‘Huguan Siou’ legacy of the Kadazandusuns
ON June 10, 2018, Gundohing Sindin Ringingon elaborated on his statement, “We need a Huguan Siou”. A week after on June 17, 2018, Gundohing Raymond Boin Tombung wrote and elaborated on his question, “Do we still need a Huguan Siou?”, and since then KDCA has been inundated with calls urging the KDCA to respond to the created issues regarding the Huguan Siou.
With blessing from Huguan Siou, Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Datuk Kitingan, KDCA needs to issue its own press statement to clarify certain pertinent issues regarding the “Huguan Siou” legacy for the Kadazandusuns.
Certainly, the Kadazandusun Cultural Association, Sabah KDCA views that, for the multi-ethnic Kadazandusun community, to disown their very own Huguan Siou is the curse that must be avoided at all costs at all times.
To ask, “Do we still need a Huguan Siou?” - is like asking “Do we still need a father?” - within our very own family, forgetting all the fatherly successive Huguan Siou’s past sacrifices and benevolent deeds.
Lest we forget, especially our young generation, within the social organization of the Kadazandusun Community there are of a number of vital social cultural heritage institutions by which the community have uniquely organized and ordered their socio-spiritual, cultural, political, economic and well-being according to their Adat since time immemorial and have refined these organizational systems over generations in accordance with the relevance and needs of their times. Among these heritage social institutions are the Momolian and Huguan Siou institutions.
The Momolian heritage beliefs system of the Kadazandusuns has always been the source of divine enlightenment and our “religion”, sense of connectivity to our divine Creator Kinoingan that has made the Kadazandusuns uniquely divine-centered in their intentions, words, thoughts and actions and hence one of the high trust indigenous societies of the world.
Unfortunately, we have for so long been led to misunderstand our heritage Momolian beliefs and have joined the others to even condemn it, without respectfully knowing its fundamental universally shared socio-spiritual values and practices. For deeper insights and enlightenment on the Momolianism philosophies, tenets, mantric rinaits, rites and practices, KDCA now offers the newly published book, “Kadazandusunoloji om Rinait”.
Suffice for us to state here in this paper that the Kadazandusun heritage Momolian beliefs are essentially a set of divinistic spiritual tenets, rules of behaviour and mode of life on this temporary world Winorun (Earth). The Kadazandusuns have somehow ingenuously fitted their universal spiritual beliefs and values system into their socio- cultural way of life and made it into laws known as adat and in so doing maintain a twin level of Justice systems: Divine Spiritual Justice and Human Adat Justice, upon which the Huguan Siou institutional legacy has always been premised.
Fully understanding the positive roles and functions of Momolianism as the divinistic premise and foundations of the functional existence of the Huguan Siou legacy, the KDCA Cultural Heritage and Bobolians Committee under the chairmanship of Dk Dr Bernard Maraat during its meeting on June 29, 2018 unequivocally reiterated and unanimously expressed their full support not only to the current Huguan Siou but also pledged to give full support towards the getting both the Federal and the State full recognition and supportive funding to the Huguan Siou Institution.
Lest we forget, the Huguan Siou institution in the person of Huguan Siou Tun Fuad Stephens was a vital signatory to the formation of Malaysia, but unfortunately, being green in the political organization at that time, our leaders conveniently overlooked and forgot to state our legitimate right for the full recognition and provision of the Official Residence and Office of the Huguan Siou.
Without Huguan Siou Tun Fuad Stephens as one of the signatories, our nation Malaysia would not have been formed. The KDCA Cultural Heritage and Bobolian committee thus urges the KDCA along with all other existing Kadazandusun organizations to unite their efforts to pursue the full recognition of the Kadazandusun Huguan Siou institution by the government of the day, as our long forgotten right that has been ignored ever since the first Kadazandusun National Huguan Siou signed and declared full support for the formation of Malaysia. The Huguan Siou YAB Tun Fuad Stephens was in full Kadazandusun traditional attire at the proclamation of Malaysia at what is now known as Padang Merdeka in Kota Kinabalu City.
Likewise when Tun Fuad Stephens was posted as Malaysian Ambassador to Australia, he never failed to officially put on his full Kadazandusun Huguan Siou traditional costumes.
