completion in 1989 has been the home of the Sabah State Kaamatan Festival Finale, fostering and promoting harmonious peoples' unity in diversity not only among the multi-ethnic Kadazandusuns but also the multi-racial Sabahan Malaysians along with the diverse international visitors from all over the world. -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------
10 ii Message from Bulawan Sigah, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Clarence Bongkos Malakun, J.P., KDCA Deputy President, Chairman of KDCA 2017 Goals Implementation Committee on Huguan Siou's KDCA Vision 1: "Kadazandusun, our Sacred Identity, to be fully accepted and respected." Kotobian om Kopivosian. I feel honoured to pen a few words in this booklet that elaborately explains the deeper meanings of our common identity. This book should clarify that Kadazan and Dusun are inevitable complementary terms that completely and holistically defines our sacred identity, Kadazandusun. As KDCA Deputy President and on behalf of the Penampang KDCA District Coordinating Committee and Branches, we hereby declare our unity with the KDCA Central Committee and all other KDCA District Coordinating Committees, KDCA Branches and members throughout Malaysia, to fully support and stand solidly behind our Huguan Siou on his proclamation that: "There is no other alternative replacement for the term "Kadazandusun" as our sacred unified common identity as the first multi-ethnic native community in Sabah, Malaysia and should be fully respected." We have been roving around on the issue of our identity for a long time mainly because we have forgotten our historical past and forgotten to appreciate of our founding leaders who gave part of their lives to help evolve for us, the legacy of our scared identity. On the new call by certain quarters to re-brand our common identity as "Momogun", I am reminded of the past attempt to also
11 brand us all natives of Sabah as "Pribumi", which alienates us from our cultural heritage roots and hence we went full force to reject it during the early 1980's. We have talked to our fellow KDCA District Coordinating Committees from various parts of Sabah, and irrespective of the varying dialects, the meaning of "momogun" is not only ambiguous but it has certainly no dignity to be used as our common identity as unique first peoples of our land, Sabah. KDCA Telupid District Coordinating Chairman, Reverend Augustine Saang, revealed to us that "momogun" in their language, could mean "the unseen spirits living in abandoned houses". So how can we use this term for our identity? KDCA Deputy President and Matunggong District Coordinating Chairman, Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili, shared that he still recalls clearly how his relatives’ Bobolians in Kg. Keranaan Tambunan uses the term "momogun" to refer to the "unseen malevolent spirits of the Nunuk Trees", that they dealt with in their "momolian modsurung" ceremonies. From our very own "Bobohizan Inaits" in Penampang, as revealed by Michael Morales Subinon, in his book "The Kadazan Mythology", the term "momogun" has the synonym of "magazan", which simply means "inhabiting or inhabitants" or "mogizon". We are aware of course that uniquely, the Rungus people use "Momogun", sometimes alternatively to "Rungus" but also at times combined as "Momogun Rungus" or "Rungus Momogun" to confinely refer to themselves. KDCA is also aware that people of Bingkor, as once championed by the late Datuk G S Sundang, used the term "Pasok Momogun"; the late Gundohing Dungko Pai of Kiulu used the term "Rondon Momogun" and Tindarama Amman Sirom Simbuna of Kg Bangkahak Kota Belud used the term "Ladsong Momogun", but all these combined terms are descriptive of the Kadazandusuns as the First Natives of the Land and must not be confused with their sacred identities as multi-ethnic Kadazandusuns. Simply put, "momogun" as a term alone is inappropriate, ambiguous and incomplete to be used as our peoples’ identity.
12 Our sincere thanks and appreciation to Tindarama Dr (H) Benedict Topin for this commendable book that records the fundamental rationale behind our Huguan Siou's declaration, that Kadazandusun is our sacred identity as unique first natives of Sabah. Personally, I want to be called as a Kadazan because the word means "God spirited people", which was also stated by the late Datuk Peter Mojuntin, the "Golden Son of the Kadazan". The term "Dusun", as this book explains, expresses the connection of our heritage land with intrinsic Native Customary Rights. Clarence Bongkos Malakun, J.P. KDCA Deputy President and Chairman of KDCA 2017 Goals Implementation Committee on Huguan Siou's KDCA Vision 1: "Kadazandusun, our Sacred Identity, to be fully accepted and respected." -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ NB: This book was banned during the Berjaya Party Rule, for unknown reasons. This one copy was a personal gift donation from Yang Berbahagia Datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin, the son of the "Golden Son of the Kadazan". © KDCA HQ Library
13 iii Message from Datuk Ir. John Anthony, KDCA Central Committee Member and Chairman of the Coordination and Monitoring Committee in the Implementation of Huguan Siou KDCA Vision 2025. Kopisunduvan doid diozu songoovian, hoohobi no kumaa ngaavi tobpinai sopi-Kadazandusun. I am very pleased to be able to give a message for this long awaited book that is vital to explain why KDCA stands solidly behind our Huguan Siou's declaration that: "There is no other alternative replacement for the term "Kadazandusun" as our sacred unified common identity as the first multi-ethnic native community in Sabah, Malaysia and should be fully respected." As thoroughly and comprehensively presented in the book, the issue of identity should have been accepted as settled immediately after the Kadazan Resolution 1961 had been self-determined through hours of debates, followed by overwhelming majority votes by our past visionary leaders/elders representatives from the Paitanic, Dusunic, Murutic and Rungus Communities, that as first natives of Sabah, we are all Kadazans. However, the complementary essence, challenges and opportunities from the Dusunic factor could not just be ignored as explained in this book, and hence the Kadazandusun Resolution 1989 and 2004. As our Bulawan Sigah, KDCA Deputy President, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Clarence Bongkos Malakun perfectly puts it, I want to be called Kadazandusun because it means "God spirited people with native customary right to their heritage land." To the proponents of the term "momogun", I beg to differ for their
14 claim that majority supports their cause motion because at ground zero we know for a fact that many have been hoodwinked to belief in their mis-construed essence and meanings of the term "momogun" itself and hence mi-used it for their hidden political agenda. Thus subsequently after the Momogun National Congress (MNC) made their declaration for "Rumpun Momogun" establishment Kadazandusun Organizations expressed their strong objection to the MNC movement to try and push forward their agenda on 'Rumpun Momogun". Thus, on April 22, 2016, in my capacity as KDCA Secretary General issued a press statement on behalf of KDCA, that it is not appropriate to term all Sabahan Natives Momogun. © Borneo Post - April 22, 2016
15 On April 30, 2016, our Huguan Siou made his press statement: Let's remain as Kadazandusun". © Daily Express - April 30, 2016 -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ The Huguan Siou also reiterated that KDCA is still the best Unity Platform for the Kadazandusuns © Borneo Post - May 10, 2016
16 On July 12, 2016 PBS Secretary General, Datuk Johnny Mositun issued a press statement that MNC has no legal standing to make demand, and that majority consent is needed on the label "Momogun". © Borneo Post - July 12, 2016 -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ On December 5, 2016, a total of 15 Kadazandusun NGOs paid a courtesy call upon their Huguan Siou to state their objections with reasons to the unilateral motion by MNC to urge the government to use "Momogun" as the new Common Generic Name for the Paitanic, Murutic and Dusunic Communities and to use it to replace "dan Lain-Lain" in government’s formal documents. The group of NGO's was led by USDA President, YB Dr Ewon Ebin. © Borneo Post - December 9, 2016 -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------
17 These are only those posted objections to term "momogun" to be used as "Rumpun" for Paitanic, Dusunic, and Murutic Communities. There are many more sub-ethnic Kadazandusun Communities that have no associations of their own but have registered their objections to the label "momogun" which they consider inappropriate based on the meaning of the term in their respective dialects. © Borneo Post - December 12, 2016 This clearly shows and proves that the claim by MNC to have the support of the majority of the Dusunic, Paitanic and Murutic multi-ethnic communities is erroneous and has no basis. -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ Persatuan Rungus Bersatu Sabah (PRBS), rejects the term "Momogun" for Rumpun as proposed by Momogun National Congress (MNC) KDCA -E-Bulletin: Kota Kinabalu: September 11, 2017 © Persatuan Rungus Bersatu Sabah (PRBS) courtesy call to Huguan Siou, (11092017) A strong delegation comprising 35 Committee Members of Persatuan Rungus Bersatu Sabah (PRBS), led by its President, OKK Makinsos Nawai and accompanied by its Patron, Tuan Modiyim Layapan (Tenom District Officer) and Tuan Benedict Kuntong (ADO Matunggong), paid a courtesy call to Huguan Siou Yang Berhormat Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima, Joseph Pairin Datuk Kitingan, Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah, Minister of Infra-structure Development and President of KDCA at his office.
