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Just 25 minutes drive from Kota Kinabalu city centre is the Monsopiad Cultural Village . This is an excursion that may take about 2 to 3hours of your time but is well worth the time just to delve into a little kadazandusun tradition and history.

Monsopiad - Hero or Rogue?

Some 300+ years ago, Penampang district was sectioned into a number of Kadazan villages. At one particular village called Kuai lived a couple, Kizabon and her husband Dunggou. Kizabon was with child when the 'Bugang' bird (a sacred animal for the Kadazans), made a nest on the roof of their home. The bird nested the entire length of her pregnancy. On the day Monsopiad was born, so were the sacred bird's hatchlings were hatched from her clutch of eggs.

Monsopiad's parents believed this to be an omen, believing that their son had inherited the superpowers. The family took great care to develop and hone his skills and at a young age, he soon became an excellent fighter.

Monsopiad's maternal grandfather was the village head at the time of his youth. He witnessed many raids and plundering from robbers. The village people fled their homes for safety in the jungle whilst the robbers ransacked their homes of freshly harvested produce and rice. The Kuai village, unlike other surrounding villages was sorely lacking in warriors to defend it from such raids and this became a common affair.

The young warrior vowed to rid the village of these unpleasant intrusions and set off to hunt down the robbers. On leaving, he promised to bring back the heads of the robbers as trophies. Monsopiad came back victorious. He however, did not expect the reception upon returning to the village. Everyone was ecstatic and truly grateful for the deed done. The victorious young man, perhaps heady over the hero's welcome he was given, he again vowed to the people that he would be the village's protector from all who claimed to harm them.

Monsopiad soon gained reputation as a fearless warrior and began his obsession with protecting the village from all robbers and foreign aggressors and at the same time, seemed to relish in collecting more trophies. He continued to assert his aggression even when there was no one left to challenge. Soon he began challenging others to duels. Although Monsopiad was highly revered and respected, the village people had no other choice but to make a crucial decision. They had to rid the village of their most respected resident. One evening, as Monsopiad was resting at home, the village's braves were sent to kill him. It was believed that the extraordinary power and strength that the sacred bird had bestowed on Monsopiad were rescinded when he abused use of his gift. He fought back as much as he could but was overwhelmed by numbers.

The village was saddened by what they had to do. In return for his dedication, they erected a monument and renamed the village in his name

The House of Skulls or Siou Do Mohoing

The house is located just across the lane from the Cultural Village . A non-descript looking wooden house with a rather steep set of steps that leads to a patio and the main door. Above the door is a plaque with a warning to all that enter the house to be true in mind and intentions. Guides who lead visitors in have strange tales to tell. A few visitors were purportedly denied entry by the guardians of the house. A feeling of whoosiness or faint came over them each time they took a step up to the house. Eventually they backed away and all was fine with them.

In the house, are the collections of 42 skulls, a leg bone and a 3-foot long sword, believed to have been used in battles.After a battle, Monsopiad took the fresh skulls into the jungle and left them hanging off trees to dry out before being displayed at his house. Among the artifacts displayed in glass cases are jewellery, headgear etc. Pictures and some documentation of the Bobohizans hang on walls around the room. The bobohizans are priestesses who perform healing ceremonies (amongst other rituals) through consultation with the good spirits. As the kadazans are slowly being drawn to other religions such as Christianity and Islam, the younger generations have turned away from their paganistic traditions. The Bobohizan will cease to exist within the current generation as the last of the priestesses passes on.

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