Kadazan People - Origins of The Term 'Kadazan'

Origins of The Term 'Kadazan'

While Kadazan was an official designation for this ethnic group, it is widely believed that the term itself was a political derivative that came into existence in the late 1950s to early 1960s. No proper historical record exists pertaining to the origins of the term or its originator. However, an article written by Richard Tunggolou on this matter may shed some light. According to Tunggolou, most of the explanations of the meanings and origins of the word ‘Kadazan’ assumed that the word was of recent origin, specifically in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He says that some people have theorized that the term originates from the word ‘kakadazan’ (towns) or ‘kedai’ (shops), and from the claim that Kadazan politicians such as the late Datuk Peter J. Mojuntin coined the term.

However, there is evidence that the term has been used long before the 1950s. Owen Rutter, in his book, The Pagans Of North Borneo, published in 1929, wrote: “The Dusun usually describes himself generically as a tulun tindal (landsman) or, on the West Coast, particularly at Papar, as a Kadazan.” (page 31). Rutter worked in Sabah for five years as District Officer in all five residencies and left Sabah with the onset of the First World War. This means that he started working in Sabah from 1910 and left Sabah in 1914. We can therefore safely say 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 Bobolians or the Bobohizans of Borneo was interviewed to seek better picture of the true meaning of the term "Kadazan", a Lotud Bobolian was asked what is the meaning of Kadazan or kadayan? Kadazan means "the people of the land". The Bobohizan from Penampang was also interviewed seeking the real meaning of Kadazan, The Bobohizan Dousia Moujing confirmed that the Kadazan has always been used to describe the real people of the Land; Kadazan means "the people of the land". That confirmed what Rutter (1929) had described about the existence of term Kadazan. Thus,the word "Kadazan" actually not derived from the word "kedai" (meaning "shops" in Malay). Over a hundred years, the people of Kadazans were ruled by the Brunei Sultanate; the Kadazan or Kadayan (in Lotud, Marangang, Liwan etc.)were being addressed by the Sultanate as being the "Orang Dusun" which means "the People of the Orchard" Because in Malay, Dusun means Orchard Farm. Thus administratively the Kadazans are called "Orang Dusun" by the Sultanate (Tax-Collector) but in reality the people that was called "Orang Dusun" are in fact Kadazan. An account of this fact was written by the first census made by the North Borneo Company in Sabah, 1881. Administratively all Kadazans are called Dusun as their ethnic identity. Only through the establishment of KCA (Kadazan Cultural Association) in 1960, this terminology was corrected and replaced into Kadazan. When Sabah formed Malaysia together with Sarawak, Singapore and the Peninsular Malaysia in 1963, under the newly form nation of Malaysia, administratively all "Orang Dusun" born after the Malaysia formation is called Kadazan as their ethnic origin.

There were no conflict with regards to Kadazan as the identity of the "Orang Dusun" between 1963 to 1984. But in 1985 through the KDCA (formally called KCA) the Dusun was once again being introduced after much pressures received from the various parties with one reason to divide the Kadazan and the "Orang Dusun" once again. As the division has been established and successful, the fall of the ruling government (PBS)was accomplished. PBS through the KCA then, finally coined in the new term to represent the "Orang Dusun" and "Kadazan" as Kadazandusun. Press released (Sabah Times and Daily Express) by various parties; argued that it should not be Kadazandusun but Dusunkadazan! Leaders in Singapore and the Peninsular Malaysia until today acknowledges the people as Kadazan and not Dusun. The ex- Prime Minister of Singapore addressed the ethnic group in Sabah as the Kadazans, and many leaders of Malaysia today.