Total population | |
---|---|
(568,575) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Malaysia (Sabah, Labuan) Brunei (Tutong District and Belait District) |
|
Languages | |
Dusun, Brunei Malay, Kadazan, English and Malaysian | |
Religion | |
Christianity (majority), Islam, Animism | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Dusun, Rungus, Kadazan, Orang Sungai , Murut, Lun Bawang/Lun Dayeh | |
a Yearbook of Statistics: Sabah, 2002 |
Kadazan-Dusun (also written as Kadazandusun) is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous peoples of Sabah, Malaysia—the ethnic groups Kadazan and Dusun.
The designation is recognised as the result of a resolution of the 5th Kadazan Cultural Association (KCA) Delegates Conference held between 4 and 5 November 1989 (KCA was later renamed to KDCA - Kadazan-Dusun Cultural Association). During the conference, it was decided that this was the best alternative approach to resolve the "Kadazan" or "Dusun" identity crisis that had impeded the growth and development of the Kadazan-Dusun multi-ethnic community socio-culturally, economically and politically—ever since Kadazanism versus Dusunism sentiments were politicised in the early 1960s.
This was the basis that led to the United Sabah Dusun Association (USDA) and the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) to resolve that the language to be taught in schools as the Pupils' Own Language (POL) shall be known as the Kadazandusun Language, based mainly on the Bundu-Liwan dialect and to be enriched by the other Kadazandusun dialects. In Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), a Kadazandusun Chair has been established to undertake deeper research into and documentation of the Kadazandusun's heritage and culture. The university also offers the Kadazandusun language as an elective language subject, and it is quite popular among foreign students.
The majority of the Kadazandusuns are Christians, mainly Roman Catholics and some Protestants.Islam is also practised by a growing minority.
The influence of the English-speaking missionaries in British North Borneo during the late 19th century, particularly the Catholic Mill Hill mission, resulted in Christianity, in its Roman Catholic form, rising to prominence amongst Kadazans. A minority of them are from other Christian denomination, such as Anglicanism and Borneo Evangelical Church.