A bit of HISTORY

Sabah is Malaysia's northernmost state and together with Sarawak makes up Malaysian Borneo. Known mostly for its two Mountains; Mt Kinabalu and the underwater mountain of Sipadan it still remains something of a frontier.

Before its independence in 1963 the British North Borneo Company administered the country as a protectorate of the British Empire. For centuries prior to this there were many bloody disputes over the countries riches drawing raiders and traders from afar and with the Philippines and Indonesia claiming parts of the territory as their own.

Fortunately nowadays over 30 different ethnic groups live here in harmony while at the same time preserving their own culture, traditions, festivals and custom.

The PEOPLE.

The three million people of Sabah are as diverse as the ecology. There are three main groups of indigenous people. The largest group is the Kadazandusun, making up one third of the population. They live mainly on the West Coast to the interior and were formerly the main rice producers. They have souls and spirits that must be appeased from time to time through specific rituals. In these modern times, some of the rituals are less performed accept during certain festivities.

Along with the Suluk, Irranun, Binadan and Obian people, the Bajau landed on Sabah's shores around 200 years ago. Once regarded as sea gypsies because of their seafaring ways in the past, many have settled down to a more sedentary life of rice farming and cattle breeding. Their riding skills on ponies have earned these Bajau the nickname "Cowboys of the East" and their colourful costumes (as well as those of their ponies) are greatly admired.

The Murut (meaning hill people) inhabit the interior and southeastern parts of Sabah and the territory straddling the Kalimantan and Sarawak borders. Many still occupy the traditional Longhouses. Once feared as fearless headhunters the Murut these days have abandoned much of their age-old traditions especially headhunting. They are also very skilled in hunting with blowpipe.

The Chinese, who migrated in great numbers to Sabah during the early years of the North Borneo Chartered Company era, make up a large portion of the non-indigenous people. Living mostly in and around city areas, they engaged themselves primarily in the commercial sectors of the economy. Unofficially, Sabah is also home to an estimated 700,000 strong Filipino population due to lax immigration controls and poor policing of the Malaysia-Philippines national border

Resulting from this multicultural society is a year full of festivals and colourful ceremonies.