Friday, November 10, 2017

THE DONGGONGON TAMU

The Donggongon Tamu could be the best tamu this part of Sabah.

The Tamu is held every week for two days and two hours. It starts from 4 o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday through Thursday to Friday.

The best time to do your shopping for fresh vegetables, local fruits, fresh water fish, fresh chicken and local native condiments is on Thursday.

Ginger
Fresh vegetables of all kinds are these for you to choose. Large tubers such as sweet potatoes and yams are available aplenty. Most of these are from Tambunan. The fat gingers are from there, too. Pineapples, mostly from Babagon, are there waiting for your taste buds. Babagon pineapples are the sweetest in Sabah! You will never regret buying one or two. Never mind the price. Try one!


Go early on Thursday in order to get a parking space more easily. If not, you will have to go round Donggongon several times. You may get a space if you are lucky enough. Avoid double-parking and never triple-park. You may get fined if there is a policeman on duty. This is money you can better use to pay for your shopping.
Soursops

If you go on Wednesday, you have limited time before it gets dark. And if you go on Friday, the best items will have already gone. You may get some bargains but the vegetables that are left would be somewhat withered and the fruits are the "leftovers" of other tamu goers. So, go on Thursday if you don't want to get disappointed.

If you are interested, and you are from outside Penampang, bring your videocam to record the beating of the 'brass' gongs and the bambo gongs. But if you are late, the players would already have gone before you come.

By the way, there are also dry foodstuff on sale at the Donggongon Tamu such as salted fish, dried prawns and anchovies. Anyway, you may want to avoid these if you have a medical conditions that do not allow you consuming any of these foodstuffs.

There are also flowers, ferns and decorative plants on sale at the Tamu. You may be fortunate enough to find something you have been looking for a long time for your house. So, go!

Local herbalists are not to be outdone. I know one of them, a Mr. Joimis from Sugud. He has a lot of items for sale from Thursday to Friday. He also sells tree barks called "osok" used to convert the coconut tree sap into an alcoholic drink. You may know this as "toddy" or "bahar"which is "baa" in Kadazan. I have not seen any toddy on sale there. Perhaps, the Penampang District Council does not allow its sale.

The only thing that may irritate you is the way vehicles are parked. These are parked haphazardly. But don't allow this to disturb you. This is the way many motorists park during tamu time.

Enjoy your "tamuing"! And may you get the best items.


Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Changing Landscape, Changing Values


Penampang had been the source of hope of many since the days the Mill Hill priests started education in this place. Penampang appears to have lost much of that aura of hope as the years passed amidst blunders of some of its leaders apart from the negative consequences that come with progress.

This should not be surprising. Cain, who murdered Abel, founded the first city. Good and bad happen in cities but more of the bad things, it is said. It is up to good people to make the vital difference in places of darkness.

Progress has come to Penampang although at a slow pace. Penampang was a farming community where the people planted rice in their small fields and some vegetables in their backyards. The people who live here are Kadazans or Sino-Kadazans. The Chinese lived and did business in their wooden shop lots in three blocks of buildings at Donggongon.

St. Michael's School Penampang
In the late 1880s, only two schools were available, St. Theresa at Inobong and St. Michael's Penampang. The people were not interested in education. But in 1910, the priests had no choice but to force their children to study for at least three years.

The officials of the British North Borneo Chartered Company were too busy making money for the shareholders to take any interest in the education of the local population. This was so in Penampang and in so many other places in then North Borneo.

When the schools were reopened after the Japanese occupation, boys from as far away as Tambunan, Papar and Kuala Penyu came to Penampang to study. These educated boys became the catalyst in the progress of their own villages in later years.

The white priests had all gone, having already passed on or gone back to their own country to receive new transfer orders. Local priests had taken over their duties. The white priests taught in Mission Schools. Local priests don't! Trained teachers of various racial and religious backgrounds had taken over the teaching responsibilities including in Mission Schools. Malay is now the medium of instruction.

Changing Demography
The Penampang populace is now a mixture of various races. There is also a large number of mobile immigrant population many of whom had obtained Malaysian citizenship. The Kadazan and Chinese are slowly being squeezed into tight corners. Many Kadazans seem oblivious to the predicament of their people.

Some Chinese including those who came from other places in Malaysia had purchased land from Kadazan landowners. Part of the problem was that some Kadazans are too ready to sell off the "pusaka" land they inherited from their parents or grandparents.

