Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary: Comments and Proposals.

Beginner’s Kadazandusun Dictionary: Comments and Proposals.

AA) Comments from Group A - ‘Pro-Kadazandusun’.

1) Rita Lasimbang posted on February 3, 2010 1:21 PM

a) "Tinaru' Kadazandusun is NOT created by KLF (Okon ko' KLF o minonoodo).

b) ‘We are, as implementors, merely used this term (‘Kadazandusun’) which was being used at that time, this work was undertaken before 1999. (If there is a need to change, then we have to go back to those who created it, we only implement.)’

c) Nga' iso' dati' o kinomungkangan dagai do ontok dii...ontok nopo do ponoodo di projik, ii nopo "bangsa" om "race" nga' dahin dagai do "tinaru'"; om au' dati' dii koontok do baino iho' (maybe use "Indigenous group" instead of "race").

d) And as with any other publishers, we will revise our books based on comments received from our readers and users of our books. Seperti juga dengan penerbit lain, kami akan mengusahakan Edisi Semakan bagi buku-buku terbitan kami dengan mengambil kira komen-komen yang kami terima daripada pembaca dan pengguna buku terbitan kami. Sekian.

2) Clement Jaikul said... posted on February 2, 2010 5:46 AM

a) The only agenda behind this subject i.e. to promote Kadazandusun as a race is essentially to unite this two ethnic tribes, who long ago was hunting each other heads.

b) The Penampang " Kadazan " used to mock me as the Dusun Tagahaas< and they were enjoying laughing and making fun of the Tagahaas. I and my other DUsuns were proud of the name because according the folklore it was Tagahaas the victor for having collected the highest number of head from the Tanggara tribe.

c) Unless the only agenda by those promoting the "Kadazan' as a race is to disunite the Kadazan and Dusuns.

d) The fact remains that Kadazan is a race and Dusun is also a race, what it so wrong if this two name are united as KadazanDusun. By right the name should be changed to 'DusunKadazan" simply because the Dusuns are the majority( you cannot deny this fact). February 1, 2010 11:34 AM

e) I was asked whether the name " Dusun ' is to be included in the Dictionary. I am proud and all the Dusuns in Sabah are proud of their heritage. In fact the word ' Dusun ' is not something new in the Malay dictionary. Back in 1882 the first Governor of British NOrth Borneo Mr. William Hood Treacher had mentioned the name ' Dusun' when writting a special report to the Chartered Company Board of Directors baed in London. The British then already recognised the ' Dusun' as the predominant race in North Borneo. This historic event must be passed to the new generations, and for that no reason why the name "Dusun' is to be omitted from the dictionary.. If one would stick to the fact of the subject in question, I dont see any confusion.

f) The question seems to me is whether " Kadazandusun' is acceptable or not as a race. Every one has his own say and opinion, so may I suggest that a ' gallup poll ' be carried out and let us (Dusun and Kadazan) decide once for all.

3) Clement Jaikul said... posted on February 7, 2010 7:39 AM

a) Why all this ' splitting of the hairs' why revived this old wounds. Did you and i gained tangible out of all these arguements even to the extent of running down our political leaders? To my mind, our motto should be unity in diversity.

b) Look around and see for yourself what is our greviences in terms of marginalisation in governance, jobs and education. These grievances needed to be corrected and rectified. True our rights as sons of the soils are guaranteed under the constitution, but it is a right we have to fight for and fight hard to win for it. Our greviances are genuine and are we happy about it by simply sweping these greviances under the carpet.

c) The fruits of our rights does not come along on a silver plate. Where do we go from here. Can some one over there enlightened on this very serious and important subject.

4) Clement Jaikul said...posted on February 7, 2010 7:44 PM

a) You mentioned about creating a new race? The Dayaks are now known as Ibans, and I believe the Ibans are proud of thier new name. Why can we be proud as Kadazandusun and still maintains our respective culture, and there is really nothing wrong if when addressing a function or crowd in salutation by saying Tobinai Kadazan and Dusun ngavi.........

b) I admit that I have sidelines a bit when I discussed about our greviances. What I am try to infer is unless we are united and unified in our stand, our greviances cannot be addressed effectively and bring about results.

c) As you have said leave it to the politicians. I agree very much. As individual or a group of concerned people or assocation can also contribute and in fact more effectively.

d) I think our politicians and leaders were sincere in their deliberations and not for anything else, but as politicians they cannot escape the perceptions that it wasnt politically motivated.

