Living in heterogeneous and culturally diverse Sabah gives you the opportunity to witness numerous customs of more than 30 ethnic races and wedding ceremonies – modern as well the traditional ones.
Count yourself fortunate if you have the opportunity to attend a Dusun Lotud wedding. The fascinating wedding ceremonies and festivities give expatriates as well as locals a unique outlook to gain insight into the Dusun Lotud culture and social ethinicity. The Dusun Lotuds are indigenous ethnic group residing in Tuaran district and also known as the Kadazandusuns.
I was lucky that I got to witness a re-enactment of a full Dusun Lotud ‘Milamak’ wedding ceremony at a cultural village. Even though it was not an actual wedding, but I was informed that this ceremony is still strongly practised in the Dusun Lotud community... so it was like attending a real wedding anyway.
Before getting married, the family of the groom-to-be had to ‘monunui’ or visit the family of the bride-to-be to seek permission for both bride and groom-to-be to get married. At the same time, both families had to discuss on the ‘berian’(dowry) which normally comprise of money, water-buffalo or cow (to be slaughtered on the wedding day) and other items that are requested by the family of the bride-to-be. During the ‘monunui’, the groom-to-be and bride-to-be were officially engaged and exchanged rings while being witnessed by their family members. A week later, the couple got married. However, nowadays most couples want to wait for six months up to one year before they get married so that they will have ample of time to prepare for their weddings.
On the wedding day, the bride wore the complete Dusun Lotud traditional costume which I think was the most comprehensive gear that I had ever seen... especially on a bride! The ‘Sukub Kopio’ is a long-sleeved black cotton tailored blouse with red tinobogi (needle-weaving technique of interlaced flanel stitches) at the seams, a curvilinear motif of a bamboo shoot with sequins decorates the cuffs while gold threads are couched onto the fabric. ‘Tombuku’ (golden coins) sewn onto the ‘Sukub Kopio’ are used to button it up. A very long colourful cloth was wrapped around the bride’s upper body part – from chest to abdomen. The knee-length black cotton tube skirt is called the ‘Gonob’. Around the hips is a strip of tinobogi with a panel of Linangkit’, a hand-woven cloth using multi colour threads, sewn from the waist down. The gonob is held up by a strip of white cloth or what they call the ‘haboi’. Sometimes, a batik sarong is worn over the short ‘gonob’ to avoid exposure of the legs especially when sitting down. The bride’s accessories included the ‘Lilimbo’ (red wide girdle of interconnected loops of split rattan worn around the hips), ‘Loti’ (a chain of small silver coins placed in the middle of the ‘Lilimbo’, ‘Porotina’ (silver belt with a diamond-shaped clasp), Sigar (a headband with red rattan rims. The narrow band is decorated with rectangular or square plates of embossed goldleaf or modern substitute), ‘Simpai’ (hollow upper arm bracelets made of embossed silver), ‘Lansung’ (hollow and embossed silver anklets), ‘Mandapun’ (stiff ornamental collar of red cotton with embossed and leaves-shaped gold or silver plate), ‘Siwot’ (ornament for the head which is stuck into the hairbun and consists of four bunches of red cloth and black cock feathers with strings of silver-green beads with bits of red cloth dangle over the forehead from the first bunch, and downward from the last one) and ‘Karo’ (a necklace made of mostly long barrel beads of glass, shell and carnelian. In between these are hollow silver beads and concave ornaments over a wooden base. Usually two or three karo are worn together with cone-shaped ornaments which are arranged symmetrically with the points downwards). As I said earlier, there are loads of knick-knacks and details when it comes to the bride’s costume, but it contributed to the uniqueness of the whole wedding ceremony.
Count yourself fortunate if you have the opportunity to attend a Dusun Lotud wedding. The fascinating wedding ceremonies and festivities give expatriates as well as locals a unique outlook to gain insight into the Dusun Lotud culture and social ethinicity. The Dusun Lotuds are indigenous ethnic group residing in Tuaran district and also known as the Kadazandusuns.
