Tidong of Sabah

The Tidong live o­n the eastern coast of Bulungan Regency, in the province of East Kalimantan, to the northeast of Putoh. They are more open to outsiders than many other groups, because they live in a coastal region. This openness and exposure to the modern world has lead them to be influenced by the outsiders? cultures. This has been heightened by the fact that most of their living areas have become transmigration areas. The Tidong speak their own language, Bahasa Tidong (Tidong language).

The Tidong make their living mainly as farmers. They grow sweet potatoes, cassava, lentils, fruits and vegetables. The Tidong practice migratory agriculture (shifting from o­ne field to another), mainly because they cannot maintain the soil?s fertility. New farm land is opened by cutting down trees and burning the underbrush. This farming method is often accused of being the main cause of forest fires in Kalimantan. However, even though this process does cause some damage, it is not comparable to the destruction done by businessmen who hold "Forest Enterprise Rights" from the government.

Some of the Tidong are ocean fishermen. The Tidong harvest rice, coconuts, and wood from their land. Petroleum is also produced o­n Bunyu and Tarakan islands.

Some of the Tidong young people choose their own marriage partner. However, some of them marry partners chosen for them by their parents.

The birth of a child is gladly welcomed and celebrated by a kenduri (ritual feast), which is a party led by a religious leader. Neighbors are invited to come to the feast in which the child is given a name (tasmiah). Usually, the celebration is held after the child is o­ne or two weeks old. At the party, there is a naik ayun (swing riding) ritual. In this ritual, the child?s parents put the child in a swing and cut the child?s hair and cover him/her with flour.

Generally, the Tidong are Muslims. They perform religious ceremonies in Islamic ways. Islam was brought to the Tidong by merchants from Sulawesi. Their division of inheritance is based o­n Islamic laws.""Despite their Muslim religion, some of the Tidong also practice animism, which is the belief that spirits are in all places and influence mankind. Thus, their traditional ceremonies are focused upon seeking protection through magic, by either appeasing or controlling both good and bad spirits. A spiritual leader called a dukun (shaman/healer/occultist) plays an important role in their society, and is often asked to heal sicknesses with spells.

Since the Tidong are nomadic, most of them do not have opportunities for a formal education from public schools. Typically, o­nly those who are settled are educated formally. The Tidong are open to advances of the modern era. Their openness can be used as an asset to improve and develop their human resources. They also need assistance to be more productive and creative in managing plantations as well as farms and fisheries.