Before Everything Else Fades Into Oblivion
Written by H. Joplin Mosiun
April 12, 2023
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The conversations I overheard among the elders amusing themselves with tales of the past, during my grandfather's funeral in 1995 at Kg. Maang likely ignited my curiosity about my ancestry. But it was these two books, The Prehistory of Sabah and Among Primitive Peoples in Borneo that captivated me the most with their insights into the obscure histories and cultures of Sabah, and I first learnt of the Bangkaakon from the former.
Based on my research into the local folklore, I have come to believe that the Bangkaakon was the name of a tribal alliance founded by the Bangkahak, although it remains uncertain if they were indeed the Mangkaak at Tongod. Furthermore, there are numerous linguistic resemblances between the Eastern Kadazan and Coastal Kadazan languages.
The formation of the Bangkaakon was a result of various tribes gathering in Sugud and uniting against a common enemy. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to assert that the Bangkaakon descended from a single-parent tribe or ancestor. This narrative should be disregarded.
Based on my findings, the origins of the Bangkaakon and the Tangara can be traced back exclusively to Sugud in Putatan and not Papar nor did these groups exist in Nunuk Ragang. Narratives in Tambunan have clearly pointed to Putatan as the Tangara's place of origin contrary to the widespread belief that it came from Nunuk Ragang. As such, any narratives suggesting otherwise should be disregarded.
The formation of the Bangkaakon did not include the Kadazan and the Tuhawon. Reports suggesting Nunuk Ragang and the Labuk area as the origins of the Bangkaakon and the Tangara are based on narratives passed on by groups who may have migrated from those areas, settled in Sugud and became part of the Bangkaakon. The same is true for the groups from Kinabatangan. Over time, stories can become entangled and complex, making it difficult to discern accurate information.
The term Bangkaakon referred to groups of people, that resided in Ramayah, Limbanak, Maang and Sugud.1 Other villages such as Terawi, Guunsing and Nosoob were not in existence yet. Narratives in Maang and Sugud indicate that the early settlers came from different suku (tribes) and their settlements in close proximity.2 These early settlers bonded and defended their territory against the Tagahas. There are no narratives to support the idea that both Bangkaakon and Tangara were formed prior to the arrival of the Dusun and Tombonuo communities in Sugud. The fact that these tribes came together and united against a common enemy was a compelling reason for them to converge under one umbrella tribe.
There seems to be a common misconception between the terms Tangara/Tangaa from Putatan and Tangah from Papar. It should be clarified that they have distinct meanings. Tangara, which later evolved into Tangaa, refers to the language or lingua franca of the Kadazan people that was adopted by the Sugud people. Tangah is not a tribal name nor the name of any adat in Papar. It simply described the situation of the Papar Kadazan caught in the conflict between the Bangkaakon and the Tombunan tribes, in particular the Tagahas.
The adat (custom) associated with the Tangara was a separate sect of the Kadazan adat created by the Bangkaakon communities. There are narratives that suggest the adat may have spread from Putatan to Papar and even to Membakut, through migrations, where its followers began identifying themselves as Tangara. The term later became the name of a splinter group of the Bangkaakon that rebelled against the Huguan Siou.
The Tangara is not related to the Tanggala or Tenggara Muruts in Pinangah nor was the name derived from a plant called Tangar-Tangar. Name-calling between enemy tribes was common among the rival groups of upland and lowland people in Putatan. It is unlikely that the name Tangara was born out of insult or mockery. The divisive habit has been put to rest.
Most Bangkaakon communities were identified by the adat they subscribed to, whether it was Kadazan or Tangara. However, a small fraction continued to practice their adat, even though it had lost its Bobolian.3 Eventually, these communities either joined one of the available adats in Putatan - Kadazan, Tangara, Potiang, or Tagahas - or abandoned their adat altogether. It is possible the Potiang or Tiang adat was practised by the Liwan people. I believe the Tuhawon belong to this group.
It is worth noting that while there are some differences between the Kadazan and the Tangara adats, they are essentially the same. Moreover, the latter would not have been possible if the former had not already existed.
In conclusion, the origins of the Penampang Kadazan are deeply intertwined with the history and culture of Sabah. By understanding the rich traditions and beliefs of this community, we can gain a greater appreciation for the diversity and complexity of Borneo's indigenous peoples.
I dedicate this story to my ancestors the Bangkahak and the Tagahas, no matter how dreadful the legends may be, how bitter the rivalry, their legacy lives on through stories told for generations to come before everything else fades into oblivion.
Notes
1 Interview with Donald Malinggang at Kg.Guunsing in 2005↩
2 Sibius Kaahin, Jitain Hoinsung, and Clara Motuyang provided narratives that presented a different picture of Penampang in its early days, where there was no hostility between the tribes. Each suku had its own traditions, cultural practices and dialect.↩
3 Dousia Moujing shared some family history with me during our meeting in 2005, which revealed that Mojitu, my paternal grandfather's father, and his father, Bakansing, moved from Sugud to Kampung Ramayah to join the Tangara. Dousia mentioned that they were Tuhun Bangkaak and had lost their bobohizan. The relocation to Ramayah likely took place in the early 20th century.↩
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