Kadazan-Dusun

Kadazan-Dusun (also written as Kadazandusun) is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia—the ethnic groups Kadazan and Dusun.

Kadazandusun sub-ethnic groups

Kadazandusun is made up of forty sub-ethnic groups of the Dusun and Kadazan.

* Bisaya
* Bonggi
* Bundu
* Dumpas
* Gana
* Garo
* Idaan
* Kedayan
* Kimaragang
* Kolobuan
* Kuijau
* Lingkabau
* Liwan
* Lobu
* Lotud
* Lundayeh
* Makiang
* Malapi
* Mangkaak
* Minokok
* Murut
* Ngabai
* Paitan
* Pingas
* Rumanau
* Rungus
* Sinobu
* Sinorupu
* Sonsogon
* Sukang
* Sungai
* Tatana
* Tangara
* Tidong
* Tindal
* Tobilung
* Tolinting
* Tombonuo
* Tuhawon
* Tutung



Dusun
Dusun is the collective name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian controlled state of Sabah of North Borneo. Due to similarities in culture and language with the Kadazan ethnic group, and also because of other political initiatives, a new unified term called "Kadazan-Dusun" was created. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. A small minority of Dusuns can also be found in Brunei where they are defined by the constitution to be one of the seven Bumiputera groups.

The ethnic group, makes up, at one time, 30% of Sabah population and are broken down into more than 30 sub-ethnic, or dialectical groups, or tribes each speaking a slightly different dialect of the Dusunic family language. They are mostly mutually understandable.

Coincidentally, Dusun is the Malay word that means "orchard" and is derived from "Orang Dusun" or "men of the orchards" as their houses are surrounded with fruit trees. A popular misconception is that the Dusun people named themselves (or were named) according to the Malay definition of the word Dusun. In actuality, even before the Malay language or British colonists had arrived in Sabah, the Dusun had long since called themselves by the name 'Dusun'.

The Dusun traded with the coastal people by bringing their agricultural produce to exchange for salt, salted fish, and other products. The name 'Dusun' was popularized by the British colonial masters who borrowed the term from the Brunei Malays.

There is, however, confusion about the use of "Dusun" when the name, Kadazan, was introduced as the new identity of the Dusun people in the early 1960s. At one time there was a serious dispute between those who want the group to be called "Kadazans" (saying that "Dusun" was derogatory), and those who want to continue with the original "Dusun". The pro-Dusuns argued that "Kadazan" originates from the word "Kakadazan" (a place of many shops--"Kadai" is "shop" in Kadazan), thus "Kadazan" can also be said to originate from Malay! Those Dusuns in the Penampang and Papar district now prefer to be called Kadazans.

Kadazans
The Kadazans are an ethnic group indigenous to the state of Sabah in Malaysia,early they came from Mongolia and mixed with Tiong-kok. They are found mainly on the west coast of Sabah, the surrounding locales, and various locations in the interior. Due to similarities in culture and language (similar with Mongolia language, Achimet Tori) with the Dusun ethnic group, and also because of other political initiatives, a new unified term called "Kadazan-dusun" was created. Collectively, they form largest ethnic group Sabah.

Religion

The majority of the Kadazans are Christians, mainly Roman Catholics and some Protestants. Islam is also practiced by a growing minority.

Before the influence of the British missionaries in the mid 19th century that resulted in Christianity rising to prominence amongst Kadazans, animism was the predominant religion. The Kadazan belief system centers around the spirit or entity called Kinoingan. It revolved around the belief that spirits ruled over the planting and harvesting of rice, a profession that had been practiced for generations. Special rituals would be performed before and after each harvest by a tribal priestess known as a bobohizan.

Unification

Presently, the Kadazans are associated together with another similar indigenous tribe, the Dusuns and various other indigenous peoples, under the blanket term Kadazan-Dusun. This is officially recognised as the result of political machinations, specifically, a resolution of the supposedly non-political 5th KCA (Kadazan Cultural Association, which was then renamed to Kadazan-Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA)) Delegates Conference held between November 4 and November 5, 1989. It was decided as the best alternative approach to resolve the "Kadazan" or "Dusun" identity crisis that had crippled and impeded the growth and development of the Kadazan-dusun multi-ethnic community socio-culturally, economically and politically - ever since Kadazanism versus Dusunism sentiments were politicized in the early 1960s.

Kadazans and Dusuns share the same language and culture, albeit with differences in dialect. Many consider the major difference between the two ethnic groups to be their traditional geographical influences. Kadazans are mainly inhabitants of the flat valley deltas, conducive to paddy field farming, while Dusuns are traditionally inhabitants of the hilly and mountainous regions common to the interior of Sabah.

Indigenous status

Being indigenous to Sabah, a part of Malaysia, the Kadazans are conferred the same political, educational and economic rights as the predominant Malay population of Malaysia. The term ascribed to this is Bumiputra (from Sanskrit Bhumiputra), a Malay word, which is translated to 'Sons of the Land'.

KCA
The designation is officially recognised as the result of political machinations, specifically as a resolution of the supposedly non-political 5th Kadazan Cultural Association (KCA) Delegates Conference held between November 4 and November 5, 1989 (KCA was later renamed to KDCA - Kadazan-Dusun Cultural Association [1]). During the conference, it was decided that this was the best alternative approach to resolve the "Kadazan" or "Dusun" identity crisis that had crippled and impeded the growth and development of the Kadazan-Dusun multi-ethnic community socio-culturally, economically and politically—ever since Kadazanism versus Dusunism sentiments were politicised in the early 1960s.

This was the basis that led to the United Sabah Dusun Association (USDA) and the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) to resolve that the Language to be taught in Schools as Pupils' Own Language (POL) shall be known as the Kadazandusun Language based mainly on the Bundu-Liwan dialect and to be enriched by the other Kadazandusun dialects. In Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), a Kadazandusun Chair has been established to undertake deeper research and documentation of the Kadazandusun's heritage and cultures. The University also offers the Kadazandusun language as an elective language subject, and it is quite popular among foreign students.

Kadazans and Dusuns share the same language and culture, albeit with differences in dialect. They were mainly peasants. Many consider the major difference between the two ethnic groups to be their traditional geographical influences. Kadazans are mainly inhabitants of the flat valley deltas, conducive to paddy field farming, while Dusuns are traditionally inhabitants of the hilly and mountainous regions common to the interior of Sabah. It has been theorized that the name is actually just 'Dusun', not Kadazan Dusun. The word 'Kadazan' came from the word 'Kedai', a word from the Dusun tongue which means 'shop'. The original Dusun people called the Dusuns who live in the cities, where there are lots of shops as Kekedaian or Dusun who live in the city. Dusun derived from a Chinese word pronunciation 'luisooun' meaning left by the boat. About 1,000 years ago the trade ties between China and this part of the world.A sunken Chinese junk containing ceramics from the Sung Dynasty off the coast of Kudat which was sank about 1,000 years ago. It was about 20m deep and located between Kudat and Pulau Banggi.There are still a couple of ships which sank and have not been found yet They managed to retrieve some of the old porcelain that dates back to a few hundred years and they found out that the ship had actually come from China. The retrieved ceramics from the wreck are now displayed at the Kota KInabalu Sabah Museum.

The indigenous people of Sabah and the indigenous people of China are related. The indigenous people of Sabah descendants are from the Chinese origins. In history, Kadazan also came from Mongolia.

Related articles/websites:

1. Kadazandusun Cultural Association Sabah (KDCA), http://kdca.org.my/hongkod