Kinabalu Girl

One of my longest online friend from Mexico, always address me ‘Hey..Kinabalu girl, how are you?”. At first I don’t bother about it. To me it’s natural because I came from Sabah in which Mount Kinabalu located about. Then one day, I asked him ‘why you keep calling me Kinabalu Girl since you know my name?’ He answered me ‘Kinabalu is the name of the tallest mountain in South-East Asia. By calling you that, it will remind me’. Then I asked him, if he knows the legends of the Mount Kinabalu. He did not know except, Kinabalu is one of the safest mountain to climb..hahahhaaa.. I asked him to goggle the stories behind the name of Kinabalu…lets him find out first..lol..

Everyone knows Mount Kinabalu one of the tallest mountains in South-East Asia but some do not know the legend behind it. Some stories can consider as a myth. I don’t care how they look into it as for me being a biggest local ethnic in Sabah make me proud…lol. The biggest local ethnic in Sabah is Dusun. Dusun can be categorized into few tribes like Lotud, Lundayeh, Tidung, Tindal… so many to write.. lol. But now, most people addressed us as Kadazandusun (1989 conference KDCA) due to the identity crisis that had crippled and impeded the growth and development of the Kadazan-Dusun multi-ethnic community in socio-culturally, economically and politically. Kadazanism vs Dusunism sentiments were politices in early 60’s. The best alternative approach to resolve this problem is to use Kadazandusun. I don’t care about it either because we came from the same ‘tree’. .^-^

Back to the Mount Kinabalu, there is few version of the legend/myth…

The mountain’s name brings many stories with regards to the origin of its name. The first derivation of the word Kinabalu was taken from the KadazanDusun word ‘Aki Nabalu’, which translated means ‘the revered place of the dead’. The locals believed that the spirits were roaming on the peak of the mountain, feeding off moss that grows amongst bare rock. Upon ascent to the peak, the Kadazandusuns would perform religious ceremonies to appease the spirits of the mountain. In the modern times, the Kinabalu park guides perform these rituals. If you lucky enough, you can join the shows too..hehheee

A second source states that the name Kinabalu derives from “Cina Balu” (or translated to a Chinese Widow). The pronunciation of the word “Cina” (chee-na) was change to “Kina” (Kee-na) due to the influence of the KadazanDusun of Sabah. The story goes that a Chinese prince was cast away to Borneo when his ship sank in the middle of the South China Sea. After being rescue by natives from a nearby village, he grew fond of the people and was then accepted by the natives. He fell in love with a local girl and eventually married her. As the years passed, he felt homesick and requested permission from his new found family to return back to China to visit his parents. He had promised that after his trip back to China, he would return to Borneo to take her and their children to China.Upon his return to China, he was given a grand welcome, but to his dismay, his parents disagreed on bringing back his family, which he had left in Borneo. It was arrange that he was to wed a princess from a neighboring kingdom. As such, he obeyed his parents with a heavy heart. His wife back in Borneo decided to wait for his ship to return. She decided to climb the highest mountain in her village every morning at sunrise to get a better view of the coast, but eventually her efforts took a toll as she fell ill and died at the peak of the mountain whilst waiting for her husband’s return. The people in her hometown village were gravely touched by her and decided to name the mountain Kinabalu in remembrance of her… how touching. In modern time, I don’t dare to say if any ladies outside there still do the same. But, I’m very sure 70% might be 'cabut' already..lol..

The others is about a Chinese Prince seeking a huge pink pearl that exists at the very top of the mountain and guarded by a ferocious dragon. After a terrific battle, he slays the dragon and took the pearl, whereon he married local Kadazandusun woman. He got homesick and deserted his wife to return to China and the heartbroken wife wandered to the mountain and was turned to stone… beware if you ever climb mount Kinabalu and saw a beautiful ladies… hehheee..

By the way if you ever visit Sabah, don’t forget to put in your list to climb Mount Kinabalu and I’m happy to be your guide but up to the feet of the mountain only!!! Hahahahaa…