PENAMPANG: Koisaan Museum and Library was launched at Hongkod Koisaan, Tuesday, aimed at safeguarding and promoting the rich socio-cultural heritage of the Kadazandusun community.
Huguan Siou Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who officiated the launch, said:
“Today is more than just a celebration; it is the realisation of our Strategic Goal No. 6 of the Huguan Siou Vision and Strategic Goals. Our goal has always been clear - to preserve and promote the Kadazandusun socio-cultural heritage, our customs and our traditions.
“For too long, we have watched as modernisation and the generational gap have threatened to erode the very things that make us who we are. Today, we built a wall against that erosion.”
Pairin said Kadazandusun identity is rooted in a sacred and unique knowledge system.
“The Kadazandusun identity is anchored in a unique and sacred knowledge system. It lives in our herbal medicine practices, the ancient oral history of Nunuk Ragang, the spiritual guidance of our Bobolian and the intricate threads of our traditional costumes.”
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He said the Koisaan Museum and Library is now the central repository for these treasures. “It is the home for our artifacts, our manuscripts and our ethnobotanical records. We are not just storing the past; we are securing the ‘soul’ of our people,” he said.
Pairin, who is also KDCA President, acknowledged that the project had long been envisioned and required committed leadership to bring it to fruition, extending special appreciation to KDCA Women’s Council led by Tindarama Datuk Joanna Kitingan.
“While these physical walls are important, our mission extends into the Digital World. Through digitisation, our library will become a global learning hub for scholars and students.
“I was recently heartened to be interviewed by our young people for an online project regarding the role of the Huguan Siou. This is exactly what we mean by
‘transmission.’ We must facilitate the transfer of knowledge from our elders to our youth, ensuring that our heritage remains a source of pride and learning for the next generation,” he said and urged the community to actively support and contribute to the museum.
He also expressed appreciation for contributions from various parties, including the Sabah Museum, the State Library, corporate sponsors and individuals, as well as a notable collection of traditional hats bequeathed by the late John Albert Fryer, former Sabah Lands and Surveys Director, and his wife, Audrey.
“I am especially moved by the collections of hats bequeathed by the late Fryer and his wife Audrey. Joanna, when she was the State Archives Director, had interviewed him in England in 1993, where she saw that he had a collection of hats from Borneo.
“After many exchanges and visits to Sabah, Fryer and Audrey decided to bequeath their collection to the KDCA Museum.
“Let this be a place where every Kadazandusun can come to find their roots and leave inspired for their future,” said Pairin.
KDCA Deputy President Datuk John Anthony said the establishment of the museum and library forms part of the broader KDCA Vision 2034 framework.
John said the facility would serve multiple functions, including archiving artefacts and manuscripts, providing research access, promoting cultural programmes and enabling structured knowledge transfer through documented oral histories and apprenticeships.
Joanna said the museum adopts a compact yet information-rich approach, with rotating thematic exhibitions to ensure continued relevance.
“It may be small physically, but it contains very compact information that is easy to understand and disseminate, and for people to further research.
The Koisaan Museum and Library is expected to serve as a cornerstone for cultural preservation, education and research, reinforcing KDCA’s role as custodian of Kadazandusun identity while bridging the gap between generations in an increasingly modern world.
Also present were KDCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Sec-Gen Datuk Suman Yasambun and others.