18 Among the high level PRBS delegation in full Rungus cultural traditional costumes were Wakil Ketua Anak Negeri, Ketua Anak Negeri and Ketua Kampongs. Also Present were KDCA Treasurer General, Bulawan Sigah, Datuk Joseph Paulus Lantip, KDCA Organizing Secretary, Gundohing John Paujik and KDCA Director of Socio-Cultural Heritage Division, Tindarama Dr(H) Benedict Topin. In his welcoming address, the Huguan Siou thanked PRBS President, OKK Makinsos for their courtesy call and expressed his admiration and commendation of the strong commitment and determination by the Rungus community is preserving and practicing their cultural heritage. PRBS President, OKK Makinsos thanked the Huguan Siou for his time for their courtesy and went straight to the point in presenting their main objectives to meet up with their Huguan Siou: 1. To state their objection and rejection to the term "momogun" for rumpun as proposed by the Momogun National Congress (MNC). 2. To state their objection to Lembaga Kebudayaan Negeri Sabah (LKNS) in simply collecting dancers from here and there to perform Rungus Traditional Dances incorrectly to the detriment of Rungus Cultural image. The seek KDCA help to strengthen their cause to correct this anomaly in the LKNS cultural dance performances particularly on Rungus Cultural Dances. 3. To seek for greater role and allocation for the Rungus Participation in the Annual Kaamatan Festival both at District and State Levels
19 4. To request KDCA to allocate University Students on practical training with KDCA to help PRBS to do research and documentation works on the various aspects of the Rungus Cultural Heritage 5. To request technical guidance from KDCA in setting up a Tadika School for Rungus kids using Rungus Language as medium of instruction. In closing OKK Makinsos then presented to Huguan Siou a copy of their Rungus Adat reference book and a copy of their PRBS constitution, with enthusiastic applause from witnessing delegates. © KDCA -E-Bulletin, Kota Kinabalu, September 11, 2017 Finally, I wish to congratulate and thank Tindarama Dr (H) Benedict Topin for yet another well researched and enlightening publication for KDCA. I urge all our KDCA leaders, especially KDCA Central Committee Members, District Coordinating
20 Committees' Chairpersons, KDCA Branches' Chairpersons and Office Bearers to purchase a copy of this booklet so that we can truly understand and able to explain the real meaning and essence of "Kadazandusun, Our Sacred Identity". Datuk Ir. John Anthony KDCA Central Committee Member and Chairman of the Coordination and Monitoring Committee, Huguan Siou KDCA Vision 2025. -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ Home of Kadazandusun Unity in Diversity -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------
21 KADAZANDUSUN Our Sacred Divine-Human Identity, Heritage Worldviews, Beliefs, Culture, Justice, Spirituality and Ecological Being © Benedict Topin Abstract Prior 1963, the Indigenous Kadazandusuns were once the majority community within the over-all population ratio of Sabah (formerly North Borneo). It is a sad but factual reality that due to political play, the Kadazandusun population ratio has over the years plunged from 55 % in 1911 to 21.4% in 2010. Within this minoritized reality the Kadazandusuns must wisen up to unite and grow socio-culturally and economically or else they become no more. Kadazandusun is a sacred God (Kinoingan) given identity of divine-human (Kadazan) stewards of assigned gardens in the forests (dusuns) on Earth (Winorun). Stewards connotes none ownership of the Mother Earth's land and gardens which is to be shared with other beings, seen and unseen, known and unknown to ordinary humans. The Kadazandusuns have unique evolved heritage worldviews, spirituality, cosmology, multi-dimensional and multi-level ecological beingness, ecological culture, symbio-technologies, ecological wellbeing notions and life coping mechanism practices that have profound relevance to the current global effort to help heal the ailing earth and humanity itself. With divine-centered consciousness and belief in the watchful divine eyes, the ecological socio-spiritual and cultural multiple beings of Kadazandusun are constantly reminded that they are the very earth land (kagana'an), the flora (kosumunian), the fauna kodupotan), the atmosphere (kosorupan), the hydrosphere (kowoigan), the stars, sun and moon & stellar space (korombituonan id kagaya'an), the ancestral spirits (kogimbaranan) and the expression of God’s (Kinoingan’s)own divinity in humanity (Diwato) as well as humanity in divinity (Koduduo). "The more deeply I search for the roots of the global environmental crisis, the more I'm convinced that it is the outer manifestation of an inner crisis that is spiritual." © Al Gore 5 NB: Kadazan is the synonym of Kadayan, within the multi-dialectical Kadazandusun Language, a sub-family of the Austronesian Language.
22 1. Situationer: The Kadazandusuns: A case of First Natives, silently socio-economically and politically engineered, and clandestinely demographically reduced from majority to minority population in their heritage home land/country. ©DBT - 17062017 At the time of writing this book this June 17, 2017, the World Population Clock on internet has it that there are 7.5 billion people on earth, of which 1.38 billion are Chinese, 1.34 billion are Indians, 263.4 million are Indonesians, 33.36 million are Malays6. Malaysia's Population is currently 31.7 million and Sabah's Population is 3.81 million7 Sad but True History, Facts and Figures, that Kadazandusuns have been played out, minoritised and dis-enfranchised since Malaysia Day September 16, 1963. In 2010, when the population of Sabah was recorded at 3.17 million, it was estimated that 21.4% (656,278) were Kadazandusuns9, a sharp drop from the Kadazandusun population ratio of 55 % in 191110. Sabah’s population numbered 651,304 in 1970 and grew to 929,299 a decade later. But in the two decades following 1980, the state’s population rose significantly by a staggering 1.5 million people, reaching 2,468,246 by 2000. By 2010, this number had grown further to 3,117,405, with foreigners making up a 27%. The population of Sabah at 3,117,405 as of the 2010 census, showed more than 400 percent increase from the census 1970 (from 651,304 in 1970 to 3,117,405 in 2010), and is the third most populous state in Malaysia after Selangor and Johor. Sabah has one of the highest population growth rates in the country as a result of illegal immigrants (and oftentimes state-sponsored) from the Muslim-dominated southern provinces of Philippines who were of Malay stock by granting citizenship to illegal or legal immigrants. Unjustly, the Borneon Sabahans, mostly of Christian faith have become minorities in their own homeland, therefore, on 1 June 2012, Prime Minister Najib Razak of the Malaysia announced that the federal government has agreed to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate problems related.11 The RCI report was released on December 3 2014, in Kota Kinabalu by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa. It declared government and political parties were not involved in the mass issuance of citizenship, blaming it on "syndicates", which included civil servants from the National Registration Department, as culprits. It also said that "Project IC", to give away Malaysian identity cards to illegal migrants, had “more likely than not” existed through syndicates and corrupt officials but did not mention names.