Both the KDCA Cultural Heritage & Bobolian Committee and the KDCA Group Members meeting deliberated and agreed that it is the fundamental right of the Kadazandusun Community to have its Huguan Siou Institution fully accepted, recognized and respected by both the Malaysian Federal and Sabah State Government. It is true that our past leaders may have conveniently forgotten to claim this communal right, but it is never too late to fully document the legitimacy of this right and submit it for the consideration and approval by both the Federal and State Government.
It must be remembered that the Huguan Siou Institution is not a recent creation of the Kadazandusun community as it has evolved one with the existence of the community since time immemorial.
The “Huguan Siou” Paramount Leadership Institution of the Kadazandusun multi-ethnic community has its foundations from the respective ethnic leadership institution long before they united culturally and politically on the eve of colonial governance and at the dawn of Malaysian politics.
Among the Kadazandusun subethnic paramount leadership titles are:
1. Vozoon for the Rungus of Kudat
2. Mogkokounan for the Tuhawons of Tambunans
3. Baani for the Minokoks of Tongod
4. Moing Tayo for the Kuijau of Keningau
5. Janung Gayuh for the Bisayas of Beaufort
6. Tindarama for the Tindals of Kota Belud
7. Tumpu for the Tobilungs of Kota Marudu
8. Tagazo-Gazo for the Sungeis of Kinabatangan
9. Huguan Siou for the Kadazans of Penampang
10. Kalawon for the Muruts of Nabawan
11. Bungkakaron for the Tatanas of Kuala Penyu
12. Titiw Momogun for the Suang Lotuds of Tuaran
13. Tindai Lundu for the Keranaan Liwans (SAKAG) of Tambunan
14. Ugor Ugor for the Tidungs of Sebatik Tawau
15. Linintuodon for the Tombonuos of Pitas
There are of course numerous other Kadazandusun Sub-ethnic communities who may have their own terms for their respective Paramount Leaders in in the past which will be shared in other upcoming research works and publications.
Our focus for now will be evolutionary unity of our multi-ethnic Kadazandusuns to acknowledge and recognize a unified State and National Paramount Leader in the current Huguan Siou Institution.
1. The Institution: “The HUGUAN SIOU Legacy” (THE FIRST AMONG EQUALS)
2. Terminology: “HUGUAN SIOU” adopted from the Tangara’ Penampang and Papar Kadazandusun dialect.
3. The Essence: Philosophical & Philological Foundation: KADAZANDUSUNOLOGY founded on (Divinity in Humanity & Humanity in Divinity)
4. Legacy Foundation: The ADAT & KADAZANDUSUN SOCIO-CULTURAL INSTITUTIONAL HERITAGE (Kadazandusun Common/ Traditional Laws & Social Organizational System)
5. The Convention: COUNCIL OF ELDERS
6. The Cultural Manifestation: RITES & SYMBOLISM (INSIGNIAS, ATTIRE, SIGA, ILANG)
7. The House: KDCAHONGKOD KOISAAN KADAZANDUSUN (KADAZANDUSUN UNITY CENTRE).
There is a reason why the KCA Legal Adviser, the late Fred Solibun entered the provision in the KCA/KDCA Constitution to vest within KDCA the power to bestow the highest Kadazandusun Titular Award of Huguan Siou.
Recently formed Momogun National Congress (MNC) must have its own baptism of fire and proof of services and deeds to overcome challenges faced by the Kadazandusun community first before it can claim to be championing the cause of the Kadazandusuns, including claiming its legitimacy to be the body to hold the power and authority to award the “Huguan Siou” paramount leadership title.
Lest we forget, after the mysterious tragic “double six” incident that claimed the lives of the top three prominent Kadazandusun leaders at that time in the persons of Huguan Siou YAB Tun Fuad Stephens (Chief Minister of Sabah), the Golden Son of the Kadazan Datuk Peter Mojuntin (KCA Patron) and Datuk Darius Binion (KCA Chairman) the Kadazandusun community was suddenly plunged into a period of prolonged mourning, uncertainty and sense of hopelessness.
It was while the Kadazandusun Community as a whole was at a loss, in quandary and uncertainty, that KCA (KDCA) had to pick up the Sunduan do Huguan Siou, Sunduan do Kadazandusun (Huguan Siou Spirit along with the Kadazandusun Community Spirit), from the rubbles of Sembulan Air Crash site for the Kadazandusuns to rise above their grief and loss and bounce back to reality and respond to the Kadazandusun community’s needs of the times.