5) Anonymous said... February 9, 2010 11:44 PM

a) We should use this term KadazanDusun because all the other indigenous ethnic groups are already included as this word is meant to be inclusive.

b) KadazanDusun as a term includes Muruts, Rungus, Tindal, Bundu, Tangara, Liwan and all the 36 other tribes.

c) The significance of this word KadazanDusun is Unity by Diversity. It unite everybody that we are one people, one race and one voice.

6) Clement Jaikul said... posted on February 9, 2010 11:52 PM

a) Quite often I am puzzled that to some the name 'Dusun" implies as uncivilized race etc, whereas the literal meaning of it is ' orchard or farmer. Nothing unsavoury to me more so we are basically are farmers.

7) Anonymous said... posted on February 1, 2010 11:30 PM

a) There is no such thing as Dusuns, Kadazans and other ethnic until the Christian missionary and the British colonial came and educate us in the late 1880s.

Things changed especially politics came to the picture when the British North Borneo was invited by Malaya to formed the new country called Malaysia somewhere in 1960 or 1961.

I think you people know the history of the friction between the Kadazans and the Dusuns which started in 1961 in the then Jesselton Community Centre until the rise of the Dusun nationalism in the PBS era 1985 to 1994.

As what CBM said "Compromise", the term KCA was transformed to KDCA in 1989 and the rest was history. I wonder what is CBM's race stated in his Birth Certificate. I heard his race is Dusun and there are copies available.

b) And now we are in the 21st Century year 2010 we are still wrangling in this issue. Why? So what if the KLF said the Kadazandusun is one of the ethnic race. Maybe they have the justification.

Like the others, I agree that if you are happy to be Kadazans, Dusuns, Kadazandusuns, and others so be it. The late Tun Fuad has learned his lesson that nobody can go to the extreme.

We should compromise because if the term Kadazandusun is fit to the present time where it can unite the two biggest ethnic tribe the Kadazan Tangara and Dusun Bunduliwan well United we stand, Divided we fall.

I think this Kadazan v Dusun and now v Kadazandusun should put to rest and we must move forward. We are far, far behind in our education, employment, business, communication technology and many many more than the other race like the Malay, Chinese, Indian and Iban/Dayak.

Our situation now is just like the "Boiled-frog syndrome".

8) Anonymous said... posted on February 2, 2010 10:51 PM

a) The crux of the problem started when the late Datuk M Koding left PBS and formed AKAR, he made it a political platform. In order to get support from the Dusun politicaly, he intensified the use of the name 'Dusun' and even engaged the late Datuk G S Sundang as he was among those who did not agree to the term 'Kadazan' being used in 1961 by the late Tun Fuad Stephens to unite the community under a single identity.

b) The late Tun Fuad Stephens admitted his mistake as reported in KST dated 19/2/1967. The mistake can still be corrected as what the KCA leaders had done on 05/11/1989 by introducing the term "Kadazandusun" at the annual congress of delegates. It has since came to be known as KDCA.

c) The justification was because all the other indigenous ethnic groups are already included as this word is meant to be inclusive. Kadazandusun as a term include the Rungus and all the 40 other tribes. This is the stand of KDCA to coin the term with a view to uniting everybody psychologically and mentally so that they don't fight over who is Kadazan and who is Dusun anymore. That is the idea, it is a good idea and should be supported.

d) Although the term "Kadazandusun" is not 'universally used' or 'accepted', it was a good start and there are signs that the same-speech community are beginning to be aware of this term.

e) The people are slowly getting into that idea and accepting it. Those who disagree will gradually and eventually accept its usage. Tan Sri H Luping has written his book titled "The Kadazandusuns". (Very familiar statement – Moderator.)

f) Opening suggestions, the move towards correction can be initiated from the official side (NRD). The official side (NRD) who prepare our demograhy and population statistic should call us just Kadazandusuns in their documentation. To do this, there must be an official instruction on the adoption of the term "Kadazandusun".

g) Present-day leaders like Huguan Siou Datuk J Pairin, Tan Sri B Dompok, Tan Sri J Kurup, Datuk Ayub Aman, Datuk Dr J Kitingan, Tan Sri G Gilong, Tan Sri S Koroh, Tan Sri H Luping, Datuk M Leiking, Tan Sri S Sipaun should get together in an effort to arrive at a consensus so that will sort of solve this so-called problem of identity.