23 "The RCI was of the view that based on the facts, it was clear that there were two sides to the issue of whether the “so-called Project IC really existed”. On the one hand, we have witnesses who have described in some detail their active involvement in the said project as well as the participation of certain high-profile politicians. On the other hand, these politicians have testified before the RCI, denying in no uncertain terms all the allegations against them. The report said five witnesses from the NRD alleged to be personally and actively involved in the project had given evidence which corroborated each other's testimony to the RCI. In effect, they have collectively admitted their joint involvement in some detail. Furthermore, they have made serious allegations against powerful political figures. The RCI said it took into account the evidence that in the 1990s, the population growth in Sabah rose by 78%, which would have been the highest increase since Sabah became part of Malaysia. That was the period when the evidence disclosed that there were significant numbers of illegal immigrants being issued with Malaysian ICs by way of statutory declaration for political purposes. The RCI stated that 68,703 ineligible people were issued citizenship between 1963 and August 31, 2013. In short, the RCI concluded that "there is a probability that such a project did exist at all material times." 12 RCI Conclusive View on the Sabah "PROJECT IC / PROJECT MAHATHIR" © Report: Commission of Inquiry on Immigrants in Sabah - December 3, 2014 (P.300)
24 1.1 Kadazandusuns, the Obvious Target of Clandestine Minoritization13 © Report: Commission of Inquiry on Immigrants in Sabah - December 3, 2014 (P.252) In 2007, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) submitted a Memorandum to the then Prime Minister of Malaysia (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (now Tun), expressing grave concern about the huge numbers of illegal immigrants in Sabah. It drew the attention from the period 1970 to 2000 where the increase in the population of Sabah was 301% (1,954,707) compared to 106% (1,036,347) for Sarawak. Specifically the statistics showed the following increases: a) In 1980, the increase for Sabah was 56 % compared to 27% for Sarawak; b) In 1991, the increase for Sabah was 78% compared to 33% for Sarawak, and c) In 2000, the increase for Sabah was 44% compared to 23% for Sarawak. It was quite evident that the biggest increase for Sabah's population was in 1991 when it registered an increase of 78%. The memorandum reiterated that on calculation, the number of illegal immigrants in Sabah would have been 1.7 million and this figure comprised the following: a) 600,000 new citizens who were claiming to be Bumiputras and who were dubiously given genuine Malaysian ICs with their dependents; b) 750,000 with false ICs or expired documents or none at all; and c) 400,000 legal workers and IMM13 holders (refugees). The memorandum also cited the following figures allegedly from the statistics department that for the period from 1970 to 2000, the population increase for Kadazandusuns (Kadazan+Dusun+Murut) was 162%; the population increase for Bajau and Iranun was 344% and the population increase for Malays was 1,552%.14 The UPKO Initial position Paper (P123) presented by UPKO's President also touched on the unnatural population growth in Sabah. It stated that the population of Sabah in 1960 was 454,421 persons of which the KadazanDusunMurut (KDM) accounted for 37% thereof, but this had gone down to 21.9% in 1991 and by 2000 it went further down to 21.6% of the total population.
25 1.2 Abnormal Sabah's Population Growth 1960-200015 A Table Chart was produced to illustrate UPKO's points. It was important to produce the table for the purpose of emphasis and clarity. © Report: Commission of Inquiry on Immigrants in Sabah - December 3, 2014 (P.249) On the same subject matter, A more drastic figure was given by Dr Kamal Sadiq as per his following RCI statement.16 © Report: Commission of Inquiry on Immigrants in Sabah - December 3, 2014 (P.246) Azizah Kassim: "Re-Inventing Sabah: Global Challenges and Policy Responses" paper made special references on foreign nationals in Malaysia and highlighted the highest prevalence in Sabah.17
26 © Azizah Kassim - Report: Commission of Inquiry on Immigrants in Sabah - December 3, 2014 (P.254)
27 In previous censuses, the Kadazandusuns have been inconsistently and unfairly treated and reflected in statistical presentations: Prior 1891 All were called Natives of Borneo. 1891 Dusun, Muruts, Kadayan, Bisayah etc… 1911 Dusuns, Idahan, Kedayan, Muruts, Orang Padas, Orang Sungei, Tagals, Tambunwa, Tidongs and Tutongs 1960 Dusuns, Muruts and Other Indigenous People 1970 Kadazans and Muruts 1980 All were called Pribumis (indigenous people) 1991 Dusun (216,910), Kadazan (104,924) and Murut (50,255) When the British conducted the North Borneo Census 1911, the “Dusuns” were listed as 42 %, the Muruts 13 %, the Chinese 15 %, the Bajaus 13 % and other indigenous as 13 %. This gives us a rough idea that in 1911 before the exodus of migrants into Sabah, the indigenous peoples of Sabah (mainly Kadazandusuns) comprised some 68 % of Sabah’s total population.18 However, accelerating immigration and conversion to Islam followed by change of identity, and the relatively lower natural increase of Kadazandusun population than that of the immigrants, the Kadazandusuns (Kadazan + Dusun + Murut), population ratio dropped radically from 55 % in 1911 to 36.9% in 1960, down to 23 % in 1991 and plunged further to mere 21.4% in 2010 in relation to the total population of Sabah, that continues to rapidly grow unnaturally.19 The dwindling in the Kadazandusun population ratio is certainly a strong message and sign of the everrising challenges and responsibilities of the Kadazandusuns themselves to chart and self-determine their cultural, political and economic existence and survival on-wards.
28 Past and present realities reflect how unstable the Kadazandusun identity has been and how vulnerable the community is, as a whole, to the ‘divide and rule’ political games of more dominant communities. Who, wherefrom, why, wherefore and how the Kadazandusuns want to be, shall remain theirs alone to self-determine, being their very reasons and purposes for existence yesterday, today and tomorrow. Within the realism of our federalism and socio-religious pluralism, any society or religion which fails to open itself to others in the spirit of inter-social and religious dialogue and cooperation will eventually fall into narrow-minded ghettoism and intolerant fanaticism which may eventually destroy other cultures and religions, and in itself become as cancerous cell in relation to the whole national organism of which it is a parasite. (Diwato 230991) 1.3 History of many descriptive labels and callings Ours has been a history of many labeling and callings. As multi-ethnic first natives of Sabah (North Borneo), we have been called: Idahans/Ida'ans (main-landers) by the Bajau & Suluk Seafarers; Tindals by the Sama Bajaus (especially in Tempasuk and Kota Belud; Wild Men, Mild Men and Pagans of (North) Borneo by the Whitemen; Dusuns (Orchard Peoples) by the Bruneis and Polynesian Malays; Kadayans @ Kadazans as given in the timeless Bobolian Rinaits (Chants); Tagahas (Highlander Dusuns of Ranau, Kiulu, Tambunan and Keningau) by the Tangaras of Penampang and Papar coastal plains; Tangaras (Lowlanders of Penampang and Papar mainly) by the Tagahas; Pasok Momogun by Sino-natives and Muruts of the Interior of Sabah; Pribumis by Tan Sri Harris Salleh's Berjaya Government; Natives as per our Sabah State Constitution; Bumiputras by our own National Malaysian Government; "Others" (Dan Lain-Lain) as insignificantly and derogatively stated in many National and State Governments' documents and registration forms; and lately, Kadazan Dusun Murut (KDM) and Momogun as though the search for the generic identity of the First Multi-ethnic Multi-dialectical Natives of Sabah would seem to continue indefinitely and unresolved. Is there no out of this beleaguering cyclical wandering common identity of ours? Have we allowed parochial ethnic and party politics to totally rule and ruin our reasons and wisdom for unity in diversity? When there seems no end to argue for arguments sake on every newly proposed common identity of ours, it is only wisdom and justice to ourselves to go back to our historical roots and search answers within our pure consciousness guided by the heritage living memories that we inherited from our elders, past and present. Let us seek to answer - Who are we? Why are we at all? Where are we now? Where do we go from here? - and tomorrow shall be a new morning for our becoming, development and progress.
