The Dusuns and the Chinese
This is a brief critical note by I.H.N. Evans responding to Hewett’s theory that the Dusuns of Borneo are of Chinese descent, published in the JMBRAS in 1926.
Summary
Evans challenges Hewett’s claims on several grounds: the Dusun name “Nabalu” for Mount Kinabalu undermines the “Kina” (Chinese) etymology; the dragon-and-jewel legend Hewett cites as evidence is a common Malay fairy tale rather than a Chinese-origin tradition; and Earl’s quoted remark about Chinese paternity claims was clearly sceptical, not supportive (pp. 153–155). Evans concludes that Hewett’s “history” is “a jumble of ‘tradition,’ real history, supposition and arguments from very slender premises” (p. 155).
The note closes with an editorial remark by C.B. K. (Kling) affirming that the Dusuns are Indonesians of Mongoloid stock with affinities to the Chinese but no historical descent from them, and noting that the Dusuns themselves do not claim Chinese origin (p. 155).