Changing Conviction
The Penampang Kadazans are divided in their political ideology, supporting different leaders and parties. They no longer present a united front since there is no single leader who has the charisma to unite them under one political grouping. The days of the Late Peter Mojuntin had long been gone.

Penampang was staunchly Catholic in the past. It is still so to a great extent. But the style of Church leadership has changed, perhaps due to stresses of life and pressures from various quarters. It seems that Penampang had lost much of its moral leadership based on the conviction of the Catholics staying there. If this is true, what were the reasons?

Penampang needs to maintain its characteristic as a Christian community. It would be very sad indeed if it were to cease being so.

Changing Values
Not long ago - I think it was in 2016 - the police raided an illegal casino at Bundusan. A few years before this, a number of saloons at Penampang Baru township (not Donggongon) were raided by police for allegedly engaging in immoral activities. It has been suggested that many of those involved moved to the outskirts of the city after the K.K. City authorities carried out operations to flush out their activities within the city.

At present, it is rumoured that there are many illegal gambling outlets at Donggongon Town. Is this true? If so, one may ask what is happening to Penampang. Whether this is true or not, there must be something that right thinking people, particularly Christians, can do to prevent immoral activities and the like from ever gaining footholds in Penampang.

Let us make Penampang a place all of us can be proud of, safe for families, safe for everyone.


Thursday, September 15, 2016

Penampang University


Di Poguhu
Kivaa susuzan Kadazan ii kasaasangih tinau sondii. Au nimaan umohigai do tuhun Kadazan - tou nunu haid ngaan do tuhun Kadazan di tahaid no kozo poguhu Brunei - o boos dioho ii pinataak do Minamangun. Nopuhas ii tu au noko-ium taka ingkuo do au agazad om sabap no do nagazad ii do nopuhas om natagak dii ii boos.

Komozon nopo diti nga kivaa haid do suat 'alfabet' do Kadazan nga natagak iti. Oniinih toi aiso katapatan diti. Au po noikot timpu do tinau diti do nokoponguug do suat 'alfabet' sondii. Mantad diho aiso susuzan Tinau Kadazan di poguhu ii nokosuat gisom no do nokoikot tuhun topuak om nokotimpuun kopongia-an id sikul.

Susuzan tokuudi ii noihaan do baino nokotungkus maza boos kabang. Nga sabap no do aiso haid nokopomusoou do monimung susuzan ngaavi ii noihaan tuhun Kadazan tongotuutuo do nohiivan ii. Kogumuan dioho do aino nodii do baino. Susuzan tuhun Kadazan nakatanud do tuminagak. Kadazan ii koiho nodii monuat au nokosivat do pinoposuat dii sabap no do suvai ii nakagazat do ginavo. Mantad diho do kivaa tinau suvai ii kasaasangih do Kadazan om moboos do aiso tanda ii kaanu poposoto do ahaid no Kadazan do poingizon do id pogun diti.

Baino
Nokobuu nodii kogumuan do pomogunan. Kinoizonon ngaavi id Pogun Sabah nga nokobuu. Ogumu nodii sikul. Agazo hoogo so kivaa toihaan. Doiti doiho do kivaa universiti. Kivaa do UMS, kivaa do UiTM, kivaa do TAR University, kivaa do Unitar University, kivaa University College Sabah Foundation, kivaa baagizan pipio universiti mantad dahabus pogun.

Ogumu tuhun mogiigizon id Penampang. Di toun 2010, kiginumu do121,934 tuhun poingizon id Penampang. Mogisuvai-suvai tinau (bangsa) do pointindooi id uvang Penampang.

Koontok do kivaa do Penampang University mooi do kogonop tikoon university montok uvang Penampang om kinoizonon tootoning miaga do Tambunan, Keningau, Ranau, Papar, Inanam om Putatan. Nung piomungon ginumu tuhun poingizon id kinoizonon ngaavi diti (2010) nga miaga dihia id siibo:
Penampang: 121,394 (kaamung Putatan)
Tambunan: 35,667
Keningau: 200,985
Ranau: 94,092
Papar: 124,420
(Putatan: 54,733)
(Kota Kinabalu: 207,214 (kaamung Inanam?)
Saviavi: 576,556(au kaampai Kota Kinabalu)

Mogiigizon ponong Tambunan, Ranau, Keningau om Papar kavaza do Penampang. Hobi do ouhan zioho do pakaazan id Penampang songian opongo ii Pan-Borneo Highway ii kakaa nogi doid Tambunan, Ranau om Keningau. Poinsumpak o Penampang id taatangah do kinoizonon ngaavi diti. Dadi koontok kozo do kivaa university do doiti. Aiso sabap nokuo tuh aiso university id kinoizonon ii ogumu tuhun Kadazan-Dusun. University diti nga montok tinau (bangsa) suvai ponogi.

