History


In the 9th century A.D., Sabah was ruled by various tribal chieftains who maintained power over their individual territories. There were some trade links with China and later with the Spanish and Portuguese.

By the 15th century, Sabah had become a vassal of the Sultan of Brunei. In 1704, the Sultan of Brunei ceded the land east of Murudu Bay to the Sultan of Sulu.
In the early 1880's, Moses, an American trader, obtained a lease over Sabah from Brunei. The lease was eventually passed to Alfred Dent, an Englishman. Dent founded the North Borneo Chartered Company and in 1881, he signed a treaty with Brunei and Sulu, converting the lease into cession.

The British North Borneo Chartered Company had control until the Japanese Occupation. After World War II, Sabah became a British Crown Colony. In 1963, it gained independence and joined Malaysia.

The People

The three main indigenous groups of Sabah are the Kadazan-Dusun, Murut and Bajau. The Kadazan-Dusun make up one third of the population and live in the interior plains. They are mainly padi farmers though many have ventured into other trades. The padi harvesting, an important ritual, is accompanied by religious rites presided over by female priestesses called a bobohizan.

The Murut, who live in the interior region near the borders of Sarawak and Kalimantan, are farmers and hunters. Many of them still stay in longhouses. Murut weddings are elaborate affairs lasting for days. Everyone is welcome to these weddings!The Bajau, who make up the second largest indigenous group, live mainly on the east and west coasts. East coast Bajau are sea nomads, coming ashore only to sell their fish catches. The west coast Bajau are farmers and are noted for their skilled horsemanship. These handsomely attired 'Cowboys of the East' add a distinctively Sabahan touch to local festivities