Huminodun is a character in a myth of the

Dusun people Dusun is the collective name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah of North Borneo. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. Dusun has been recognised as among the indigenous community of ...

. According to legend, Huminodun was a maiden sacrificed to feed her famine-stricken people. Kinoingan and his wife, Sumundu, had an only daughter named Ponompuan. She was named "Huminodun", which means "transferred sacrifice". She was kind hearted, thoughtful and wise beyond her years. There was a time in which the land became infertile that it could not grow a single plant to produce food. Kinoingan learnt that the only way to overcome this famine was to sacrifice his daughter. Ponompuan willingly accepted his father's demand, and she was determined to save her people from the famine. She told her father, Huminodun had fulfilled her promise when her spirit emerged from a large jar. The people had the most bountiful harvest that year. She is believed to be the founder of

Momolianism Momolianism is a belief system of the Kadazan-Dusun people of Sabah. Momolianism states that land is a gift from the creator, the earth is a centre of the universe and that the land connects them to the past, present and future. This system ...

. It was said that after the resurrection of Huminodun, from the original Bambarayon, the lifestyle of the Nunuk Ragang community as they were then known, began to improve as there was an abundant supply of food. The legend goes on to narrate that the spirit of Huminodun founded the Bobolians as they were taught the art of rites, ritual practices and ceremonies, taboos, traditional cultures including the art of gong-beating and the Sumazau dance.

Sources

* * {{Sabah-stub Kadazan-Dusun people Malaysian mythology

See also

Sources