There’s so much depth and beauty in the way different cultures around the world deal with death, grief, and remembrance. From rituals passed down through generations to unique ceremonies that celebrate a person’s life, these traditions tell us so much about humanity, beliefs, and values.

I’ve always been curious about the stories behind these practices, and through this journey, I hope to explore them with an open heart and mind - and maybe spark a little curiosity in you too. So, let’s keep it light, respectful, and genuinely fascinating as we delve into the world of mortuary traditions together!

source : Official Website of Sabah State Government.

source : iloveborneo.my, wixsite and maznialisya e-book.

source : iloveborneo.my, Jelajah Edisi Daus blogspot and Miss ASA blogspot.

source : iloveborneo.my and Jelajah Edisi Daus blogspot.

source : iloveborneo.my and Saidatul Nornis hj. Marhali 2010

source : wixsite, Miss ASA blogspot, and iloveborneo.my.

source : bangsamoro.

Pace and number of drum beats :

• Kids - 7 drumbeats, with a fast rhythm.

• Teenagers - 9 drumbeats, with fast rhythm.

• Adult - 11 drumbeats, with fast rhythm.

source : LadingMerah blogspot, sains sukan maar blogspot and e-book lembaga kebudayaan negeri Sabah.

source : e-book lembaga kebudayaan negeri Sabah.

Colour of ceremonial umbrella :

• Datu / Bai - green umbrella

• Syarif / Syarifah - yellow umbrella

• Commoners - white umbrella

Count of ceremonial umbrellas/rings :

• Datu / Bai and Syarif / Syarifah - 12 umbrella (female), 15 umbrella (male)

• Commoners - 10 umbrella (female), 12 umbrella (male)

• Kids - 5 umbrella (female), 8 umbrella (male)

• A baby who dies in the womb or before reaching 30 days old - 4 tiers of umbrella

Before leaving the gravesite, a veil or cloth covering (kelambu) is placed over the grave as a final gesture of respect and protection by the family. The kelambu must also follow specific colors, as traditionally designated.

source : e-book lembaga kebudayaan negeri Sabah and LadingMerah blogspot.

source : e-book lembaga kebudayaan negeri Sabah.

source : e-book lembaga kebudayaan negeri Sabah and sains sukan maar blogspot .

1. The body will be cleaned, and the funeral prayer is performed by an educated individual in Islamic burial service (fardhu kifayah). The person responsible for cleaning the private parts of the deceased will be rewarded by the family with a ring.

2. After that, the body is wrapped in a white shroud (kain kafan) and the funeral prayer is performed.

3. The body is then accompanied to the burial ground, lowered into the grave on its side, the head covering is partially opened, and the grave is filled in.

source : LadingMerah blogspot and e-book lembaga kebudayaan negeri Sabah.

source : Joshua Project and Portal Rasmi Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli.

• All daily activities such as farming, hunting, and related activity are put on hold to avoid disaster.

• Information about death is communicated to individuals in villages and nearby areas so that they may offer their respects.

• People will give sincere offerings to the family of the deceased individual. This can be in the form of money, food, or ingredients for cooking.

• When hearing of the death, children's ears will be smeared with betel lime or ritually consecrated charcoal to prevent them from being visited with spiritual unrest or being "possessed."

source : Haifa Hadriah blogspot.

• The dead body will first be cleaned using plain water. Then, the dead body will be sprinkled with tepung tawar (ancient perfumed powder).

• The dead body will be wrapped with seven layers of white cloth, lying flat with crossed hands on the chest, and face up. The shroud will then be tied at seven points before placing the dead body in the coffin.

source : Haifa Hadriah blogspot.

• In accordance with the tradition of their ancestors, the coffin is placed with the head facing westward.

• Subsequently, family members, siblings, and immediate relatives are given the opportunity to toss a handful of soil into the grave. This act symbolizes a last offering and the return of the dead to his or her place of origin, earth, the maker of humankind.

