The Tidung, Tidong (
Jawi: تيدوڠ) are a native group originating from northeastern part of
Borneo
Borneo () is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world, with an area of , and population of 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Situated at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, it is one of the Greater Sunda ...
and surrounding small islands. They live on both sides of the border of Malaysia and Indonesia.
Tidung speak Tidong language, a
North Bornean language. The Tidong are traditionally farmers practising
slash-and-burn
Slash-and-burn agriculture is a form of shifting cultivation that involves the cutting and burning of plants in a forest or woodland to create a Field (agriculture), field called a swidden. The method begins by cutting down the trees and woody p ...
agriculture. Some are ocean fishermen. They grow
sweet potato
The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of ...
es,
cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...
,
lentils
The lentil (''Vicia lens'' or ''Lens culinaris'') is an annual plant, annual legume grown for its Lens (geometry), lens-shaped edible seeds or ''pulses'', also called ''lentils''. It is about tall, and the seeds grow in Legume, pods, usually w ...
, fruits, and vegetables. Their farming methods are often accused of being the main cause of forest fires in Kalimantan.
The rise of the Muslim
Tidung Sultanate
The Tidung, Tidong (Jawi alphabet, Jawi: تيدوڠ) are a native group originating from northeastern part of Borneo and surrounding small islands. They live on both sides of the border of Malaysia and Indonesia.
Tidung speak Tidong language, ...
molded the
ethnogenesis
Ethnogenesis (; ) is the formation and development of an ethnic group. This can originate by group self-identification or by outside identification.
The term ''ethnogenesis'' was originally a mid-19th-century neologism that was later introduce ...
character of the Tidung people. They collectively known as a
Malayised Dayak (Indonesian: ''Dayak berbudaya Melayu'' or ''Dayak-Melayu'') people of Kalimantan similar to other native Muslim coastal Borneo groups, such as the Bulungan, Kutainese, Banjarese and Paserese people.
Nonetheless, the Tidung people maintain historical connections with the
Murut community. Despite following distinct cultural practices, the Tidung and Murut share cultural affinities rooted in their shared histories and interactions within Borneo's diverse ethnic landscape.
Etymology
The term ''tidung'' in
Tarakan language of the Tidung people literally means "hill" or "
hill people
Hill people, also referred to as mountain people, is a general term for people who live in the hills and mountains.
This includes all rugged land above and all land (including plateaus) above elevation.
The climate is generally harsh, with s ...
". As with many other tribes of the Malay Archipelago, the term ''tidung'' is a collective term used to describe many closely related indigenous groups. The different groups of Tidung people describe themselves in all cases as Tidung people, however, they are summarized by modern ethnology as a common people group due to similarities in cultural and religious traditions.
Settlement areas
The traditional territories of the Tidung people are at the
Sembakung River,
North Kalimantan
North Kalimantan () is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia. It is located on the northernmost of Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. North Kalimantan borders the Malaysian states of Sabah to the north and Sarawa ...
and
Sibuku River of their headwaters to the estuary north of
Tarakan Island, Indonesia thence along the coast; south to the river-mouth of Bolongan River and northward up to
Tawau
Tawau (), formerly known as Tawao, is the capital of the Tawau District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the third-largest city (or town)While Tawau have a population of more than 100,000 of which is considered city elsewhere in the world it is offic ...
,
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and Indonesia's North Kalima ...
, Malaysia including Cowie Harbour. An enclave of Tidung people located at Labuk River, opposite the city of Klagan.
Demographics
For Malaysia in the state of
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and Indonesia's North Kalima ...
, the census of 2010 (Census 2010) indicates a population of 28,515 Tidong.
Whereas, Tidung people in other states have no statistical relevance.
For Indonesia, the population of the Tidung people is estimated about 27,000 in the year of 2007.
Language

The
Tidung language
The Murutic languages are a family of half a dozen closely related Austronesian languages, spoken in the northern inland regions of Borneo by the Murut and Tidung.
Languages
The Murutic languages are (Lobel 2013):
*Murut proper
Timugon Murut ...
spoken by the Tidung people is also part of other
Murutic language, which in turn belongs to the
Western Malayo-Polynesian languages. The
Tidung language
The Murutic languages are a family of half a dozen closely related Austronesian languages, spoken in the northern inland regions of Borneo by the Murut and Tidung.
Languages
The Murutic languages are (Lobel 2013):
*Murut proper
Timugon Murut ...
is spoken in different dialects, namely:-
*
Nonukan, Penchangan, Sedalir, Tikal, Tarakan, Malinau,
Sesayap and Sibuku dialect in Indonesia
* Tarakan and
Sesayap dialect in
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and Indonesia's North Kalima ...
, Malaysia
Writing system
Prior to present-day Roman writing system, the Tidung people used
Jawi script
Jawi (; ; ; ) is a writing system used for writing several languages of Southeast Asia, such as Acehnese, Banjarese, Betawi, Magindanao, Malay, Mëranaw, Minangkabau, Tausūg, Ternate and many other languages in Southeast Asia. Jawi ...
in their writings.
Folktales and fables
Among the Tidung folktale includes:
*''Asal-usul Orang Tidung Tengara'' (The origin of Tidung Tenggara people)
*''Lasedne sinan pagun'' (The sink of Jelutong village)
*''Seludon Ibenayuk'' (The tale of Ibenayuk)
*''Si Benua dan Si Sumbing'' (Benua and Sumbing)
*''Seludon Yaki Yamus'' (The tale of Four-eyed king)
*''Seludon Batu Tinagad'' (The logged stone)
*''Yaki Balak'' (The story of Aki Balak)
References
{{Portal bar, Malaysia, Indonesia, , Philippines, Society
Ethnic groups in Indonesia
Ethnic groups in Sabah
Ethnic groups in Palawan
Muslim communities of Indonesia
Dayak ethnic groups