Race Traditional

The Traditional Costume of Papar Kadazan-Dusun Women

Costumes Gallery
The Colours, Cloth & Costumes Gallery

The Colour, Cloth and Costumes gallery exhibits the various traditional attire of the indigenous groups of Sabah. On show are the traditional costumes, headgear and personal ornaments of the seven main groups of people representing the Austonesian peoples of Sabah.

Each group wears customes that are distinctive in form, patterns, motifs and colour schemes that are typical and characteristic of their respective tribe and district. Culturally different groups who live in close proximity have many similarity in their traditional costumes.

Customs Dusun

Pesta Kaamatan

Handicrafts

Customs Bajau

Rungus Longhouse

Longhouses have been associated with primitive living.

But then all peoples were once primitive, starting with basic shelters like living in caves and using stone tools.

The Rungus, a sub-tribe of the Kadazandusun indigenous ethnic group, who are found only in the Kudat and Bengkoka Peninsular in northern tip of Sabah (or Borneo for that matter), and descendants of the Austronesian stock, would qualify as a rare tribe. Given that they number only 40,000, this population is marginal in the context of world population.

Of interest to many is that substantial numbers of them still live in traditional longhouses. While a longhouse may appear to be simple structure made easily of weather and time worn materials like palm leaves for roofing, bamboos for floors, fragile barks for walling, flimsy timbers for supports, and elaborate knots, which beat most people, have for centuries been used to tie everything firmly in place.

A Rungus longhouses does not begin as one. It usually starts with a father building a single apartment which comprises a raised sleeping area sharing an enclosed room with the hearth and dining place. Immediately outside the doors is a four feet wide corridor across a wide, raised section which serves as a multi functional area for weaving or sleeping area for friends and relatives.

When children grow up and start their own families, they add more apartments similarly structured, laterally, thus creating a longhouse. Relatives may, with permission, join in adding more apartments. Hence, a Rungus longhouse is a very close-knit family complex.

Just as many Chinese use geomancy (Fung-shui meaning wind and water factors) to select housing sites and where a house should face to maximise the positive influences of wind and water, the Rungus too, has their own concepts and systems to determine a site. For instance, a priestess called Bobohizan may instruct seven grains be placed on the ground and left covered under a ritual ceramic bowl for one night or for seven days. If the grains remain intact after the bowl is removed, the site is considered good. If one or two grains are missing, the omens are not good. Under close study, this may even have some scientific basis. However, the Rungus longhouse is always built on an east-west axis, which keeps the interior cool in the tropical heat.

A cultural adventure to see or live in one could make a stimulating study and experience.

When a total solar eclipse (100 percent darkness) passed over the Rungus district of Mattunggong near Kudat on 24 October 1995, many eclipse enthusiasts from Japan, Singapore, Europe, Canada and United States, including space scientist Professor John Parkinson of the London University College, chose to stay at a Rungus longhouse to wait for the dramatic moment when total darkness enveloped the area just after mid-day. It was logical that when one goes to a Rungus territory to watch a momentous event like a total solar eclipse, one should cap that highlight of one's life with a stay in a Rungus longhouse.

"To me, it was simply awesome", remarked Times Magazine based correspondent, Helen Chang, an American born Chinese, of her longhouse stay.

For most people, it would make an exciting chapter of their life, to stay in a longhouse, to feel, hear, smell, touch, see the culture and experience a unique Sabah country scene.

Kota Belud

Kota Belud, 70km northeast of capital city Kota Kinabalu, is one of Sabah's most scenic and culturally rich districts.

Its captivating beauty is immediately apparent with just a short drive into its hinterland where the visitor can see the entire western profile of Southeast Asia's highest peak, Mount Kinabalu (4,095m) soaring majestically in the backdrop above lovely rice plains through which the tempestuous Tampasuk River roars with rushing torrents of pristine waters fed by huge mountain catchments.

Villages House

Kota Belud Fled

Race And Traditional Producers Of Sabah.

What kind of people live in the land of eco-treasures? All kinds, colours and creeds. The population of about 2 million comprises over 30 different races speaking over 80 local dialects. The beautiful thing is all these diverse ethnic groups live together harmoniously while at the same time preserving their own culture, traditions, festivals and coustoms, to make Sabah a multiculturally exotic experience unlike any other.

The largest ethnic group, the Kadazans / Dusuns, make up about a third of the population. These are prosperous agricultural rice producers of Sabah, although in recent times, many have found success in moderm professions. They are well known for their unique customs that feature female priestesses called "bobohizan" presiding over still practised ancient rituals.

Costoms Rungus (Sumazau)

As far back as 5,000 years ago there have been Autronesian settlers in Sabah and these ancestors of the Dusunic, Murutic and Paitanic Families brought with them their own particular customs and beliefs, religion and language. As long ago as 4,000 BC the seeds of Sabah’s culture were sown.

