The Search for the Enigmatic Grandfather
Written by H. Joplin Mosiun
January 9, 2023
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| Mien Motijung (right) and sister-in-law, Vilin |
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Bianse Gunsanad* |
Gathering information about Bianse's father proved difficult as there was limited available information. In fact, my grandmother had never even met her own grandfather. Bianse, on the other hand, was a Pundangau Bobohizan from Kampung Modsizang (Madsiang) that specialized in transcommunication and divination using a blade.2
During my search through the articles at the Sabah archive and downloading of digitized books from archive.org, I came across three individuals named Gunsanad while on the quest to uncover information about my mysterious ancestor.
Among the three individuals, one of whom was the well-known Kwijau chief from Keningau who was frequently referenced and widely recognized. The second individual was a Tagahas chief from the Crocker Range, whose name was spelt as Gunsanat, indicating the British's lack of attention to correct Dusun name spellings. Other misspellings I came across were Kansanat and Kinsanat. The third individual was an elderly man from Kundasang.
Although some of my relatives had asserted that he was the native leader from Keningau, there is no concrete evidence to substantiate their claims. The only clue that was provided by my grandmother, was that Bianse's father was believed to be a community leader, whose responsibilities were primarily focused on addressing the concerns and needs of those under his guidance.4
In 2012, I visited Madsiang and was directed to Sampil Dangar's sundry shop along the Tambunan-Penampang road by the locals I had consulted. Sampil recounted stories he had heard and revealed that according to those stories, Gunsanad came from Nunuk Ragang and had resided in Babagon. He had the privilege of meeting OKK Bamban, but confessed to having little knowledge about Gunsanad.5 Upon hearing my inquiries, Sampil recommended I make a trip to Babagon and seek out Jinip Unat.
At Babagon, I had no trouble locating Jinip's residence after asking for directions. I was greeted by Jinip and her daughter Marryn, to whom I introduced myself and explained the purpose of my visit.
According to Jinip, Gunsanad was a pioneer in the area who settled in a village called Tolungan, now known as Babagon. His forefathers came from Tambunan and were originally from Nunuk Ragang. Gunsanad had five daughters, Kabindo, Suanda, Lattinga, Bianse, and Jouni, and one son, Mojungun. His daughters were married off to people from Nosoob and Kobusak where they eventually settled. Initially, the family lived in Tolungan before moving to Modsizang.6 
Jinip Unat
Gunsanad's offspring were among the generation that established villages in the Moyog area, including Modsizang and Babagon. This generation included the Tambunan people that migrated to the area to sell and trade at the Badi (market) at Pogunon during the early 20th century, prior to the Japanese occupation of Sabah in 1942.
Both Sampil and Jinip held the belief that the Gunsanad residing in Tolungan and the Gunsanad from Keningau were two distinct individuals with no familial ties. However, due to the limited knowledge, Gunsanad remained an enigma to them, as it did to me.
It appears that Nunuk Ragang may pertain to the old country of the Dusun. Following their migration from Nunuk Ragang, the Tagahas and other Nunuk Ragang tribes assumed authority over Danau in the late 18th century and renamed the area Tombunan. Subsequently, the Tagahas occupied the Crocker Range stretching from Ulu Tempasuk in Kota Belud to Ulu Kimanis in Papar.
In 1884, Gunsanat was the chief of the Tagahas residing at Mantisan (Montison).7 Montison is now part of Kampung Terian, a village situated along the Salt Trail (Jalan Garam). During my visit to the area in 2019 I discovered the current residents of Terian were not familiar with a 'Gunsanat'. However, the elderly members of the community believed that the previous inhabitants of Montison had left the area long ago.
It takes about a day's hike to reach Tolungan, located north of Montison. The lives of both men are set against the backdrop of the Crocker Range, and each of their stories is a puzzle piece to a mystery. Therefore, it is quite possible that both the Gunsanad(s) of Tolungan and Montison are one and the same person.
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| Location of Tolungan and Montison |
The Tagahas were considered semi-nomadic, and villages on the Crocker Range were known to vanish. Today, the remnants of deserted settlements can still be seen along the Salt Trail. In the 1960s, some villages on the Crocker Range in the Ulu Penampang and Ulu Tuaran relocated to Keningau.
