Skip to main content

Popular posts from this blog

Music And Dance

The Kadazans have also developed their own unique dance and music.  Sumazau  is the name of the dance between a male and female, performed by couples as well as groups of couples, which is usually accompanied by a symphony of handcrafted bronze gongs that are individually called  tagung . The  sompoton  is another musical instrument. A ceremonial ring of cloth sash is worn by both male and female. The  Sumazau  and gong accompaniment is typically performed during joyous ceremonies and occasions, the most common of which being wedding feasts. The Kadazan have a musical heritage consisting of various types of  tagung  ensembles  - ensembles composed of large hanging, suspended or held, bossed/knobbed  gongs  which act as drone without any accompanying melodic instrument. They also use  kulintangan ensembles  - ensembles with an horizontal-type melodic instrument. [2] [3] The late Chief Priestess Bobohizan, Bianti Moujing of Kandazon and the High Priestess Bobohizan, Binjulin Sigayu

The Origin Of The Term Kadazan

While it is widely believed that the term itself was a political derivative that came into existence in the late 1950s to early 1960s, no proper historical record exists pertaining to the origins of the term or its originator. However, an article by Richard Tunggolou [1]  may shed some light. According to Tunggolou, most of the explanations of the meanings and origins of the word ‘Kadazan’ assumed that the word was of recent origin, specifically in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Tunggolou further claimed that some people have theorised that the term originates from the word ‘kakadazan’ (towns) or ‘kedai’ (shops), and from the claim that Kadazan politicians such as the late Datuk Peter J. Mojuntin coined the term. However, there is evidence to suggest that the term has been used long before the 1950s.  Owen Rutter , in his book,  The Pagans Of North Borneo , published in 1929, wrote: “The Dusun usually describes himself generically as a tulun tindal (landsman) or, on the West Coast,