Datu Pulang and the Kadazan

Written by H. Joplin Mosiun 

March 24, 2023

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Part 4 of the history and origins of the Penampang Kadazan.

Mangayou was a traditional practice for men, which served as a rite of passage for boys transitioning into adulthood. In this practice, boys were required to demonstrate bravery by engaging in battles. After mentally preparing themselves, they were required to obtain a head usually, the enemy's, which had to be brought back to the village and its skull preserved. 

The early phase of the Bangkaakon was characterized by a focus on protecting their territory, which later evolved into territorial conquest. Botulung who had risen as a prominent leader was driven by a desire to extend Sugud's influence. The Bangkaakon were often remembered and referred to as Tulun Sugud in villages they had looted and ravaged.¹ They raided villages in Papar, Kimanis, Keningau and Tambunan. However, it was in Kimanis, the situation turned against them. 

During my conversations with several elderly individuals, including my grandmother, I noticed that they held a negative view towards headhunting and war, and were openly opposed to these practices. This was a period my late grandmother, Clara Motuyang, described as aiso do undang-undang and was known as the Misangod Dandaman era.

A group on the warpath stumbled upon a longhouse and were taken aback to find only children inside, as the adults were away tending to their daily activities. The group attacked and killed all the children, except for one who managed to hide. They then quickly left the area with the heads of the children. Unaware they had entered the territory of Datu Pulang², who was the Kadazan's Huguan Siou, the group raided a longhouse that belonged to him.

Murder is a heinous act that is perpetually a crime against humanity. As those times have long since passed, I reflect on them with deep remorse, and hope that such an incident never occurs again. 

When the adults returned, they were confronted with a gruesome sight that left them traumatized. Overcome with grief, they mourned the tragic demise of the children. The sole witness recounted the events that led to the calamity. Datu Pulang, filled with sorrow and rage, was deeply affected by the tragedy that had befallen his people and the devastating loss of their children.

In a quest for retribution, Pulang's warriors launched a string of attacks on numerous villages with the aim of locating and apprehending the culprits. This included many villages in Papar.

Following the discovery of the perpetrators at Kg. Terawi in Putatan, a months-long campaign was launched after the raid on Terawi that advanced to Kurai and up to Kinarut, all of which were the territories of the Bangkaakon.³ 

The Bangkaakon eventually came to the realization that the Kadazan were a formidable force and ceased their resistance. The leaders of the Bangkaakon approached the old chief and pleaded mercy. In response, Pulang arranged for a Bitaru ceremony to be conducted for his people. As part of the ceremony, a block of stone was to be transported from Putatan to Kimanis by sea, as per Pulang's request. 

From the banks of the Kimanis river, a buffalo named Si Gendang Perang was used to haul the massive stone to the designated location.⁴ The customary practice of the Kadazan involved a sacrificial offering of a slave as an act of placating. 

During the ceremony, delegates from villages in Papar that had borne the brunt of Pulang's wrath and suspicions were invited to participate. The involved parties reconciled and marked the occasion with a feast. The rapport established between Pulang and the Bangkaakon possibly facilitated the migration of Kadazan groups to Putatan and Kinarut. The stone that was erected during the ceremony is presently called Batu Hidup. 

While writing this essay, I am reminded of an account shared with me by my grandmother. When she was a young and enthusiastic girl, she insisted that her mother, Losuim, take her along on a journey to Papar, to visit relatives. The journey was an extensive one, covering a considerable distance from Kg. Maang to as far as Kimanis, and they had to travel by foot. 

To be continued.

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Notes
1 This was the word or term used to refer to the early people of Penampang, who were said to be large in size. I came to learn of the word while initiating small talks with the elderly, in Tambunan and Papar to collect folk stories.^↩
2 Alexander Dalrymple, 1767, A Plan for extending the commerce of this Kingdom and of the East-India-Company, pg:50^↩
3 Peter R. Phelan, 1997, Traditional Stone and Wood Monuments of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu: Pusat Kajian Borneo, pg:75^↩
4 “Sejarah Batu Hidup Kg. Brunei Kimanis, Papar” 21 June 2011, http://ihsanmz.blogspot.com/2011/06/sejarah-batu-hidup-kgbrunei-kimanis.html. Accessed 6 June 2018.^↩