Sabah Ethnobotany

Fundamentals

The phrase “Sabah Ethnobotany” delineates the profound, centuries-old relationship between the diverse Indigenous communities of Sabah, a land of verdant rainforests on the island of Borneo, and the botanical riches that grace their ancestral territories. It is an exploration, not merely of plants, but of the interwoven knowledge systems, practices, and spiritual connections that define how people have lived alongside and benefited from the plant world. Roothea acknowledges this field as an interdisciplinary endeavor, one that draws insights from anthropology, ecology, botany, genetics, chemistry, natural history, and the subtle nuances of local economies, all converging to paint a comprehensive picture of human-plant reciprocity. This intricate dance of understanding has primarily been transmitted through oral tradition, passed down through generations, ensuring the continuity of ancestral wisdom (Awang-Kanak, 2022).

At its core, Sabah Ethnobotany represents the collective wisdom accumulated over millennia by communities like the Kadazandusun, Rungus, Bajau, Murut, and many others, each possessing a unique perspective on the botanical resources of their surroundings. This body of knowledge encompasses everything from edible plants that sustain life, to materials for shelter and craft, and, significantly for our journey, to those botanical allies that support wellness and adornment, deeply informing the heritage of hair care. The distinction between a plant used for healing and one for beauty often blurs within these traditions, where outer presentation is often seen as a reflection of inner balance and communal harmony. It is in these elemental connections that the foundational understanding of Sabah Ethnobotany for textured hair heritage begins to unfurl.

Sabah Ethnobotany encapsulates the ancient, living dialogue between the Indigenous peoples of Borneo and their plant kin, shaping traditions of holistic well-being that extend gracefully to the care of textured hair.

The conceptual meaning of Sabah Ethnobotany, therefore, transcends a simple cataloging of species; it speaks to the very identity of a people deeply connected to their environment. It addresses how botanical resources have sustained livelihoods, influenced social structures, and, crucially, how specific plants have been revered for their capacity to cleanse, strengthen, and beautify hair. The local understanding of plants often includes not only their tangible properties but also their spiritual significance, recognizing a life force or ‘spirit’ within the flora itself, as seen in the Dusun Tambunan belief in ‘Bambarayon’ for rice (Kulip, 2014).

This holistic perspective is fundamental to grasping the reverence with which ancestral hair practices were, and in many places continue to be, approached. The study acknowledges the rigorous efforts in documenting Sabah’s ethnobotanical resources over the past three decades, recognizing a persistent need for more specific and focused investigations to fully appreciate the unique knowledge of each ethnic group (Awang-Kanak, 2022).

Intermediate

Delving further into Sabah Ethnobotany reveals a landscape rich with specific applications, particularly as they relate to the nuanced world of hair care. The wealth of traditional knowledge residing within Sabah’s diverse ethnic groups offers invaluable insights into practices that have long nourished and protected textured hair. Indigenous communities across Sabah have, for generations, harnessed the power of their local flora for personal hygiene and beauty, a spectrum of practices that invariably included the scalp and strands (Mohamad, 2022).

Consider the Kadazandusun and Rungus communities, for example, who traditionally employed the leaves of Eleusine indica, often known as Finger Millet, by mashing them into a paste and rubbing it onto the scalp to address concerns of hair growth (Rosli, 2018). This demonstrates a deep, intuitive understanding of botanical properties, long before modern scientific inquiry could delineate specific compounds or mechanisms of action. The very act of preparing these botanical remedies, often involving communal effort or ritualistic reverence, forged a connection that extended beyond mere physical application; it became a communal heritage practice.

Another noteworthy example is the pervasive use of Aloe vera, known locally as Lidah buaya by various communities, including the Kadazandusun. The sticky sap from its succulent leaves has been a long-standing ingredient for shampoo and topical skin applications (Mustafa, 2005; Awang-Kanak, 2025). This speaks to an ancestral wisdom that recognized the plant’s moisturizing and soothing properties, invaluable for maintaining scalp health and promoting resilient hair growth, especially for textured hair types which naturally require greater hydration.

