The Religion of the Tempasuk Dusuns of North Borneo

The Religion of the Tempasuk Dusuns of North Borneo, which was first published in 1953, is one of the most important books written about the Dusun of the Tempasuk district, one of the numerous ethnic groups in Sabah (formerly called North Borneo). It is based on the author’s fieldwork in the early 20th century and in the pre- and post-World War II periods when he lived amongst these people. The book gives a very comprehensive account of the Dusun’s general beliefs, beginning with their creation myth, as well as their ceremonies (agricultural, communal and personal). These are not mere text accounts of what the author witnessed at these ceremonies. More than 50 fascinating photographs of these ceremonies are included in the book, an appendix gives the texts of some of the rites. The third section of the book has 65 folktales of the Tempasuk Dusun, covering a wide variety of themes. Several are creation tales, others tell the story of origin of these people, while a number of the stories are morality tales.