GEOGRAFIA Online TM Malaysian Journal of Society and Space 12 issue 5 (136 - 147) 136 © 2016, ISSN 2180-2491 Manifestasi legenda kepahlawanan Monsopiad sebagai identiti etnik Kadazandusun: Citra dari kacamata Peribumi Penampang, Sabah Noviatin Syarifuddin 1 1 Pusat Pengajian Sosial, Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Correspondence: Noviatin Syarifuddin (email: noviatin@ukm.edu.my) Abstrak Makalah ini berkenaan tentang kewujudan sebuah legenda kepahlawanan bernama Monsopiad yang meninggalkan kesan terhadap pembentukan identiti etnik Kadazandusun di Sabah. Citra keperibadian mengenai Monsopiad sebagai sebahagian daripada elemen identiti lokal sangat signifikan dalam mencorakkan dan memahami struktur kehidupan asas manusia etnik Kadazandusun. Justeru, tujuan utama makalah ini ditulis ialah untuk (i) memahami dan meneroka kefahaman informan terhadap Legenda Kepahlawanan Monsopiad sebagai elemen identiti etnik Kadazandusun dan (ii) untuk mengenalpasti fungsi legenda dalam memperkasa etnik masa kini. Penelitian telah dijalankan di Kampung Kuai Kandazon, Penampang, Sabah menggunakan kaedah in-depth-interview dan pemerhatian tidak turut serta. Dengan menggunakan pensampelan purpossive, sebanyak lapan orang informan dalam kalangan etnik Kadazandusun telah dipilih untuk memerihalkan kefahaman mereka berdasarkan pengalaman harian. Hasil kajian mendapati bahawa etnik Kadazandusun yang melalui fungsi penyesuaian identiti masih mengamalkan adat dan kepercayaan tradisi dalam beberapa elemen kehidupan. Perubahan ruang dan masa yang berlangsung di hadapan mereka tidak membawa perubahan holistik dalam konteks ruang sosial mereka. Malahan usaha mereka dalam mengekalkan identiti jelas diperlihatkan menerusi upacara ritual dan penglibatan mereka dalam aktiviti yang menyatukan etnik kelompoknya. Katakunci: Bobohizan, identiti etnik, Kadazandusun, legenda Monsopiad, pengetahuan lokal, Sabah The manifestation of Monsopiad heroic legend as a element of Kadazandusun ethnic identity: An overview from local citizens in Penampang, Sabah Abstract Iconic personalities may exert powerful influence in the shaping of a people’s identity. This study examined, through the perspective of key local informants, the manifestasion of a legendary warrior named Monsopiad who had impacted the formation of Kadazandusun ethnic identity in Sabah. The twofold objectives were to understand and explore the informant’s comprehension of the Monsopiad heroic legend as an element of the Kadazandusun ethnic identity, and to identify the function of legends in contemporary empowerment of ethnic identity. A case study was conducted in Kuai Kandazon Village, Penampang, Sabah utilizing participant non-observations and in- depth interviews of eight Kadazandusun ethnic informants involving the use of purpossive and ‘snow ball sampling’ . The results of the study revealed that the Kadazandusun ethnic had undergone identity assimilation but still practiced traditional customs and beliefs in some aspects of their daily life. The space-time change that occurred before their very eyes did not bring holistic changes in their social space context. Moreover, their effort to preserve their ethnic identity was clearly evidenced by their continued observance of ritual ceremonies and activities that sought to unite the ethnic group. Keywords: Bobohizan, ethnic identity, Kadazandusun, legend of Monsopiad, local knowledge, Sabah