The ancestral knowledge embedded within Sabah Ethnobotany, exemplified by practices utilizing plants like Eleusine indica and Aloe vera, illustrates a sophisticated, inherited understanding of botanical efficacy for textured hair.

Traditional practices often involved a holistic approach, where the plant material was sourced, prepared, and applied with mindfulness, reflecting a harmony with the natural world. These traditional healers and knowledgeable elders, often women, serve as living archives, preserving remedies and rituals passed down through familial lines (Awang-Kanak, 2022; Ismail, 2022). Their methods, whether simple mashing or elaborate decoctions, were refined over countless generations, each iteration adding to the collective understanding of how best to utilize the plant’s inherent strengths. The significance extends beyond the individual, binding communities through shared practices and a collective reverence for their botanical inheritance.

Traditional Hair Care Modalities from Sabah Ethnobotany

The richness of Sabah’s ethnobotanical heritage for hair care manifests in various traditional preparations and applications. These methods, refined through intergenerational transmission, highlight a deep practical understanding of how to extract and utilize botanical properties for diverse hair needs.

• Decoctions and Infusions ❉ Boiling plant parts like leaves, barks, or roots in water to extract their beneficial compounds. This method often yields tonics for the scalp or rinses to strengthen hair strands.
• Poultices and Pastes ❉ Mashing fresh plant materials, sometimes with a minimal amount of water or oil, to create a potent paste. These mixtures are applied directly to the scalp or hair for targeted treatment, such as promoting growth or soothing irritation.
• Herbal Oils ❉ Infusing local oils with plant matter through slow heating or prolonged steeping, creating nutrient-dense oils for conditioning, sealing moisture, and protecting hair from environmental stressors. These were integral to ancestral practices for maintaining the vitality of curls and coils.

Illustrative Examples of Sabah’s Hair-Related Flora

A closer look at some plants frequently referenced in Sabah’s ethnobotanical studies offers a glimpse into the diverse resources historically employed for hair and scalp wellness.

The practices associated with these plants are not isolated acts; they are often interwoven with daily life, communal gatherings, and rites of passage, solidifying their place within the cultural heritage of textured hair care. The intermediate understanding of Sabah Ethnobotany, therefore, acknowledges the specific botanical allies and the traditional wisdom applied to harness their power for the resilience and beauty of hair, drawing a clear line from ancient practices to contemporary understanding.

Academic

The academic understanding of Sabah Ethnobotany extends beyond simple observation, striving for a rigorous, interdisciplinary examination of the symbiotic relationship between Sabah’s Indigenous populations and their ancestral flora, particularly as this connection informs and preserves the heritage of textured hair care. It represents a profound meditation on the sustained wisdom, ecological attunement, and socio-cultural frameworks that underpin traditional botanical applications. This scholarly inquiry into Sabah Ethnobotany necessitates an elucidation of the meaning, the significance, and the enduring impact of these practices, often revealing intricate layers of ancestral ingenuity.

Fundamentally, Sabah Ethnobotany is the delineation of Indigenous knowledge systems within the state of Sabah, concerning the profound and often spiritual bond between its varied ethnic groups and the immense botanical diversity of their rainforest homelands. This comprehensive interpretation encompasses how specific plant species are identified, collected, prepared, and utilized for health, sustenance, shelter, and crucially for this discourse, for the maintenance and adornment of hair, a significant marker of identity across numerous Black and mixed-race ancestries. It is a field demanding meticulous analysis, weaving together botanical classification with anthropological narratives, phytochemistry with cultural history, and ecological principles with community well-being.

The essence of this ethnobotanical domain lies not merely in the identification of useful plants, but in the intricate understanding of their preparation methods, the specific ailments or aesthetic needs they address, and the cultural contexts in which these practices are embedded (Awang-Kanak, 2022). For communities within Sabah, this knowledge has been transmitted orally for centuries, evolving within a living tradition that often integrates hair care with broader concepts of holistic wellness, spiritual purity, and social cohesion. This intrinsic connection means that practices concerning hair are seldom isolated; they are often part of a larger continuum of care for the self and community.