29 Let us seek to know and understand how uniquely beautiful we are as Kadayans @ Kadazans, created and placed by Kinoingan where we are in Dusuns (Edenic gardens in the forests) on Winorun (Earth) and hence one with Divinity, Humanity and Earthly Eden as Kadazandusuns yesterday, today and tomorrow? It is obvious that for the Kadazandusuns as First Natives or Indigenous Peoples of Sabah, it is not the way how outsiders called and labeled them that matters but how they truly know themselves and how they uniquely live and refer to themselves within their dusunic territorial heritage lands (comprising both man-made and natural gardens in the forests that they have nurtured for generations) as their micro-world within a macro-world (dumo/kabun id talun id kampung id watas doid pogun id pomogunan). Whatever inter-tribal feuding ridicules and negative views in the past in respect of the term "dusun" as exonym identity were all due to shallow understanding and interpretation of the term "dusun" and thus should be rendered irrelevant because in reality life, we can say Kadazans cannot live without their "dusuns", now understood as Native Customary Land Rights (NCR). It is not surprising thus that the Kadazandusuns are strongly attached to their socio-cultural, historical, geographical and locational dusunic identities as reflected in the results of the ground zero surveys coordinated by the Sabah State Cultural Board in 2007. If we combine all the identities of local indigenous community names identified and enumerated by: 1. The Sabah State Cultural Board coordinated Survey Report (2007)20; 2. P.S. Shim enumerated inland people of Sabah in his book CULTURAL HERITAGE OF NORTH BORNEO: INLAND PEOPLE OF SABAH, BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER NUNUK RAGANG21 (2007); 3. The linguistic communal identities by the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL)22, Sabah; 4. Kadazandsun Cultural Association, Sabah (KDCA) enumerated Kadazandusun Ethnic and Sub-ethnic Communities; 5. United Sabah Dusun Association (USDA) enumerated Dusunic Community components; 6. The Persatuan Murut Sabah (PMS) enumerated Murut Sub-ethnic Communities; 7. Kadazan Society Sabah (KSS) enumerated Kadazan Community components; 8. Jabatan Hal Ehwal Anak Negeri Sabah: Senarai Etnik & Sub-etnik Kadazandusun 2005; 9. Mahkamah Anak Negeri Kota Marudu Sabah listings of Kadazandusun sub-ethnic components, and include the Sino-Kadazandusuns who were already treated as Indigenous Natives by the British North Borneo government in 1960, then we obviously have a larger number of Sabahan First Natives multi-ethnic, sub-ethnic and speech communities that could fall under the greater generic
30 family identity "Kadazandsuns" beyond the current definition of "Kadazandusun" within the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association, Sabah (KDCA) Constitution (2022) Article 6 (1) as follows: 1.4 Greater Kadazandusun Ethnic and Sub-ethnic Family: No. Ethnicity Sub-ethnicity Place of Settlement 1 Bisaya Beaufort, Kuala Penyu, Membakut, Menumbok, Sipitang, Papar 2 Bonggi Pulau Banggi, Kudat 3 Bundu Ranau, Tambunan, Beluran 4 Dumpas Beluran, Kinabatangan 5 Gana Bingkor, Keningau 6 Garo Kota Marudu, Tandek 7 Bagahak Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan 8 Idahan / Ida’an 1.Buludupi Beluran, Kinabatngan, Paitan 2.Saba’an Lahad Datu 3.Segai Kinabatangan, Tawau 4.Sibuko Beluran, Lahad Datu, Tawau 5.Tagalong Kinabatangan 6.Dalamason Beluran 9. Gobukon Kota Marudu, Beluran 10 Kadazan or Dusun 7.Bangkaakon Penampang 8.Kadazan Penampang, Papar 9.Kapazan Ranau 10.Kasapang Tambunan 11.Kavananan Beluran 12.Kawakahan Tambunan 13.Kinasaraban Ranau 14.Kionop Tikolod Tambunan 15.Kisayap Telupid 16.Kisoko Telupid 17.Kivulu Beluran 18.Klias Kadazan Klias 19.Kogibangan Tambunan 20.Kogosingan Ranau, Tongod 21.Koub Tambunan 22.Kolikuan Ranau 23.Kondoung Ranau 24.Koroli Beluran, Telupid, Tambunan 25.Kososoluan Tambunan 26.Kudundung Beluran 27.Kuriou Tambunan 28.Kurulu Telupid 29.Labuk Kadazan Labuk, Beluran,Sandakan 30.Labou Keningau, Sook 31.Liwogu Beluran, Ranau, Sandakan 32.Marudu Kota Marudu 33.Minansut Keningau 34.Montogung Tambunan 35.Pilantong Beluran 36.Putih Beluran Telupid
31 37.Sarayo Kinabatangan, Telupid 38.Segamo Lahad Datu 39.Sinandapak Kota Marudu 40.Sinulihan Inanam 41.Sogilitan Beluran, Telupid, Tongod 42.Sogo Beluran, Telupid 43.Sugut Beluran 44.Sungangon Beluran 45.Talantang Ranau, Kota Marudu, Paitan 46.Tandaa Telupid 47.Tibabar Tambunan 48.Tilau-ilau Beluran 49.Tingalun Beluran, Semporna, Tawau 50.Tompios Keningau, Telupid 51.Tompulung Beluran, Telupid 52.Tondong Beluran 53.Tonduk Kota Marudu 54.Tonggilan Tamparuli 55.Tupo Telupid 56.Turavid Beluran, Telupid 11 Kadayan Beaufort, Membakut, Menumbok, Papar, Sipitang, Tamparuli, Tuaran, Telipok, Inanam, Kalawat 12 Kimaragang Beluran, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Paitan, Sandakan 13 Kolobuan Keningau, Tongod 14 Kuijau (Kuriyou) Keningau, Membakut 15 Lingkabau Beluran, Kota marudu, Telupid 16 Liwan Inanam, Ranau, Tambunan, Keningau, Sook 17 Lobu Ranau, Tambunan, Telupid, Tongod 18 Lotud / Suang Lotud Tamparuli, Tuaran, Telipok 19 Lundayeh Kemabong, Keningau, Sipitang, Tawau 20 Makiang Kinabatangan, Sandakan, Tongod 21 Malapi Keningau 22 Mangkaak Kinabatangan, Telupid, Tongod 23 Minokok Keningau, Kinabatangan, Sandakan, Telupid, Tongod 24 Murut 57.Alumbis Kemabong, Tenom 58.Ambual Keningau 59.Baukan Kinabatangan, Sook, Keningau 60.Binaung Keningau 61.Bookan Keningau 62.Kalabakan Tawau, Kalabakan 63.Kolod Sipitang 64.Kolor Kemabong 65.Lun Bawang Sipitang 66.Nabai Keningau 67.Paluan Kemabong, Keningau, Nabawan, Tenom, Sook 68.Rundum Rundum, Tenom 69.Salilir Salilir, Tenom, Kemabong 70.Selungai Tenom Kemabong 71.Sembakung Beluran, Tenom, Kemabong 72.Serudung Beluran, Tawau 73.Tagol / Tahol Tenom, Keningau, Pagalungan, Sipitang, Nabawan 74.Tengara Kinabatangan, Tongod 75.Timugon Tenom
32 25 Paitan / Poitan 76.Talab Kinabatangan 78.Tayob Kinabatangan 79.Tindakon Beluran 80.Tungud Beluran 26 Pingas Kinabatangan 27 Rumanau Beluran, Kinabatangan, Telupid, Tongod 28 Rungus 81.Gonsomon Matunggong, Kudat 82.Luba Matunggong, Kota Marudu, Pitas 83.Nulu Kudat. Matunggong 84.Pilapazan Kudat, Matunggong 29 Sinobu Kinabatangan, Tongod 30 Sinorupa / Sinorupo Kinabatangan 31 Sonsogon Beluran, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Paitan, Sandakan 32 Sukang Kinabatangan, Telupid, Tongod, Beluran, Sandakan 33 Sungai / Sungei 85.Abai Kinabatangan 86.Dewara Kinabatangan 87.Ilau-ilau Kinabatangan 88.Inukang Beluran, Kinabatangan, Paitan 89.Kuamut Kinabatangan, Tongod 90.Kunatong Kinabatangan, Tongod 91.Lamag Lahad Datu 92.Limbutong Kinabatangan, Tongod 93.Lolobuon Kinabatangan, Telupid, Tongod 94.Puawang Beluran Paitan 95.Sabangan Kinabatangan, Sandakan 96.Segama Sandakan, Lahad Datu 97.Sikubayan Beluran 98.Sundayo Beluran, Sandakan, Paitan, Telupid 34 Tagahas Ranau, Tambunan, Keningau, Kiulu, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Penampang, Pitas 35 Tangaa / Tangara Penampang, Membakut 36 Tatana Kuala Penyu, Menumbok 37 Tinagas Beluran, Ranau, Kota Marudu 38 Tindal Kota Belud, Kota Marudu 39 Tobilung Inanam. Tambunan, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu 40 Tolinting Telupid, Tambunan 41 Tombonuo 99.Puawang Beluran, Kudat, Paitan, Pitas, Ranau, Sandakan 100.Deripau Beluran, Paitan, Pitas, Ranau 42 Tuhawon Beluran, Tambunan, Penampang 43 Subpan Kunak, Lahad Datu 44 Tidung / Tidong Lahad Datu, Semporna, Tawau, Kunak 101.Bangawon Tawau 102.Bulungan Kunak 103.Kalabakan Tawau 104.Sumbol Tawau 45 Tutung / Dusun Sindumin, Brunei 46 Sino-Kadazandusun Beaufort, Inanam, Kuala Penyu, Menumbuk,Tambunan, Keningau, Membakut, Penampang, Sandakan, Sipitang © 46 Ethnic and 104 Sub-ethnic Communities deduced from the Lembaga Kebudayaan Negeri Sabah and Sabah Museum final reports on the Joint Survey on Sabah’s Ethnographic Population Composition by JAHEANS, UMS, LKNS, Sabah Museum & KDCA (2007)
