Monsopiad Heritage Village

Monsopiad was a Kadazan warrior of the Penampang district some three hundred years ago, remembered for defending his community and for the heads he took doing it, and the heritage village is run by his direct descendants on family land. The centre of it is the House of Skulls, where forty-two skulls hang in a row from the rafters, hung there by the family and treated as ancestral presences requiring ritual attention rather than as exhibits - which is the fact that makes this different from a reconstructed cultural park. Around it are a longhouse, a traditional Kadazan house, a display of tools, costume and rice cultivation, a bobohizan or ritual specialist's account of the belief system, and dance performances. The guiding is done by family members and is the substance of the visit.

History

Legend tells that when Monsopiad was about to be born to Kizabon and her husband Dunggou, a sacred bird, the Bugang, nested on their roof; as a man he vowed to fight the bandits who troubled his village and hung their heads from his roof. The heritage village opened in 1996 on the spot where he lived (Wikipedia, Monsopiad Heritage Village).

What you'll find

• The House of Skulls - forty-two hung from the rafters, tended as ancestors.
• Family-run guiding - Monsopiad's descendants telling their own history.
• Kadazan buildings - a longhouse and traditional house with tools and costume.
• Bobohizan tradition - the ritual specialist's role in Kadazan belief explained.

When to go

All year; the Kaamatan harvest festival in May. Two hours.

Before you go

The skulls are human remains held as ancestors, not a display - photography rules are set by the family and should be followed. The site is small. Performances run to a schedule; check before going.

Nearby

Penampang and Kota Kinabalu are close; the Crocker Range is inland.

Key facts