Reports in 1884 indicate two Tagahas villages in Ulu Papar, Kiunop (Kionop) and Mantisan (Montison) had accepted British rule.8
Many of the settlements scattered on the Ulu Papar had yet to be visited by the British and a number of them opposed the Company's rule. In the late 19th century, the British conducted several expeditions to bring the Tagahas villages in the ‘Ulus’ (Tempasuk, Tuaran, Putatan, Papar and Kimanis) under their control.9
In 1883, the British launched their first expedition in Ulu Kimanis following the murder of a Brunei trader, and in the subsequent year, they began a manhunt for Kandurong, a Tagahas chief who was wanted for various crimes, including attacking coastal Dusuns, stealing buffaloes, and headhunting. The search resulted in the deaths of a few Tagahas and the burning down of their houses.10
In 1886, the Tagahas living in Ulu Tempasuk carried out attacks on the Dusuns at Tuaran. The Resident of the West Coast at the time was convinced by the Tuaran Dusuns to launch an expedition into the interior to capture the perpetrators. As a result, eight villages were burned and looted, leading to 52 villages pledging their loyalty to the British. Gadong, concerned about a possible attack on his district, made peace with the British. He was the chief headhunter of Tiong-Tiong, who had managed to escape during the previous attack.11
In 1888, a group consisting of Dayaks and Dusuns raided Dampong, a village located in the Ulu Putatan area, prompted by reports of Kandurong's possible presence in the vicinity. The company then shifted their focus, to attacking a group of villages in particular the village of Bankau. As a result, by November of the same year, the majority of village heads had agreed to cooperate with the company's authority and made peace. 12
During the 1870s, Sogunting, a revered leader among the Tambunan Dusuns, convened a gathering of tribal leaders and chief of Dusun communities in the coastal, Crocker Range, and interior districts. At the event named 'Popotingkod do Pisangadan', Datu Damidal of Sugud represented the Putatan Dusuns (Tangara). Sogunting called for a cessation of hostilities putting an end to feuds and headhunting. The leaders pledged their commitment to this resolution by taking an oath before a menhir, erected on the Crocker Range. However, this pact did not last long as some unruly groups continued wreaking havoc until the British arrived and imposed the Company laws.13
For almost a century, the Tagahas, the founders of Tombunan, and the Bangkaakon, the founders of Sugud in Putatan, were embroiled in a long-standing feud since the violent clashes at Danau in the late 18th century.
In 1884, the Tagahas, under the leadership of Gunsanat, reached an agreement with the Putatan Dusun (Tangara), bringing an end to their hostility. As per the agreement, the Tagahas and the people of Tambunan were given unrestricted and safe passage to attend the Putatan tamu at Pogunon. Gunsanat, who commanded a group of 400 men, aided the Company in suppressing Kandurong and his supporters' headhunting activities in Putatan. With the help of Gunsanat, the Tagahas maintained favourable relations with the Company.14
Following the 1886 report, there is no further mention of Gunsanat in available records. It is probable that Gunsanat avoided involvement in the escalating violence in Ulu Papar. For instance, in 1893, an unresolved blood feud culminated in the murder of three Tagahas by Liwan headhunters.15 Nonetheless, another plausible explanation is linked to the potential opportunities presented by the Moyog area. The market at Pogunon, which occupied a strategic location, attracted many Tagahas and Tambunan people, leading to their eventual settlement in the area. It is highly likely that Gunsanat relocated to Moyog and established Tolungan in the 1890s. According to records, in 1900, Barut was reported to be the chief of Mantisan.16
Following his surrender to Hewett in Kinarut in 1892, Kandurong's infamy and authority declined. The company, as a measure to maintain control, designated the leader of the Tagahas in Tambunan as the Orang Kaya of the Ulu Papar and provided a monthly remuneration of $10. In 1900, the company successfully quelled the rebellion led by Mat Salleh, which consequently brought an end to the resistance by the Tagahas in Tambunan who were supporters of the rebel leader.17
The question of whether Gunsanat, the Tagahas chief, was Bianse's father remains unresolved, leaving a gap in the family history. With the available information, I can only speculate and present a narrative based on my interpretation. Nonetheless, this matter is of personal interest and does not require urgent attention. Through this essay, I aim to shed light on the remarkable qualities and contributions of indigenous leaders in Sabah who employed peaceful means to resolve conflicts and how their decisions impacted the community.
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