I was lucky that I got to witness a re-enactment of a full Dusun Lotud ‘Milamak’ wedding ceremony at a cultural village. Even though it was not an actual wedding, but I was informed that this ceremony is still strongly practised in the Dusun Lotud community... so it was like attending a real wedding anyway.
Before getting married, the family of the groom-to-be had to ‘monunui’ or visit the family of the bride-to-be to seek permission for both bride and groom-to-be to get married. At the same time, both families had to discuss on the ‘berian’(dowry) which normally comprise of money, water-buffalo or cow (to be slaughtered on the wedding day) and other items that are requested by the family of the bride-to-be. During the ‘monunui’, the groom-to-be and bride-to-be were officially engaged and exchanged rings while being witnessed by their family members. A week later, the couple got married. However, nowadays most couples want to wait for six months up to one year before they get married so that they will have ample of time to prepare for their weddings.
On the wedding day, the bride wore the complete Dusun Lotud traditional costume which I think was the most comprehensive gear that I had ever seen... especially on a bride! The ‘Sukub Kopio’ is a long-sleeved black cotton tailored blouse with red tinobogi (needle-weaving technique of interlaced flanel stitches) at the seams, a curvilinear motif of a bamboo shoot with sequins decorates the cuffs while gold threads are couched onto the fabric. ‘Tombuku’ (golden coins) sewn onto the ‘Sukub Kopio’ are used to button it up. A very long colourful cloth was wrapped around the bride’s upper body part – from chest to abdomen. The knee-length black cotton tube skirt is called the ‘Gonob’. Around the hips is a strip of tinobogi with a panel of Linangkit’, a hand-woven cloth using multi colour threads, sewn from the waist down. The gonob is held up by a strip of white cloth or what they call the ‘haboi’. Sometimes, a batik sarong is worn over the short ‘gonob’ to avoid exposure of the legs especially when sitting down. The bride’s accessories included the ‘Lilimbo’ (red wide girdle of interconnected loops of split rattan worn around the hips), ‘Loti’ (a chain of small silver coins placed in the middle of the ‘Lilimbo’, ‘Porotina’ (silver belt with a diamond-shaped clasp), Sigar (a headband with red rattan rims. The narrow band is decorated with rectangular or square plates of embossed goldleaf or modern substitute), ‘Simpai’ (hollow upper arm bracelets made of embossed silver), ‘Lansung’ (hollow and embossed silver anklets), ‘Mandapun’ (stiff ornamental collar of red cotton with embossed and leaves-shaped gold or silver plate), ‘Siwot’ (ornament for the head which is stuck into the hairbun and consists of four bunches of red cloth and black cock feathers with strings of silver-green beads with bits of red cloth dangle over the forehead from the first bunch, and downward from the last one) and ‘Karo’ (a necklace made of mostly long barrel beads of glass, shell and carnelian. In between these are hollow silver beads and concave ornaments over a wooden base. Usually two or three karo are worn together with cone-shaped ornaments which are arranged symmetrically with the points downwards). As I said earlier, there are loads of knick-knacks and details when it comes to the bride’s costume, but it contributed to the uniqueness of the whole wedding ceremony.
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Bride getting reading on the wedding day
When the bride was all ready, her mother and bridesmaid escorted her to the groom’s house, while other family members and relatives followed from behind. At the front yard of the groom’s house, a group of elderly women or priestesses were standing in two straight lines. Three other priestess were holding a large piece of cloth in open semi-circle and the groom with his bestman were standing inside it, on a piece of bamboo mat.
