THE ORIGINS AND MEANINGS OF THE TERMS “KADAZAN” AND “DUSUN”

(Note: Protect and Preserve your 'Kadazan' and 'Dusun' identities. Read the articles published HERE and HERE and participate in the survey Poll located at the top right-hand column of this page.)

Richard F. Tunggolou wrote an article “The Origins and Meanings of the terms “Kadazan” and “Dusun” on Feb. 21, 1999. He did a research and explored the many explanations and theories about the origins and meanings of the word ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’.

This article may give further explanation to those who claim that ‘Kadazan’ comes from the ‘Kakadazan’.

The article may very well confirm that there is no such race as ‘Kadazandusun’ as being propagated by some.

“There have also been claims that word ‘Kadazan’ had been coined by politicians in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. According to this view, the late Datuk Peter J. Mojuntin and the late Tun Fuad Stephens invented the word for political purposes.”

Some people also claimed that the word ‘Kadazan’ was derived from the word ‘kedaian’ from the Malay word ‘kedai’.

How come these people, who never stayed in a town (Old Donggongon Town), suddenly decided to call themselves after ‘town’ when only one shop (Selamat Chari Nasip) was owned by the only Kadazan at that time, the late OKK Sikopit Siganul?

“Those who proposed this view have not come up with answers as to why these people - who did not live in a town – had decided to call themselves ‘people of the town’”.

“Those who espouse this explanation have not (even) come up with valid reasons why the people of Penampang and Papar called themselves after a shop,” said Tunggolou.

Tunggolou also said, “that the word ‘Kadazan’ was already in existence before any towns or shops were built in the Penampang District and that Kadazan politicians did not invent the word in the late fifties and early sixties.”

The Bobolian or Bobohizan (priestesses) say that the meaning of ‘Kadazan’ is ‘tulun’ or ‘tuhun’––people.

“Thus, the most likely explanation for the term ‘Kadazan’ is that it means ‘the people’”, Tunggolou said in his article.

The writer, Richard F. Tunggolou, hopes that his article will in some way make the blurred picture of the ongoing question on the origins and meanings of the terms/words ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ clearer.

Read the article ‘THE ORIGINS AND MEANINGS OF THE TERMS “KADAZAN” AND “DUSUN” written by Richard F. Tunggolou HERE.

Richard F. Tunggolou is a Member of the Committee of Management of Kadazandusun Language Foundation (KLF). By his membership in KLF, he should take necessary steps to rectify the Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary published by KLF, wherein the term ‘Kadazandusun’ is classified as an indigenous race, whilst the ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ races have been purposely declassified. – LINUNDUS.

Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary: Summarized with Questions.

(Note: Protect and Preserve your 'Kadazan' and 'Dusun' identities. Read the articles published HEREand HERE and participate in the survey Poll located at the top right-hand column of this page.)

A) Introduction.

1) The just concluded discussion in e-forum format on the Beginner’s Kadazan Dictionary after it was opened for discussion since 29^th January, 2010 published in this blog has drawn more than 60 comments with mixed reactions. All of them have been received and posted. None was rejected.

2) To all intents and purposes, I posted the article with the objective of seeking the opinions of those concerned with regard to the Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary in which, in page 14 where ‘Bangsa’ or races have been classified, the ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ indigenous races have been omitted and, in their places, ‘Kadazadusun’ is printed instead.

3) But invariably the comments developed into e-debate or e-forum format during the course of commentaries and discussions. This augers well to discuss the term ‘Kadazandusun’ as well to deliberate the intended meaning of the said term, be it to unify the two ethnic groups of Kadazan and Dusun, or otherwise.

4) As what one commentator said on February 9, 2010 1:46 PM ) the generic name of ‘Kadazandusun’ was first introduced at the 5th KCA Delegate Conference in 1989.

5) Another Commentator said “KCA leaders had on 05/11/1989 introduced the term "Kadazandusun" at the annual congress of delegates. It has since come to be known as KDCA.” – Anonymous: February 2, 2010 10:51 PM

6) Hence, there are two subject matters to be addressed and deliberated here:

a) To include the Kadazan and Dusun ethnic races to replace the term ‘Kadazandusun’ in the Beginners Kadazandusun Dictionary;

b) To accept the term either ‘Kadazandusun’ or ‘KadazanDusun’ (capital K and D) as an ethnic race for the Kadazan and Dusun peoples to combine or merge the two under the new acceptable term.

B) Summary.

