The Friendly People Of Kinabalu

The people in and around Kinabalu are mainly the Kadazandusun, Sabah’s largest ethnic community. Traditionally rice farmers, their “kampungs’ or village are scattered all over the hills mountain slopes. It is not unusual to see them scampering up and down the mountain seemingly without exhaustion! And that’s exactly why most of them words as mountain guides and porters.

The Kadazandusum people consider themselves the guardian of Mt.Kinabalu. They believe this is sacred ground, a resting place for the sprits of their ancestors. Earlier attempts to climb the mountain had been forbidden, as to do so would have disturbed these spirits and incurred their wrath. In 1851 when Sir Hugh Low led the expedition up the mountain, a compromise was reached with the locals to offer sacrifice to appease the spirits.

The name ‘Kinabalu’ is derived from the Kadazandusun words ‘Aki’ Nabalu’ where ‘Aki’ literally mean ‘ancestor’ and ‘nabalu’ is ‘mountain’; the sacred resting place of the ancestral spirits. According to legends, supreme deities created the wordl and Mount Kinabalu, of mythical dragons guardingtreasure troves of pearls. These myths take on a more surreal presence when you are up in the mountain, in the silence and mist of the swirling clouds or advised to howling winds. Climbers are advised to always behave respectfully and be on good behaviour. Shouting, making loud noises, name callings, anger or even laughter are not advisable.