33 KADAZANDUSUN A Sacred Divine-Human Identity, Heritage Worldviews, Beliefs, Culture, Justice, Spirituality and Ecological Being 2. Kadazandusunology Kadazandusunology (under the purview of the Kadazandusun Cultural Association Sabah (KDCA), refers to the unit dedicated to undertake studies, research works and documentations on all subject matters pertaining to the Kadazandusuns, as a unique existential reality within their cosmological worldviews in relation with other beings and the greater cosmos. This "Kadazandusun-Our Sacred Identity" Booklet, in a way, is also somewhat like the English synopsis of the main comprehensive book on "Kadazandusunoloji om Rinait" (Topin & Simbuna - 2017) written in Kadazandusun language itself, as the first foundational publication and main reference for fundamental matters pertaining to Kadazandusunology, the Kadazandusuns, their Sacred Divine-Human Identity, Heritage Worldviews, Beliefs, Culture, Justice, Spirituality and Ecological Being. 3. Kadazandusun - A unique Sacred Identity Kadazandusun is a sacred identity of divine-human (Kadazan) stewards of assigned Huminodun enhanced Eden-like gardens in the forests (dusuns) on Earth (Winorun). Stewards connotes non-ownership of the Mother Earth's land and the gardens which is to be shared with other beings, seen and unseen, known and unknown to ordinary humans. 3.1 Kadazan / Kadayan Kadazan/Kadayan definition in the context of this paper is taken from the Mamahui Pogun Rinait (World Rejuvenation Blessing Rituals Recitals) by Bolungkitas Odun Rinduman @ Uwoi Bialah, Tuaran Sabah (2007) © DBT- Scenes from the Mamahui Pogun Ceremony at Tuaran River (2007)
34 Mamahui Pogun Rinaits Excerpts © Bolungkitas Odun Rinduman@ Uwoi Bialah "Kadayan, tinidong do Minamangun, Tulun winorun do Kinoingan Pinosunduan nu Diwato, Linodunan nu Gumokud Diwato Kosunduan, Gumokud Kolodunan Sunduan Tutumanud do Kadayan, Lodun Koduduo do Koulunan". 23 [Kadayan (Human being), created by God, into whom He emplaced His own Spirit Particle Diwato, as divine soul spirit companion of being human (Divinity in Humanity)]. Bolungkitas Odun Rinduman@ Uwoi Bialah 3.2 Dusun Various Dictionaries vary in giving meanings of dusun as: a) orchard i) an area of land devoted to the cultivation of fruit or nut trees. ii) a grove or stand of fruit-bearing trees, especially citrus trees . © Dictionary.com 24 b) i) a Dayak people in British North Borneo ii) a member of the Dusun people. © Merriam Webster Dictionary 25 c) The name “Dusun” is a Malay, and means “farm”; and these people are called “orang Dusun” “farmers”, by the Malays. © Father J. Staal 26 d) To the Muyu Tribes of Papua New Guinea, dusun means traditional land. © Diana Glazebrook 27 e) To the Marind People of Irian Jaya, "Dusuns are traditional gardening, hunting or sacred sites usually owned by the clans or families to whom they were originally assigned in tribal mythology." © Craven 28 f) Within the island of Borneo, dayak, dusun and kadayan are synonymously and interchangeably used to refer to the indigenous peoples living in their respective dusuns in a unique dusunic way of life. © Drs Cornelius Kimha 29. g) Within the Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian world, Dusun is popularly fantasized and promoted especially in Malaysia and Indonesia tropical garden escapade resorts with promises of natural cuisines, traditional massages and Mother Natures' healing blessings, as offered by the sampled following Dusun Resorts30: i. Dusun Eco Resort - Bentong Pahang, Malaysia ii. The Dusun - Tropical Rain Forest Resort - Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia iii. Dusun Resort - Kuala Nerang Kedah, Malaysia iv. The Dusun Villa Resort, Seminyak Bali, Indonesia
35 In the context of Kadazandusunology, the term dusun is to be appropriately understood to comprise both man (Kadazan) made orchards and Mother Nature's Eden-like garden and groves that has been specially enhanced and enriched by Ponompuan/Huminodun's (God's Sacrificed Daughter's) physical transfigurations into numerous life supporting flora for the sustenance of God created Kadazans in this world within which they have been temporarily placed to live for a purpose and meaning by the Creator Couple Kinoingan and Sumundu. In the Kadazan Mythology book, Michael Morales Subinon dedicated the whole of Chapter 17 (pp 93-108) on The Sacrifice of Ponompuhan31, God's Daughter enumerating the specific miraculous transformations of Ponompuan/Huminodun's spirit and body parts into various vital nutraceutical and pharmaceutical plants for Kinoingan (God) initiated Eden-like garden in the forest known as dusun within the Austronesian, Polynesian Malay World. Kadazandusuns are indeed conceptualized by the Kadazandusun spiritual specialists (Bobolians) as Divine-Human stewards of dusuns on Earth. Stewards connote none ownership of the Mother Earth's land and gardens which are considered to be borrowed only, nurtured and shared with other beings, seen and unseen, known and unknown to ordinary Kadazandusun and most importantly passed as legacy to succeeding generations. Being the first natives to the land, Kadazandusuns share the same indigenous peoples' global view that: "The land is a gift from creator God (Kinoingan Minamangun) – that nourishes, supports and teaches. Mother Earth is the centre of the universe, the core of their culture and the origin of their identity as a people. The land connects them with their past (as the home of their ancestors), with the present (as a provider of their material needs) and with the future (as the legacy they hold in trust for their children and grand children)." © Julian Burger 32. To live in discipline, peace and harmony, and to co-exist symbiotically and responsibly the Kadazandusuns accept the heritage Adat laws as God-given divine-human laws. In the words of Aborigine Pat Dodson33: “We belong to the land; our birth does not sever the cord of life which comes from the land. Our spirituality, our culture and our social life depends on it.” -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------
36 Native Hawaiian, Hayden Burgess34 declared that, “The Earth is the foundation of Indigenous Peoples, it is the seat of spirituality, the fountain from which our cultures and languages flourish. The Earth is our historian, the keeper of events and the bones of our forefathers. It provides us with food, medicine, shelter and clothing. It is the source of our independence. It is our Mother. We do not dominate her; we harmonize with her”. From the Kadazandusun Momolian beliefs perspectives the philosophical essence of Kadazandusuns as special creation of the Creator Couple (Kinoingan and Sumundu) and placed to live in dusuns on earth for a while may be stated as follows: KADAZANDUSUN EXISTENTIAL ESSENCE KADAZANDUSUN = KADAZAN + DUSUN WHERE: KADAZAN35 = GOD-CREATED TEMPLE OF KODUDUO DIWATO (SOUL/SPIRIT; DIVINITY IN HUMANITY) © Deduced from the Lotud Tuaran Mamahui Pogun Rinait (vs 12-15) of Bolungkitas Odun Rinduman @ Uwoi Bialah DUSUN36 = HUMINODUN ENHANCED (EDEN LIKE) GARDENS IN THE FORESTS FOR THE KADAZANS) © Deduced from the Tangaa’ Penampang Rinaits transcripts by Michael M. Subinon on Ponompuhan's Sacrifice in "The Kadazan Mythology" (pp 93-108). -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ 3.3 Kadazandusun as a Multi-Ethnic Generic Shared Common Identity of Definitive First Sabahan Natives Kadazandusun is the shared common generic identity for 45 multi-ethnic native communities of Sabah bonded by similar worldviews, beliefs, cultural values and heritage laws (adat) domains and customary practices comprising the Dusunic, Ida'anic, Murutic, Paitanic, Momogun Rungus and Kadazan Tangaa’ speech communities.