In 1976, the caretaker acting Chairman of KCA, Datuk Clarence E. Mansul, recruited new blood into the KCA fold that included Datuk James Ongkili and Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
Thus in 1977, the leadership of the KCA was opened up to the greater Kadazandusun Community outside KCA’s domain origin district of Penampang, with Datuk James Ongkili made the KCA Patron, Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan voted as Chairman and Datuk Clarence E. Mansul voted as Deputy Chairman, Gundohing Ignatius Stephen Malanjum appointed as Secretary General and Gundohing George Anson Kunjan as Treasurer General.
Since then charismatic Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan made it his special mission to promote KCA throughout Sabah, zeroing on the involvement and participation of as many as possible of the diverse Kadazandusun ethnic communities from the various regions and districts of Sabah. By the first KCA Delegates Conference in 1979, under Datuk Joseph Pairin’s chairmanship, KCA membership and Leadership further spread to other ethnic community localities in Sabah that included the following representative Central Committee leaders of KCA then:
1. Gundohing Paul Baklin for Beluran
2. Gundohing Dunstan Dumpangol forKeningau
3. Gundohing Vilson Malingka for Kota Marudu
4. Gundohing Samad Dimok for Bingkor Keningau
5. Gundohing Malek Chua for Kinabatangan
6. Gundohing Michael Madinal for Tandek
7. Gundohing Claudius Sundang Alex for Papar
8. Gundohing Sebastian Anjim for Kuala Penyu
At the 2nd KCA Delegates Conference more regional and ethnic representatives were voted into the KCA Central Committee including:
1. Toh Puan Rahimah Stephens for Kiulu
2. Zandi Irene Benggon for Mengggatal
3. Gundohing Sangau Gunting for Tambunan
The representative leadership of KCA for the Kadazandusun multiethnic communities was already unrivalled then at that time.
Currently, KDCA has some 600 active registered branches managed throughout its 29 District Coordinating Committees including Labuan Federal Territory. Besides this KDCA has four other Unattached Coordinating Committees that include: 1. KDCA HQ Penampang, Sabah 2. Klang Valley 3. KDCA Johore Baharu 4. KDCA Penang When the unpopular generic identity “pribumi” was proposed and implemented by Harris Salleh’s Berjaya government in 1980, along with the declaration of sacred Kaamatan Festival as “Pesta Rakyat”, KCA led by its President and Central Committee Members came to the rescue to do away with the unjust lumping and labelling of the Kadazandusuns along with natives of Sabah as “Pribumis” and also salvaged the Kaamatan Festival from being disrespectfully degraded as “Pesta Rakyat”.
Such was the scenario when the KCA Council of Elders in consultation with the senior Bobolians brought about the necessity to fill the void in the office of the Huguan Siou.
Several names were mentioned and proposed including Datuk Hj Abdul Ghani Gilong, Datuk James Ongkili but they all declined for reasons that has not been shared openly till this very day.
On December 18, 1983 at Kg Bangkahak in Kota Belud, visionary Tantagas (Bobolian) Chief, Bolungkitas Amman Sirom Simbuna welcomed and declared Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan as their Tindal Community Huguan Siou and for the Kadazandusun Community as a whole too and arranged for Pairin to walk on seven gongs into the venue of the Tindal Cultural Heritage Preservation and Exhibition Festival. It was not for Pairin then to even comment, let alone decline the voluntary declaration by the Kota Belud community.
Then on March 4, 1984 in conjunction with the KCA’s 3rd Delegates Conference, Bolungkitas Amman Sirom Simbuna as a delegate unequivocally proposed that Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan be officially made and be declared as the new Huguan Siou of the Kadazandusuns. Without any objection from the floor and thus without any cause and necessity for debate, the delegates unanimously resolved to recognize and declare Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan as the new State and National Huguan Siou of the Kadazandusuns, the official ceremonial installation of which shall be done as soon as possible based on the advice of the Council of Elders and in consultation with the leading Bobolians of the times.
Clearly, and in his very own admission, it was never Pairin’s dream or wish to be the Huguan Siou, but he was clearly caught in a situation where and when the Kadazandusuns, his very own community were sincerely seeking for a new Huguan Siou to fill the void suddenly left by the untimely death of Huguan Siou YAB Tun Fuad Stephens, and where other earlier proposed nominees before this have declined the offer, Pairin in a way had to salvage the situation.
