History of Orang Darat
I have been watching the development of Kadayan people close to 50 years now, that is half century. A place? None other than Sipitang, where the concentration of Kadayan is in Sabah, second only to Brunei Darussalam.
As a person born in 50s, I see differences in all spheres, from education, social, politics-power and quality of life, just to mention some. I used to watch joget, ronggeng and zapin at the padang bola turned dancing stage, a rare occasion to see ‘foreign ladies’- the dancers at that time.
A male dancer had a torch light at his back pocket. It’s at night of course, with the help of hanging pressure lamps.
Most female dancers wore kebaya. I had never seen them wearing baju kurung unlike nowadays.
It was fun for kids too, with tickets or no tickets we managed to squeeze ourselves for the show even if it meant to go in between legs of the elders.
Many of you have no clue what I was talking about. However, there was a strange if not loathsome part of my story compare to today’s standard.
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First it is undeniable the quality of Kadayan’s life changed quite dramatically. From having to walk on foot for an hour a mile, crossing torrent and mud- from Kg Pantai to Sipitang town, which was only 5 miles a part then, now is a matter of minutes.
Mode of transportation now includes a tiny Malaysian Kancil to German Mercedes! No joking- both, exclusively Kadayan drivers and Kadayan owned.
What brought changes to Kadayan?
It all started with education no matter how small. Second was exposure, whether one has gone to England or not. Majority of Kadayan's young now prepared to leave the old hermit.
Without education Kadayan in Sipitang will not be as it is now, door wouldn’t be opened that quickly.
In the 60s up to mid 70s, I often heard that Kadayan was hopeless, lazy, ugly, a second-rate citizen, filthy orang darat.
These were the most common remarks by town people and the district administrators at that time.
Who were the town people and the district administrators?
Surely not Kadayan or orang darat otherwise they wouldn’t be saying like that.
What is the proof?
I am the living proof! I heard, I felt, I slept with it and I tolerated it. I wish I were Harry Potter in those days. They would know what would happen to them if Harry Potter did exist!
I earned my education first, by staying in long house with few friends who came from as far as Long PaSia and as near as Mesapol or Palakat in those days.
However, I still consider I was among the very few who stayed longer in the dilapidated long house infested by bugs and rats. I had no other place to stay; I didn’t have any close relatives living in town that could give me even a temporary squatter title.
Dogs kept on stealing our cooking pots at night; monkeys took turn in the afternoon stealing our food while we were in the classroom. No short of people turned ghost to scare you at mid night too as balan-balan were lurking around at this time. No, it wasn’t scary at all for me. I lived in the long house until one day it collapsed
Changes politically began when the first Kadayan Member of Parliament (MP) was elected, Tuan Haji Abd Rashid Bin Hj Jais, in 60s to 70s.
He was from Pantai; Pantai was synonymously Mangalong-notice Mengalung River at the junction to Sindumin and Long Pa Sia. You can also drop the e sound, Kadayan never use it except perhaps for proper noun.
In education, the first and the only Kadayan given the prestigious Colombo Plan scholarship was from Kg Pantai, Ramli Dua now known Haji Ramli Dua, also among the very few from Sabah. He was in Sabah College in 70s when he was awarded the Scholarship to Australia to attend Junior High.
He completed his degree at University of Sidney. Later he became the DO and YB of Sipitang in 80s
A couple of years later, other Kadayan in Sabah College enrolled in various local universities. To mention a few like Salim Muhammad and Haji Ahmad Bujang went to University Pertanian, Salim later continued his studies in Indonesia.
Sabah Foundation sent a few bright Kadayan kids to Peninsular to do their Junior High and High School. Among the by product are like Dr Mazlan Hj Harith, Hajjah Siti Sapoo Ahok, Salmah Ahmad, Hj Masood Hj Salleh, Datuk Dr Yussof Yaccob, now Deputy Speaker of Dewan Rakyat and MP for Sipitang. Datuk Sapawi Hj Ahmad, the current Sindumin Assemblyman also Assistant Minister of Finance in the State
Among the more recent batch were Arimi Sidek and his group.Others who went directly from SMK Sipitang were Abd Hamid Badas who studied in Hawaii and Rosita Hj Sapawi studied at University Science Malaysia and later to University of Tasmania, Australia.
That is by no mean small development even though; Kadayan kids were curtailed at the district level at that time.
To you Kadayan, your journey was not without history. I wrote it in order not to be forgotten.
(Read Amde's biography HERE)
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