Sikul takavas ngaavi id uvang nokomoi:
  1. SM St. Michael, Penampang
  2. SMK Bahang, Penampang
  3. SMK Limbanak, Penampang
  4. SMK Datuk Peter Mojuntin, Penampang
  5. SMK Tansau, Penampang
  6. SMK Putatan
  7. SM St. Joseph, Papar
  8. SMK Kinarut, Papar
  9. SM St. Mary, Papar
  10. SMK Benoni, Papar
  11. SMK Majakir, Papar
  12. SMK Takis, Papar
  13. SMK Nambayan, Tambunan
  14. SMK Sook, Keningau
  15. SMK St. Martin, Tambunan
  16. SMK Tambunan, Tambunan
  17. SMK Mat Salleh, Pekan Ranau
  18. SMK Ranau, Kilimu
  19. SMK Bundu Tuhan, Bundu Tuhan
  20. SMK Kundasang, Kundasang
  21. SMK Matupang Jaya, Matupang
  22. SMK Timbua, Timbua
  23. SMK Lohan, Lohan Ulu
  24. SMK Ulu Sugut, Kaingaran
  25. SMK Komburongoh, Komburongoh
  26.  SM St. Francis Xavier, Keningau
  27. SMK Apin Apin, Keningau
  28. SMK Batu Longoyan, Tulid, Keningau
  29. SMK Bingkor, Keningau
  30. SMK Gunsanad, Keningau
  31. SMK Gunsanad II, Keningau
  32. SMK Keningau
  33. SMK Keningau II
  34. SMK Kemabong, Tenom
Mositi nopo do mimang gumu sikul takavas id kinoizonon ngaavi diti. Komozon do kivaa no tanak sikul ii pihion do sumuang do University Penampang.

Kumaa di kivaa ningkokoton id komuniti toi kopolintaan toi sikul takavas, kolej toi universiti, maai no pomusaavai iti montok do kobuu-on tiinu to tuhun mogisuvai tinau id uvang ngaavi diti.

Songian do ogumu tuhun kivaa kapaasan universiti hobi kobuu Pogun Sabah. Kaanu nogi iti monokodung do tanak susumikul kinoizonon sondii sabap no do okuukudi balanja. Au tagal moi balajal id dahabus Sabah. (Nga' nung kivaa kosivatan moi pokiinobos id soboong daat, avasi nogi do kougad.) Pomusaavan mohoing nga au di kozo ountingau.

Aiso hasa do ogumu univositi. Kanou pomusaavai taahom-ahom ahal agazo-guno diti.


Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Preserve The Good Name of PENAMPANG


Penampang is a unique place with a unique people. It is meant to be like that. But once future generations of Penampangites fail to grasp what it means to be true sons and daughters of Penampang, then maybe time has started to change for Penampang and its people.

Even if people of other racial background had come and made Penampang their home, it does not mean Penampang ceases to be what it is UNLESS the original inhabitants allow it to be so. It will not be easy  to rehabilitate Penampang once undesirable changes had become permanent and made the place unrecognisable.

Everyone can play a role, the young and the not so young, children, families, and every household. They have specific roles to play which no one else can carry out.

Natural Characteristics of Penampang

Land Use
A large part of Penampang is hilly, particularly the area toward Tambunan. Some of the land that are nearer to the road are planted with rubber. Vegetables gardens are found at cooler places particularly at Togudon and Moyog. However, large parcels of hilly land still remain undeveloped.

The lowland is fertile due to the perennial flooding of the Moyog River. Wet rice farming was a major activity of the people of Penampang but has practically disappeared except for the small area at Kodundungan and a few fields at Tua-ui (Terawi). Many landowners have built residential houses on their former rice fields. Shop houses and housing estates had sprung up at a number of places, particularly near newly-built highways and roads.

Some landowners have rented out their land to Indonesians, mainly Toraja and Timorese for planting vegetables. Chinese businessmen had bought almost all of the land near the highways. More people are expected to sell their land in the coming years.