1) There is a clear indication from the comments posted by participants in the just concluded e-forum and that there is a definite urgent need to rectify the anomaly as highlighted in the blog.

2) In the course of the debate, the term ‘Kadazandusun’ was invariably brought up and expounded as to its intended meaning when it was first coined. Despite the fact that Tan Sri Herman Luping has already clarified in his book titled, “THE KADAZANDUSUNS” that the said term is only used as a tag line to refer the Kadazan and Dusun peoples as a group, but yet there are still some people who choose to believe and support the said term as an indigenous race.

3) Some of the commentators who participated in the e-forum have clearly indicated that there is nothing more despicable than to be an accomplice to the initiators and/or propagators of the said term. Those commentators who firmly believe and uphold their ethnic races as Kadazan and Dusun, take exemptions from this group.

4) The e-forum has attracted more than 60 commentators and who advocate ‘for or against’ the term ‘Kadazandusun’ by giving their ‘No Holds Barred’ or ‘without fear or favour’ comments. Perhaps they are emboldened to make their comments in such a manner under the protection of anonymity. Some, however, have identified themselves by signing off their names genuinely, or at least stamped their initials at the end of their comments.

5) I am not alluding here that those comments posted by ‘Anonymous’ are considered not genuine – far from it. In fact I appreciate all the participants for their sincere and invaluable comments, be they anonymous or known people. Those who prefered to remain anonymous might have reasons to protect their anonymity, but surely they have no intention whatoever to slander or run down anyone, much less with malice or enmity towards one another.

6) As a moderator, I can only make a concluding remark that they have every legitimate intention to express their opinionated statements to help solve our long overdue ‘identity crisis’ since the introduction of the term ‘Kadazandusun’.

7) More so when it is classified as an ethnic race in the ‘Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary’ while the ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ ethnic races have been completely omitted from the list of ‘Bangsa, Race or Tinaru’.

C) Commentaries

1) For the purpose of easier moderation and for the readers to read, I have divided the commentaries (truncated) into two groups. Group (A) – Pro-Kadazandusun and Group (B) – Against-Kadazandusun.

2) I have reproduced comments received from the proponents, propagators, initiators, etc, of the term ‘Kadazandusun’ which I consider pertinent and important. They need to be addressed and commented sensibly so that we can all come up to a compromised opinion(s) with regard to this contentious term.

3) As I said earlier, I have also selected those pertinent and genuine comments from those who are against the term ‘Kadazandusun’. Those comments that have not been selected are equally pertinent and important.

D) Conclusion

1) The participants from both Kadazan and Dusun indigenous group have expressed their disapproval of the word ‘Kadazandusun’ as a term to replace the two ethnic races of ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’. Their overwhelming responses to retain and preserve their respective identities speak volumes which should be respected by all concerned.

2) In addition to retaining their respective identities, they have also stated that the term ‘Kadazandusun’ should be declassified in the Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary and to be replaced with ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ as among the indigenous ethnic races in page 14.

3) Proponents of ‘Kadazandusun’ or ‘KadazanDusun’ have equally defended these two terminologies in an effort to unifying the two ethnic peoples of ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’.

4) Based on the opinions and arguments generated from the two groups, one can now form their opinions and recommendations.

5) All Kadazan and Dusun communities, especially those who have participated in the e-forum are, once again, invited to make their final recommendation(s) whether:

a) To include the Kadazan and Dusun ethnic races to replace the term ‘Kadazandusun’ in the Beginners Kadazandusun Dictionary; OR

b) To accept the term either ‘Kadazandusun’ or ‘KadazanDusun’ (capital K and D) as ethnic race for the Kadazan and Dusun peoples to combine or merge the two under the new acceptable term;

c) Any other recommendation.

6) It is most appreciated if you can please submit your recommendations by signing your name at the bottom together with, but necessarily, your e-mail address.

7) For those who wish to remain anonymous they may submit their recommendations to my email address at sjdisimon@gmail.com. Their identities and email addresses will be treated with the strictest confidence, unless with their expressed consent.

8) I reserve the right to publish those comments and/or recommendations with slanderous, malicious, frivolous, defamatory, and/or libelous remarks.

CLICK HERE TO READ THOSE TRUNCATED AND MODERATED COMMENTS FROM GROUP ‘A’ AND ‘B’.

Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary

(Note: Protect and Preserve your 'Kadazan' and 'Dusun' identities. Read the articles published HERE and HERE and participate in the survey Poll located at the top right-hand column of this page.)

