Origins of the Penampang Kadazan

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Origins of the Penampang Kadazan

Written by H. Joplin Mosiun 

April 12, 2023

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The conversion of Native Title lands into Country Lease lands is becoming unusually common. Traditional villages in Penampang are gradually being replaced by commercial areas and housing estates. The people of Penampang, are accustomed to flash floods, a bane to the district that is attributed to widespread hill-cutting and land reclamation. 

Social media platforms such as Whatsapp have taken over the function of the kampung balai raya (a communal hall). Villagers are now able to express their complaints and grievances through Whatsapp without the need for face-to-face communication. It is uncommon to experience silence during a Momisok for houses situated along the Old Penampang-Papar Road, which is now a section of the Pan-Borneo Highway. The incessant noise of vehicles revving and speeding has become increasingly irritating. 

Amidst the busy, fast-paced lifestyle of the digital age and the constant changes brought on by modernity, there is little regard for history and oral tradition. Malaysia is not a country known for having a high rate of centenarians compared to Japan. With the passing of time, there are fewer and fewer centenarians in our society. Many untold folk stories and tales have been lost forever, taken to the grave with their original storytellers.

Those born in the 1920s to the 1930s were the generation that inherited folk stories and tales from their forebears, but many of them have since passed on. Presently, modern society relies heavily on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube for access to folk stories. 

Even during their lifetime, getting the elderly folks to share stories proved difficult. The Kadazan's deep-seated custom of honouring and respecting their ancestors is one of the factors that contribute to the lack of preservation of folk stories. As such, it was considered taboo to mention the names of ancestors directly. To avoid violating this custom, would depend on the storyteller's abilities and capacity to make the stories more palatable to the audience while not revealing the true identities of the actual characters. The tradition was akin to the practice of refraining from speaking the names of one's in-laws and instead substituting them with a different word.

But this custom is no more in practice. The practice may have ceased to exist since the advent of Christianity in the late 19th century in Penampang. The adoption of Christianity prompted the Kadazan to abandon communal living which in turn, hastened the erosion of traditional practices and disrupted the way folk stories are passed down. 

The essays I have written delves into the history and origins of the Penampang Kadazan. The majority of my sources are derived from folk stories and personal conversations with the elderly. While the story is mainly based on first-hand information, it is important to note that it is presented from my own perspective. 

In 2019, I published a post on my WordPress site titled "Tuhun do Bangkaak" about the Bangkaakon. I am aware that there may be some errors in my writing and that it may not be clear enough.

Upon reviewing my notes and listening to the recordings of the interviews again, it dawned upon me that I had misunderstood and neglected some crucial parts. 

The previous story failed to reflect the bigger picture. Nonetheless, it was an ongoing research project and a personal endevour. 

The story I have presented is brief and may benefit from further development. I welcome input from readers in Penampang who may have knowledge of related folk stories that could add depth and detail to my narrative. As it stands, my story serves as a basic framework, and I am open to expanding upon it with additional information and perspectives. 




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