Many areas in Penampang had become inundated by irresponsible hill-cutting activities, polluting rivers and streams and causing irrepairable damage to the ecosystem. Such activities had seriously damaged the countryside and impacted on the aesthetic beauty of the countryside.

Cultural Characteristics of Penampang

Languages
Most of the people living in Penampang are Kadazans. The older folks are very fluent in the Kadazan Language. They can also speak good English and Malay. Most of the younger generation of Kadazans cannot speak Kadazan  although they can understand a little bit. They speak Malay, instead. Very few are good in the English language. A good number of Kadazan children in primary schools speak and understand Kadazan. If the trend continues then the Kadazan Language is assured of continuity.

There is a substantial number of Chinese living in Penampang. Many of them had inter-married with the Kadazans. The older folks speak Chinese and Kadazan while the younger generation speaks Chinese, Malay and perhaps English. The majority are concentrated in the town areas such as Donggongon, Penampang New Township, Bundusan and Kepayan.

A growing number of Muslims are making Penampang their home. They speak Malay.

Many Filipinos live at Penampang. They work in construction, transportation or sell fresh fish, grilled fish and meat. They speak in their own language. It is understood that quite a number of them are Tausugs and Suluks.

Many Bugis are hawkers, selling cakes, clothing and other items. They control about 90 per cent of the hawking business at Donggongon.

A a number of Pakistanis and Tamil Muslim had opened shops or tuck shops at Penampang. And they communicate with each other in their own language.

Religions
The majority of Kadazans are Christians, most of them Catholics. The Chinese majority are Buddhists or Thai Pak Kung practioners. The Malays, Bugis, Pakistanis and most Filipinos are Muslims. Some of the Filipinos staying at Penampang are Christians.

A number of the people at Penampang still practices animistic belief.

Where People Live
The majority of Kadazans live in their own respective house built on their own land or reserved land in villages around Penampang. A fair number of Kadazans live in housing estates or apartments built within the district. Some squat on government land or road or riverine reserves.

The Chinese live in urban areas around Donggongon Town, the New Penampang Township, in housing estates around Penampang or in their own mansion.

People of other races live in their own house, in housing estates or rent houses in villages.

How People Move Around
People who do not have their own personal transport use public transport. Buses operated by Filipinos and Bugis ply between Donggongon and Kota Kinabalu. Limited taxi service operated by Chinese is available at Donggongon. Unlicensed 'taxi' operators offer transportation charging fairly high fees are operated mainly by Kadazans.

How Money Is Exchanged
A number of banks make available services for monetary transactions. Branches of the Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad, Public Bank Berhad, Maybank Berhad, Bank Simpanan Nasional Berhad, Agro Bank Berhad are found at Donggongon and other places within Penampang.

Government Offices
Government offices can be found near Donggongon Town. These include the Penampang District Office, the District Council Office, Post Malaysia, District Police Station, and Fire and Rescue Station.

The National Registration Department as well as the Health Department have opened branches at Donggongon .


Maintaining the Characteristics of Penampang

The following could be ways (there could be others) whereby the characteristics of Penampang will remain intact. Therefrom, Penampang can then concentrate on becoming a leader in selected fields of human endeavour.

1. Be Proud to be a Penampangite. To be born in Penampang is a privilege as well as a responsibility. Anyone who is worthy to be called a Penampangite has to uphold the good name of Penampang.

It seems that Kadazan-Dusun leaders prefer to conduct their business and activities, centred at Penampang. After all, Penampang, at the present moment, is not a congested place. It is easier to move around Penampang when compared to Kota Kinabalu (Tompinak Nabahu, to me). Penampang has the potential to develop into a beautiful urban area.

Who else can ensure that Penampang retains its uniqueness and develop it into a successful semi-urban area but the people of Penampang themselves? Who are better-placed to know what is best for Penampang but the Penampang people themselves?

As a Penampangite, one must be able to think independently and not easily swayed one way or another before making informed decision for the good of the people and the land. This is one way the people can preserve the good name of Penampang.

2. Remember and Value the Sacrifices by Past Leaders. Leaders come and go. They may come from different political background, belief or ideology. Appreciate whatever good any one of them had done for Penampang. Give credit where it is due.

Penampang and its institutions had produced many fine leaders, contributing their talents in politics, the public or the private sector. May Penampang people be ever ready to be formed as individuals grounded upon the truth and honesty and a strong belief in God.

