The first Kadazan Dictionary was prepared by Antonissen, a Catholic priest who spent the major part of his priestly life in North Borneo (now Sabah).
It was re-printed at least once due to demand.
Now, copies of a new version of this Kadazan Dictionary is available mainly as the result of the efforts of the Kadazan Society Sabah (KSS). This new version has five sections. The additions are -
a) 24 pages of illustrations, and
b) Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) - Kadazan Section
This dictionary is very much in demand. And there are many who spent days looking for a copy.
There was this lady who saw a copy of the first edition of the dictionary while she was studying in Australia. After returning to Sabah, she looked for a copy of dictionary for at least fifteen years. Upon knowing that there was a new edition of the Kadazan Dictionary, she went looking for a copy at several bookstores in the city. She did not manage to find one. On Wednesday, 29th January 2014, she managed to locate a bookstore (which is also a stationery store) at Donggongon that sells copies of the Kadazan Dictionary.
This shop is:
LOTINGGI DAMPIAN Books and Stationery
Lot 137, 2nd Floor, Megalong Mall
Donggongon
89500 Penampang
Tel: 019-5367989 (Pascal)
If anyone out there is looking for a copy of this dictionary, the shop mentioned above is the place where you can get a copy, priced at:
1. RM 50.00 (hard cover)
2. RM30.00 (soft cover)
Come and get your copy. The shop opens at 10.00 a.m. and closes at 6.00 p.m.. It is closed on Sundays.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Friday, May 3, 2013
Third Time in Limbo?
Why talk about "Third Time in Limbo?"
Could it be that the KDM people need a third time in Limbo in order to appreciate the importance of genuine understanding, mutual respect and unity among them? Could they end up in Limbo for the third time after the 13th Malaysian general election? And if Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan and Tan Sri Bernard Dompok lose in this election, what could possibly happen to the KDM people? Would the KDMs' position be better or worse off if Pakatan Rakyat won the election and form the next government?
These are some of the questions that may cross your mind as a KDM. Here are some more.
What do the younger generation of KDM leaders stand for? What are their vision and aspiration for the KDM people? Do they have genuine passion for the well-being of their people?
And more importantly! If the present KDM leaders fail to maintain their position, are these young leaders (who wins) ready to take over the helm of leadership, at least in the political arena? To what height and extent of progress could and would they take their people?
It is inevitable that elections will have repercussions, both positive and negative. This 13th Malaysian general election is no different. Relationships suffer. Friends fall apart. Family members may not talk to each other for a while. A sad state of affairs.
What is of paramount importance is that after the election, no matter who wins or loses, the KDM people come together again as one people for the sake of the coming generations of KDM. KDM leaders from both side of the political divide need to forge a winning formula for the continued progress and development of their people. This is vital in order that KDM people will not be swept into oblivion.
Further, the contribution of KDM leaders who lose are still needed. It does not matter what their political ideology is. Younger leaders who win have nothing to lose if they consider the merits and demerits of the views of their political opponents before making hasty conclusions.
The Huguan Siou Position
It is high time that the Huguan Siou be treated as what it should be: above partisan politics. The main role of the Huguan Siou is to bring about KDM unity; it is the place where differences between KDM leaders or groups are to be resolved; it is a pivotal position for molding genuine understanding and respect between KDM people.
Should there be other honorary positions, apart from the Huguan Siou, that could be awarded to KDM personalities who had made contribution toward the progress of the KDM or helped them in any other way that have lasting impacts? If so, what could these be? Should this happen, these other positions should compliment the role of the Huguan Siou. These are leaders who need to be men and women of action whereas the Huguan Siou is ceremonial. If not, the Huguan Siou has to do both.
KDCA (Kadazandusun Cultural Association)
KDCA should not be politicised. This will only weaken its standing and influence among the KDM, particularly the young.
By identifying and adopting the right strategies, KDCA can play a vital role in carrying out activities that lead to the overall development of the KDM people on a continuous basis. True enough, some of these are already in written form. But how far actions have been taken to achieve such objectives? KDCA need to recruit people with abilities to translate proposals into concrete action. If not, how can the KDM be in a better position ten, twenty, fifty years, a hundred years from now?
One of the important areas where KDCA can play its role is in the field of education. KDM's educational development should be made as one of the main activities of KDCA. Education is the only sure way of ensuring a secure future for the KDM people. What happened to the proposed Kadazan educational foundation that was supposed to be spearheaded by KDCA or some other group affiliated to KDCA?
What next?
The KDMs do not need a third time in Limbo.
However, you may notice that the KDMs are nowhere nearer their aspiration to become a progressive people, on par with other races in the Federation. Could this be a kind of Limbo? If it is not heaven, could it be hell? Don't ever allow it to be so!