I am not surprised if there are Kadazans or Dusuns people who defend the ‘Kadazandusun’ as an ethnic race in Sabah. They do so because they have their own personal agenda, or they simply refuse to accept the fact that the term ‘Kadazandusun’ is NOT a race.

At a meeting of ‘Jawatankuasa Pakar Rujuk Bahasa Kadazandusun’ held on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at Kota Kinabalu, the Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary authored by Rita Lasimbang of Kadazandusun Language Foundation, was tabled for discussion.

As a member of the Committee I took the opportunity to propose a correction on page 14 of the Dictionary wherein the term ‘Kadazandusun’ is printed and classified as one of the ethnic races in the Dictionary. The two indigenous ethnic races of ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ have been conspicuously omitted, meaning, they are not found in Sabah.

Being a Kadazan, I felt sad and took this opportunity to make the correction to include both ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ races to replace the term ‘Kadazandusun’.

As we are all aware, Dictionary is a book of reference and a source of information to the readers and end users. And if we allow this glaring mistake to remain uncorrected it would be taken at face value as the truth. The readers, learners or end users of the Dictionary are misled to believe that there are no such ethnic races of ‘Kadazan’ or ‘Dusun’.

My proposal to correct the anomaly was met with objection from two Kadazan people. I find it absurd and was dumbfounded when they defended the term ‘Kadazandusun’ to remain intact as a race.

When posed with a question as to which race they belong to, given the fact that ‘Kadazandusun’ is not a race, they were silent for a moment. One of them, however, admitted that his race as registered in his birth certificate is ‘Kadazan’. As a fellow Kadazan, I felt dishonoured when he denied his own racial identity.

He gave his unqualified argument that the term ‘Kadazandusun’ will evolve slowly through the passage of time and thus will eventually be accepted or adopted as a race. I totally disagreed with his conjecture in this respect.

I would like to quote the late Tun Fuad Stephen’s statement which appeared in the Kinabalu Sunday Times on February 19, 1967 and reprinted in the Daily Express on Sunday, March 22, 2009:

“Another thing is the question of Kadazan and Dusun. The important thing is that we are one people; in our great desire to unite people in Colonial days some of us went to extremes and tried to force others to accept one name, Kadazan.

“This has only caused misunderstanding and even mistrust among some of us.

“We are more matured now and see clearly that the name should be left to us to choose, if we prefer to be called Kadazans, that is what we are and if we prefer to be called Dusuns that is what we should be remembering always that whatever name we prefer to go by, we are the same people.”

"Tun Fuad’s statement has been the hallmark and the guiding principle that KSS has been elucidating in its attempt to dispel the term ‘Kadazandusun’ to connote as a race," Datuk Marcel added.

It is beyond anybody’s comprehension that ‘Kadazandusun’ would eventually evolve as a race at the expense of ‘Kadazan’ and ‘Dusun’ races to disappear.

We may think this is absurd but it will disappear eventually if we leave it unchecked. How can we be so irresponsible as to delete the very existence of our own ethnic races? In fact we have now learnt that the person, who objected to my proposal, has been one of the initiators of the term ‘Kadazandusun’, and hence he has therefore vehemently defended the said term in the Dictionary.

As a Life Member of Kadazan Society Sabah of which I am the Deputy President, will strongly defend the existence of my ethnic race. In no way will I allow my Kadazan race be erased or deleted. It is my ethnic identity and I am proud to be identified as such.

It would be interesting to know how the Dusun community feels about their ethnic race being erased. Are they prepared to loose their own identity?

By right, we should all be defending and preserving our own identities and should not be easily influenced by people who may have their own personal agendas to suit their ends.

I believe many people have read the Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary but none have commented it deserves. If we do not correct the anomaly now it would mean that we are accepting and condoning the incorrect term ‘Kadazandusun’ as an indigenous race in Sabah. If this is not corrected now then the Kadazans and Dusuns will eventually loose their identities. These two indigenous ethnic races are endangered of being wiped out from the face of the earth!

It is for this reason that I have to bring this issue out in the open for debate on why we should discontinue the use of the term ‘Kadazandusun’ as an ethnic race.

As what Tan Sri Herman Luping has written in his book titled “THE KADAZANDUSUN”, it is only a tag line to refer the Kadazans and Dusuns as a group. On the same token the tag line for Hakka, Hokkien, Cantonese, etc, is Chinese and not as an ethnic race.

