Dusun people in sabah

This article is about the Dusun people.
Dusun is the collective name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian state ofSabah of North Borneo. Due to similarities in culture and language with the Kadazan ethnic group, a new unified term called "Kadazan-Dusun" was created. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. A small minority of Dusuns can also be found in Brunei where they are defined by the constitution to be one of the seven Bumiputera groups.

Etymology

For the majority of Dusuns, the word Dusun just means as it is i.e. Dusun people, without any references and implied meaning to any other words, be it from the Dusun language itself or any other languages. Coincidentally, Dusun is the Malay word that means "orchard" and is derived from "Orang Dusun" or "men of the orchards" as their houses are surrounded with fruit trees. A popular misconception is that the Dusun people named themselves (or were named) according to the Malay definition of the word Dusun. In actuality, even before the Malay language or British colonists had arrived in Sabah, the Dusun had long since called themselves by the name 'Dusun'.

[edit]Introduction

The ethnic group, makes up, at one time, 30% of Sabah population and are broken down into more than 30 sub-ethnic, or dialectical groups, or tribes each speaking a slightly different dialect of the Dusunic family language. They are mostly mutually understandable.

The Dusun traded with the coastal people by bringing their agricultural produce to exchange for salt, salted fish, and other products. The name 'Dusun' was popularized by the British colonial masters who borrowed the term from the Brunei Malays.

Most Dusuns have converted to mainstream religions such as Christian and Islam although animism is still being practiced by a small group of Dusun. The vast majority of Dusuns live in the hills and upland valleys and have a reputation for peacefulness, hospitality, hard work, frugality, drinking, and are averse to violence. Now they have very much been modernised and absorbed into the larger framework of the Malaysian society, taking up various occupations as government servants, and employees in the private sector, as well as becoming business owners. Many have achieved tertiary education both locally and overseas (in America, England, Australia and New Zealand).

In their old traditional setting they use various methods of fishing, including using the juice of the roots of a plant they call "tuba" to poison fish in rivers.

Dusuns are known as the Latin artists of the East, being famous in the state for love and passion for music. Their traditional dances appear attractive and gentle full of passion for life, making the Dusun culture a popular and beautiful one, and much sought by tourists to Sabah.

Even though Dusuns are known for their peaceful nature, they are also well known for their bravery and defiant nature towards oppression and foreign rule. Warriors in the Marudu district (the most fearsome being Kulindod), and in Tuaran fought off attacks of enemies—Irranuns in Marudu, and Bruneians and Irranuns in Tuaran.(wikipedia) vlienews..