Located on the eastern side of Malaysian Borneo, Sabah, the ‘Land below the Wind’ or ‘Land Of The Sacred Mountain’ is named after its location, directly underneath the typhoon belt that protects it from climatic changes. The serenity of Mount Kinabalu, the tropical rainforests and the coastal coal reefs compile not only a magnificent tourism destination, but one of the most culturally prominent sites.

Being blessed with one of the oldest ecosystems in the world, Sabah is the original homeland of more than different ethnic minorities that speak more than 80 different local dialects. Sabah maintains its tradition and culture and blends it with mainstream elements to create a fascinating environment. Being a multicultural state that hosts many different ethnic groups, Sabah is the second largest state in Malaysia after Sarawak.

The cultural diversity of Sabah assembles a captivating array of unique and fine culture, reflected on the differences in traditional costumes, dance, music and handicraft of the various ethnic communities. Each of these differences echoes the identity of each ethnic group.

Like most of the southeastern archipelago regions, Sabah has been culturally affected by the continental influences of mainland Asia that have been extremely powerful and are still evident on some parts of the local lifestyle. However, the people of Sabah maintain their culture and despite the heterogeneity of the population, the end-result is beautifully preserved customs and practices.

Sabah is living under a modernization spree and certain rituals are less frequently performed, but, in majority, customs are a significant part of the daily life of the locals as well as of special local festivals.

In the 16th century, Sabah was known as North Borneo under the ruling of the Sultanate of Brunei. Until 1761, when the British East India Company established a trading post in the region, North Borneo was under the reign of different local kingdoms.

In 1865, North Borneo passed to the hands of an American trading company as the American Consul of Brunei managed to solicit a 10-year lease from the Sultan of Brunei. However, the agreement failed due to financial reasons and the rights of the trading company were sold to the Austrian Consul in Hong Kong, who later obtained a renewal of the 10-year lease. This ultimately led to the creation of the British North Borneo Provisional Association Ltd, in 1881.

After a short Japanese occupation during the Word War II, Sabah became a British Colony until 1963 that declared its independence when Sarawak, Singapore, Malaya and North Borneo formed what became known as Malaysia.

Today, Sabah consists of nearly 2.5 million residents who are a diverse blend of races. The main indigenous groups are the Kadazan-Dusun (17.8 percent of the population), the Bajau (13.4 percent of the population) and the Murut (3.3 percent of the population), while the largest immigrant ethnic group is the Chinese (13.2 percent of the population).

The Kazadan-Dusun is the largest indigenous group of Sabah that was named after the unification of the two Mongolian ethnic groups that migrated to Malaysia, the Kazadan and the Dusun. These two groups speak the same language and share the same culture with minor differences that are derived from their traditional geographical influences.

The Kazadan populate mainly in flat valleys and river deltas, while the Dusun live traditionally in mountainous regions. However, in general terms, both ethnic groups are unified under one name and make up the 33 percent of the population of Sabah. They are prolific rice producers, but they also engage in other sectors of trade. They are best known for their colorful costumes, their female priestesses (‘Bobohizan’) and their ‘Tadau Ka’amatan’ Harvest Festival.

The Bajau is a collective term used to describe indigenous groups that are culturally associated to the Sama populations. Historically, the term ‘Sama’ is used to describe the land-oriented inhabitants, while the term ‘Bajau’ is used to describe mostly a nomadic, sea-oriented lifestyle. The Bajau people are mostly established in Sabah’s coastlines because the sea is part of their culture. There, they engage into fishing, handmade boat construction, horse-riding, buffalo-watering and rice-farming. They are best known for their ‘Tamu Besar’ Festival and their peaceful mentality and way of life.

The Murut live in the northern inland regions of Sabah in communal longhouses near the rivers, which they use as transportation means. Best known for their headhunting skills with the use of spears, and poisoned darts, the Murut believe that collecting heads traditionally serves in their values and spiritual beliefs. They are known as cultivators of tapioca and padi, and they also engage in fishing, hunting and agriculture.

In majority, the Murut have converted into fundamentalist Christianity, but they strongly maintain their culture as well. Another important element of the Murut indigenous group is their musical heritage that consists of several types of bamboo-gongs and accompanying melodic instruments.

Today, a variety of cultural events and performances take place on Sabah in the context of promotion of the various cultures and traditions of Sabah’s ethnic minorities, both locally and internationally. The local cultural boards organize traditional and modern dance art performances, creative and modern dance performances, cultural events, traditional music events and many more.