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Bride arrived at the groom's house
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Bride and groom standing in the semi-circle cloth with priestesses
The groom was clad in full Dusun Lotud costume which consisted of ‘sukub’ (a black cotton shirt with similar decoration as the women's blouse), ‘Binandus’ (black trousers with a square piece of ‘linangkit’ at the back just under the waist) and ‘Sundi’ (a dastar or head gear). Similar to the bride, groom also wore some accessories such as the ‘Supu’ which is a silver chain with an attached round silver tobacco container (worn around the waist) and two pieces of Ulungkaris’ (also known as ‘Tatarapan’) which are actually the normal keris or dagger, a stiff red cotton belt with a big chunk of embossed oval and flowery-shaped gold plate and a ‘karo’.
So back to the ceremony! As soon as the bride arrived, all of the priestesses started to ‘Bandak’ or sing some continuous Dusun Lotud rhyme which sounded more like mantra to me. I was told that the ‘Bandak’ is just like chanting but most commonly used during a wedding ceremony to bless the newlyweds.
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Groom's mother welcomed the bride
The groom’s mother welcomed the bride by placing a ‘Karo’ around her neck as a symbolic of giving her approval and warm welcome to the bride as a new member of the family. The bride then stood next to the groom inside the semi-circle cloth, facing the group of priestesses. The head of the priestesses started another round of ‘Bandak’ followed by the rest of the priestesses. Once they stopped, the family members at the ‘soriu’ or veranda played the gongs and ‘kulintangan’ (small sets of gongs) while the priestesses performed the traditional dance, ‘Sumayau’. Every movement of the hands was in harmony with the rhythm of the gong music although the feet movements were slightly slower, looked like walking with very small steps in an unhurried manner.
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Priestesses doing the 'bandak' - blessing the newlywed
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Priestesses performed the 'Sumayau'
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Family members or relatives playing the kulintangan and gong
Once the gong music stopped, the head of the priestess led the other priestesses to enter the groom’s house while reciting the ‘milamak’ which they regarded as pristine blessing and a custom way of inviting the bride and groom into the house. The newlywed couple and their family members then entered the house and proceeded to the wedding dais inside the house. Then, the bride and groom fed each other with two to three mouthful of steamed rice as a symbol of unity. They sat at the wedding dais for quite a while so that relatives and friends can have a closer look at the newlyweds... and some even wanted to take photographs of the couple as well as themselves with the couple, for remembrance.
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Newlyweds at the wedding dais
All in a sudden, the village’s elders started the ‘Bandak’ at the veranda and followed by the priestesses. This marked the beginning of the ‘Moninjau’ or ice-breaking session with the elders. While the bride and bridesmaid waited at the wedding dais, the groom and his bestman brought two plates of steamed rice and walked out to the veranda to sit with the elders and priestesses. They sat down facing the elders and placed the rice in front of them. The elders put the ‘kirai’ (hand-rolled cigarettes derived from dried leaves) and ‘sigup’ (tobacco) on a plate and poured the ‘bahar’ (dark orange coconut wine) into a bowl which are placed in the middle – between them and the groom. Then, a family member served some fried and boiled ‘ikan basung’ or sardines which were also placed in the middle. The elders told the groom and his bestman to start eating while they did the ‘Bandak’ together with the priestesses – a blessing for the groom to start a new life as a married man. Once they had finished eating, the elders started to drink the ‘bahar’ and passed the bowl around among themselves included the groom and and his bestman. After that, everyone joined in the feast.
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Groom with the elders
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: The groom and his bestman had their meals while the elders and priestesses were doing the 'Bandak'
Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Passing around the 'bahar' between the elders and the groom
I was informed by one of the elders that normally the feast would last for the whole day and night. Some of the Dusun Lotud families prefers to have the wedding and feast at the bride’s house first, where the groom will go there on the wedding day and stay for a week. Then a week later the wedding ceremony continues as they escort the newlyweds to the groom’s house. There are also big number of families who combine both traditional with western wedding culture. But whatever it is, I must say that I was totally astounded by the whole process of the Dusun Lotud ‘Milamak’ wedding ceremony and it was an honour to experience it. This wedding ceremony is totally unique and one of its kind as it can only be seen in Sabah.
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