Lotud Kulintangan and Gong with Bakanjar (Traditional warrior dance)

The other Suang Lotud dance, the Bakanjar, a war-like dance with a man holding a sword and a shield, originally performed to portray the sword fight and heoric exploits of the headhunting days. Bakanjar is normally performed solo, but can also be performed in a group. Nowadays it is performed in the evening of the Monumbui after dinner has started, for the purpose of celebrating and cheering up with the paddy (rice) spirit.


The Suang Lotuds are now quite modern and trendy. To catch them in their traditional costumes would be hard to come by. That’s progress....Anyhow,..To meet the friendly people in their traditional costumes, try and catch them during the festive occasions or weddings. Maybe the Harvest Festival (Kaamatan) would be the best opportune time to see them in their best.

I personally know a number Lotud villages for tourism purposes. Try and search on the Net. You may get lucky.

Sundi How To !!

Pakaian tradisional suku kaum Lotud. Lelaki memakai baju baldu atau kapas berwarna hitam dan dihiasi sulaman dan labuci. Kepala memakai sundi dari kain destar. Wanita memakai baju dan sarung dari kain kapas yang dihiasi sulaman tinobogi dan linangkit dari benang berwarna-warni.

(Lotud traditional clothing. Men dressed in black velvet or cotton and decorated embroidery and sequins. SUNDI wearing head cloth headband. Women wear a jacket and gloves from cotton fabric decorated with embroidery and linangkit tinobogi of colorful yarn.)

Video Source courtesy of Win Yus Atuk.(kampung Panjut)

Kotobian tadau do kaamatan dari Sabah

True Sabahan's Heart Has No Boundaries,No Barriers,No Distance in ...( ).

A Lotud Family.

 

Dusun Who Came from The KAYU RU Tree

Suang Lotud Tuaran Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia.

From an anthropological point of view, it's not clear from where the ethnic Dusun Lotud came from. However, based on anecdotes or folklore, the Dusun have been known to come from Nunuk Ragangor the red-coloured 'Kayu Ru' tree colour situated at Kampong Tampias in the district of Ranau.

According to recent views of researchers, Dusuns had been separated and had different ethnic names and had become sub-ethnic. While other researchers said from the view of ethnology, it may be that the ethnic Dusun were a group of Monggol from the Republic of China, or were Shan people, and Kaohin on the north of Mynmar or ethnic Paiwan (Bunan) from Taiwan or from Indai Tuaran.

The Dusun in Sabah and Brunei Darussalam are similar in customs but some of their words are different.

Most of the ethnic Dusun in Brunei can be found in Kampong Rambai, Lamunin, Long Mayan, Rambai in the Ulu Tutong. In the Belait district, they are in Kampong Bukit Sawat and Kampong Sukang.

From the time before religious disciplines set in Southeast Asia, the ethnic Lotud were pagans and even today they are atheists.

Bruneians use the word 'Dusun' to identify farmers who have a piece of land planted with fruits or tend orchards. The British (British North Chartered Company) 1881-1941 used the word since then to refer to the people.

According to researchers the ethnic Lotud were synonymous with the word 'Suang Lotud' and can be found in 35 villages in Tuaran district. The ethnic Dusun Lotud called Lotude were based on the anecdotes not written by their ancestors. The Lotud women were known to wear skirts below the knees only. The word 'otud' in Dusun Lotud dialect means 'Lutut' or knee.

A husband from ethnic Dusun Lotud can practise polygamy and can divorce.

The 'Adat' or Custom of 'Dusun Lotud' marriage processes is divided into 35 segments like Suruhan, (merisik or bilateral meeting), monunui (bertunang or engagement), popiodop ('bermalam' or stay a night atau ditidur or 'sleeping together'), Matod (kahwin or wedding) and mirapou ('adat' or custom).

Before the 1950's, the partners for Dusun Lotud children were chosen by their parents. The children had no choice except to accept what their parents required for the matching partners without any help. The main objective aimed to have a good sibling: respectful, hard-working in the paddy fields and to avoid incest in the families.

The male's family will appoint an elderly person known as 'suruhan' qualified on the 'adat resam' and will visit the female's house for the purpose of 'merisik' or negotiating.

