After a troublesome start to the presentation because of technological problems, Amde Sidik, a prominent Kadayan, gave a talk about his people – not the one he had planned to give, but no less interesting for that.
The Kadayans, a gentle, rather shy people, are to be found in Borneo; in the areas of Sabah and Sarawak closest to Brunei, and in Brunei itself where approximately 31% of the population is Kadayan. There is a small representation in the island of Penang, but the language there has been lost.
Traditionally, the Kadayan were employed by the Brunei rulers, mostly as padi farmers, and it is thought that, as loyal followers of the Sultan, they converted to Islam about 1363 when Brunei became a Moslem state.
As Moslems, they are required to follow these customs, so many of their traditional Kadayan customs have been lost. It is known, however, that they built log boats, whereas the Bruneians built theirs of planks. 
They play the gambus, a stringed instrument similar to and held like a guitar. Traditionally, its body was covered with lizard skins but nowadays the gambus you normally see is of polished wood as in the accompanying photograph.
Amde has written a book The Mystic of Borneo Kadayan, which is more personal and anecdotal than academic in style, and gives a much fuller description of the history and customs of the Kadayan. He graciously donated two copies each of the English and Malay versions of the book to the Society’s Library, for which he is sincerely thanked.