3. Be Honest and Speak the Truth. Being honest and truthful always is another way people can enhance the good reputation of Penampang. Penampangites should never waver in the fight against injustice and against every attempt to make them a subject people.

4. Strive to be the Best in What You Do. Penampangites need to strive to be the best in everything that they do, be it be at school or college, at work, in sports or business, or personal life. They need to strive for excellence. But excellence can never be the friend of idleness or laziness. To excel one must always try to reach the next level.

5. Be Inclusive. Don't adopt an attitude of elitism or aloofness. Don't exclude people just because they are less successful than we are. Value people for what they are. Give credit where it is due. Do not judge a person by his looks, his status or station in life.

6. "The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts (Aristotle)." According to one explanation, this phrase means the following:

"Organizational pundits maintain that this principle describes the synergy, which exists between individuals working together in a cooperative effort. J Craniofac Surg. 2014 Jan;25"

Penampangites need to be generous in sharing knowledge, skills, experience and feelings as they work together to attain common goals for the good of Penampang and its people for the long term.

7. Be True to the One True God. Penampang had been a stronghold of Christianity. True believers need to make it their personal responsibility that this remains so for all times. This faith is symbolised by the Cross erected at the top of Tivung, the first Cross having been erected in 1893.


Calling every inhabitant of Penampang to be a true son or daughter of Penampang.


Saturday, July 30, 2016

Putaton ko' Putatan?


Ngaan do Putatan om Putaton miipiaga. Kivaa naku do pionitan diti? Toombo tiso ii kotunud?

Putatan nopo nga kinoizonon id somok do tahungan Bavang Putatan. Putaton nopo nga iso mantad di kampung ngaavi id Uvang Inobong ii avazaan do Bavang Moyog.

Saazo do Bavang Putatan o Bavang Moyog. Ii om ii bavang dii. Tumimpuun o Bavang Moyog mantad Paod Nuhu do Krokor (Crocker Mountain Range) om humuzung maza do kakampungan do Moyog, Pogunon, Inobong, Tanaki, Nampasan, Penampang Kozo, Dambai, Babah-Bunduon, Mahandoi-Kandazon om gisom no doid Tulangis. Mantad doiho, pungaanan nodii dati ii do Bavang Putatan gisom no doid daat do Meruntum.

Ontok di koikot o tuhun magagampa Bolitis, notimpuunan do mananom do gata di ponounan 1890dan. Novit do Bolitis tuhun Sina do kumalaja id kabun gata. Mantad no dii do kivaa Sina minonoodo do kadai toniini id Putatan. Kazu pinonoodo dii.

Pinungaanan do Bolitis o kinoizonon dii do Putatan sabap do ogumu kazu pungaanan do "putat" poinsuni do doiho ontok timpu dii. Pungaanai no kinoizonon dii to Putat town. Maid-haid, nadadi o Putat town do Putatan. Otopot nopo nga' Putaton daa ii kotunud. Nga huu saazo do bavang o Putaton.

Ingkaa no do nopungaanan Putatan do 'Putatan.'

Dadi, ingkuo ngaan do 'Putaton'? Kivaa nangku do Sina mantad Putatan  nokoizon id kinoizonon dii om pungaanai no dau do Putaton ii? Nakasavo naku o Sina dino do tuhun do Inobong?

Kivaa susuzan do nokoikot o tuhun Sina id Inobong. Iso nopo kinoizonon do kivaa Sina mogiigizon nga id kinoizonon pungaanan do 'Pagansakan' do baino. Nung ingkaa, mositi nopo dati do mantad ngaan Putatan do notoodo o ngaan do 'Putaton.' Au dati kadavot o Sina do mangait do Putatan.



Kopoihaan:
1. Aiso do Bavang Petagas ontok dii. Petagas nopo nga okonko Bavang molulu nga palit haid ii, tinoodi do tuuun mobubuvat Kodundungan mooi kohuzung. o vaig mantad donau ontok umasam. Kavavagu ii.

2. Maan ih potunudo susuzan diti songian kaanu kopoihaan di hobi kotunud.

3. Nimaan uangai om potunudo' susuzan diti di baino, tadau ko-4, vuhan ko-8, toun 2024. 



Friday, July 29, 2016

Agazo Vaig Hizud nga' Osintukan Vaig


Mantad nombo hizud? Mantad lasam.

Mantad nombo o lasam?

Mantad tavan? Aiso do bavang toi daat do doiho.