• A gravestone is then erected and covered with seven coverings of white burial cloth. Relatives also take turns sprinkling water on the grave, and others do so while expressing words of farewell.

source : Haifa Hadriah blogspot and pdf kepercayaan dan pantang larang.

• Family members will provide such foodstuffs as betel leaves or cigarettes, and drinks like coffee, tea, or Milo to place at the grave of the dead person.

• A small fire is also lit there.

• Flowers or flowering plants are planted alongside the graves as an act of memory and the kindness of the new world that the dead have entered into.

• Family and relatives are prohibited from turning back after they made seven steps from the grave.

• Everyone who had any involvement with the burial is also required to shower before entering the house again.

• The family is also requested to conduct a Nujuh Hari ceremony, or a minor dinner party, seven days following burial.

source : Haifa Hadriah blogspot and pdf kepercayaan and pantang larang.

• Relatives will carry food and drinks to the grave at sunrise

• Food and drinks will be placed at the grave, and the fire will be lit, as was done during the past rituals.

• Once the 100 days have passed, deceased heirs and legacy belongings will be handed over to worthy relatives.

• Items that are no longer of use will be burned, while personal belongings frequently utilized by the dead will be kept at their gravesite.

source : Haifa Hadriah blogspot and pdf kepercayaan dan pantang larang.

source : pdf kepercayaan dan pantang larang and Haifa Hadriah blogspot.

source : olumes.com.

source : Adelia 2018 blogspot and snsk-k2 blogspot.

• If the deceased was a smoker during their life, the family will place a cigarette in the mouth of the deceased to prevent the spirit from feeling "unsatisfied" or longing.

• The body must be protected, and no animals can be allowed to walk over it, especially black cats, because they believe if a black cat walks over the body, the deceased will rise up, become violent, and kill everyone in their presence.

• Pendaatan, a large black bird believed to be able to carry away the body, must be warded off, so they hang human-like clothing to scare away the spirits or demons.

• No noise is allowed, and only the sound of gongs and drums may be heard.

source : Adelia 2018 blogspot, buku skrap budaya blogspot and snsk-k2 blogspot.

source : snsk-k2 blogspot, Adelia 2018 blogspot and buku skrap budaya blogspot.

source : buku skrap budaya blogspot, Adelia 2018 blogspot and Adat dan Pantang Larang Kadazandusun e-book.

source : Adat dan Pantang Larang Kadazandusun.

• The food served includes:

  Seven stingrays
  Seven sharks
  Seven bunches of bananas
  Fourteen other types of fish
  One large pot of tuak (rice wine)
  Seven small pots of benas alcohol (fermented palm wine)
  Three large pots of tapai (fermented rice)
  Thirty pieces of kuih kelupis (traditional rice cake)
  One buffalo

• The feast begins at 8 PM.

• The food is served on a tray with a candle placed alongside it.

• A woman known as the pengupeh (an elderly woman) will sit next to the tray holding a sword.

• The candle is lit, and the pengupeh chants to summon the spirits to partake in the meal. The food is then placed in a coconut shell and placed under the house stairs to symbolically prevent the spirits from disturbing the living.

• The pengupeh will then drink the alcohol and offer a cup of tapai to the head of the household.

• There will be a bobogoh ceremony, where people engage in a pantun (traditional rhymed couplets) challenge. If someone fails to answer, they must drink arak.

• The following day, the food must be placed in the living room, on a copper tray filled with betel leaves and cigarettes.

• In the evening, a celebration with Sumazau dancing will take

source : snsk-k2 blogspot, buku skrap kebudayaan blogspot, Adelia 2018 blogspot and Adat dan Pantang Larang Kadazandusun e-book.