The Enduring Legacy of ‘Rangir’: A Case Study in Ancestral Hair Care

To comprehend the deep imprint of Sabah Ethnobotany on textured hair heritage, one must consider specific, less commonly cited examples that powerfully illuminate this connection. The traditional hair care product known as “Rangir,” originating from Banggi Island in Sabah, serves as a compelling case in point (Mohamad, 2022). This local remedy, derived from forest plants, embodies the nuanced understanding and ancestral ingenuity of the region’s inhabitants regarding hair health and beauty.

While general ethnobotanical studies in Sabah tend to emphasize medicinal applications for internal ailments, the existence and continued use of ‘Rangir’ specifically for hair care underscores the comprehensive nature of Indigenous plant knowledge. This is not a fleeting cosmetic trend; it is a legacy. The careful collection of the specific botanical components from the forest, the precise preparation methods passed down through generations ❉ often guided by the elder women of the community, who hold the deepest repositories of such knowledge ❉ reveal a sophisticated, practical understanding of plant properties for hair nourishment and vitality.

‘Rangir’ represents a tangible link to the long-standing tradition of utilizing local flora to maintain the strength, sheen, and overall health of hair, especially significant for hair types that thrive with natural, moisture-retaining ingredients. The tradition of creating and using ‘Rangir’ speaks to the ancestral value placed on hair as a symbol of identity, health, and spiritual connection.

The practice of crafting ‘Rangir’ for hair care in Sabah echoes a profound ancestral reverence for botanical wisdom, recognizing hair as a conduit for cultural expression and well-being.

The scientific validation of such traditional claims, while increasingly a focus of contemporary ethnobotanical research, often lags behind the lived experience and empirical observations of Indigenous communities (Awang-Kanak, 2022). For instance, an ethnobotanical survey in Kashmir Himalayas, while geographically distinct, illustrated that 11% of the 39 identified plant species traditionally used by tribal women for various cosmetic purposes were specifically for hair growth (Mouchane, 2023). This statistic, though not from Sabah, highlights the global pattern of Indigenous populations discerning and utilizing plants for hair enhancement, affirming the universal human quest for vibrant hair, deeply rooted in botanical wisdom. The ‘Rangir’ example in Sabah exemplifies this localized, yet globally resonant, heritage practice.

Interconnectedness and Cultural Preservation

The academic investigation of Sabah Ethnobotany must critically examine the interconnected incidences across various fields that impact its meaning. The practice of traditional hair care is inherently linked to broader environmental and social issues. As documented by Awang-Kanak (2022), despite rigorous surveys, there persist significant gaps in the specific and focused ethnobotanical work within Sabah, leading to an underutilization of its Indigenous plant resources and, by extension, a potential diminishment of traditional knowledge systems. This calls for a collaborative approach, where scientific research respectfully validates and, where appropriate, amplifies the traditional claims surrounding the benefits of these botanical resources, without exploiting or dispossessing the communities who are their custodians.

The erosion of traditional knowledge, often accelerated by globalization and habitat degradation, poses a significant threat to the continuation of practices like those involving ‘Rangir’ or Eleusine indica (Mukti, 2024). When forests recede, or younger generations disconnect from ancestral land, the intricate understanding of plant identification, harvesting seasons, and preparation rituals can be lost. Preserving Sabah Ethnobotany, therefore, is not merely an academic exercise; it represents a critical pathway for safeguarding cultural heritage, especially the distinct practices associated with textured hair.

This intellectual pursuit of Sabah Ethnobotany for hair heritage also involves a deeper dive into the specific phytochemical constituents of these plants, seeking to understand the ‘why’ behind their efficacy in ancestral practices. For instance, the use of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Bunga raya), a common plant in Sabah, for promoting hair growth (Nugraha, 2021; Awang-Kanak, 2025), finds a resonance in modern understanding of its mucilage content, which offers natural conditioning, and its amino acids, which may contribute to hair strength. Similarly, the documented use of Artocarpus camansi (Kemansi) for hair nourishment by the Sama-Bajau (Mahali, 2023) invites further study into its nutritional profile and how its traditional preparation maximizes its benefits for hair vitality.