Again as in the case of the Tindal Community declaring him as the Huguan Siou, Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan had no other choice but to respect that sincere wish of the Kadazandusuns through the 3rd KCA Delegates Conference (1984) unanimous endorsement of him to be their Huguan Siou during such time of dire need for a Kadazandusun Huguan Siou.
In real sense, it is indeed great sacrifice for Pairin to accept the responsibility of the unwritten mission, objects and functions of a Huguan Siou at that time, let alone the yet unfathomable expectations of the whole Kadazandusun community there from and as such we should be grateful for Pairin for bravely accepting the Huguan Siou leadership for us as 1Kadazandusuns.
On June 26, 1984, the Tambunanites made Pairin their “Mogkokounan” the equivalent title for “Huguan Siou” in the Penampang Kadazandusun Tangaa’ dialect.
On the views that the Huguan Siou should not be a politician, history reveals that both Tun Fuad Stephens and Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan were both already political leaders and leading their respective political parties when the Kadazandusun Community through cultural organizations offered and declared them as Huguan Siou.
On July 1, 1984 at the Society of Kadazan house on Mound Moungkoubau Kg Tuavon Penampang, the foundational home ground of the Society of Kadazan Penampang, North Borneo (founded and registered on April 7, 1953), Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan was officially and ceremoniously installed as the State and National Huguan Siou of the Kadazandusuns witnessed by Kadazandusun multi-ethnic leaders/representatives from all over Sabah.
Lest we forget, it was at this same place and venue that Huguan Siou Tun Fuad Stephens was also installed as the State and National Huguan Siou of the Kadazandusuns on April 6, 1964.
Again as in the case of the Tindal Community declaring him as the Huguan Siou, Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan had no other choice but to respect that sincere wish of the Kadazandusuns through the 3rd KCA Delegates Conference (1984) unanimous endorsement of him to be their Huguan Siou during such time of dire need for a Kadazandusun Huguan Siou.
In real sense, it is indeed great sacrifice for Pairin to accept the responsibility of the unwritten mission, objects and functions of a Huguan Siou at that time, let alone the yet unfathomable expectations of the whole Kadazandusun community there from and as such we should be grateful for Pairin for bravely accepting the Huguan Siou leadership for us as 1Kadazandusuns.
On the views that the Huguan Siou should not be a politician, history reveals that both Tun Fuad Stephens and Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan were both already political leaders and leading their respective political parties when the Kadazandusun Community made them their Huguan Siou.
On the need of Huguan Siou in the current times is clearly answered by the recent unanimous defence and support by the KDCA Cultural Heritage and Bobolian Committee, for the full recognition with provision of the Huguan Siou Institution by the governments of the day.
Likewise, the KDCA Group Members meeting on June 29, 2018, comprising representatives from various registered Kadazandusun Ethnic Associations also strongly expressed their undivided support to the current Huguan Siou Tan Sri Jospeh Pairin Datuk Kitingan and unanimously defended the Huguan Siou Legacy and fully supporting united efforts led by KDCA to pursue the full recognition with provision of the Huguan Siou Institution of the Kadazandusuns by both the Federal and State Government.
Among those present at the KDCA Group Members Meeting were representatives from:
1. Persatuan Tobilung Bersatu Sabah (TOBISA)
2. Persatuan Suang Lotud Sabah (LOTUD)
3. Persatuan Rungus Bersatu Sabah (PRBS)
4. Persatuan Kebudayaan dan Kebajkan Etnik Kuijau, Gana dan Nabai Sabah (KGNS)
5. Persatuan Etnik Kaum Sonsogon Sabah (PESOSA)
6. Persatuan Suku Kaum Tinagas Zon Utara Sabah
7. Persatuan Sino Kadazan Dusun Murut Sabah
The KDCA Joint Unattached Members Coordinating Committee Meeting Chaired by the KDCA Secretary General, Datuk Ir John Anthony held on June 30th, 2018 at the KDCA Cultural Village Open Hall, also discussed unanimously and supported a motion from the floor that the Huguan Siou Institution must be preserved, respected and defended at all times by the Kadazandusun Community irrespective of their creed and political affiliations. The KDCA Unattached Members meeting also urged that KDCA, being the current custodian of the Huguan Siou Legacy must lead the Kadazandusun Community to pursue the full recognition with provision of the Huguan Siou Institution of the Kadazandusuns by both the Federal and State Governments.