9) Anonymous said... February 3, 2010 11:23 PM

a) Why Kadazadusuns? An article written by the late Rev Fr A L Gossen compiled a Kadazan Dictionary which was published by Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic society in November 1924 stated that "In this vocabulary, I have followed the pronounciation of Kadazan as used in Papar. Dusun call themselves Kadazan, page 87"

b) There is some older records in the writing of Ivor H N Evan's book " Among Primitive People in Borneo" published in 1922 read,"The Dusun apply different names to themselves in different parts of the country; for instance, I have it on the authority of Father Duxneuney that the Putatan people call themselves Kadazan, while I found that the natives of the Tempassuk dub themselves tindal, page 79 and 286."

c) If you said so what? Well going back to my point that the stand of KDCA to coin the term Kadazandusun with a view to uniting everybody so that they don't fight over who is Kadazan and who is Dusun anymore. That is the idea, it is a good idea and should be supported.

d) But if you said it's rubbish then there will never be a final answer to this. It will go on and on. I think it's time for us to move on.

e) The agreed-on-name was the closest approach. But most of the communities including the above commenter still don't see it positively. Now that we have reached the millennium, there was still conflict among the Kadazans and Dusuns which was resulting in the identity crisis again.

10) Anonymous said... posted on February 5, 2010 10:41 AM

a) Anyway, the term "Kadazandusun" was coined as the best alternative approach to resolve the "Kadazan/Dusun identity crisis", which have crippled and impeded the growth and development of the Kadazandusun multi-ethnic socio-culturally, economically and politically - eversince Kadazanism versus Dusunism sentiments wre politized in 1960's.

b) On the other hand, I concurred KSS and other individual's stance that those who identify themselves as 'Kadazan' or 'Dusun' should be respected.

c) To resolve this debate amicably and to reach a "win-win situation", I therefore welcome KSS President's proposal that the Kadazans or the Dusuns can be identified under the new term "KadazanDusun" (with the capital K and D) as published in your blog on 30/3/2009.

d) Last but not least, we must make it official and there must be an official instruction on the adoption of the term "KadazanDusun" and NRD should be instructed on correct term to use.

(Note from the moderator: If I am not too presumptuous, the Anonymous participants in C (1-4) above are one and the same person. If this is so, then there are only 3 participants from this group).

BB) Comments from Group B - against ‘Kadazandusun’.

1) S. Bernard said... February 1, 2010 6:13 PM

I am a Dusun and I am proud to be one. Why dilute my dialect name by making Kadazandusun? Who was the crazy guy who thought of this in the first place? And by the way, what unity? Are we not already United as Sabahans? Very Very strange to create a new race.

2) Kenneth J said... February 1, 2010 6:31 PM

a) I noted from your blogs attachment, on the Dictionary proposed by KLF, Why is Murut, the Lotuds and the the Rungus a "Race" of its own and the "Kadazandusuns" fused into one?

b) So my vote is for Kadazan and Dusuns to be recognised a Race and Dialect which we must defend and preserve for all enternity. What is a race without its language?

3) raynerstuelgalid said... February 1, 2010 8:41 PM

a) My father lived in Inanam and his boros is Dusun; my mother is from Tunon, obviously a Kadazan-Tanggara. They wed at St.Micheal in 1955. Living in Inanam but always close-knit with relatives from Tunon and Dabak, we, the siblings, can speak Inanam-Dusun and Tanggara dialects equally good. My birth cert list me as Kadazan but some of my siblings are put down as Dusuns (put it down to the different clerks at the Registar).

b) As far as I know all of us siblings are happy to be referred to as Kadazans, and we take no offence when called Dusuns.

4) Anonymous said...

a) Whatever you call our community, Kadazan or Dusun, we are one and the same. To "kahwin it" into a generic name like the despicable fusion of "kadazandusun" only shows how shallow these people are.

b) It should always be Orang Sabah berbangsa "Kadazan" atau "Dusun". If the Muruts can have it their way as a distinct race, why not we?

5) Johnny SM (SKG-Prod) SG said... February 2, 2010 7:48 PM

a) I am a Kadazan, so I not agreeing nor permitting this. I wholly disgaree with this term "Kadazandusun"

b) We will end up to be the first race in the world to be unsure of our race? So much that we need to rename our race into something unnatural in as far I am concerned.

c) If the people who wants to change my race wants to and insists to, please tell them to leave me and my family out of it.

d) So NRD, please record me, John S. M, of Papar (will provide our IC and Statutory Declaration-when the time comes for NRD to attempt to make me "Kadazandusun") wishes to remain as I was known when I was born and that is a "KADAZAN".

