Posted by Sama Koko in Ja Ata Britong on July 05, 2000
by Sama Koko, Wed 5 July 2000
Samakoko.com (R) Newsflash 2000 (C) >>
To be submitted to Bidayuh.com (R)
ADA POMODUHAKAH KUTIENG?
Our friend, Kutieng, inferred that I knew Kadazan - the language and the people intimately – when I managed to interpret his cryptic message on his added loss for the day. My secret is that, in this age of the Net it is relatively easy for us to pick up words and phrases from a foreign language. I am not deceiving you guys and gals. I am just trying to divert your attention to the related issues of the big picture, covering the substance and the mundane. I hope our other friend, Ma Erik, will not make jokes about the title of this article by turning it into his kampung's dialect exclamation like 'Ja pengaan ria oh maan. Mudah-mudahan goh paoh oggi ngojit'.
LESSONS - THE TRADITIONAL AND E-WAYS
We can learn Kadazan or Sabah Malay by reading and joining Internet chat and discussion groups such as Sabah Talk. I am not sure if Sabah Talk is still around as it used to be closed or relocated due to controversial postings. Even in our very own Britong – thanks and greetings be to Ricky – there are experts and amateurs in Kadazan like Kutieng, Ma Erik and Zeplin Uteh. Kutieng seems to be very quick and correct in translating words or phrases to or from Kadazan. Actually, I was very worried and about to post my comment that Zeplin's phrase sounded more like a Ranau, Keningau or Tambunan accent when Kutieng came to the rescue by pointing out that the correct one, according to a Penampang Proper guy, is 'nombo ngozon nu' (where you go?).
Apart from Internet resources, the Kadazan language can also be acquired from friends and relatives who have been in Sabah, or are Sabahans. Some Kadazan words can be guessed as their spelling or pronunciation are similar to Malay or Bidayuh, for example himo is lima, tegar is rust and 'pas ping' is an 'anti-kempunan' chant. The culture and practices of the Kadazans are also very similar to ours - we Bidayuhs.
The same approach can be used to learn other languages on the Net - virtual learning. There are online language translation sites, such as the AltaVista Translator (http://babelfish.altavista.com/), for the major European languages such as French, German and Spanish. Parle vous francais? Ici on parle francais! Man spricht Deutsch! So folks, use this website to astonish your fellow Britongers with the translation of polite phrases like 'How are you', 'Good afternoon' or 'Yuck Fou!!'. (The last phrase I saw printed on the back of a t-shirt in a shop). Learning the English language - etymology and meaning? Go to the online Oxford English Dictionary at http://www.oed.com/. I better not elaborate on this as it is definitely out of the context of our present discussion.
KADAZANISED BIDAYUH FRIENDS
I have a Bidayuh friend who is very terror in speaking the Kadazan language. How? He went to Sabah to work and ended up marrying a Penampang sumandak – from Donggongon I was told. In those days Kadazan was the lingua franca in the nearby villages of Kadazan country, unlike now. So, as my friend was staying in this kampung for a time, he was sort of forced to communicate with his wife's family, relatives and kampung folks in Kadazan – especially with his mother-in-law who was determined to see that her beloved son-in-law could assimilate into their culture. He learned their culture and spoke Kadazan with his children when they were small.
A few years later his close relative took the boat and followed his footsteps to Kota Kinabalu. This relative followed his style but you know what? He did not master their language – maybe it was due to his attitude, his philosophy or the change in the lingua franca of the locals to Malay. He did pick up a few Kadazan words though - he taught me the meaning of important words like montukuk, lihing, bahar, sikat and moginum. Surely, with a smattering of Kadazan, you are on your way to tackling serious issues, like navigating the wandering water buffaloes; and counting the number of poles on your future in-laws house during your busy courting period. (This is another application of the word 'period', Kutieng.)
These two friends said that they met many Bidayuhs working or staying over there, probably Kutieng included. Their children have grown up now, and their daughters are teenagers. But we better not let Zeplin Uteh know. Let Zep concentrate on his studies – attending classes, consulting lecturers, visiting libraries, writing programs and completing assignments; rather than hunting for dayungs and boasting about his successful exploits on Britong. But during Gawai is okay Zep, as such activity is an intrinsic part of this traditional Dayak celebration where the motto is 'eat, drink and be merry'; or as the Germans say 'Wein, Weib und Gesang'.
QUERY ON KUTIENG'S PRIVATE LIFE
So, Kutieng can you confirm whether your wife is a Kadazan? I have seen pictures of their unduk ngadaus on newspapers and TV and I tell you man, they're gorgeous – very 'avasi montok diau'. Even meeting their veteran bobohizan would be a welcome consolation indeed. Remember Titanic, starring Kate Winslett and a guy named Jack who can't swim? A bobohizan, by definition, was once a very desirable sumandak - before the time transformation.