37 The KDCA Constitution (2022), Article 6 (1) defines the Kadazandusuns as the definitive indigenous peoples of Sabah comprising the following cultural communities and dialectical ethnic groups: 1. Bonggi 15. Lundayo 29. Sukang 43. Subpan 2. Bundu 16. Makiang 30. Sungei 44. Tagahas 3. Dumpas 17. Malapi 31. Tatana 45. Tinagas 4. Gana 18. Mangkaak 32. Tangara 5. Garo 19. Minokok 33. Tidong 6. Ida’an 20. Murut 34. Tindal 7. Kadayan 21. Nabai 35. Tobilung 8. Kimaragang 22. Paitan 36. Tolinting 9. Kolobuan 23. Pingas 37. Tombonuo 10. Kuijau 24. Rumanau 38. Tuhawon 11. Lingkabau 25. Rungus 39. Tutung 12. Liwan 26. Sinabu 40. Bisaya 13. Lobu 27. Sinorupu 41. Bagahak 14. Lotud 28. Sonsogon 42. Gobukon and persons whose mother tongue is any of the above dialect and who habitually practices and expresses the traditions, custom and other cultural manifestations of the same. 37 Based on multi-ethnic collective self-determination through organizational congress and Delegates' Conferences that began with the 1. Kadazan (Comon Generic Identity) Resolution 196138, followed by the 2. Kadazandusun (Cultural Association) Resolution 198939, the 3. Kadazandusun (Language) Resolution 199540 and the 4. Kadazandusun (Common Generic Identity) Resolution 200441, the term Kadazandusun has been re-affirmed repeatedly and hence adopted by majority Kadazandusuns as their multi-ethnic shared common generic identity, led by the Kadazandusun Cultural Association Sabah (KDCA @ "Koisaan", as a pioneer and largest indigenous peoples' cultural organization in Sabah, which began its activities in the early 1950's, but was officially registered on April 29, 1966 42, as required by law under the new Registrar od Societies Act 1966. The Malaysian Government has since 2007 officially recognized Kadazandusun as the official name of the language of the Kadazandusuns to be taught in the formal school system and approved a permanent Kadazandusun Chair at the local University Malaysia Sabah (UMS). NB: Kadayan @ Kadazan and Dusun + Muruts = 1Kadazandusun By way of the Kadazan Resolution 1961, Muruts have been accepted as Kadazans43.
38
39 4. The "Kadazan" and "Kadazandusun" Resolutions - (1961, 1989, 1995 & 2004) 4.1 The “Kadazan” Resolution 1961 The Kadazandusuns have come from a long-long way to where they are now. Theirs have been a history of many labelling, naming and callings such as Pagans of North Borneo, Wild Men of Borneo, Idahans, Dusuns, Pribumi, Bumiputra, natives/Anak Negeri, KDM and Others/Dan Lain-lain. Somehow the Brunei Malays managed to orient the European colonial governments and the Chinese Traders to commonly refer to all the first indigenous peoples of Sabah as Dusuns based on their mixed farming way of life thus earning the description of gardeners in the forest or people of the orchards. True to their mode of farming and living one-with the forests, the Polynesian Malay (Austronesian) term “dusun” was indeed a good general description of the Kadazandusuns of yesteryears and in a way is still relevant today for the Kadazandusuns still maintain their “dusuns” - gardens in the forests. However, for their identity as a people, the Kadazandusuns somehow seldom if at all, used the term “dusun” to refer to themselves as clearly stated by colonial writers who first encountered them and wrote about them, including famous authors like Edward Owen Rutter and American anthropologist Dr George. N. Appell (1968) who noted and strongly stated that: “It is important to emphasize that the term, which stems from folk classification of the inhabitants of Borneo by groups foreign to them, is not based on any ethnic distinction recognized by the inhabitants themselves. Consequently, there is no self-conscious Dusun population and the term is not recognized by the members of many of these Dusun speaking societies. Thus the referent of the term Dusun then and now is far from clear and remains ambiguous”. © Gundohing Robert Munang fb postimg (23/11/2013)
40 What was true on the ground then was that the Kadazandusuns had their own unique communal identities according to their geographical and historical landmarks such as Tindals in Kota Belud, Liwans in Ranau, Kuijaus in Bingkor Keningau, Momoguns in Kudat, Lotuds of Tuaran, Tuhawon of Tambunan etc… However, of being humans and in relation to their cosmological worldviews, they profoundly refer to themselves as Kadayan @ Kadazan as derived from their momolian (shamanic) rinaits (mantric recitals) since from time immemorial. In the meantime, the mighty pen of the colonial government administration had chosen the term “dusun” to register the multi-ethnic natives of Sabah in their birth certificates, in census and other official administrative documents (but not without cautionary notes) and so over time the dictated identity became slowly accepted and even developed its own sentimental values and attachments over time especially after being fanned by the political tactics of ‘divide and rule”. “It should be explained that the Dusun is mainly a generic name given by others to a collection of various tribes having a common tongue and common customs and that the name Dusun is not ordinarily used by these tribes themselves.” © Colony of North Borneo, Annual Report, 1955:10 Furthermore, when the International Linguistic Researchers, such as Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL), did their broad family classifications of the Bornean Austronesian Languages they again used the “Dusun” as foundation for the natives’ linguistic identities and hence the 3 major classifications of language families of Sabah comprises: Dusunic, Paitanic and Murutic, all under Bornean Stock. Knowledge, understanding, piety and fortitude must have guided the multi-ethnic Kadazandusuns in 1961 to resolve that they are all one as Kadazans, and they certainly were on course of truth because from the Momolian rinaits (Shamanic mantric verses), since time immemorial, the term Kadayan @ Kadazan has always been regarded as the sacred divine-given reference to God-created humans as elucidated in the following rinait verses: “Kadayan tinidong do Minamangun Tulun winorun do Kinorohingan Pinosunduan nu Diwato Linodunan nu Gumokud Diwato Kosunduan Gumokud Kolodunan Sunduan Tutumanud do Kadayan Lodun Koduduo do Koulunan” © Odun Rinduman, Uwoi Bialah (Tantagas Chief (Bolungkitas) from Kg. Panjut Tuaran, The above rinait verses means that "Kadayan is God’s own creation into whom He emplaced his own spiritual part known as Diwato, the life-time spiritual companion of Kadayan". So in effect Kadayan or sacred human is the physical manifestation of the twin mysteries of Divinity in Humanity (Kosunduan doid Koulunan) and Humanity in Divinity (Koulunan id Kosunduan). This is the very reason why the Lotuds of Tuaran and Telipok and the Bundu and Dusuns Tamparuli Tenghilan and Kelawat to the North of Kota Kinabalu and the Kadayans of Sipitang, the Bisayas and Tatana of Beaufort and Kuala Penyu to the South West of Sabah used to refer to people as Kadayan in yesteryears, whilst in Penampang and Papar Districts the natives refer to themselves as Kadazans up to this very day. Beyond Sabah, but within Borneo it is heartening to note that the Dayaks also used the term “Kadayans” to alternatively refer to themselves in Kalimantan. This was revealed by Drs Cornelius Kimha, President of Kalimantan Dayak Foundation (KDF) the Majlis Adat Dayak Nasional (MADN) consultant from Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia during the recent KDCA-MADN cultural dialogue at KDCA Head Office at Hongkod Koisaan Penampang, Sabah on March 9, 2016. © Drs Cornelius Kimha, (Centre Pix):Kuching, Sarawak 16/6/2016
41 We cannot blame outsiders for simplifying our identity because of the mind-boggling diverse ethnic and speech communities’ identities that they use for themselves, but it is time we give due recognition and appreciation to our very own Kadazandusun elders and how, based on their own self-determination, they went about to resolve our common identity and put to correct course the making of our own history. It is not an option but it is our duty to know our history and value the lives of those elders and leaders that gave their lives for the harmonious unity and cooperation of the Kadazandusuns as the foremost Indigenous People of Sabah based on Adat protocol of sumuku-misuku mitimbungak pomagon piumpangayan, and hence the first historic United National Kadazan Organization Conference was held on August 6-7, 1961 at the Jesselton Community Centre, now (Kota Kinabalu Community Centre). © sourced from Sabah State Archives We need to know our history, understand, respect and uphold the wisdom of our Kadazandusun leading elders and the lasting gifts of their spirit of 1961, “all for one and one for all, united we stand divided we fall” (Alexandre Dumas) if we, the Kadazandusuns as the foremost Indigenous People of Sabah desire move, grow and develop ever onwards with our unique God given blessings and dignity in humanity or else we become those whom Edmund Burke referred to as people who don’t know their history and are thus doomed to repeat it. -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------
42 JESSELTON: “Kadazan delegates from all over the Colony are making their way to Jesselton for the United National Kadazan Organization (UNKO) National Conference which is to be held over the weekend.” © North Borneo News & Sabah Times – Friday, August 4, 1961 © sourced from Sabah State Archives Within the most difficult circumstances of those times in 1961, in terms of distances and lack of proper communication and transportation systems, the multi-ethnic Kadazandusun district chiefs and village chiefs, community leaders, elders and representatives from all over Sabah including from Labuan Island and Seria Brunei, for the first time ever in their history as the foremost indigenous people of North Borneo (Sabah) converged to the state capital Jesselton ( Kota Kinabalu) to confer and charter the course of their history at the dawn of their political consciousness and the necessity for self determination. Theirs was a vision then for unity in multi-ethnic diversity of being the foremost indigenous people of Sabah and they gave their lives and times for the fulfillment of that vision. Never before the 1961 National Kadazandusun conference had there been such a multi-ethnic, regional and districts representations to discuss their shared vision, goals, hopes and commitment for their future generations. They could not be wrong in self-determining then that they are all one Kadazan people sharing common socio-cultural heritage, worldviews, beliefs, customary laws (adat) and a multi-dialectical language with high intelligibilities amongst them. They set up the very foundation upon which the 40 ethnic communities have since then united harmoniously under the Kadazan (now Kadazandusun) generic identity which has sacred divine attributes, meanings and purposes for them.