Whatever happens, remember you will akways have a home in "Kadazan Homeland" ~ http://kadazan-homeland.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-kadazan-people-of-borneo.html
Updated today, 30 January 2014
Pascalis Claudius Lotinggi
Copyright © 2013 All rights reserved
Kadazan: Tuhun Ku, Tinau Ku
Could it be that the KDM people need a third time in Limbo in order to appreciate the importance of genuine understanding, mutual respect and unity among them? Could they end up in Limbo for the third time after the 13th Malaysian general election? And if Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan and Tan Sri Bernard Dompok lose in this election, what could possibly happen to the KDM people? Would the KDMs' position be better or worse off if Pakatan Rakyat won the election and form the next government?
These are some of the questions that may cross your mind as a KDM. Here are some more.
What do the younger generation of KDM leaders stand for? What are their vision and aspiration for the KDM people? Do they have genuine passion for the well-being of their people?
And more importantly! If the present KDM leaders fail to maintain their position, are these young leaders (who wins) ready to take over the helm of leadership, at least in the political arena? To what height and extent of progress could and would they take their people?
It is inevitable that elections will have repercussions, both positive and negative. This 13th Malaysian general election is no different. Relationships suffer. Friends fall apart. Family members may not talk to each other for a while. A sad state of affairs.
What is of paramount importance is that after the election, no matter who wins or loses, the KDM people come together again as one people for the sake of the coming generations of KDM. KDM leaders from both side of the political divide need to forge a winning formula for the continued progress and development of their people. This is vital in order that KDM people will not be swept into oblivion.
Further, the contribution of KDM leaders who lose are still needed. It does not matter what their political ideology is. Younger leaders who win have nothing to lose if they consider the merits and demerits of the views of their political opponents before making hasty conclusions.
The Huguan Siou Position
It is high time that the Huguan Siou be treated as what it should be: above partisan politics. The main role of the Huguan Siou is to bring about KDM unity; it is the place where differences between KDM leaders or groups are to be resolved; it is a pivotal position for molding genuine understanding and respect between KDM people.
Should there be other honorary positions, apart from the Huguan Siou, that could be awarded to KDM personalities who had made contribution toward the progress of the KDM or helped them in any other way that have lasting impacts? If so, what could these be? Should this happen, these other positions should compliment the role of the Huguan Siou. These are leaders who need to be men and women of action whereas the Huguan Siou is ceremonial. If not, the Huguan Siou has to do both.
KDCA (Kadazandusun Cultural Association)
KDCA should not be politicised. This will only weaken its standing and influence among the KDM, particularly the young.
By identifying and adopting the right strategies, KDCA can play a vital role in carrying out activities that lead to the overall development of the KDM people on a continuous basis. True enough, some of these are already in written form. But how far actions have been taken to achieve such objectives? KDCA need to recruit people with abilities to translate proposals into concrete action. If not, how can the KDM be in a better position ten, twenty, fifty years, a hundred years from now?
One of the important areas where KDCA can play its role is in the field of education. KDM's educational development should be made as one of the main activities of KDCA. Education is the only sure way of ensuring a secure future for the KDM people. What happened to the proposed Kadazan educational foundation that was supposed to be spearheaded by KDCA or some other group affiliated to KDCA?
What next?
The KDMs do not need a third time in Limbo.
However, you may notice that the KDMs are nowhere nearer their aspiration to become a progressive people, on par with other races in the Federation. Could this be a kind of Limbo? If it is not heaven, could it be hell? Don't ever allow it to be so!
Whatever happens, remember you will akways have a home in "Kadazan Homeland" ~ http://kadazan-homeland.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-kadazan-people-of-borneo.html
Updated today, 30 January 2014
Pascalis Claudius Lotinggi
Copyright © 2013 All rights reserved
Kadazan: Tuhun Ku, Tinau Ku
Sunday, February 12, 2012
The Kadazan People of Borneo
The ancestors of the Kadazan people had been described as being pagans. Among those who did so were the British people who were officials of the North Borneo Chartered Company. How many among the many races of long ago are not pagan? The Kadazan people did believe in a supreme spiritual being although they also believed in the existence of other spirits.
Pagan or not, no one has the right to look down on the Kadazans. No matter how many people want to deny it, there will always be Kadazan on this earth. Unless they are subjected to some form of genocide.
In the mean time, let us look at the name "Kadazan" since you may ask, "Where did the name 'Kadazan' come from?"
Some people ~ we do not know their actual intention ~ put forward the illogical idea that the name "Kadazan" comes from the word 'kedai' which is the Malay word for shop. How can a people whose ancestors had lived in a land from time immemorial suddenly want to call themselves after a shop. Shops ~ 'kadai' in Kadazan ~ are of recent origin.
In fact, the name "Kadazan" was already in use long before the British came. That is, long before "kedai" existed or came to the knowledge of the Kadazan people.