Challenges and Future Directions: Sustaining the Strands of Heritage

The pursuit of a comprehensive academic understanding of Sabah Ethnobotany for hair heritage confronts several challenges. The documentation of oral traditions can be complex, requiring deep cultural sensitivity and the establishment of trust with community elders (Awang-Kanak, 2022). There is also the imperative to ensure fair benefit-sharing and intellectual property rights are upheld when traditional knowledge leads to new discoveries or commercial applications (Mukti, 2024).

To ensure the long-term preservation of this invaluable heritage, the following aspects require continued scholarly attention:

1. Documentation of Specific Hair Care Practices ❉ A concerted effort is needed to meticulously record the plant species, preparation methods, and cultural significance of hair care rituals across all Sabah’s diverse ethnic groups, moving beyond general medicinal plant surveys.
2. Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer ❉ Studies must investigate effective strategies for ensuring the younger generations within Indigenous communities continue to learn and practice these ancestral hair traditions, perhaps through community-led initiatives or educational programs.
3. Sustainable Sourcing and Cultivation ❉ Research into sustainable harvesting practices and potential cultivation of key hair-benefiting plants is vital to prevent over-extraction and ensure the long-term availability of these resources for both traditional use and potential ethical commercialization.
4. Ethical Scientific Validation ❉ Collaborative research between Indigenous knowledge holders and scientists can validate traditional claims regarding hair health, leading to a deeper understanding of botanical mechanisms, always ensuring community ownership and benefit.

Ultimately, the academic definition of Sabah Ethnobotany in the context of textured hair heritage is a call to recognize, respect, and actively safeguard a living archive of wisdom. It challenges us to see hair not just as a physiological entity, but as a site of profound cultural expression, intimately connected to the earth and the ancestral hands that have cared for it through the power of local plants. The meticulous study of this field offers a unique lens through which to understand the enduring power of inherited knowledge in shaping identity and well-being.

Reflection on the Heritage of Sabah Ethnobotany

As our journey through the intricate world of Sabah Ethnobotany concludes, we stand at a vantage point where the echoes of ancient wisdom meet the murmur of contemporary discovery. The threads of plant knowledge, lovingly spun by generations of Indigenous peoples across Sabah, form a profound tapestry that speaks volumes about their relationship with the earth and their understanding of holistic well-being, particularly as it pertains to the crown we carry: our hair. Roothea finds a deep resonance in this heritage, acknowledging that the care of textured hair is, for many, a sacred act, a direct link to ancestral practices and identities forged in verdant landscapes.

The exploration of Sabah Ethnobotany, especially through the lens of hair heritage, is a testament to the enduring ingenuity of human cultures and their profound ecological intelligence. It reminds us that long before the advent of modern laboratories, communities possessed a sophisticated understanding of botanical chemistry, passed down through the gentle cadence of storytelling and the tactile wisdom of practice. The very act of collecting and preparing botanical remedies for hair was a ritual, a connection to the natural world that simultaneously nourished the physical self and fortified cultural identity.

The continuing relevance of Sabah Ethnobotany to textured hair care in our modern world is undeniable. As we seek remedies that are gentle, effective, and in harmony with our bodies and the planet, ancestral botanical practices from places like Sabah offer timeless blueprints. They invite us to reconsider our relationship with our own hair ❉ not merely as strands needing styling, but as extensions of our lineage, deeply rooted in the soil of ancestral wisdom.

The future of textured hair care, for Roothea, is not solely about scientific advancement; it is about honoring and integrating the rich heritage of ethnobotanical wisdom. It is about understanding that the strength, beauty, and resilience of our coils and curls can be nourished by the same plants that sustained our forebears, guided by a reverence for the earth and the profound knowledge inherited across generations. This living legacy encourages us to celebrate our hair as a vibrant testament to survival, creativity, and the unbroken chain of ancestral care.