Written by Amde Sidik
Introduction
I shall be writing short articles on Kadayan again. But as always I wouldn’t expect responses from Kadayan community. And this is exactly why I write about them.
There are a few things that I must clear up in my writing in this blog to avoid confusion for now and then.
Kadayan Universe and Kadayan Journal blog isn’t the same. Individually they were created by different people for different purpose. The only similarity is both uses Kadayan for the title.
People involved are all Kadayan, nonetheless.
Kadayan Journal, over the years does have some serious discussions on various topicsb ut hardly about Kadayan’s ethnic. I can say, Kadayan visitors is less than 3% as it’s the regular visitors and therefore it couldn’t be consideredas Kadayan ethnic’s blog really.
Kadayan Universe likewise, has largely Kadayan audience from various age groups as well as from all over places in Borneo, may be it can be said Kadayan website.
Talking about Kadayan people (about 270,000 in Borneo), it isn’t easy to find them giving opinions in writing, let alone to have an open discussion; by culture it’s not their habit (refer to my earlier article in bahasa). If you’re relying on them to give feedback in your blog you could be lonely-but then watch them in the face booki.e., if you’re fun of this medium astonishingly different!
Not to underestimate Kadayan; we do have one or two professors at our local universities as well as a few professionals- lawyers and medical alike.
The question is why don’t the ‘smarter’ Kadayans indulge in public discourse as this? Or could it be because they’re now in the elite category, things we do here are trivial for them?
I assumed that must be the mindset, and this perceptional so applies to many other races in this country.
In developed countries participation I talked about is very normal no matter how high one’s position in the government or non-government alike, writings, debates, discussions, theatre, movies making and giving ideas are part and partial in their day-to-day affairs.
Hyde Park, in the city of London is classical example. It is very common to see and hear professors, professionals, experts and common people voicing their view in an open space and even lampooning the Queen and Prime Minister. Do it in this country you sure to be bundled to police station and be charged for sedition at the shortest possible time,except at the weekend of course.
Kadayan people are prone to limiting and sneaking themselves from activities like this. As if they are non-existence and in the end they were subject to bullying by a smaller but aggressive ethnic, our experience tells us that Kadayans in Sipitang were easily out manoeuvred politically, even though they are bigger in term of number. They are in many occasions left out in the decision-making or in managing public institutions at district level.
Kadayans that have political power always restrict themselves from the bigger section of the Kadayan community, except when nearing the General Election, perhaps as a way of maintaining their status; hardly mingle with the ‘lower ranking people’ kind. The question is who then give a helping hand to the less privileged group of their society?
You don’t believe me just observe!
To be continued in part 2, soon.
Introduction
I shall be writing short articles on Kadayan again. But as always I wouldn’t expect responses from Kadayan community. And this is exactly why I write about them.
There are a few things that I must clear up in my writing in this blog to avoid confusion for now and then.
Kadayan Universe and Kadayan Journal blog isn’t the same. Individually they were created by different people for different purpose. The only similarity is both uses Kadayan for the title.
People involved are all Kadayan, nonetheless.
Kadayan Journal, over the years does have some serious discussions on various topicsb ut hardly about Kadayan’s ethnic. I can say, Kadayan visitors is less than 3% as it’s the regular visitors and therefore it couldn’t be consideredas Kadayan ethnic’s blog really.
Kadayan Universe likewise, has largely Kadayan audience from various age groups as well as from all over places in Borneo, may be it can be said Kadayan website.
Talking about Kadayan people (about 270,000 in Borneo), it isn’t easy to find them giving opinions in writing, let alone to have an open discussion; by culture it’s not their habit (refer to my earlier article in bahasa). If you’re relying on them to give feedback in your blog you could be lonely-but then watch them in the face booki.e., if you’re fun of this medium astonishingly different!
Not to underestimate Kadayan; we do have one or two professors at our local universities as well as a few professionals- lawyers and medical alike.
The question is why don’t the ‘smarter’ Kadayans indulge in public discourse as this? Or could it be because they’re now in the elite category, things we do here are trivial for them?
I assumed that must be the mindset, and this perceptional so applies to many other races in this country.
In developed countries participation I talked about is very normal no matter how high one’s position in the government or non-government alike, writings, debates, discussions, theatre, movies making and giving ideas are part and partial in their day-to-day affairs.
Hyde Park, in the city of London is classical example. It is very common to see and hear professors, professionals, experts and common people voicing their view in an open space and even lampooning the Queen and Prime Minister. Do it in this country you sure to be bundled to police station and be charged for sedition at the shortest possible time,except at the weekend of course.
Kadayan people are prone to limiting and sneaking themselves from activities like this. As if they are non-existence and in the end they were subject to bullying by a smaller but aggressive ethnic, our experience tells us that Kadayans in Sipitang were easily out manoeuvred politically, even though they are bigger in term of number. They are in many occasions left out in the decision-making or in managing public institutions at district level.
Kadayans that have political power always restrict themselves from the bigger section of the Kadayan community, except when nearing the General Election, perhaps as a way of maintaining their status; hardly mingle with the ‘lower ranking people’ kind. The question is who then give a helping hand to the less privileged group of their society?
You don’t believe me just observe!
To be continued in part 2, soon.
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