Tenghilan is a small town and
mukim
A mukim is a type of administrative division used in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The word ''mukim'' is a loanword in English. However, it was also originally a loanword in Malay from the Arabic word: (meaning ''resident''). The clo ...
under the administration of the
Tamparuli
Tamparuli is a small town and a sub-district of Tuaran on the west coast of Sabah, Malaysia. It is populated mainly by native Dusuns, while a sizeable Chinese community (of whom most are Hakkas) runs most of the shops in the town proper. As wi ...
minor district office. It is located in the
Tuaran District
The Tuaran District ( ms, Daerah Tuaran) is an administrative district in the Malaysian state of Sabah, part of the West Coast Division which includes the districts of Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Papar, Penampang, Putatan, Ranau and Tuaran. The ...
of the
West Coast Division
West Coast Division ( ms, Bahagian Pantai Barat) is an administrative division of Sabah, Malaysia. It occupies the northwest portion of Sabah. With an area of 7,588 square kilometres, it occupies 10.3% of Sabah's territory. It also has approxim ...
of
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
, Malaysia. The Tenghilan area is centered around a small town of the same name located near the road that connects
Kota Kinabalu
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
and
Kota Belud
Kota Belud ( ms, Pekan Kota Belud; ; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Kú-tá Mâu-lu̍t) is the capital of the Kota Belud District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 8,392 in 2010. It is roughly at the midp ...
. In 2010, its population was estimated at 203 inhabitants, mostly of
Kadazan-Dusun
Kadazan-Dusun (also written as Kadazandusun or Mamasok Kadazan-Dusun) also less-known as "Mamasok Sabah" are two indigenous peoples of Sabah, Malaysia—the ethnic groups Kadazan and Dusun. The Kadazandusun is the largest native group of Bumip ...
origin. The town, which covers about 400 hectares of land, is located about 17 km northeast of
Tuaran
Tuaran ( ms, Pekan Tuaran) is the capital of the Tuaran District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 128,200 in 2019 with half the population consists of ethnic Dusuns, most of the Lotud eth ...
, and 25 km southwest of Kota Belud.
Tenghilan hosts a commercial district established in 1930 by British colonial authorities. Businesses in this area were developed by the Chinese and Kadazan-Dusun communities. Currently, the majority of the town’s businesses are located on 8 rows of shops and are Chinese-owned. Recently, several two-story units have been built for commercial use.
Etymology
Tenghilan's trade and economic centralization began in Kampong Pengalan, as the Pengalan river was the heart of transportation. Most of the residents there are from Kadazan-Dusun origin, a people who carry out agricultural activities as the main activity of the village.
According to community sources living in the village of Tenghilan, the first settlement of Tenghilan was established in Pengkalan (Pengalan) near Kampong Bunga, happening before the founding of Tenghilan itself. At that time, most of the population of Tenghilan was Christian. As a result, during colonial rule, many
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
missionaries traveled to Tenghilan to assist the poor community. The village of Tenghilan is situated on relatively flat, forested terrain.
The Tenghilan community has therefore made the area around the Tarap tree a place for daily activities such as making fishing gear (''Bubu'', ''Gagan'', ''Siud'', and ''Gapas''), ''Nurod'' (baskets for paddy fields), and twisting the buffalo rope made from Timbangan tree. The community making plowing tools is known as ''Raradu'' (made from wood) and ''Surud'' (made from bamboo). They also make ''Binidang'' and ''Kobog'' by twisting the yarn (Costume jewelry used during the Kaamatan Festival or the ceremony of marriage) to be sheaths, making pants from plants known as ''Lamba'', ''Parangi'', and ''Gapas'', weaving ''Rindiog'' and dye ''Rindang'' from the wooden Penuhu skin. The community activity also pounded the rice around the Manggilan tree.
''Tangkob'' in Dusun language is a large circular shaped storage bin (5-15 feet in diameter and 3-6 feet in height) for rice and is made from a local tree bark, and is placed in a rice storehouse or granary called 'sulap' (in Dusun language). Tangkob is as tall as an adult person, placed under the tree of Tarap. According to the story, before the villagers begin their journey to Mindahu (to the garden or orchard), they will take the paddy from this paddy storage and return the grain of paddy (they must be peel first) to paddy storage when they return from the garden.
Thus, since the Tarap tree is very familiar with the people's life there, Kampung Tenghilan was created in the name of the tree. The plants still exist today, but unfortunately, it is just a stump where most of the stumps are located in the river and heaped up by sand and soil.
Administration
Before the
Japanese occupation during the Second World War, Tenghilan was a small sub-district in
Kota Belud District
The Kota Belud District ( ms, Daerah Kota Belud) is an administrative district in the Malaysian state of Sabah, part of the West Coast Division which includes the districts of Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Papar, Penampang, Putatan, Ranau and Tuara ...
