Traditional Sabahan religions

Momolianism is a belief system of the Kadazan-Dusun people of Sabah. Momolianism states that land is a gift from the creator, the earth is a centre of the universe and that the land connects them to the past, present and future. This system of belief, inherited from their ancestors, was passed down through the Bobohizan, (Kadazan term) or Bobolian (Dusun term), priestesses. Momolianism has its origin in the first ancestors' interaction with the natural and spiritual environment at Nunuk Ragang, the legendary ancestral home of the Kadazan-Dusun. This belief system was an integral part of the Kadazan-Dusun life before the advent of organised religion. Central to Momolianism is the belief that the Kadazan-Dusun live in an environment consisting of the "seen material world" (Pomogunan Tulun) and the "unseen spirit world" (Pomogunan Tosundu). Followers believed that it was very important to ensure continuity of the balance and order between the natural and spirit environment. Some scholars would equate this to animism. Momolianism generally believes that deities Kinoingan and Sumundu have their complementary roles in the creation of the world and all its contents. However, according to Tan Sri Herman Luping, the name of the Creator God in Kadazandusun is Minamangun, whereas Kinoingan in this sense was introduced by Catholic missionaries. To him, Kinoingan refers to the legendary first male to exist alongside his female counterpart Suminundu. In momolianism, the inhabitants of the spirit world and the riniba (human) world are always trying to communicate with each other. To facilitate communication, the bobolian was created The bobolian is a woman with special gifts and abilities that allow her to communicate with their counterparts in the spirit world. These spirit world counterparts are called the susukuon or "reference spirit being". The ability for bobolians and susukuon to communicate with each other is described as kih gimbaran or osundu (in possession of spiritual power).