43 As part of the inheritors of the harmonious peace and unity in multi-ethnic diversity legacy founded by our visionary multi-ethnic leaders in 1961, the KDCA hereby pay its highest tribute and respect with gratitude the enormous group sacrifices of all the Kadazandusun representatives who participated in the first historic United National Kadazan Organization (UNKO) Conference which was held on August 6-7, 1961 at the then Jesselton Community Centre, (Kota Kinabalu Community Centre), all the way from the following districts: 1. Kudat: The Rungus delegation walked and travelled a great distance to attend the UNKO conference. Orang Tua Madalag, OKK Angkangon Mogupis and about a dozen of Rungus Headmen and fifty others from Kudat walked to Kota Belud and from there made their way to Jesselton by land rovers to attend the 1st historic UNKO Conference on August 6-7, 1961. The Secretary of the Kudat Kadazan Association, Mr Michael Wong was also with the Delegation. 2. Bandau: The Group delegation was headed by Native Chief Jamari and Orang Tua Assan Gaban 3. Labuan: The group delegation from Labuan comprised, Messrs Liduin Laban, Jimmy Grant, Chin Kuichai, Nyrol Ewan and Dahlan Rice-Oxley 4. Ranau: Mr Ganie Gilong (Tan Sri Ghani Gilong) and seven chiefs plus a number of other Ranau community leaders 5. Keningau: A high level delegation from Keningau comprised the Honourable OKK Datuk Sundang MBE and En. Mohd Arif Salleh (Bingkor), OKK Tambakau MBE, (Sino-Native-Pekan Keningau) OKK Datuk Angian (Apin-Apin), Datuk Anthony Undan (Keningau) and others. 6. Kalabakan: Orang Tua Sulaiman bin OT Imam Salleh headed the delegation of the Tidong community 7. Seria, Brunei: A small delegation from Seria, Brunei also participated in the UNKO National Conference. Although it is not stated in the papers, the Serian delegation could only be representatives from the Dusun Tutung community. 8. Membakut: Datuk Dulau 9. Papar: Datuk Amadeus Leong 10. Beluran: OKK Anthony Nikol 11. Tawau: Mr Primus Sikayun 12. Menggatal: Orang Tua Kingas and Mr Stephen Tibok 13. Inanam OKK Majimbun 14. Penampang: Datuk Peter Mojuntin, Lim Hong Ghee, Sikopit Siganul, Richard Yap 15. Kinarut: OKK Lajingah 16. Tuaran: OKK Nonon Anad / OKK Indan Kari 17. Kiulu: OKK Gitas Sabanda and Native Chief Amir Johari 18. Kota Belud: Tonggou and Sarigan 19. Tenom: OKK Langkai and Native Chief Sangau 20. Bundu Tuhan: Native Chief Lawrence Masri 21. Nabawan: OKK Said Sigoh Besar 22. Tambunan: Datuk Anthony Gibon, Datuk Amit Guyah and Mr Marcus Otigil And lest we forget, those unnamed representatives from: 23. Beaufort 24. Sipitang 25. Sandakan. NB: Facts of these representations has been mainly sourced from archived newspapers but also corroborated and augmented by interviewees in the persons of Tan Sri Hj Abdul Ghani Gilong, Datuk Ayub Aman (2016) and the late Datuk Fred Sinidol and the late Datuk Amit Guyah who were interviewed by KCA (Benedict Topin) way back in 1981. It is also acknowledged that many of those who attended the conference may never be known as their names were not written in documents but shall always be borne in mind. -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------
44 4. 1.2 Why Muruts too are Kadazandusun? There are of course those who continue to criticise KDCA for the inclusion of Muruts under the generic name Kadazandusun as the Murutic Language and the Kadazandusun Languages have a low cross-intelligibility and comprehension. However, the KDCA would rather respect the wisdom of the past Kadazandusun and Murut leaders who painstakingly debated and voted for unity at the First Kadazan National Congress on August 6&7, 1961, than let politically charged critics destroy the harmonious goodwill and brotherhood established, enjoyed and lived so far. The strengthening of unity among the multi-ethnic natives as a result of their agreement to be known as Kadazans then have certainly paved the way for greater harmony, peace and cooperation among the definitive natives of Sabah, now dubbed as the living example of 1Malaysia. © sourced from Sabah State Archives Beyond and above language differences and barriers, the Muruts inclusion as part of the family of the Kadazans was based on shared cultural heritage and most importantly by way of motion, debate and voting by overwhelming majority of the 1st Kadazan National Congress 1961.