The 'Suruhan' is aimed at delivering a message to engage the daughter from the female's family. The girl's family requests for a duration of days before the 'Risikan' or negotiation could be accepted. Many matters have to be clearly made known like the family tree, character, the capability of the male's side, and to evaluate the meaning of a dream that occurred in the female's family. If the female's side had a bad dream, 'sogit mimpi' is done for 'perdamaian' or peace. Based on 'adat', when the male's had no 'suruhan' or appointee, they can be fined on 'adat malu' by the girl's family.

Adat Monunui ('bertunang' or engagement) side the proposal of marriage or 'risikan' is accepted by the girl's side, both parties will discuss to fix the date for 'Adat Monunui' They will find the suitable date and month in the Dusun Lotud calendar like the night of the 14th in a one month cycle called 'tawang kopiah' or the 15th night called tolokud, to perform 'monunui'.

As a symbol of engagement, the man's side will give a ring to the woman only. 'Adat Monunui' can only be done in the morning before 1pm. After completion of the ceremony, the man's family members have to leave the woman's home before 4pm.

In the 'adat monunui', the head of village and the appointee are the frontline people in the ceremony. Both parties of the families will be represented by the head of village. At this time the girl proposed to be the fiancée must be in the bedroom or in an other place not to be seen by the male's family. The man's will not be allowed in the girl's living room before the 'monunui' ends.

The most important in 'adat menunui' (engagement) are 'berian/mas kawin' (tinunui), 'belanja dapur' ('wang hangus' or kitchen expenses), 'hantaran tunang' or dowry, 'sogit' atau adat keluarga (jika ada or if family custom exist), tempoh bertunang (duration of engagement).

The list of valuables equivalent to dowry items delivered to the girl are 'karo aman tunggal', 'karo lawid', 'kalro inontilung', 'karo dsapau', 'kemagi lawid', 'kemagi 3 rondog', 'badil' or cannon, 'tajau' or vase, 'canyang tinukul', 'tatarapan', two pieces of 'rantakah', two pieces of 'sigar emas', 'simbong bersiput', 'pertina', 'tompok', gong (tawag-tawag), 'tutup panasatan' ('canyang'), 'kampil', 'kulintangan', two pieces of 'simbong bersiput'.

At the traditional pre-speech, 'adat berian' or dowry custom and belanja dapur or kitchen expenses, the heads of the villages from the man's and girl's sides will start the pre-discussion. They have prepared some pieces of 'kirai' or the (mangrove palm shoot rolled, dried and turned to make cigarette), or the matches sticks as a symbol of notes equivalent to RM1,000 each. The girl's side will make some requests of the man's side. 'Berian' or 'Tinunui' or dowry is obligatory as the symbol of the value of the girl's personality and based on the tradition worth RM1,000. The period to perform a marriage ceremony is one year. The man's family will request for an adjournment of the marriage if the man's encounters a financial problem.

The 'belanja dapur' or kitchen expenses is estimated above RM5,000 and a moderate fat buffalo. 'Adat Berian Tanah' or the land grant custom dowry is obligatory for the ethnic Dusun Lotud called 'Pinolusadan Do Aluwid', with the approved land taxation of 0.25 cents. The purpose of land grant dowry is for the construction of a house when the married couple has children. Based on tradition, if the bridegroom does not have assets like land, the 'berian four binukul (valuable archaic items) will be mentioned with the value of RM1,000.00 as 'adat berian' and has fulfilled the terms.

For More Information And Detail Please visit Here: http://kampungpanjut.com/index.php/en/suang-lotud-articles/8-suang-lotud

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend

RELATED: SABAH CULTURE, KADAZANDUSUN

By Rahmat Hj Abdul Rahman

Linangkit Cultural Village,Tuaran,Sabah,Borneo,Malaysia

Linangkit Cultural Village: 

Linangkit Cultural Village is located at Kampung Selupoh, in the District of Tuaran; approximately an hour drive from Kota Kinabalu. In Linangkit Cultural Village, visitors can experience the culture and the tradition of the Lotud people, which has been preserved and passed down from the older generation to the younger generation. Visitors can grasp first hand experience on the daily life of the Lotud, and various exhibitions have been set up for better understanding of the culture and the lifestyle of the Lotud. The cultural village also offers various cultural performances, i.e. traditional music instruments, dance and songs. The visit will not be complete, unless you try some of the local delicacies.

Linangkit Cultural Village,Tuaran,Sabah, Malaysia.