Tell me the area or village of your Kadazan wife so that I can avoid making jokes or nasty remarks about that area – could be Kasigui, Kobusak, Nosoob, Kopungit, Kepayan (not Kapayan), Petagas, Purak or Padawan. What, your wife is not a Kadazan? But how come you know the language so well? Been working there or flying there regularly on business trips? Making diving trips with BB to Sipadan and Jolo (pronounced 'holo' as in Julio Iglesias)? Or, setting up an illegal and unofficial branch office(es) in Penampang Proper? Naughty you!
Tell me, what is your favourite Kadazan dish when you dine and frolic in the restaurants and karaokes of Donggongon New Town – hinava, asam bambangan, vogok, toto kalabau or sos vitatus?
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
As a postscript, could we be more politically correct (PC), as the Americans say, by referring to the Kadazans as Kadazandusuns. I know it sounds a mouthful and I was reluctant to use this term when it was first introduced and used on TV and newspapers. However, we should as that is what they, at least their leaders, like to call themselves – as a sign of unity among the urban Kadazans and more 'upriver' Dusuns.
The Kadazans, oops Kadazandusuns, are ahead of us in many ways. In one aspect, remember that Ahi used to mention that they have completed their Kadazandusun-English dictionary? They might have also completed their ethnography study - funded by a foreign NGO, right Ahi? I have read about this somewhere and have surfed websites that mention it but I forgot which ones. All I remember is that this project is being headed by a devoted sumandak, Rita Lasimbang.
Now at which stage are we in this endeavour, my Bidayuh madises? Still arguing, talking and discussing I'm afraid - on a common Bidayuh language, Bidayuh language in school or a Bidayuh school.
PENGAAN BIDAYUH
Remember that once we were proud to be called Land Dayaks because it sounds English – modern, posh and foreign - and we were ignorant of its dubious origins and negative connotations. After all, 'daya' in our language, well - most Bidayuh dialects, is 'people'. But the non-Sarawakians have interpreted 'Dayak' differently; and out of context. Personally, I stopped watching Malay movies when the actors or translators refer to 'any' native as 'dayak' and 'Red Indian' (now Native American) as 'Dayak Merah'. (I have thought of deleting this line but then decided not to in order to preserve history). I believe an African-American (Black) reading the online Sarawak Talk (at http***) right now, as of 5 July 2000, would be bloody furious as certain postings are damn insulting to him or her.
Then, our visionary leaders changed Land Dayak to 'Bidayuh' and those among us who were aware of the shortcomings of the previous name readily adopted the new name. Me not so correct? Well, some of you have pointed out that this new name was coined by the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), leading to a heated debate on Britong.
I like the present name for our race – so please do not argue about the interpretations or propose changing it to Duyoh, Daya, Bidoyoh, etc. Translate or interpret dayuh/doyoh as you like to 'land/walk on foot' but leave the name of our race/tribe/nation to Bidayuh. A thousand apologies to you, Duyoh/Doyoh Guy.
How should others address us? For me, if a Kuching or Sarawak Malay or Chinese call us Daya it is okay, but from elsewhere it is not and a bit insulting.
PENGAAN IBAN AND OTHER NATIVES/BUMIPUTERAS
For the sake of political unity with the Ibans we were grouped as Dayaks, but it seems that the Ibans are monopolising this term – see how http:www.dayaks.com is practically an Iban thing? Sorry my Iban friends and relatives and politicians and academicians and businessmen and farmers for saying this - some of the Randauruaians (http://www.malaysia.net/randauruai/) seem to equate Dayak with Iban; and think they will and should rule over Sarawak, given half the chance.
We know that we do not have much in common with the Ibans – we always end up being the loser in headhunting tournaments or expeditions. Remember the siege and fall of Bung Bratak? Only recently did I know who the aggressors were and the story behind this myth - thanks to the reposted newspaper clippings of BB's Bidayuh.com (http://www.bidayuh.com/). I observe that our mass media played down or were vague on this issue so as not to offend anybody. This I agree. But, we should not hide history - the Japanese tried that for the Rape of Nanking (pinyin - Nanjing) - there was a big brouhaha about this in the Japanese press a few years ago. This is one of history's major tragedies mentioned by Liam in his very well written and factually accurate posting (please go to the online Encyclopaedia Britannica at http://britannica.com/ and search a keyword like 'Masada' to verify the facts - place, date and parties involved). Yes Liam, the epic/tragedy of Bung Bratak sounds really like Masada. Oh, history is one of my favourite topics.
Likewise, how about us, the Bidayuhs? Are we sensitive to or aware of other minority natives in Sarawak? Do we know the facts about them? Is it insulting to be called an Orang Ulu? Do we know the reason why the Muruts are now known as Lun Dayeh or Lun Bawang? I only knew the reason very recent - from a New Reality magazine article, of the March-April 2000 issue, that the no-so-nice term, 'Murut', was first written by a colonial officer in his report.
Hopefully, our collective awareness of these facts and changes will lead to mutual understanding, greater cooperation and unity among us.
Amen.
Bah gaman, modop tokou!
Sama Koko mantad do Se*****