6) Anonymous said... February 2, 2010 8:13 PM

a) My brothers and sisters, there is no such race as Kadazandusun! We are either Kadazans or Dusuns. We can check with JPN and confirm that no such race exists. Neither one of us want to lose our identity. We should never allow this to happen. The term is coined by politicians. They try to manipulate all of us for their own gain.

b) The creation of a new language(kadazandusun) which is totally different from kadazan & even dusun language would definitely confuse not only our people but in fact will give a new identity for those who wish to be included into this new kadazandusun race...and worst still its gonna be taught in the school curriculum.

7) Anonymous said... February 2, 2010 10:30 PM

a) I for one am not ashamed to be called a Dusun. So what. We just ignore those people who wants to make us Dusuns even more marginalised by making our race Dusun to be after the Kadazan peoples' race.

b) Why must the Dusun come in Second or why must the Dusun name be obliterated into Kadazandusun.

8) My Dignity is my Race said... February 2, 2010 11:29 PM

a) I am a Kadazan and will probably be the last few who will stand by that name.

b) So leave me out. If you and the rest of these "so called" community leaders what to so called unite yourselves", then go ahead but but a proviso to the NRD to exclude specifically the "minority" like me, who will live and die as a Kadazan. I am sure that there are some "minority" Dusuns who thinks like and probably we will be the last few who will continue to preserve our identity as it was and as it is.

9) FREEDOM said... February 3, 2010 3:54 PM

a) This confusion must be STOPPED. Once a Kadazan always a Kadazan and likewise the Dusuns, Muruts etc.... United we stand as a race but we do not fall, we multiply as a race.

b) Citizens are given the freedom to chose what race they what to be termed as but please do not form another race combining all the ethnic groups (I give my highest due respect to all ethnic groups, I respect their culture,their practice, etc... do not make our future generations life COMPLICATED. We must have a sense of belonging as an individual race.

10) Anonymous said... February 3, 2010 11:26 PM

a) Whether you are Kadazan, Dusun, Murut, Rungus, Kimaragang, Lotud and so and so on, your political leaders since Donald Stephens, Pairing Kitingan, Mark Koding, Bernard Dompok and Joseph Kurup were the ones who were not united.

b) The solution is to not change the race identity. Keep intact, what the late Tun Fuad said, call yourselves any of either Kadazan or Dusun, after all you are the same. Putting the word the together as "kadazandusun" serves no one well at all but only serves the message of the politicians who indeed as someone said in this blog, have long overstayed their welcome and service.

11) Regi Puvok said... February 4, 2010 5:15 PM

a) Au zou sama sakahi kosokodung do tondom-ondom nu kokomoi do 'If you cannot accept the term Kadazandusun so be it, nobody is forcing you'.. agazo om poinghundat kozo oh vaza do ahal diti, okito tokou do nabaagi nodi do tohu.. Kadazan, Dusun om Kadazandusun.. onu di oh kovosian diho do baino? … and some of us diehard Kadazan, Dusun and some wanted to proceed Kadazandusun..

b) So what (has) this group achieved to unite this 2? In fact they (have) successfully divided us into 3.. I strongly suggest that any book bearing 'Kadazandusun' (should) be changed to Kadazan and Dusun.

12) Angry with (….) who manipulate the truth said... February 4, 2010 8:47 PM

a) Hi all you people who are propagating the newly alien race called "Kadazandusun", please remember that it was purely a political ploy by these ( ….) of politicians who have really shoved up all our arses (with) their imaginary Kadazan and Dusun disunity.

b) The Kadazans and Dusuns have never hated each other nor have they ever questioned each other. Creating this Kadazandusun terminology is evil […].

13) Pensioner said... February 5, 2010 12:39 PM

a) The Muruts, the Lotuds (as described in the Dictionary by KLF), the Rungus and others will maintain their own NRD Description as it seems you guys (had) never (had) any bloodshed or disunity (before).

b) We naughty Kadazans and Dusuns have messed up, it seems, at least from the many comments made in this blog and that is why Kadazandusuns (term), as proposed by these political parties and leaders, is the (option).

