My Proud of Ethnic Bisayan in Limbang

The Bisaya are an indigenous people of north-western and along the coast of Borneo, Malaysia, concentrated around the Beaufort district, Padas river in Sabah, Limbang river in northern Sarawak state. They also known as Malay or Islam among the Dusun, Murut or Rungus people. As early as thirteenth century Bisaya was the first community to accept Islam as their way of life. Nowadays, most Sabahan Bisaya are Muslim and Sarawakian Bisaya are Christians. But in some part of Sabahan Bisaya located at kampung Manunggang, there are some pagan Bisaya who belief in no God. The first Bisaya leader is known as Awang Alak Betatar or Muhammad Shah. They are distantly related to the Visayan of the Philippines, most of which are more related to Bahasa Malaysia than Philippine Visaya. Such similarities may be due to the standardizing effect and influence Bahasa Melayu had over not just the Borneon Bisaya but also all other ethnic languages spoken in Malaysia.

Tales from Limbang
The legend tells of an immigrant family living in the North of the Borneo Island. In this family were seven children, six boys (Peti Barambai or Pati Barabai, si Garamba, Peti Garamba, Peti Runa or Pati Begunak, Smaun or Si Maun and Alak Batata or Urak Betatar or Lok Batata or Awang Alah Bertabar) and a girl (Siti Duyah or Duri or Bunga Sunting). A boat race was used to determine who was to become the Rajah of Brunei.
This race was won by Alak Betatar the youngest brother. He became the first Rajah of Brunei and later converted to Islam and became Sultan Mohammed, the first Sultan of Brunei. Peti Barambai, the eldest brother, became the Raja of Java. Si Garamba settled in the Limbang area and became the ancestor of the Bisaya’s. Peti Garamba settled in the Tutong(Brunei),Peti Runa in the Kinabatangan River (Sabah) and Smaun in the Birau River(south of Tutong). Siti Duyah married a Chinese named Awang Sunting (or Ong Sum Ping) and settled near Mount Kinabalu (Sabah).

Belief and customs
The majority of the Muslims Bisaya lives in Sabah and some of them live in Sarawak as a Christian. Though they treasure their cultural tradition of medicine, marriages, death etc., they don't actually practice it now, possibly due to the influence of the religion. Even though they would call the traditional medicine men or women to perform rites in times of illness, many now would go to the clinics available around their places for treatment.

Music, arts and crafts
The traditional musical instrument consists of Kulintangan, gong, and many of small gongs (cf. Asmahs claim that the Bisaya are supposed to be the best gong musicians). It is as if somebody just beats the gong and everyone-men, women, young and old just starts to dance. All these instruments are used in the wedding ceremony, celebrating very important people etc. Besides the musical items, the Bisayas are able to make good weapons for various purposes. There are andiban, sumpit, parang, keris and knife.

Culture and tradition

• Liliput dance
• Jipin (Zapin) dance
• Sayau Bagarus dance (Grinding some sago trunk to produce sago flakes)
• Mengalawat dance (Performances as they stepping on the sago flakes to produce sago juices)
• Mencayau dance (To celebrate victories after defeating the pirates)
• Kulintangan Bisaya consist of 27 tradisional songs and 3 berasik songs (spells for curing illness).
• Martial arts or silat Bisaya with bamboo music
• Tarik tali
• Gasing
• Kite playing (kikit)
• Ugang Bamboo
• Badaup during harvesting the paddys.
• Mibulang or Babulang such as buffalo racing.

One of their main festivals called Babulang or Mibulang is celebrated annually in Batu Danau, Sarawak near the Brunei border. More photos of the festival in June 2006 showing their black traditional costumes and their buffalo racing tradition are available on Bisaya.co.

Traditional desserts

• Kelopis
• Bahulu
• Ketupat
• Kuih Cincin
• Kuih Tapai
• Kuih Sapit
• Kuih Jala
• Kuih Penyaram
• Kuih Lamban
• Kuih Gelang

Resourse from : Bisaya (Borneo) wikipedia