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KAUM MURUT-205297. (n.d.). https://bmpengurusan2010.blogspot.com/2010/09/kaum-murut.html

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I Love Borneo. I Love Borneo. https://www.iloveborneo.my/adat-unik-kematian-kaum-murut-sabah/

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ETNIK MURUT. (n.d.). Sabah. https://adat2kematian.wixsite.com/borneosabah/contact

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ASA, M. (2016). ADAT TRADISI SUKU KAUM MURUT. Blogspot.com. https://bangsamurut.blogspot.com/2016/08/adat-tradisi-kaum-murut-di-sabah-sumber.html

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People & History | Sabah Government Official Website. (2023). Sabah.gov.my. https://sabah.gov.my/en/content/people-history

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Adat Kematian Masyarakat Irranun. (2025). Blogspot.com. https://adatirranun.blogspot.com/2008/09/adat-kematian-masyarakat-irranun.html

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E T N I K I R A N U N ADAT ISTIADAT TURUN-TEMURUN. (n.d.). https://culture.sabah.gov.my/sites/default/files/uploads/products/files/2023-02/e-book%20Etnik%20Iranun.pdf

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Sains Sukan Maar. (2025, April 29). ADAT KELAHIRAN, KEMATIAN DAN PERKAHWINAN ETNIK IRANUN DI KOTA BELUD, SABAH. Blogspot.com. https://sainssukanmaar.blogspot.com/2015/01/adat-kelahiran-kematian-dan-perkahwinan.html

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Nisan Batu Sungai | NisanWorld.com^TM. (2025). Nisanworld.com. https://www.nisanworld.com/nisan_batu_sungai.php

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Rahma Indina Harbani. (2022, March 4). 11 Tata Cara Memandikan Jenazah Laki-Laki dan Perempuan. Detikedu; detikcom. https://www.detik.com/edu/detikpedia/d-5968259/11-tata-cara-memandikan-jenazah-laki-laki-dan-perempuan

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Suku Kaum. (2022, December 27). Laman Web Rasmi Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli. https://www.jakoa.gov.my/orang-asli/suku-kaum/

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Project, J. (2019). Jakun, Djakun in Malaysia. Joshuaproject.net. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/12313/MY

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SUKU KAUM JAKUN. (n.d.). Edika93.Blogspot.com. https://edika93.blogspot.com/2011/09/suku-kaum-jakun.html

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New Straits Time (2019). Nst.com.my. https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/jom/2018/08/404081/day-jakun-tribe

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Superadmin. (2020, October 10). Facts about the unique Kadazan-Dusun people of Borneo - OLUMES. OLUMES. https://olumes.com/facts-about-the-unique-kadazan-dusun-people-of-borneo/?srsltid=AfmBOorHFPkz-lXdXIAtw_ALwosn-w5VRkHDUAyJb8633Ppqud03iyBo

haziqahafifah9. Adat & Pantang-Larang Kaum Kadazandusun - Flip eBook Pages 1-23 | AnyFlip. (n.d.). Anyflip.com. https://anyflip.com/rccux/zedd/basic

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Adelia. (2018, April 22). CARA PENGEBUMIAN JENAZAH BAGI KAUM YANG ADA DI MALAYSIA: UPACARA PENGEBUMIAN KAUM KADAZANDUSUN. CARA PENGEBUMIAN JENAZAH BAGI KAUM YANG ADA DI MALAYSIA. https://adelia2018.blogspot.com/2018/04/upacara-pengebumian-kaum-kadazandusun.html

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Adat resam pengkebumian kaum Kadazan Dusun Tambunan. (2020, February 27). Www.utusanborneo.com.my. https://www.utusanborneo.com.my/2020/02/27/adat-resam-pengkebumian-kaum-kadazan-dusun-tambunan

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SNSK-K2. (2012, November 27). Hubungan Etnik: ADAT KEMATIAN KADAZANDUSUN. Hubungan Etnik. https://snsk-k2.blogspot.com/2012/11/adat-kematian-kadazandusun.html

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They occupy major rivers in Sabah's east, namely Kinabatangan, Beluran, Pitas, and Paitan, and are the dominant ethnic group in these areas under the Kadazan Dusun category.

The first Resident of Sandakan, William Pryer, came up with the term "Orang Sungai" (River People) during a trip along the Kinabatangan River. Having seen people with reddish skin and shoulder-length hair and not knowing where they came from, he called them "River People", a term still used today for riverine people.

source : Mohammadia5193 blogspot.

source : pemetaan budaya JKKN and adat dan ritual kematian masyarakat kaum sungai di Sabah e-book.

