Who Are the Kadazan-Dusun?
The Kadazan-Dusun are the largest indigenous ethnic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah (northern Borneo), comprising approximately 25-30% of the state's population—around 500,000-600,000 people. The term "Kadazan-Dusun" unifies two closely related groups: the Kadazan (primarily coastal and plains dwellers around Penampang and Papar) and the Dusun (interior highland peoples with numerous sub-groups). They speak mutually intelligible Dusunic languages of the Austronesian family. The Kadazan-Dusun are renowned for rice cultivation, the Kaamatan harvest festival, and their role in Sabah's political landscape as the state's indigenous majority.
The Kaamatan Festival
Kaamatan is the annual harvest festival celebrated by Kadazan-Dusun communities, culminating on May 30-31 (declared state holidays in Sabah). The festival gives thanks for the rice harvest and honors Bambaazon (also Huminodun), the rice spirit. According to legend, a maiden was sacrificed to end famine; from her body grew rice. Celebrations include traditional rituals performed by bobohizan (priestesses), community feasting, rice wine (tapai) consumption, traditional music and dance, and the Unduk Ngadau beauty pageant. Kaamatan has become Sabah's most prominent cultural celebration, reinforcing Kadazan-Dusun identity while showcasing indigenous culture to broader Malaysian society.
Bobohizan Tradition
The bobohizan (also bobolian) are traditional Kadazan-Dusun priestesses who serve as intermediaries between the human and spirit worlds. They performed rituals for agriculture, healing, and community wellbeing, transmitting oral traditions through chanted verses. The bobohizan tradition was suppressed as Christianity (Catholic and Protestant) spread among the Kadazan-Dusun in the 20th century. By the late 1900s, few practicing bobohizan remained; those surviving were elderly. Recognizing cultural loss, revival efforts have sought to document and preserve bobohizan knowledge, training younger practitioners. The bobohizan embody pre-Christian Kadazan-Dusun spirituality—endangered but considered essential to cultural identity.
Contemporary Kadazan-Dusun
Modern Kadazan-Dusun are the indigenous majority in Sabah and play significant roles in state politics; several chief ministers have been Kadazan-Dusun. Education and urbanization have transformed communities, with many Kadazan-Dusun in professional occupations. The majority are now Christian (Catholic and Protestant), though traditional practices continue alongside. Language retention varies; younger generations in urban areas often speak Malay or English primarily. Cultural organizations including the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) promote heritage preservation. Land rights remain contentious as development pressures mount. The Kadazan-Dusun navigate modernity while maintaining cultural institutions—especially Kaamatan—that define their identity in multi-ethnic Malaysia.
References
- Evans, I. H. N. (1953). The Religion of the Tempasuk Dusuns of North Borneo
- Hurlbut, H. (1986). The Kadazan-Dusun
- Wong, J. (2004). The Sabah Story