• Today: October 22, 2026

DBP documents traditional ethnic beliefs

The Language and Literature Bureau (DBP), through its Research, Documentation and Recognition Division, held a briefing on research into the taboos and beliefs of Brunei Darussalam’s seven ethnic groups and Bruneian communities in Sabah, Malaysia, at the DBP Temburong Library.

The briefing began with welcoming remarks by Acting Director of DBP and project advisor Suip bin Haji Abdul Wahab, who highlighted the department’s commitment to elevating the Malay language and upholding Malay culture in Brunei Darussalam through strategic initiatives focusing on research, documentation, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

He said these efforts reflected the department’s responsibility to ensure that cultural heritage remained protected and was documented as a valuable source of knowledge and reference for present and future generations.

Through its Research, Documentation and Recognition Division, he explained that the latest undertaking by the department serves to broaden the scope of cultural studies, strengthen the documentation of traditional heritage, and enrich knowledge relating to the identity, cultural character, and indigenous wisdom of the Malay community.

He noted that the study, which covers the seven ethnic groups in Brunei Darussalam and Bruneian communities in Sabah, is also expected to identify similarities, differences, and distinctive features in traditional practices among the communities involved.

The acting director added that this comparative approach could deepen understanding of cultural continuity while providing a more comprehensive picture of the diversity of traditions and the richness of the communities’ cultural experiences.

He noted that the findings would be compiled and published in a book by the department.

The briefing continued with an explanation of the research project by Acting Deputy Director of DBP and Head of the Research, Documentation and Recognition Division Hajah Haireni binti Haji Awang Damit, the project leader.

An overview of traditional taboos and beliefs was delivered by reference expert Dr Haji Hashim bin Haji Abdul Hamid, followed by interview sessions between the division and the research informants.

The briefing aimed to provide research informants in Temburong District with a clear understanding of the project, as the division seeks to collect and document traditional taboos and beliefs practised by the seven ethnic groups in Brunei Darussalam and Bruneian communities in Sabah. The initiative also aims to preserve the nation’s cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge by ensuring that traditional practices are properly documented and passed down to future generations.

The research project initially focuses on fieldwork and interviews with identified informants who possess knowledge and experience of traditional taboos in the Temburong District before expanding to the other districts.

Representatives of the Temburong District Officer, project reference experts Dato Paduka Haji Mahmud bin Haji Bakir, Dr Maslin bin Haji Jukim, and Haji Zainal Abidin bin Tinggal, alongside mukim penghulus, village heads, and research informants from Temburong District were also present during the briefing. – Daniel Lim

Acting Director of the Language and Literature Bureau and project advisor Suip bin Haji Abdul Wahab in a group photo with officials and attendees. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTOR

 

SOURCE/AUTHOR :BORNEO BULLETIN/DANIEL LIM

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