Among the descendants of these early settlers, the Dusunic Family with 14 distinct languages now forms the largest of Sabah indigenous groups. This family includes the Kadazan, Kuijau, Lotud and Rungus. Traditionally rice growers, the Rungus in particular are renowned orchardists, many from the Dusunic groups today have moved from padi fields and farms into bigger towns and are successful professionals.

As regards religion, a majority of this family are Christians, some have embraced Islam but whatever their religion, the Dusunic people, especially the old, still hold on to the animistic customs and beliefs that were practiced by their ancestors long before the advent of other religions into the State. The may still consult their Bobohizans or Bobolians (female spirit mediums) in matters concerning health and marriage. One can still see them perform important ceremonies such as during the Kaamatan (Harvest) Festival, and often a Bobohizan is asked to perform exorcism. For the Lotud in the Tuaran district, Tantagas (ritual specialist) are also skilled in performing rain-making ceremonies.

Then there is the Murutic Family, which contains 12 languages. Murut means "hill people" and they rarely use Murut is reference to themselves. Instead, they go by their individual tribal names, like Timugon, Gana, Nabai and Tagal/Sumambu.

Intrepid headhunters in the past, collecting heads of enemies as athletes would gold medals, the Murutic people are mostly shifting cultivators, river fisherman, and any hunting done these days is restricted to blowpiping four-legged creatures only.

Of certain fascination is the Murutic custom regarding death. The ceremony is held over several days and the day after a person dies, the corpse is arranged in such a way so as to return it to its foetal position. The body is then placed in an earthern jar. Small personal belongings are often included and then a gong is placed over the mouth of the jar to close it.

In the meantime, a special platform has been built outside the deceased’s house and it is here that the jar stays for a few more days until burial. A grave hut is built over the grave. The hut is colourfully painted and decorated, and after burial the rest of the deceased’s belongings are put inside the hut. This custom of jar burials however, is becoming rare with wooden coffins increasingly preferred especially in villages close to larger towns. Grave huts, on the other hand, can still be seen today.

The Bajaus are skilled fishmen as well as good rice cultivators. They are also experts in rearing ponies and water buffaloes. Dubbed "The Cowboys of the East", they are renowned for their horsemanship. Catch them every Sunday and on festiv occasions at the picturesque Kota Belud "Tamu" when they deck up in their resplendent traditional costumes riding brightly decorated ponies.

Another of Sabah’s groups is the Bajau people. The Bajau along with the Suluk, Irranun and Obian people from Southern Philippines landed on the shores of Sabah around 200 years ago. Adding more diversity to Sabah’s culture, this now mainly Muslim people were once known as Sea Gypsies because of their seafaring ways in the past. Many have since traded their sea vessels and fishing gear for farm tools and some, like the Kota Belud Bajau, are excellent buffalo rearers.

For most of Sabah’s indigenous groups, the water-buffalo is a truly valuable animal. It forms a major part of a bride wealth and the more special a maiden is, the more buffaloes she is likely to fetch. For a good sized buffalo, a buffalo rearer can ask for more than RM1,000.

The Kota Belud Bajau have also been referred to as ‘Cowboys of the East’ because of their highly-skilled horsemanship, and they are the famous Bajau Horsemen. Astride ponies decorated with tiny bells and colourful reins and cloths, the horsemen, in less elaborate gear themselves, often take part in State celebrations.

Customs Bajau

The Muruts reside mainly in the hinterland where many still live in traditional communal longhoues. Once feared for their head hunting, the Muruts are great hunters with spears, blowpipes and poisoned darts. It is a rare treat to join one of their weddings, famous throughout the land for their elaborate displays of bridewealth, dancing and feasting.

Probably the most popular festival in Sabah is the "Pesta Kaamatan", This is a Harvest Festival of the Kadazans / Dusuns celebrated in May, featuring traditional dances including one of the high priestess bobohizan in search of rice spirits in a trance. Other festivals include Hari Raya, celebrated by the Muslim community and Chinese New Year celebrated by the Chinese and Chistmas celebrated by the Chistainese community.

Sabah’s culture is further enriched by other immigrants from long ago such as Chinese who came in the 1800s and settled in Kampung Mumiang at the mouth of the Kinabatangan River. Although miles and more than a century removed from mainland China, Sabah’s Chinese still retain their individual culture. In fact, the various Chinese groups, for example the Hakka, Hokkien and Teochew each have their own clubs and associations, which were formed mainly to keep their customs and traditions intact.

The Chinese form the largest non-indigenous group in the State and have contributed much to Sabah’s economic development. They also brighten Sabah’s festive year with events like the colourful Dragon Boat race, Moon Cake Festival and the ever-boisterous Chinese New Year.