14) Anonymous said... February 5, 2010 5:20 PM

a) Even if you change the term from ‘Kadazandusun’ to ‘KadazanDusun’, though the spelling is different but, mind you, the sound is the same, and eventually it will go back to the old spelling. ‘Bolikon om tiyan’ or ‘iri om iri amu kasari’.

b) No lar ... Datuk Marcel, I disagree with you to change the term to ‘KadazanDusun’. I respect your proposal but, as I said, there will be no end to it. I believe you were only trying to seek a compromise at that material time by clarifying the capital K and D. But why ‘piroputon wagu’.

c) I am a dusun and do not wish my ethnic group to be ‘subsuming or subservient (in name-sake) to the Kadazans as what the earlier commentator (raynerstuelgalid dated February 1, 2010 8:41 PM) has said.

15) Anonymous said... February 6, 2010 4:06 PM

a) I wish to remain as a "Kadazan". People should respect the "Dusuns" too. Let us be one and the same people with different Dialects only.

b) Let the Dusuns be known as Dusuns and the Kadazans as Kadazans. I see no reason to change it.

16) Anonymous said... February 7, 2010 7:21 PM

a) I agree with Regi Puvok. One should either be a Kadazan or a Dusun. There's no such thing called as Kadazandusun. And please don't try to confuse people by saying that KadazanDusun (Capital K and D) is acceptable.

17) Anonymous said... February 7, 2010 7:28 PM

a) Don’t ever agree to be called a Kadazandusun or even KadazanDusun. It should be either Kadazan or Dusun.

b) We come from different parts of Sabah and therefore it is natural that some of us are Kadazan and some of us are Dusun. But we should not be called Kadazandusun for whatever reasons.

18) DSDAK said... February 8, 2010 9:31 AM

a) I do not understand why 'Dusun' is not listed as an ethnic group in the said dictionary.

b) In my Birth Certificate, my parent (God Bless their souls) are Dusun. Can anyone (including the writer, editor, sponsor, etc. of this said dictionary) say "In my Birth Certificate, my father is a Kadazan and my mother is a Dusun. Hence, I am a Kadazanduzun?"

19) Anonymous (Nat from Canada) said... February 8, 2010 8:04 PM

a) Our hearts goes to all our Kadazan and Dusun kins who may have been hurt or suffered in this ‘war’ which our two wonderful race have had.

b) I think the solution however is to talk it over and not to fuse (merge) our (two) race(s) into Kadazandusun.

c) The Assiniboin and Cree dialects or tribes, two of the many native canadians have never fused their race names. These are all strong braves who are proud of their dialects and culture albeit both Natives but different in dialects. Yes they use to have their fights but it was more territorial and misunderstanding rather.

20) Anonymous said... February 9, 2010 1:46 PM

a) It was a mistake to bull-dozed the Dusuns as admitted by the late Tun Fuad Stephens in 1967. However, the Kadazan/Dusun identity crisis continues. It was the 5th KCA Delegate Conference in 1989 that amended the KCA Constitution. This was in response to the strong request by those who still want to be called Dusuns, they they be accomodated in name in the Association.

b) The KDCA leaders prefers "Kadazandusuns" (one word) instead of "Kadazan-Dusun" (two words), the acronym KDCA is, therefore wrong in the first place. It should still stick to the old acronym KCA.

c) My point here is people should be given the liberty to identify themselves as Kadazans or Dusuns or this new term Kadazan-Dusun because what I concerned about is even within KDCA and KSS there are other informal and formal groupings under the shadows of certain personalities.

d) Since it is more personalize and therefore very personal in nature, it is this splinter-group rivalry, not KDCA v KSS, which does more harm to the unity of the community.

21) Regi Puvok said... February 10, 2010 10:48 AM

a) While I respect your opinion (Anonymous said... February 9, 2010 11:44 PM) of the use KadazanDusun, we are all opinionated anyway. To me it is an act of brushing-off the Kadazan and the Dusun.

b) Why not MurutRungus term (to represent) the Lotud, Kadazan, Dusun, etc..? Doesn’t this (term) look complicated?

c) Don’t confuse our future generation who would (be) keen to track their ancestries.

d) I will be ashamed if Kadazan and Dusun are no longer classified (as races) in the dictionary.

22) Anonymous said... February 11, 2010 5:40 AM

a) I am not one who will ever be able to accept this generic label "Kadazandusun" or "KadazanDusun".

b) We are either "Kadazans" or "Dusuns" and that is that!

c) By the way, whoever derogated the label the race "Dusun"? I have never heard of it.

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