Mantad daat om bavang? Daat om bavang id siibo do tavan.

Na, iso no sisimba dii. Mantad Minamangun ii.

Kohizud songian madasam do asapou om ahaid. Osusa nodii o tuhun om moboos, "Umaasam nopo!" ka. Nga songian do au umasam, moboos o tuhun do, "Songian dii ma do umasam?" ka. Songian do modizud, mongomu o tuhun om moboos, "Modizud nopo," ka.

Oukot o pomusaavan. Osusa do monontob kogiiginovoo do tuhun. Kivaa nopo poguangan!

Mimang gazo vaig do bavang om papas songian do umasam. Songian do au kouha ginazo di bavang toi papas, mimang havas ii vaig humabus. Dadi koizud nodii.

Ogumu Vaig nga Osintukan Vaig
Avasi do maasam-asam tu kivaa nopo do vaig gunoon do tuhun. Nung magadau, umasak o bavang, okoing ngaavi o tanom. Nga songian do madaat om humizud, ogumu nogi kaantakan.

Miaga po do daat songian do kohizud. Nga sabap no do azamut o vaig hizud, maan dii tutubo' o paip tagazo om potoodon pom vaig. Songian do aavi vaig ii tabaakas ii poingopi id tangki tagazo, aiso nodii vaig tavasi koikot doid hamin ngaavi do tuhun. Miaga kozo di susuzan kokomoi tuhun di au koinsud o kapal vaig id tanga daat tu' noumbak hazag do kapal dau. Songian di noovian do vaig, minoboos isido, "Vaig nopo doid nombo nopo nga aiso sontitik vaig do inumon," ka.

Ingkaa no songian do oumbak o paip toi tutubon do upis vaig o paip sabap do azamut. Ohodong nodii ngaavi o tuhun.

Oubat Vaig Asam
Kiguno vaig asam songian do aiso vaig. Nung koponimung vaig asam, au dii tagal momoguno vaig paip do pimpoduan toi pomupu toi pomohiung. Okudi dii pambalai do bil vaig noubatan. Songian do aiso kapanaakan do vaig sabap do noumbak o paip toi azamut o vaig, miho gunoon ii vaig lasam di notimung.

Dadi, kiguno nogi ii vaig lasam. Koontok mogium lahan monimung vaig asam montok gunoon songian aiso vaig noubatan.

Sukung Bavang Kaiduan (Kaiduan Dam)
Kivaa atag do monoodo do Sukung Bavang Kaiduan (Kaiduan Dam) montok no do gunoon do mogiigizon ngaavi ponong kotonobon kaampai no Kota Kinabalu. Kivaa timpu do mikot do au kouha ii vaig id Sukung Babagon, ka. Maan haid potoundao kapanaakan vaig montok tiinu, ka.

Tuhun mamasok ponong id sokid do Penampang au kaakun do maan tuidongo ii Sukung Kaiduan. Ovuzas kopooposizon za, ka dioho. Kivaa pipio kakampungan do otoob songian do otoodo o sukung dii kaampai no Buayan, Terian, Kionop, Kalanggaan, Kisada, Timpayasa, Longkogungan om suvai po kinoizonon. Atagak o poobuvatan do doiho. Atagak pomogunan do tuhun doiho.

Tou, ingkuo kodimpoton do ahal diti do tiinu. Nga otopot ih kozo do hobi ogumu o tuhun, hobi ogumu vaig do gunoon. Gisom songian ma do kouha toi kavangah o vaig mantad Babagon? Kivaa nangku lahan suvai kopogiuman do vaig?

Tumanud do koponoizukan, hobi-kuang do 46 piatus (46%) o vaig noubatan baino do atagak (atanggazang) do aiso gatang. Kahavas vaig sabap do noumbak paip tagazo toi paip kumaa 'metre'. Vaig dii maan panakao aiso balai om asaasau do maahavas nopo tu au ih balazan ii.

Mositi nopo do kivaa lahan monguhan toi manalasai do nuununu nopo ahal mooi do aiso di olugi' toi atagakan do ningkokoton do id kopooposizon.

Kopointahangan:
Bavang Moyog muzu pakaazan id Putatan. Bavang mantad Kaiduan humuzung kumaa Papar.


Wednesday, July 20, 2016

PENAMPANG: Glimpses of the Past

What is this place called "Penampang"? What was it called in the distant past? How did it look like long ago? Who were the first inhabitants of Penampang if they were not the people who live here today? How was the life of the people?