. After the war, Tenghilan became a mukim in
Tuaran District
The Tuaran District ( ms, Daerah Tuaran) is an administrative district in the Malaysian state of Sabah, part of the West Coast Division which includes the districts of Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Papar, Penampang, Putatan, Ranau and Tuaran. The ...
Buildings structure
![Tenghilan Sabah OldShoplot-01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Tenghilan_Sabah_OldShoplot-01.jpg)
Originally, Tenghilan town had only one series of wooden shop-houses built-in 1930 by the British.
The wooden shophouse was a double store, the upper part is the living room for the traders while the lower room is specially designed to carry out business most by Chinese.
This timber shop house also has a spacious living area to accommodate other items for business as well as pedestrian areas.
The first structure of the building was made of wood with a contiguous structure and the floor surface was cemented. In 1955, a series of shophouses were erected to replace the old shop building. But the old store is still intact and strong enough to carry on the business to this day. There is also a new building being built near Tamu (Weekly market). In 2014, the small town of Tenghilan had a new shop building with a two-story concrete building structure that provided greater convenience to the community there. Tenghilan town is listed as a historic shophouse building in Sabah.
Mukim Tenghilan
Tenghilan
Mukim
A mukim is a type of administrative division used in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The word ''mukim'' is a loanword in English. However, it was also originally a loanword in Malay from the Arabic word: (meaning ''resident''). The clo ...
consists of 25 villages namely;
# Kampung Tenghilan
# Kampung Molisau
# Kampung Lapai
# Kampung Linsuk
# Kampung Lapasan
# Kampung Rani
# Kampung Suromboton
# Kampung Napitas
# Kampung Kayangat
# Kampung Tomboilik
# Kampung Monggis
# Kampung Tiong Monggis
# Kampung Koburon
# Kampung Linungkuan
# Kampung Gumoron
# Kampung Tinuhan
# Kampung Tinuhan Laut
# Kampung Saradan
# Kampung Saradan Laut
# Kampung Bunga
# Kampung Sambah
# Kampung Betutai
# Kampung Ladang
# Kampung Suang Bangau
# Tenghilan Town
Facilities
![Pedestrian tunnel of Tenghilan town](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Pedestrian_tunnel_of_Tenghilan_town.jpg)
Tenghilan town has a facility such as a pedestrian tunnel with a distance of approximately 18 meters for the community use. It also gives benefits to local people as a daily necessity connected something place to the town. The pedestrian tunnel was built more than 20 years ago in Tenghilan town and, easier the community doing things such as marketing of agricultural produce. The pedestrian tunnel also provides safety for the public to reduce the risk of accidents crossing the main road connecting
Kota Kinabalu
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
and
Kota Belud
Kota Belud ( ms, Pekan Kota Belud; ; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Kú-tá Mâu-lu̍t) is the capital of the Kota Belud District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 8,392 in 2010. It is roughly at the midp ...
. The efforts of a group project of students from the SMK Tenghilan, "revitalized" an abandoned pedestrian tunnel to benefit the surrounding 32 villages.
![Sabah Memorial Monument of Tenghilan Town](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Sabah_Memorial_Monument_of_Tenghilan_Town.jpg)
This facility also attracts outsiders to visit the uniqueness of the pedestrian tunnel in Tenghilan. Next, "Sabah Memorial Monument", built a long time ago, was the landmark of Tenghilan as the attractiveness of the visitor. Sabah Memorial Monument of Tenghilan, known as ''Batu Seratus Tahun'' or ''Batu Bersumpah'', is the stone that shows symbolic of agreement between the two ethnic groups in Tenghilan as a sign of peace.
Tourist Attractions
Sambah River Cruise
Sambah River Cruise is the attraction of tourists located in Tenghilan (Tuaran district). This tour is based in Kampong Sambah. Travelers enjoy the beauty of nature, food, the beauty of Sunset and, many more.
Bukit Ketam
Ketam is a hill, hiking spot located in Kampong Lapai, Tenghilan. The view area is beautiful and can see the sea view on the top of the hill. The distance from Kota Kinabalu city to Bukit Ketam Tenghilan is approximately 52 kilometers. Meanwhile, Tenghilan town to Bukit Ketam Tenghilan is 3 kilometers.
Dondomon Waterfall
The ''Dondomon Waterfall'' is located in Kampong Rani and was a place for tourist attraction and by just at the route to Kampong Kayangat. Then, you will hear the water pouring from the road nearby and tracking the primary wood to that place. The mist humidifier with the natural environment is a beautiful place for those friends, visitors, and family recreation and picnic as well.
