The angry mountain

 

The dormant quiet mountain, Mount Kinabalu, was struck by an earthquake on June 5, 2015, at 7 a.m., which killed 19 people, covering a magnitude of 6.0. The epicentre was near the place of Mount Kinabalu, and it was also close to causing landslides, thus causing a lot of destruction. Unfortunately, and without warning, it took away countless lives of climbers with their guides and porters and many other structures. This happened to be among the most powerful quakes to have hit the region in some time.

Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in Southeast Asia and is located in Sabah, Malaysia. It rises to a height of 4,095 meters above sea level. Much has it been of cultural and spiritual importance to native Dusun and Kadazan of the land, as it is perceived to be their site of the supposed graveyard. It is a place believed to be the residence of the resting spirits of the ancestors.

This is a great mountain that not only is part of a World Heritage Site of UNESCO but also forms a critically important part of the rich biodiversity of the region. Thousands of species of plants, including rare orchids and the iconic Rafflesia flower, grace Mt. Kinabalu. Immigrants and nature lovers from all over the world have made a beeline for this land of the landscape and rich biodiversity of Mt. Kinabalu. It is of importance not merely tangible and ecological, but also culturally as a mark of identity and highly respected spiritually by the communities, thus also forming an integral part of their heritage and way of life.

Kadazan Dusuns believe very strongly, in fact, for centuries, that whenever one of their people dies, the soul ascends Mount Kinabalu and becomes one of its custodians. This deeply-rooted belief holds that the mountain is a sacred resting place for their ancestors' spirits. It is important to note the taboos of the mountain since any level of disrespect in this regard may provoke the spirits to result in confusion and misfortunes. Such a close spiritual tie explains why the community cherishes Mount Kinabalu so much, with every aspect about it a symbol of their history and an arena for the past to merge with the present.

 

Mount Kinabalu is considered to be Legends and myths of the mountain:

"Aki Nabalu"

Mount Kinabalu has two main reasons for being named so. The first one comes from the traditional Kadazan/Dusun saying that regards the mountain as their version of heaven or nirvana. Its original name, "Aki Nabalu," means "The revered place of the dead." According to their beliefs, the spirits of the fallen go to the summit of the great mountain, and there they shall find their sustenance from a special moss which grows abundantly there.

 

"Kina Balu"

Another tale is the ancient legend of "Kina Balu," where "Kina" means "China," and "Balu" means "Widow." As to one of the legends, a dragon lived at the peak of the mountain guarding a precious, magical stone. A great number of Chinese soldiers perished in trying to acquire this magical stone. Thus, numerous Chinese women were left widows.

Prince

Another version of romanticized one chronicles that of a Chinese prince who climbed the mountain, killed the dragon, and brought the pearl away. The prince married an indigenous Kadazan lady before he left for China and abandoned her. The wife was deeply grieved that she walked to the mountain to weep and by the will of the mountain spirit, she was turned to stone.

 

"Kinohiringan and Umunsumundu"

There are also myths about the gods Kinohiringan and his wife Umunsumundu who were said to have made the whole world. While Umunsumundu was molding the soil, her husband was creating the sky, clouds, and all above. And when everything was done, they sent an eagle, and she was called Kondiu, to relate how beautiful was their creation, but she brought the news that the cloud was small for the size of the earth below it. To level the cumulus banks, Umunsumundu formed the earth again, with Mount Kinabalu in the middle to win back her husband's masculinity.

 

"Gayo Nakan the Giant King"

Once again I'm not sure whether what this legend describes are pinnacles of Mount Kinabalu whether this is how Mt. Kinabalu itself became. The story goes that in the very distant past, there was a giant king, Gayo Nakan, which means "big eater" when translated from the Malagasy language. Gayo Nakan is the mountain-dwelling giant busybody who makes his neighbors want to curb his ravenous appetite. The people who lived around the mountain of Gayo Nakan found it difficult to satisfy his enormous appetite and fervor for human flesh. Finally, as the complaints became many, the giant asked to be buried alive. The people found it too hard, and Gayo Nakan, in his impatience, buried himself down to his shoulders by magic. Disappointed with their redeeming act, he told his people that although in any one battle he would never fail them, generally, as retribution, they would be captured in the midst of a period of drought and famine. Fearing and regretful, the people began the sacrifice offering at the well of wishes below Gayo Nakan, the giant king's grave.

 

Role of mountain in local identity

Mount Kinabalu, standing as the pinnacle of Southeast Asia, bears a deep relationship with the local identity of Sabah, representing the extremes of natural beauty and richness in its cultural tapestry. With its distinctive ecosystems and great biological diversity, including many endemic species, the mountain attracts not just nature enthusiasts and scientific researchers, but underlines the significance of environmental conservation and sustainability in ecotourism development. As the shining example of natural and cultural heritage, Mount Kinabalu is the very epitome of the unbroken relationship of the Sabahans with their great landscape, of which is bequeathed pride and possession to posterity. Its visibility in ecotourism proves to be very beneficial to the community in terms of economic value by providing income for the locals and employment opportunities for the Sabahans, improving the quality of life.

