Paitan people

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Paitan people
Paitans
Pesta Damas Sukau Kinabatangan 2019 4.jpg
Dusun Tombonuo.jpg
Etnik Dusun Labou.jpg
From top: Orang Sungei of Paitan as well as Kota Marudu districts, Tombonuo Dusun of Pitas District, and Lobu Dusun of Keningau and Ranau districts
Regions with significant populations
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia
(Sabah)
Languages
Paitanic, Malaysian (Sabah Malay dialect) and Sabahan English
Religion
Star and Crescent.svg Islam (Sunni) (60%)
Christian cross.svg Christianity (Catholic, Protestants) (30%), Animism (Traditional religion) (5%) and
Bahai star.svg Baháʼí (5%)
Related ethnic groups
Kadazan-Dusun, Dusun, Kadazan, Rungus, Ida'an, Bisaya, Murut, Lun Bawang/Lundayeh other Austronesian peoples

Paitan people or simply Paitans is the collective name of an Austronesian ethnic groups indigenous to Sabah, Malaysia who speak the Paitanic languages. They primarily live on Paitan, Pitas, Beluran (Labuk-Sugut), Kinabatangan, Sandakan, and Tongod districts and to some extent in both Keningau and Ranau districts. [1] The ethnic comprises the Orang Sungei (including Buludupi Sungei), [2] Tombonuo and several eastern Sabah Dusuns such as the Begak Dusun, Lobu Dusun ( Rumanau ), and Subpan Dusun.

Contents

Orang Sungei

The Orang Sungai (also called Sungei) [3] [4] are one of the major Paitanic-speaking indigenous tribes of Sabah, located in the Beluran and Pitas districts in northeastern Sabah, where they originally practised animism, but a majority of Sungei now adhere to the Islam branch of Sunni Islam. [5] The Sungei ethnic group has rich customs, coupled with the culture influenced by their intermarriage with other indigenous ethnic groups that has contributed to the merging and evolution of their cultural elements. Some of their traditional customs are still maintained as a legacy and guide for future generations, especially in the context of marriage customs. [5] In the district of Pitas, the Sungei coexist with the Rungus as well as the Tombonuo people, where their cultural identity is shaped by processes of acculturation and assimilation, especially in rituals related to death through the influence of animistic beliefs. [6]

Tombonuo

The Tambanuo (also called Tombonuo) is another major Paitanic speaking indigenous tribe lived within the Paitan District, Labuk-Sugut areas of Beluran District as well as Pitas District. [7] [8] The Tombonuo ethnic group has various traditional cultural artefacts, such as the orata (treasures of hereditary inheritance), which are passed down from one generation to another. [8] They once adhered strongly to animism with their traditional headhunting ritual known as muinsamung before most adhered to major religious beliefs such as Christianity and Islam, with some also to Baháʼí. [9]

Paitanic Dusuns

Keningau Dusun

Lobu Dusun (Rumanau) of Sook, Keningau District Pakaian Etnik Dusun Lobu Sook.jpg
Lobu Dusun ( Rumanau ) of Sook, Keningau District

Another Dusun sub-ethnic native to the Kinabatangan area, the Lobu Dusun ( Rumanau ) belong to the Paitanic languages branch and also have their presence within the Lanas village in the Sook sub-district of Keningau with around 2,800 speakers in 2003. [10] [11] The language is different than most Dusuns in the Interior Division, and the Lobu were known as skilled hunters in the past. [12] The Lobu Dusun of Lanas originated from the same sub-tribe as the Lobu Dusun of Tompios in Ranau, both originating from Inner Kinabatangan. They were separated due to migration as well as physical geographical barriers and political boundaries. [13] Their traditional ethnic woven cloth is called binaduan as a long or short skirt for the Lobu ladies, [14] and beyangkis is the traditional weaving craft with traditional beliefs that has its own mantra reading, motifs and taboos, such as for males it is used to provide protection or immunity to the individual before going to war, while for females it is often associated with physical appearance or beauty, especially on important events such as weddings. [15] There is a specific traditional taboo that prohibits married individuals from weaving, but since many of the modern Lobu Dusun follow major religious beliefs such as Christianity and Islam, they are allowed to weave. Among the woven fabrics produced from Bayangkis weaving, including bakul, kapas, lilipo, raya, tikar and sirong. [15]

Lahad Datu Dusuns

The Subpan Dusun, one of the main Dusun sub-ethnic in Lahad Datu District Festival Sayangi Lahad Datu 2019 9.jpg
The Subpan Dusun, one of the main Dusun sub-ethnic in Lahad Datu District