• The needle is placed in the burial shroud as protection against spirit or black magic interference.

• The mirror serves as a spiritual protection, as it is believed that evil spirits will be scared away by their own reflection.

• Scissors and thread symbolize the act of separating the soul from the body, a final gesture of parting.
  

In addition, thorny lime leaves are also positioned beneath the house of the deceased by some families. This is done to protect against black magic in the sense of "ilmu bangkit tua" which can revive the dead. Then a black thread is burned until it cracks to release any magical influence, thereby rendering this spell useless.

source : pemetaan budaya JKKN and adat dan ritual kematian masyarakat kaum sungai di Sabah e-book.

• The process of purification of the dead body. The body is dealt with according to Islamic rituals by washing, wrapping in a shroud, and performing the funeral prayer.

• They will be rewarded with gold rings as a token of appreciation for their services.

• The family members take turns to shake hands with the dead as a token of asking for forgiveness.

• Wudhu is performed for the body and poured with "air sembilan".

Menyandar :

• The act of supporting the body of the deceased during washing.

• Those who perform this task are rewarded in the form of money, sarong or batik cloth, and containers.

• There are certain taboos involved in the bathing process, such as no one is allowed to stay under the house, since it is believed that any water left behind from washing the body would bring "bad luck" or the "curse of the dead," which would last for 40 days and create unrest.

source : pemetaan budaya JKKN and adat dan ritual kematian masyarakat kaum sungai di Sabah e-book.

• If the deceased was a smoker or cigar enthusiast, the family would place a cigarette in the mouth of the body to prevent the spirit from longing. This practice reflects the customs and beliefs of the Orang Sungai community.

• It is a tradition of singing and playing musical instruments over the deceased body by the members of the family. They do it in trying to entertain the deceased. For others, they perform it for seven days at the gravesite and include lighting lamps.

source : pemetaan budaya JKKN and ritual kematian masyarakat kaum sungai di Sabah e-book.

• offering a salam to the "Nabi Bumi" and reciting blessings (selawat).

• The ground is then stabbed with a machete and drawn out in the shape of the letter "D" to symbolize the dimensions and height of the burial place. The measurement of the body is recorded beforehand using raffia string.

• The earth is dug up and a pile is formed at the head end to serve as a pillow for the deceased.

• Another ceremony, "Naja-Naja," is performed where relatives and family members walk three times under the body in a circular path. It is a token to say goodbye to help the deceased person leave and not miss their relatives.

source : pemetaan budaya JKKN and ritual kematian masyarakat kaum sungai di Sabah e-book.

• White – represents the Subuh prayer

• Blue – represents the Zohor prayer

• Yellow – represents the Asar prayer

• Red – represents the Maghrib prayer

• Black – represents the Isyak prayer

• Bright Yellow – signifies that the deceased came from a wealthy or noble family

However, in modern customs, the cloths are replaced with sarong or pelikat fabric, with specific quantities depending on the gender of the deceased :

• Male deceased – five pieces of pelikat cloth

• Female deceased – seven pieces of batik cloth

source : pemetaan budaya JKKN and ritual kematian masyarakat kaum sungai di Sabah e-book.

• A betel nut wrapped in white cloth is left beside the dead body, symbolizing their young children or grandchildren.

• Three clumps of earth are preserved at the dead body's feet, symbolizing the dead body's resting position.

• Three lumps of earth are shaped into the form of a signal to begin the burial. The person burying the grave must not raise their hand above the surface of the grave, this represents spiritual balance.

Then, water mixed with sandalwood and scented flowers will be poured by the family members over the tomb. The ceremony is said to quench the thirst of the deceased in the afterlife. Secondly, a piece of cloth of the deceased will be removed and tied on the headstone. The headstone may be of cement or stone.

source : pemetaan budaya JKKN and ritual kematian masyarakat kaum sungai di Sabah e-book.

• These are supposed to represent the traveling of the soul to the hereafter and the physiological changes of the dead in the grave.