No one can be sure what was in Penampang a very long time ago. And there is no way it can be determined what it was called hundreds or thousands of years ago. We can guess that people in those days called this place 'sondot' because it was near the sea. 'sondot' is the place where people land when coming ashore or descend to from a higher ground or from a place which is a 'sokid'. 'sumondot' means to land. The interior areas are called 'sokid', referring to places which are very far from the sea coast.

The unfortunate result of this was that some of the people who lived in 'sondot' considered those living in the 'sokid' as somehow backward. This persisted until people became more rational in their thinking as the result of education. Now, many of the natives who live in the 'sokid' are highly educated. There is no reason for people who live in 'sondot' to continue thinking that they are much better. After all, it is believed that their ancestors came from the interior regions. It is said that native people migrated from the interior. Topin argued that these local migrations were from a particular place at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu. However, someone - I forgot who - counter-argued that excavations at that place did not unearth the presence of a big community of people.

Long ago, this place which will be named Penampang must have been covered with primary jungles while the lowlands were either marshes or overgrown with bushes and grass. The river, now called Moyog, was then at its young stage and was deep, used to overflow its banks and flood the plains. This made this land fertile for rice farming. And the buffaloes, numbering in the hundreds if not in the thousands, loved the water brought by the monsoon rain.

We can accept that there had been migrations but these must have been from various places in the interior, perhaps not far apart, to other places in North Borneo. We can also accept that there must have been waves of migrations over the years.

The story about Maragang could be a creative way of explaining these migrations. And even if a person called Maragang walked the land around Mount Kinabalu, and that his children and descendants had migrated to various places, it could have occurred over a long period, perhaps hundreds of years. On the other hand, the story could be true. The Kimaragang tribe of Kudat knows about Maragang and the name of at least two of his children, namely, Longguvai and Torumpak. Longguvai is Rongguvai and Torumpak may be Tomui, the youngest son of Maragang.

Ancient People of Penampang
People who inhabited this place in the past lived in longhouses for protection. They were hunters-gatherers. They were expert at making traps to catch fish and small animals. The rivers and streams of the lowlands and the forests offered them abundance of food.

They learned to make use of wooden materials to make longhouses. They looked up to chieftains who could lead them to victory against their enemies and offered protection while they went about their daily chores. How these men acquired great strength is open to the imagination. But it was not only the strong men who were looked up to as leaders. These people also depended on the help of priests and priestesses who seemed to know how to deal with the unknown realm of the spirits. They developed rituals and put together a list of taboos which bound the community closely together but also determined the direction of their way of life. 

Tribal Wars
By the 1800, the descendants of Maragang were found living in many parts of North Borneo. For example, the Subau clan controlled Tombovo while Gumbahon was under the leadership of the Bolukun clan. Both of these places are not far from present-day Putatan. The Gumbahon settlement was attacked by Bangkaakon tribe during the time of Bolukun. Gumbahon is found in present-day Duvanson or Papaason.

It is said that the Tangaah community in Sugud was one of the earliest native settlements at Penampang. It is said that Sugud and Papar had fought tribal wars. The Kadazan tribe lived at Papar. It is made clear in historical records that the tribal wars occurred before the British came and even continued for a while when the British colonialists were already in North Borneo.

Two other early native settlements were at present-day Pogunon and Kolopis. One Severinus Hinjiang was told by his mother that Pogunon and Kolopis fought against each other. As a child, he saw the remnant of the Pogunon fortress or tompinak in Kadazan. Other early native settlements were Tua-ui and Hungab. Mentri Babu of Tua-ui was appointed as an official by the Sultan of Brunei when the Penampang plains were under the Sultan's control. The people of Hungab and Bahang reputedly revolted and fought against the Brunei soldiers in protest against the rice tax imposed on the native population. Brunei never forgot about the rebellion and never appointed any official from these areas as representatives of the Sultan.

When officials of the British North Borneo Chartered Company (BNBC) arrived in North Borneo, they saw the people at war. They made sure that the wars and head-taking would stop otherwise they would not be free to carry out their commercial enterprise. Piracy had to be stamped out, too, for the same reason.

It is stated that North Borneo was under Brunei rule from 1485 to 1524. There was minimal control especially after the people revolted. The interior of North Borneo remained untouched by Brunei. Thereafter, Brunei decided to exercise control through appointed officials. These were selected from among the people who were responsible for collecting taxes on behalf of the Sultan. They received a percentage of the amount collected apart from receiving a monthly allowance. These officials became rich while majority of the people struggled to make a living.