Even YB Datuk Masidi Manjun who is a Dusun from Ranau, has concurred with the statement made by KSS President that the term ‘Kadazandusun’ is not a race. “The term ‘Kadazandusun’ or ‘KDM’ is only for political grouping”, Datuk Masidi said.

Datuk Seri Panglima Bongkos Malakun, the Deputy President of KDCA also said, “The term ‘Kadazandusun’ is not an indigenous ethnic race per se in Sabah.”

“We should either be Kadazan or Dusun depending on one’s own preference. We should respect those who wish to be known as Dusun just as we expect others to respect our preference to be known as Kadazan,” Malakun added.

Since race is a sensitive issue we, the Kadazan and Dusun peoples, should debate on this matter to seriously defend our respective races, while the term ‘Kadazandusun’ should only be used as a tag line to identify both the Kadazans and Dusuns as a group of people.

You are encouraged to use this forum to write your comments, or write to me at sjdisimon@gmail.com.

Sylvester J. Disimon

Deputy President,

Kadazan Society Sabah.

Related article:

It is either “KadazanDusun”, or “Kadazan” or “Dusun”.

KadazanDusuns are indeed Natives of Sabah

Weekdays in BUNDULIWAN dialect.

I happen to stumble upon photos depicting weekdays in English, Bahasa and Kadazandusun (Bunduliwan) language posted in this blog ‘anakjagung’, and I remember a friend of mine, who, in conversation with his grandson studying the BUNDULIWAN dialect being taught in school, was puzzled with his grandson’s answers.

As a responsible grandfather who wanted his grandchildren to speak in Kadazan language proper, his own mother tongue, had the following conversation in Kadazan with his eldest grandson. To his consternation and amazement, he was puzzled and perplexed with what his grandson had learnt in school.

The conversation goes like this:

Grandfather: Oonu oh mangan nu do suvab?

Grandson: Suvab nopo nga Tontolu, om mugad zou sikul.

Grandfather: Oonu kanu dii? Tontolu? ‘Tontolu’ nopo mati nga boos do Dusun ih kikomozon do ‘Tontohu’ id boos do Kadazan.

Grandson: Okon, ‘Tontolu’ nopo nga tadau Koiso, … ‘Isnin’ ka do id Bahasa.

Grandfather: Odoi dogo! Isai oh minongi’ah diau diti? Kohohoingo' ku diti, au zou insan nokoko'ongou do ‘Tontolu’ nopo nga Tadau Koiso!

Grandson: Iziau nopo diti Apah, au ko iziau koiho do boos the Bunduliwan. Iti no oh po’ia’on dagai doid sikul.

Grandfather: Nondia, pokitono zou do buuk dino.

The grandson then produced the book Standard 5 and showed it to his Grandpa. Indeed, the book tells the following:

English Bahasa Bunduliwan

Monday Isnin Tontolu

Tuesday Selasa Mirod

Wednesday Rabu Madsa

Thursday Khamis Tadtaru

Friday Jumaat Kurudu

Saturday Sabtu Kukuak

Sunday Ahad Tiwang

Admittedly, language is a ‘living thing’, but we cannot simply start inventing or re-inventing words that have no relevance to the subject matter. Those invented or borrowed words such as the above, give different meaning in the real sense of the subject words altogether, e.g., the names of weekdays.

‘Tontolu’ or ‘Tontohu’ means ‘egg’; ‘Mirod’ or ‘Mi’od’ means making a slight movement to ease one’s body. These words have no relevance to Mondays and Tuesdays respectively. And so are the rest of the words depicting Wednesdays to Sundays.

I find it absurd to use those words to describe weekdays in my everyday conversation.

I have therefore tried to find out how those words to describe weekdays came about. I was told that those words were taken from the 7-day life cycle of a butterfly. This is not the correct way of inventing words to describe weekdays. Make it simple like the following:

Tadaukoiso (Monday); Tadaukoduvo or Tadaukoduwo (Tuesday); Tadaukotohu or Tadaukotolu (Wednesday); Tadaukaapat (Thursday); Tadaukohimo or Tadaukolimo (Friday); Tadaukoonom (Saturday); and Tadaukotuu or Tadaukoturu (Sunday).

The above words to describe weekdays are currently used by Daily Express in ‘Pangaan KadazanDusun’ and RTM (Kadazan Section). Why can’t we teach our children the correct way? They are perfectly relevant to our everyday usage in Kadazan or Bunduliwan!!