Reference: Courtesy of  www.linangkit.com

Deakin University, Melbourne-Australia performing the Dusun Lotud SUMAYAU dance at linangkit.

The Lotuds are welknown for their very colourful costumes, and their dance, called Sumayau or Mongigol Tuaran. All in traditional settings were originally meant for worship, and so is the case of the Lotud dances as well as the dances of the sub-ethnic groups of the Dusun people(s). The sumayau is most noticeable because of the 'slow-motion' in the way it is executed, which is in contrast to the other Dusunic dances (the sumazau of Penampang, the mongigol of Kudat, etc) which are executed with faster beats. Some say it is boring but on closer inspection, and under careful study of the best dances (especially those done by experts doing them solo during a religious five-day ceremony), one would see that sumayau is extremely artistic and a very beautiful dance. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the sumayau is actually the most sophisticated and beautiful traditional dance in Sabah. The subtle refined movements of the sumayau, which involve the arms, shoulers, palms, legs and feet combine into something truly sublime. One impressive movement of the sumayau which is not found in other Sabah traditional dances is the wonderful sideway movement without the up-and-down motion, making the dancer appear to slide magically to one side. One can say that this unique slide of the Lotud dance is the ancient precursor of the moonwalk!

(Para Lotuds telah pakaian mereka sangat berwarna-warni, dan tarian mereka, dipanggil Sumayau atau MongigolTuaran. Semua dalam persekitaran tradisional asalnya berertibadah, dan begitu juga dengan kes tarian Lotud serta tariankumpulan sub-etnik orang Dusun (s). Sumayau adalah yang palingketara kerana 'gerak perlahan' dengan cara ia dilaksanakan, yang berbeza dengan tarian lain Dusun (Sumazau Penampang,Mongigol Kudat, dll) yang dilaksanakan dengan rentak yang lebih pantas. Ada yang mengatakan ia adalah membosankan tetapi atas pemeriksaan yang lebih erat, dan di bawah kajian teliti tarianterbaik (terutamanya yang dilakukan oleh pakar-pakar yangmelakukan mereka solo pada satu majlis keagamaan lima hari),kita akan melihat bahawa sumayau amat seni dan tarian yangsangat cantik. Ia tidak akan menjadi keterlaluan jika dikatakanbahawa sumayau sebenarnya tarian tradisional yang palingcanggih dan cantik di Sabah. Gerakan-gerakan halus ditapissumayau, yang melibatkan lengan, shoulers, tapak tangan, kaki dan kaki menggabungkan ke dalam sesuatu yang benar-benar luhur.Satu pergerakan mengesankan sumayau yang tidak terdapatdalam tarian tradisional Sabah yang lain adalah gerakanmenyamping indah yang tanpa usul up-dan-down, membuat penarimuncul untuk luncurkan ajaib ke satu sisi. Seseorang itu boleh mengatakan bahawa ini slaid unik tarian Lotud adalah pelopor kunomoonwalk yang!)

Video Source courtesy of Win Yus Atuk.(kampung Panjut)

MONGIGOL SUMAYAU (LOTUD TUARAN)

SUMAYAU DANCE

 

This is the traditional dance of the Dusun Lotud ethnic group from the Tuaran district where it is also known as "Madsayau". The Sumayau is the main element of a special chanting ceremony or "Mengahau" as it is called in Dusun. It is not performed in ordinary celebrations. A "Monolian", an elderly female priestess who is also a ritual specialist, would lead the dance ceremony. It is a rule of the tradition that this role is held only by the descendents of the previous "Monolian".

"Mengahau" is a big affair and is usually celebrated for 5 days and nights. The purpose of this ceremony is to venerate the "gusi-gusi" (a type of antique jars believed to possess spirits) by chanting ancient ritual verses. It is also conducted to honour dead family members, similar to the "kenduri arwah" (feast for the departed) commonly observed by the Muslim Malay community.

As soon as the music starts, the dancers would sway towards the dance floor. Every movement of the hands would be in harmony with the rhythm of the music. However the movement of the feet are slower as compared to the hands. One simply walks with very small steps in an unhurried manner. The pace of the dance increase with applause from the audience.

For More Detail About Suang Lotud Traditional Music Please Follow Here:
http://kampungpanjut.com/index.php/en/suang-lotud-articles/article-categories/89-suang-lotud-traditional-music

Reference : Courtesy Of  http://www.etawau.com/