Bukit Merlin @ Bukit Morokoling
The Merlin hill, known as Morokoling Hill, is a hiking spot located in Kampong Saradan, Tenghilan. The distance between Tenghilan town and Merlin hill is 5 kilometers, while from Risda route takes 7 kilometers distance to reach on the top of Merlin hill. Merlin Hill was named after a British navy landed in Kampung Saradan during the First World War that led by its captain HM Merlin. The Merlin hill is an attraction for visitors to climb and is ideal for entertaining outdoor sports for exercise.
Culture
Tamu
![Signboard of Tamu Tenghilan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Signboard_of_Tamu_Tenghilan.png)
Every Thursday morning, 'Tamu' (native open-air market) is held in Tenghilan. At the Tamu, produce, seafood, traditional food and drinks, handicrafts, and other goods from Tenghilan and the surrounding villages are bought and sold. There are also medical plants at Tamu markets, such as papaya, bitter bean, holy basil, turmeric, ginger,
etlingera (known as ''tuhau'' in
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
), star fruit, and bitter melon.
Music and Dance
Linding Tinggidon Mongigol is the traditional music and dance from ethnic Dusun Tindal in Tenghilan that is presented by (Tenghilan Bamboo Sound). Tenghilan Bamboo Sound group using musical instruments such as Bamboo Flute (Suling), Sompoton instrument, and Bungkau. The music name is Linding Tinggidon, and the dance is Mongigol or Tigol Kinondi-Kondi Tenghilan. ''Jambatan Tamparuli'' song also was played using the musical instruments by Tenghilan Bamboo Sound.
Traditional Attire
The traditional attire of Dusun Tindal from Tenghilan called "Sinulob" is different from the traditional dress of Dusun Tindal in Tempasuk called "Sinipak". This attire traditional is used when dancing the traditional dance "Tigol Kinondi-Kondi" and also shown during
Unduk Ngadau Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan is a beauty pageant held annually during the Kaamatan cultural event in Sabah, Malaysia.
Profile
The Unduk Ngadau beauty pageant is held to commemorate the spirit of Huminodun, the mythological maiden who was of total be ...
Festival.
Language
The Dusun language is the majority spoken in Tenghilan. The dialect of Dusun is unique and different in terms of words, syllables, pronunciation or intonation, compared to those of
Tuaran
Tuaran ( ms, Pekan Tuaran) is the capital of the Tuaran District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 128,200 in 2019 with half the population consists of ethnic Dusuns, most of the Lotud eth ...
,
Tamparuli
Tamparuli is a small town and a sub-district of Tuaran on the west coast of Sabah, Malaysia. It is populated mainly by native Dusuns, while a sizeable Chinese community (of whom most are Hakkas) runs most of the shops in the town proper. As wi ...
,
Kiulu, and
Ranau
'Ranau'' ( ms, Pekan Ranau) is the capital of the Ranau District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 8,970 in 2010.
Climate
Ranau has a tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest cl ...
.
Thus, the Dusun language showed the people identity from Tenghilan, and the
Bajaw language (Bajau) is also used in Tenghilan.
Mitatabang
The Mitatabang is a culture of communities such as in Kampong Molisau Tenghilan known as "Gotong-Royong" or helps each other/cooperation and, this Mitatabang activity is doing by turn work. There two associations do the Mitatabang activity, which is the KDCA association and MASA association (''Persatuan Koisaan Piombolutan Molisau-Saradan''). The practice of Mitababang culture must be maintained so it can be continued, by the villagers from the tradition of the ancestors.
The Mitatabang culture has many benefits to the community such as;
1. Enhancing the relationship bond among the community in the village.
2. Encouraging and attracting the community to join the Mitatabang activity, especially the youth.
3. Education and experience for the youth about how to work in the paddy field and so on.
4. Promoting the Mitatabang culture to outsiders, especially visitors.
5. Helping the community by providing tools such as a hoe, chainsaw, grasscutter, wheelbarrow, canopy, and other conveniences.
6. Having a community meeting to discuss problems and issues in the village.
7. Actively participating in the association to give benefit to society by the build some facilities and so on.
8. Saving time and cost by doing projects regarding agriculture activities and others in the village.
Mitatabang also can be seen in another village within Tenghilan, such as Kampung Rani. Mitatabang organized by a Koisaan, an NGO in that village itself. They conduct activities for community benefits such as; paddy harvesting, wedding planning & preparations, harvest festival, funeral, and some churches program. Next, they also conduct environmental sustainability projects such as river cleaning, zero trash campaign along the Turug Burilakon Rani road.
References
External links
{{Sabah
Towns in Sabah