 

2015 Earthquake

At 7:15 AM local time on June 5, 2015, the Mount Kinabalu area in Sabah, Malaysia, was rocked by a magnitude 6.0 earthquake. The epicenter was located some 19 kilometers northwest of Ranau, at a depth of only some 10 kilometers. The seismic event, which is the strongest ever recorded in Malaysia, took about 30 seconds, then felt on the west coast of Sabah as far as Kota Kinabalu, Tambunan, and Tuaran. This has caused immense damage around the iconic Mount Kinabalu that left the mountain claiming at 18 lives. The dead had been drawn from the ranks of climbers and guides on the mountain at that moment, including children climbing with a school group from Singapore and their teachers and native mountain guides. Falling boulders and landslides, set off by the earthquake, gave rise to injuries in many other climbers. There were major structural damage and, most notably, an eroded part of the cliff face that makes up the famous peak of the Donkey's Ear. Several landslides and rockfalls rushed through and changed the landscape; many of the trails became impassable. Furthermore, most of the buildings and infrastructures in the towns and villages surrounding the mountain, especially schools and houses, were also destroyed. Not to forget, the Timpohon Gate was closed off. It is one of the main gates to let mountain climbers in until the government can make proper safety checks and maintenance repairs to it.

The local community experienced great loss, especially for those who were reliant on the mountain tourism business. Tributes and memorial services were wanted to be held to the victims especially mountain guides who have bravely gave their lives to offer help to their clients. Perhaps the most rain-bowed event Fatherland's history has ever witness, touching stories that includes messages to guide tourists on how they should go by their tour, and photos to mark the grimy dust of our innocent sons and daughters lost forever in terror. The earthquake raised an immediate concern about the economic impact. The temporary closure of Mount Kinabalu resulted in a massive reduction of climbers at the site and affected the hotels, restaurants, and other service centers in the area. To cope with the disaster, search and rescue teams have been mobilized, consisting of mountain guides and the police and military forces, to locate and rescue those stranded on the mountain. Helicopters and ground crews worked in very poor weather and through difficult terrain. The Government agencies carried extensive safety assessments of all mountain trails and climbing infrastructure. The Sabah Parks authority has reportedly temporarily closed the Mount Kinabalu to climbers for ensuring safety, future climbers, and necessary repair and restoration works. Finally, the Malaysian government and government of states have extended full support to the victims' grieving families and organized financial aid to the victims of disaster. There were made efforts, such as the installation of seismographs and early warnings from this region, for the improvement of preparedness and responses to such disasters. The earthquake of 2015 on Mount Kinabalu was an event of tragic proportions, which gained both their grief and their inherent level of resilience for the local community and bonded, even further, the people of Sabah with their iconic mountain.

In late May 2015, a group of ten foreign tourists, including visitors from Canada, the Netherlands, and Germany, engaged in inappropriate behavior on the summit of Mount Kinabalu. They stripped naked and took photographs, displaying a blatant disregard for local customs and the sanctity of the mountain. This act, widely circulated on social media, sparked considerable controversy and backlash from the local community

Locals saw the disaster on June 5, 2015, as a result of the tourists' behavior. Visitors' actions were perceived threatening to the spirits and human remains on the mountain. In their perspective, Mount Kinabalu is a sacred place for the ancestral spirits, and lack of respect towards them infuriates these spirits and causes natural disasters. A direct effect of the offending nature of the tourists was an earthquake that took place and resulted in colossal damage, loss of lives included.

The community felt outraged and responded in a similar manner to the incident which was followed by the earthquake. The local leaders as well as the residents heavily criticized the act of these tourists and expressly stated that the Sabahans wanted respect for their culture and religious ideologies. The Sabah State Government also put legal actions against them and arrest four of them under the Public Indecency Act of the country. The tourists were charged and have already been subjected under this act, with spends and others having already served their jail time. This also stirred up calls for more stringent regulations and enforcement because it portrayed an event that threatened the security of Mount Kinabalu's sanctity, as well as adherence by its visitors to the local customary practices of respect for the cultural value attached to the mountain. From the happening, it is evident that the locals in Sabah have deep cultural and spiritual attachments to Mount Kinabalu; hence, a call for sensible visits and respect.

 

Cultural Beliefs and Practices

The Kadazan people take special notice of Mount Kinabalu and thus regard it as a sacred site inhabited by spirits of the ancestors. To them, this mountain is not just a land mass; it is an indispensable resting place for the spirits of the forefathers. These spirits are taken as the guardians of the land, whereas the mountain itself is considered a link between the world of the earth and the world of the spirit. A lot of rites and ceremonies are dedicated to these spirits, with people beseeching them for protection and blessings.

