Bbahul and the Bbiruhui Beliefs of the Rungus People of Sabah

The term bbahul refers to the traditional poetry of the Rungus ethnic group from the Kudat district of Sabah, Malaysia. Up until the 1980s, such poems were regularly recited by Rungus villagers; however their popularity has subsequently declined. Related to the bbahul are the Bbiruhui, the traditional beliefs of the Rungus. Such beliefs are founded on the concept of Minamangun, the sole Creator, who dwells in the spiritual realm accompanied by a host of benevolent and malevolent spirits. During field trips to collect bbahul and information regarding Bbiruhui beliefs, it was noted that certain bbahul are recited by the ritual specialist during the Moginum healing ceremony. These initial reports indicate that some of the bbahul are indeed related to the Bbiruhui beliefs of the Rungus. This essentially suggests that the Bbiruhui beliefs constitute a Rungus folk religion rather than pagan (as suggested by some researchers in the past), especially when considering the influence of the Christian and Islamic faiths from the 19th century onwards. Selected bbahul containing elements of Bbiruhui beliefs are analysed to have a better understanding of the relationship between the bbahul and the Bbiruhui beliefs.