45 Kadazan Resolution 1961: "Kadazan it is after 3 hours debate" and "Muruts are Kadazans" too. During the 1st ever Kadazan National Congress (August 6-7, 1961) at the Jesselton Community Centre, a historic event was achieved for the unity in diversity of the multi-ethnic Kadazans, Dusuns, Rungus, Muruts and Paitanic Communities. Native's ethnic communities' representative-delegates from all over Sabah including delegates from Seria Brunei debated for hours, voted and resolved based on their own self-determination that hence forth they shall all be commonly identified as Kadazans including the Muruts. The motion that "Muruts are Kadazans and that they would be welcomed as members of UNKO" was tabled by Datuk G.S. Sundang himself. Delegates Leaders of the United National Kadazan Organization (UNKO) declared that they would return home and tell their people about the decision taken during the conference and would do everything possible to explain and they know that the people would accept the name which the people have chosen for themselves. There was a loud and prolonged applause as each of the speakers concluded their address that they would give of their best to support UNKO. Datuk G.S. Sundang, as Vice President of UNKO then said that he was glad that the people who had been known as Muruts had also been included as Kadazans and he would explain to them when he returned to his area of the need for all Kadazans to work together. © North Borneo News & Sabah Times (August 9, 1961) - Sabah State Archives -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------
46 4.2 The "Kadazandusun" Resolution 1 (1989) Guided by the meaning of Kadayan @ Kadazan as God created and divine spirited people and considering the term Dusun in essence means “stewards of the land” with diversity farms and gardens in the forest, combining the terms into Kadazandusun can appropriately define the meanings and purposes of the existential beings of the “Kadazans as divine-human stewards of the land practicing biodiversity (dusunic) agronomy”. The term “Kadazandusun” was thus mooted in 1989 in one of the Kadazan Cultural Association’s monthly central committee meetings. The deliberations took into consideration the Linguists’ arbitrary presentation of the ‘Bornean Language Stock and families’ wherein the term ‘Kadazan’ was not used in the current linguistic family classification. It was therefore thought to be more appropriate to place the term ‘Dusun’ (the denominator) after ‘Kadazan’ (the numerator) so that the unified identity would be Kadazandusun and that their language could also be referred to as Kadazandusun. It is undeniable that numerous families have split Dusun/Kadazan identities of their members following the haphazard recording of ethnic/racial identities in their Birth Certificates wherein parents were recorded as Dusuns before 1961, while their children have been recorded as Kadazans after 1961 and especially after Malaysia was formed in 1963. KCA also noted the fact that the Kadazan vs Dusun sentiment was still continuing to create havoc on the promotion of Kadazan Resolution 1961, as picked up and highlighted by Datuk G S Sundang himself when he was interviewed and quoted by Daily Express on March 18, 1989 and reprinted on January 6, 2018: © Daily Express Reprint - Archives /12 - Know Sabah's History: January 6, 2018 Obviously, the objection is on the move to adopt Kadazan as generic name and disregard the Dusun identity and as claimed Dk G S Sundang, he was indeed not alone in having this concern as USDA leaders too had just earlier that week expressed their continuing efforts to defend the Dusun identity
47 The March 13, 1989 article, reprinted by Daily Express dated 6/1/2018, presented certain contradictory quoted statements seemingly by Datuk G S Sundang himself that he did not attend the 1st UNKO National Conference in 1961. Revelations of the North Borneo News and Sabah Times, dated "Jesselton, Wednesday, 9th August, 1961", however, clearly stated that Datuk G S Sundang certainly did attend the UNKO's 1st National Conference and that he was the one who tabled the motion that "the conference accepts and considers that the people known as Muruts are also Kadazans". The North Borneo News and Sabah Times, dated Monday, 7th August, 1961 also stated that: "OKK Sundang also spoke and said that instead of having a controversy as to whether the name to adopt was Dusun or Kadazan, it would be better to adopt an alternative name and suggested "Pasok Momogun" as a suitable name as it signified "people of the country", but his proposal was debated by many of the speakers thereafter, who said that the "people of Australia" are also "pasok Momogun" of Australia and so on. At the same conference, The Kudat Rungus Representatives strangely enough all agreed that the name should be Kadazan and refereed to their people as Kadazan people. The Bandau Delegation also spoke in favour of Kadazan." With all the fore-goings, the KCA working committee on Kadazandusun as Generic Identity headed by the then KCA Secretary General, Gundohing Bernard G Dompok had enough rationale to draft the Kadazandusun Resolution to instill the meaning that Kadazans and Dusuns are equally the same people and thus should rightly be commonly called and known as "Kadazandusun". The new unified common identity term ‘Kadazandusun’ was thus tabled, conscientiously debated for a few hours and was finally unanimously passed as a resolution during the 5th Kadazan Cultural Association’s Delegates Conference on November 4 & 5, 1989. The unifed term “Kadazandusun” was thus unanimously adopted as the best alternative generic identity as well as the most appropriate approach to resolve the “Kadazan” or “Dusun” identity crisis. With all ‘Kadazans’ and ‘Dusuns’ combined confidence and shared determination to resolve the long overdue issue, there is every reason for the Kadazandusuns to finally succeed in their establishment of a common cultural identity for a united, cooperative and progressive community ever onwards. For at last even as they are multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-dialectical, the Kadazandusuns have found a unifying and consoling sense of dignity and brotherhood in being referred to (as well as in referring to themselves) as one Kadazandusuns, the foremost indigenous peoples of Sabah. Thereafter, the conference also passed the resolution to amend the KCA constitution and change the name of the association from Kadazan Cultural Association (KCA) to Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA). It must be remembered that behind the motion and resolution to adopt “Kadazandusun” as the generic identity for the Paitanic, Murutic, Kadazanic and Dusunic communities, was also the great challenge advanced by the then USDA’s President, Datuk Mark Koding to KCA in 1982. He challenged then that the moment the term “Dusun” is one with the Kadazans and emplaced within the Kadazan Cultural Association to become Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA), he (Datuk Mark Koding) would see to it that USDA would then be de-registered for unity sake. As a man of his words, USDA was indeed de-registered during Dk Mark Koding’s last few years of life. © The late Datuk Mark Koding, former President of USDA Unfortunately, after the passing away of Datuk Mark Koding, some politicians in Tuaran revived USDA as basis for their own political survival. However, there are those Tuaran Lotud Leaders who did not support the move to revive USDA and so they finally set up their new Suang Lotud Association in 2010 and applied to be group member of KDCA later in 2013.
48 ROS Approved the change of KCA to KDCA on 25/09/1991 © Koisaan Gallery Tan Sri Datuk Herman Luping (1994) asserts that the Kadazandusuns are the “definitive” original peoples of Sabah, using the term favoured by Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad for the Malays. Certainly there exist under-current views (since the colonial days) that Muslim groups (Bajau, Suluk, Brunei, Iranons and various other natives of Philippines and Indonesia), should be regarded as subsequent Sabahan Immigrant natives, while the Kadazandusuns of Sabah should be regarded as the foremost indigenous peoples (Definitive Natives) of Sabah. Unfortunately, the ambiguous definition of Sabahan natives by the colonialists has promoted Sabah as land for immigrants. As a result, the natives’ population ratio, in relation to Sabahanised immigrants, has been continuously dwindling over the years. © Tan Sri Herman J. Luping - Koisaan Gallery
49 4.3 THE KADAZANDUSUN LANGUAGE RESOLUTION 1995 4.3.1 KADAZANDUSUN – The Official Name of the Language of the Kadazandusuns (January 24, 1995) The Official language of the Kadazandusuns is Kadazandusun, based on the Bunduliwan dialect and enriched by other sub-ethnic Kadazandusun dialects. There was a long drawn tussle between KDCA and USDA in naming of the Kadazan or Dusun language to be taught in School. The Federal Ministry of Education then finally wrote to KDCA that the two associations must seek agreement as to the name of the language for teaching in School before they can give the final approval. Thus on January 24, 1994, the KDCA and USDA signed a joint agreement declaration that: I. KADAZANDUSUN shall be the official language of both KDCA and USDA; II. KADAZANDUSUN shall be the language used in written and oral teachings and learning of Kadazandusun Pupil’s Own Language (POL); III. KADAZANDUSUN as a language, shall be used by all Kadazandusun ethnic groups, without preventing the usage of all other local dialects; IV. KADAZANDUSUN be conserved and propagated for the benefits of all Malaysians who wish to learn the KADAZANDUSUN language; V. JOINT RESPONSIBILITY is necessary to promote the KADAZANDUSUN language at local, national and international levels, especially to those who wish to learn and conduct researches on the KADAZANDUSUN language. The signatories to this historic document were: The Huguan Siou, Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Datuk Kitingan, on behalf of KDCA in his capacity as KDCA’s President, and Datuk Mark Koding, on behalf of USDA in his capacity as USDA’s President. The signing ceremony was witnesses and signed by both Secretary Generals of KDCA and USDA, in the persons of Datuk Wilfred Bumburing and Gundohing Raymond Tombung respectively. -----------------------------------ooOoo------------------------------------ 4.3.2 BUNDULIWAN – The Official Dialect of the Kadazandusun Language (April 11, 1995) On April 11, 1995, KDCA and USDA once more made a Joint Agreement Declaration that: The BUNDULIWAN dialect shall be the dialectical foundation for the standardization of the Kadazandusun Language for the purpose of teaching and learning the language orally and in writing as Pupil’s Own Language (POL); The BUNDULIWAN dialect shall continue to be enriched by vocabular resources from the other dialects under the KADAZANDUSUNIC and PAITANIC linguistic families; For the promotion of the KADAZANDUSUN language, a KADAZANDUSUN LANGUAGE CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL shall be set up, to function as an authoritative