In the context of such greatly held beliefs, natural disasters are often perceived as the result of spirits that exhibit reprisal or anger. Disrespectful actions, such as the tourists being naked on the summit, are taken as serious offenses that can annoy and anger the spirits. The very act is perceived to disrupt the natural way of things, causing certain disasters, including the earthquake. The timing of the earthquake shortly after the incident reinforced these perceptions, with many locals attributing the disaster directly to the tourists' disrespectful actions.

Respect for sacred places is considered quite crucial in the Kadazan-Dusun culture, among other indigenous groups of people in Sabah. It is believed that these sites portray the cultural and inherent spiritual identity of the community. Desecrating the sacred places is viewed as a contradiction to the community's values and considered a direct insult to the ancestors and spiritual benefactors of the land. The incident at Mt. Kinabalu served to underscore the need for visitors to value and respect the cultural beliefs and practices that are important to other communities. It is very important to ensure that sacred sites receive the quality of respect due to them to continue the balance and harmony that exists between the physical and spiritual worlds and to keep the living cultural heritage and identity of local communities alive. This regard is not a question of culture, but a step towards establishing mutual understanding and coexistence between the visitors and the locals of Sabah.

 

The apology ritual

Following the earthquake and the perceived desecration of Mount Kinabalu by the foreign tourists, local community leaders and spiritual elders conducted a series of traditional rituals to appease the mountain spirits. These rituals, known as "monolob," are deeply rooted in the Kadazan-Dusun culture and are performed to restore harmony and show respect to the ancestral spirits believed to inhabit the mountain. The ceremonies typically involve the sacrifice of animals, such as chickens or pigs, and the offering of traditional foods, rice wine (tapai), and other symbolic items. Prayers and chants are recited by the Bobohizan, the community’s spiritual healers, to ask for forgiveness from the spirits and to cleanse the mountain of any negative energy brought about by the disrespectful actions.

The involvement of the foreign tourists in these rituals was a significant aspect of the community's response to the incident. Some of the tourists who had been detained and charged were asked to participate in the apology rituals as a gesture of their remorse and willingness to make amends. This involvement included observing the rituals, participating in the offerings, and publicly apologizing for their actions. The presence of the foreigners during the rituals was seen as a crucial step in acknowledging their wrongdoing and showing respect for the local beliefs and customs.

The apology rituals and the involvement of the foreigners had a profound impact on the community. The successful completion of the monolob rituals was believed to have appeased the spirits, helping to restore balance and harmony to the mountain. The local community viewed the participation of the foreigners in the rituals as a positive step towards healing and reconciliation. It demonstrated a recognition of the cultural significance of Mount Kinabalu and a respect for the traditions and beliefs of the Kadazan-Dusun people.

The community's thoughts on this issue revealed that it will re-emphasize the need for sensitivity towards cultures and the need for more comprehensive information on customs and sacred sites of the communities that tourists are visiting. The incident and its aftermath reminded all that there was indeed a great spiritual bonding that the people of Sabah share with the natural surrounding and that there is a need to sustain it. It was the hope of the community that the lessons learned from this episode would lead to more appreciative and sensitive interaction by the visitors with the local and indigenous people and a further upswing in understanding and respect for the cultural and spiritual heritage of Mount Kinabalu.

 

Broader Implications

The Mount Kinabalu incident entails a multilayered intersection between science and belief. According to science, the 6.0 magnitude tremor is a natural consequence involving tectonic plates. According to belief, members of the local community attributed the disrespect to the sacred state of something, in this case, the mountain, and the foreigners were the ones who made it angry. This dual perspective further emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting both scientific explanations and cultural beliefs. Whereas science gives a framework that explains natural happenings, cultural explanations offer a kind of lens through which a community explains and gives meaning to the happenings of nature. Realizing and integrating these two perspectives leads to a more holistic way of dealing with and understanding such incidents.

The Kinabalu incident exemplifies the importance of cultural sensitivity in tourism. Tourists should appreciate and respect both cultural and spiritual values at any destination they choose to visit. It is, therefore, important to know the local customs, traditions, and the importance given to sacred places in order to prevent cases that may offend and hurt the interests of local communities. Tourism operators and guides have then to make it their responsibility to enlighten the visitors on such aspects, so that they approach during the engagement with respect and mindfully. Cultural sensitivity makes travel experiences better, and it propagates mutual respect and understanding between the visitor and host communities, therefore promoting sustainable and responsible tourism.

Conclusion

The Mount Kinabalu incident and subsequent earthquake had a profound impact, highlighting the deep connection between cultural beliefs and natural events. The earthquake underscored the importance of respecting local customs, as the perceived disrespect from tourists led to a broader reflection on cultural sensitivity. This incident serves as a crucial reminder for tourists to honor the traditions and beliefs of the places they visit, fostering positive relationships with host communities. Moving forward, the hope is for healing and harmony between communities and nature, achieved through mutual respect and understanding, and proactive measures in tourism management to ensure a respectful coexistence.