A smaller non-indigenous group is the Indian community and like all the other ethnic groups here, the Indians too, managed to keep their own identity.

Overall. There are approximately 55 major linguistic ethnic groups in Sabah and over 100 dialects. It is this multiracial make-up which has turned Sabah into an enigma but albeit a fascinating experience which one would be hard pressed to put into a single definition

Rungus Longhouses

Bisaya house

Iranun house

Brunei house

Murut Longhouse

Bajau house

Suluk house

Chinese house

>The fertile alluvial soil washed down from Mount Kinabalu and its hills to form vast plains and a rich coastal fishing ground, attracted vastly divergent ethnic groups such as the famed horse loving Bajau, who reportedly came from Johore in the Malay Peninsular, the Irranun believed to have come from Mindanao, Phillipines and the Obians, all of whom are Muslims, to the river mouths, three tribes of traditionally animist Dusuns namely Dusun Tampasuk, Dusun Tindal and Dusun Tabilung, who settle in the interior valleys and hills, who share a district of 1,385 sq.km in size.

The discerning visitor will find Kota Belud's diversity of traditional costumes, dances, music and ceremonies as reflected in their hand-made product a cultural treasure.

For instance, while the Bajau men are famous for their horse-riding showmanship, to the extent that they have been branded "Cowboys of the East", Bajau women are also well known for their fine woven cloth called Dastar which is very colourfully interwoven with red, yellow, green, orange, gold and white thread into floral patterns.

The best time to view Kota Belud's striking cultural potpourri is the annual Grand Tamu Besar which is scheduled in the month of November, when all the tribes will come out fully donned in their respective traditional costumes for a cultural extravaganza.

Seawards, untouched mangrove swamps spread widely across river mouths in thriving wetlands where it is even possible to sight some families of the rare and bizarre long nosed Proboscis Monkeys in addition to a much talked about natural bird sanctuary that teems with egrets, especially in the evening when they come to roost.

On that day, the Bajaus will come out in full force to stage a grand parade of ponies in resplendent costume dresses and a spirited display of their riding skills.

Kota Belud is famous for its weekly Sunday Tamu (rural trade fair) where items offered for sale range from hill rice to water buffaloes.

A Rungus Traditional Headdress. The Lotud man folds it with the number of points signifying the number of wives he has.

The seven groups represented in the gallery are:

Bajau
Kadazan Penampang
Lotud
Rungus
Suluk
Murut
Dusun Tindal

Customs Murut

Handicrafts

Batu Punggul

Hardcore adventurers who fancy a foray deep into Sabah's interior heartland can consider climbing Batu Punggul, a limestone massif complete with caves, perched right by the bank of Sapulut River.

The area is remotely sited in the centre of southern Sabah, which is close to the Indonesian Kalimantan border.

To get there, the visitor must be prepared to spend a whole day on the road and on a riverboat. The trip starts from Kota Kinabalu by road to Sapulut, then an upriver jungle Murut hamlet from where a motorised boat ride takes another two to three hours up the winding Sapulut River.

Awaiting the visitor at the destination is a semi-government agency owned rustic traditional Murut style resort with a choice of accommodation such as a Murut longhouse, native huts (called Sulap), hostel, and guesthouse complete with modern facilities.

Cave exploration is fair with sights of stalactites, stalagmites and bats. The Rafflesia, the world's largest flower, can be seen during the 25 minutes walk from the caves during the flowering season.

Many varieties of wild orchids are found here too.

And it is possible to climb to the top of the limestone from where one can get panoramic view of the surrounding forest canopy. At night, one can listen to the rousing "music" from the nature's "symphony" or "orchestra"!

But how is it that a limestone massif, which usually originates in coastal area, is found in the heart of Borneo Island? Dutch geologist, Yapp Vermulen, who visited the site in the late 80's, said that millions of years ago, the area was probably an ocean floor thousands of feet deep, where corals could not possibly develop. His reasoning was based on rocks found on the Sapulut River bed, such as Chert conglomerate which can only be formed under immense pressure in waters no less than 3,000 ft deep. Vermulen reasoned that the limestone must have got there after a "slump", that is, a big chunk of coastal reef which faced seaward, that grew prolifically, fanned by wave action, eventually became so heavy it broke away from the main reef and rolled out far into the ocean bed.

He said the main reef was probably in eastern Sabah as plenty of limestone dot the landscape there. Uplifting movement which eventually created the island of Borneo, and thus exposed the modern Batu Punggul limestone rock.

>The Tamu has for centuries acted like a "common market" between coastal Muslims groups who had sea products like salted fish and household items like cloth in exchange for jungle produce such as herbs, bee wax from the farming and jungle experts, the Dusuns.

Such mutual benefits experienced from each other over time explains the long standing harmony and understanding among the tribes.

The Cowboys of the East

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