One Owen Rutter wrote in 1929 that the native people living in Papar called themselves "Kadazan". The other natives living in the western coastal areas in the north of Borneo Island ~ which the British called North Borneo ~ adopted the name "Kadazan". For example, in Penampang the name "Kadazan" supplanted the name "Tangaá". However, Tangaa animistic rituals were practised alongside the "Kadazan" rituals for a while until both became more and more insignificant with the onset of new belief systems.
Some had also put forward the argument that the Kadazan forebears came to this land about two millenia ago. Does this take away their right of being the first group of people whose ancestors made this place their homeland?
The two millenia may be a wild guess since it has been stated that migrations from mainland Asia came about before the onset of the Second Ice Age. The period between that time and now is too long so much so that legends abound as to what happened in between. The human mind is an idea-manufacturing machine. Who can refute the suggestion that someone or some people had such creative imagination making up the stories that are now left with us?
Who in their right mind would believe that a dragon could live at the top of Nabahu (Mount Kinabalu) made up of bare rocks? Who in their right of mind could suddenly believe that this dragon was guarding a pearl of great price? After all, dragons form a major part of Chinese folklore and legend. Could it be that the story was created by the then Chinese government as a design to stake a claim on this part of the world?
It is easy to create stories and if no one present an alternative view that could be just as plausible the former could become accepted as the "truth".
This leads us to conclude that these stories remain stories that entertain. These remain legend that may be repeated to amuse little boys and girls. But not thinking adults! (1)
Scientifically speaking, the Kadazan ancestors were among the many southward-bound human migrations before the Second Ice Age. The tribal people in Taiwan who are said to resemble the Kadazan of North Borneo, now Sabah, could well be from Borneo. This is a possibility with the new theory which is the "Out of South Easy Asia" theory which proposes that the migrations originated from South East Asia.
Let us allow the experts to unearth the truth. In time, we may come to know the actual truth about all these things. Meanwhile, let no one allow a word to escape his or her mouth that the Kadazan people do not belong to this place. They are very much part of Borneo. They are very much part of Sabah. They are people of the land.
Pagan or not, no one has the right to look down on the Kadazans. No matter how many people want to deny it, there will always be Kadazan on this earth. Unless they are subjected to some form of genocide.
In the mean time, let us look at the name "Kadazan" since you may ask, "Where did the name 'Kadazan' come from?"
Some people ~ we do not know their actual intention ~ put forward the illogical idea that the name "Kadazan" comes from the word 'kedai' which is the Malay word for shop. How can a people whose ancestors had lived in a land from time immemorial suddenly want to call themselves after a shop. Shops ~ 'kadai' in Kadazan ~ are of recent origin.
In fact, the name "Kadazan" was already in use long before the British came. That is, long before "kedai" existed or came to the knowledge of the Kadazan people.
One Owen Rutter wrote in 1929 that the native people living in Papar called themselves "Kadazan". The other natives living in the western coastal areas in the north of Borneo Island ~ which the British called North Borneo ~ adopted the name "Kadazan". For example, in Penampang the name "Kadazan" supplanted the name "Tangaá". However, Tangaa animistic rituals were practised alongside the "Kadazan" rituals for a while until both became more and more insignificant with the onset of new belief systems.
Some had also put forward the argument that the Kadazan forebears came to this land about two millenia ago. Does this take away their right of being the first group of people whose ancestors made this place their homeland?
The two millenia may be a wild guess since it has been stated that migrations from mainland Asia came about before the onset of the Second Ice Age. The period between that time and now is too long so much so that legends abound as to what happened in between. The human mind is an idea-manufacturing machine. Who can refute the suggestion that someone or some people had such creative imagination making up the stories that are now left with us?
Who in their right mind would believe that a dragon could live at the top of Nabahu (Mount Kinabalu) made up of bare rocks? Who in their right of mind could suddenly believe that this dragon was guarding a pearl of great price? After all, dragons form a major part of Chinese folklore and legend. Could it be that the story was created by the then Chinese government as a design to stake a claim on this part of the world?
It is easy to create stories and if no one present an alternative view that could be just as plausible the former could become accepted as the "truth".
This leads us to conclude that these stories remain stories that entertain. These remain legend that may be repeated to amuse little boys and girls. But not thinking adults! (1)
Scientifically speaking, the Kadazan ancestors were among the many southward-bound human migrations before the Second Ice Age. The tribal people in Taiwan who are said to resemble the Kadazan of North Borneo, now Sabah, could well be from Borneo. This is a possibility with the new theory which is the "Out of South Easy Asia" theory which proposes that the migrations originated from South East Asia.
Let us allow the experts to unearth the truth. In time, we may come to know the actual truth about all these things. Meanwhile, let no one allow a word to escape his or her mouth that the Kadazan people do not belong to this place. They are very much part of Borneo. They are very much part of Sabah. They are people of the land.
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