The Subpan Dusun (also called Saga-i, Segama Dusun, and Sopan) [16] are one of the main Dusun sub-ethnic groups belonging to the Paitanic branch that mostly inhabit the Lahad Datu District. This sub-ethnic group is closely related to both the eastern Dusuns and Orang Sungei ethnic groups and are known for their cave burial traditions. [17] The community is also well-known for its agrarian culture, with hill paddy cultivation, as well as the planting of cassava and bananas, and hunting and fishing activities within the Segama River area. [16] [18] The wedding traditions for this community include merisik (preliminary inquiry), proposal, berian (dowry), mangadaa-adaa, as well as the manandoh and manukab batol (traditional customs) ceremonies. [18] The Subpan Dusuns lived along the Segama River such as in Balasu, Bakat Burut, Bukit Belacon, Litok Pulau, Litok Tabpoh, Masuli, Opak, Tawaiyari, Teliwas, and several more villages up to Danum Ulu Segama. [19]

Another sub-group is the Begak Dusun (Bagahak), [20] [21] which settles around the Tungku Village in Lahad Datu and has around 3,000 speakers. [22] [23]  Some Begak also live within the districts of Kinabatangan and Sandakan. [23]

Ranau Dusun

The Lobu Dusun also has a presence around the Tompios Village, with around 1,800 speakers in 2003. [10] [11]

See also

References

  1. King 1984, pp. 139–140.
  2. "Etnik Sungai Buludupih" [Buludupih Sungei Ethnic](PDF). Sabah Cultural Board (in Malay). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 September 2025.
  3. Rutter 1922, p. xi.
  4. United States Army Special Warfare Center (Fort Bragg N.C.) 1968, pp. 44–45.
  5. 1 2 "ADAT RESAM DAN BUDAYA KAUM ORANG SUNGAI DI BELURAN: ADAT PERKAHWINAN [Pengenalan dan sejarah]" [CUSTOMS AND CULTURE OF THE ORANG SUNGAI PEOPLE IN BELURAN: MARRIAGE CUSTOMS [Introduction and history]]. National Department for Culture and Arts, Malaysia (in Malay). Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  6. "ADAT RESAM DAN BUDAYA KAUM ORANG SUNGAI DI PITAS - ADAT KEMATIAN [Pengenalan dan sejarah]" [CUSTOMS AND CULTURE OF THE ORANG SUNGAI PEOPLE IN PITAS - DEATH CUSTOMS [Introduction and history]]. National Department for Culture and Arts, Malaysia. Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  7. "Ketahui Tradisi Dan Sejarah Suku Tombonuo, Warisan Budaya Pribumi Sabah" [Learn about the Traditions and History of the Tombonuo Tribe, a Cultural Heritage of Sabah's Indigenous People]. ILoveBorneo.my (in Malay). 22 May 2025. Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Etnik Tombonuo" [Tombonuo Ethnic](PDF). Sabah Cultural Board (in Malay). Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 October 2025.
  9. Jia Min & Kok On 2022, p. 213.
  10. 1 2 Frawley 2003, p. 180.
  11. 1 2 "Paitanic People Groups" (PDF). AsiaHarvest. Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. 2000. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  12. "Teacher brings Dusun Rumanau culture and dance to the world stage". Bernama. 27 November 2024. Archived from the original on 28 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025 via Sinar Daily.
  13. Sintian 2020, p. 8.
  14. Murphy (26 May 2020). "10 Most Beautiful Traditional Costumes of Sabah". MySabah.com. Archived from the original on 18 September 2025. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
  15. 1 2 Grace Justimus, Sunday; Mahmud, Noorsiah (23 July 2024). "Anak Muda Harapan Terakhir Legasi Penenun Beyangkis Kaum Dusun Lobu" [Young Ones Last Hope Legacy of the Beyangkis Weavers of Lobu Dusun]. MalaysiaAktif (in Malay). Archived from the original on 29 September 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  16. 1 2 "Subpan Dusun". MySabah.com. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  17. "Etnik Dusun Subpan" [Subpan Dusun Ethnic](PDF). Sabah Cultural Board (in Malay). Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 October 2025.
  18. 1 2 "ADAT RESAM DAN BUDAYA KAUM KADAZANDUSUN SUKU DUSUN SUBPAN: ADAT PERKAHWINAN" [CUSTOMS AND CULTURE OF THE KADAZANDUSUN TRIBE OF THE SUBPAN DUSUN TRIBE: MARRIAGE CUSTOMS]. National Department for Culture and Arts, Malaysia. Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  19. Akis, Sahira (10 September 2017). "Dusun Subpan terus berjuang kekal budaya tradisi" [Subpan Dusun continues to fight to preserve traditional culture]. Utusan Borneo (in Malay). Retrieved 1 October 2025 via PressReader.
  20. Lim, Azmie (5 May 2025). "Initiatives to unite the Dusun Begak". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  21. "Begak Dusun". MySabah.com. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  22. Kassim, Edi Rizam (16 September 2018). "Pakaian Etnik Sabah dan Sarawak Serikan Hari Malaysia" [Sabah and Sarawak Ethnic Clothing Brightens Up Malaysia Day]. MalaysiaAktif (in Malay). Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  23. 1 2 "Begak Dictionary [Pendahuluan]" [Begak Dictionary [Introduction]]. webonary.org (in Malay). Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.

Further reading