Brunei continued to weaken with a steep decline in the seventeenth century. Nevertheless, when the American and later the British came, the only power in the region with whom they could negotiate was Brunei. Since Brunei pangirans were still in control of the river valleys, the British had to purchase these from Brunei. Brunei had become so weak that it became a British protectorate in the 1880s.

Eruption of Krakatoa
Krakatoa is mentioned in this blog about Penampang for a reason.

Krakatoa is a volcanic island in Indonesia. Its eruption in 1883 caused huge tsunamis as high as 120 feet killing more than 36,000 people. It is reported that the explosion was heard up to 3,000 miles away. Shock waves circled the earth thirteen times.

Dr. Freddy Mojiun told the writer that his mother said the tsunami caused by Krakatoa reached Penampang. They lived at Kolopis, Penampang some 10 kilometre away from the coast. Dr. Freddy's mother said that people at Kolopis were able to catch salt water fish using hand-held fishing nets ecalled 'sizud'. Most probably, her grandparents witnessed the tsunami.

This occurred around the time the British came to North Borneo for the first time. This shows clearly that native communities existed in Penampang before the 1883 Krakatoa eruption.

These were some of the earliest native communities at Penampang:
a) It is believed that the community at Sugud is the earliest native settlement in the area. It is stated that they are of the Tangaah tribe.

b) The husband and wife pair of Subau and Suntoi lived at Tombovo, not far from Putatan. They may have been born in the 1830s. Most of the people staying at Tombovo are descended from them.

c) Kituau of Limbanak, Gumbahon in present-day Duvanson (Papaason) and Pogunon were among the early native settlements at Penampang.

There must have been people living in Penampang much earlier. It is written that Brunei controlled the whole area since the 1480s. If there were no people staying there, there was no point for the Brunei Sultan to have any interest since there was not much gain to be made.

The Coming of the Chinese
When the Tambunan plains became over-populated, many of the people moved to other parts of North Borneo. A couple of years ago (circa 2014), Ignatius Buji told the writer that the people of Tuavon were the descendants of migrants from Sunsuron, Tambunan. He said his ancestors originated from there. As written somewhere else, the people at Sugud who were of the Tangaah tribe must also have come from Tambunan based on this theory. Tuavon sounds like 'tuhau', a herb used to make pickles.

Zheng He, a Chinese mariner, recorded that between the 10th and 15th century, there were many Chinese in Borneo. But which part of Borneo? Borneo is a large island.

The following are to be noted:
i) In 1882, the Chinese who were brought by the British to North Borneo were given a grant of land of 40,000 acres for planting tobacco;
ii) First decade of the 20th century (1900-1910): Chinese immigration to North Borneo increased. (Javanese were the other group of people recruited as workers in the plantations);
iii) The Chinese were brought in to North Borneo not only to work in tobacco and rubber plantations but to develop wet-rice farming.

The native population later made improvements to the farming implements introduced by the Chinese.

Penampang was one of the places where rubber plantations were started. Some of the Chinese migrants stayed on after the end of their contract and became shopkeepers. Many of them married native wives and prospered in the land where they worked formerly as 'coolies' (unskilled labour). The descendants of Chinese migrants at Penampang are numerous. Many of them are proud of their Chinese ancestry.

Can it be concluded that the majority of the people at Penampang were the descendants of two groups of migrants, one from the interior of North Borneo and the other from China?

There were later Chinese emigration between 1927 and 1949 after the nationalists lost to the communists. Some of them came to North Borneo. A number of them may have come to Penampang. If so, they would have some impact on the demography there. 

Rubber Plantations
The British colonialists did not have much to do with the natives of Penampang with the exception of rice farming. They were too busy with making a success of their business enterprises. These included rubber plantations. The Lokawi Estate (said to have been named after one "Cowie" who was the estate manager at one time) was one of the largest rubber plantations at that time.

Workers included natives who came from Tambunan and Papar.


These are some glimpses of the past history of Penampang.


~ to be continued ~

Note: 
Some of what are mentioned here had been stated by others. The Krakatoa eruption, for example, was an event that placed the ancestors of the Kadazan at a certain place at a certain time.



Author: Pascalis Claudius Lotinggi
First created on: July 11, 2016
Copyright 2016 All Rights Reserved
Modified: July 24, 2016