• Village imams recite the dhikr "La Ilaha illa Allah" 7,777 times in a ritual known as Fidyah Tahlil, and they are given RM77.70 as a token of appreciation.

The rituals are normally conducted after Maghrib prayers, based on the belief that the soul only returns at night. Some rituals start earlier and extend past the Isyak prayer.

source : pemetaan budaya JKKN.

• Incense is lit by the imam and fumigated above prayer beads. It is believed that this helps to send reward to the departed soul.

• Earlier, a copper vessel was used, but currently any vessel can be used.

• The room traditionally remains in muted light.

• Sprinkling flour to see footprints of the spirit was done earlier, but this is not practiced so that superstitions are not faced.

• The main items are a traditional cake called Pinjaram and a tray of food for the deceased, put in their favorite foods, coffee, cigarettes, and water to clean hands.

• The clothes and personal effects of the deceased, also called Bangkai-Bangkaian, are not touched during 40 days.

• A needle and mirror are placed with them so as to keep spirits from interfering. These are hung up after the 7th day and donated after the 40th day.

There is a yearly ritual called Sampang Arwah towards the end of Syaaban.

• Families believe that the dead return home to visit loved ones before Ramadan.

• The ritual includes visiting and cleaning graves, a special sunat puasa cleansing bath (mandi sunat puasa), and going for tahlil prayers at the mosque or surau.

• Every family brings food on trays to share, which is eaten during the sahur meal on the first fasting day.

source : pemetaan budaya JKKN.

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Wahab, M. (2019). Sejarah dan perkembangan etnik Sungai di Sandakan. Blogspot.com. https://mohammadia5193.blogspot.com/2019/05/pengenalan-sabahmerupakan-sebuah-negeri.html

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MySabah.com. (2022, April 17). Kuih Pinjaram, the UFO Cake of Sabah. MySabah.com. https://www.mysabah.com/wordpress/kuih-pinjaram/

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Kinabatangan River. (2022, August 13). TGS Makan Lah. https://tgsmakanlah.wordpress.com/kinabatangan-river/

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NASIR, K., RAHIM KZ, & SAIFULLAH MAMAT. (2019). Pengaruh Animisme Dalam Adat Kematian Orang Sungai di Daerah Pitas, Sabah: Satu Tinjauan (p. 11) [Review of Pengaruh Animisme Dalam Adat Kematian Orang Sungai di Daerah Pitas, Sabah: Satu Tinjauan ]. Majmuah Enterprise. https://majmuah.com/journal/index.php/bij/article/download/30/10 (Original work published 2019)

BIN MOKHTAR, D. S. (2023). ADAT DAN RITUAL KEMATIAN MASYARAKAT KAUM SUNGAI DI SABAH SEBELUM, SEMASA, DAN SELEPAS KEMATIAN (R. MOTIBOI, M. N. BIN JOHALIM, A. N. BINTI AMIRIN, M. RICHARD, & N. BINTI MOHAMMAD, Eds.) [Review of ADAT DAN RITUAL KEMATIAN MASYARAKAT KAUM SUNGAI DI SABAH SEBELUM, SEMASA, DAN SELEPAS KEMATIAN]. Https://Anyflip.com/Mimls/Nxba; UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SABAH.

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‌JKKN, P. B. (2024, November 12). ADAT RESAM DAN BUDAYA KAUM ORANG SUNGAI DI PITAS - ADAT KEMATIAN [Review of ADAT RESAM DAN BUDAYA KAUM ORANG SUNGAI DI PITAS - ADAT KEMATIAN]. PEMETAAN BUDAYA JKKN.

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• A mat or mattress with a pillow is laid out, known as bangkai-bangkaian.

• Clothes and a mirror are placed upright on the bed.

• Family and guests recite tahlil and Quranic verses facing the setup.

• The mirror is believed to ward off evil spirits like balan-balan.

• After 10 days, the clothes and mirror are removed.

• These items are then donated to the person who bathed and shrouded the body.

source : LadingMerah blogspot.