Donggongon of Penampang

Donggongon!

Donggongon is the biggest town in the district of Penampang. It is connected to Kota Kinabalu city by a network of roads. The Pan-Borneo Highway crosses Penampang, passing through Donggongon via the huge Siga Roundabout.

There was another town years ago, a much smaller one. This was Kasigui. It had disappeared, having been destroyed by fire. The shopkeepers were allocated shop lots at Donggongon. People continued to call these shops "Kasigui." The name 'Kasigui' remained since that particular place is still called by this name. Eating stalls are still available there. The first stall was operated by a Chinese whom the locals called "Sapi" since most of his dishes were prepared using beef. He had a brother who operated a coffee shop at Kasigui. People called his brother 'Kalabau' because he sold buffalo meat noodle soup or ngiu chap. Kalabau moved to Donggongon after the fire. His children are still in the noodle business, owning two coffee shops.

There were only three blocks of shop houses at Donggongon in the past. All of the shops were owned by Chinese. Some of these Chinese married Kadazan wives and became very fluent in the language. Their children spoke Chinese as well as Kadazan.

How was it that these Chinese spoke Kadazan? That is the title of another blog.

How did the name "Donggongon" come about?
Even before a road was built to connect this place with Jesselton - Jesselton was the former name of Kota Kinabalu - Kadazan used to rest here on their way to and from their rice farms or when they visited relatives living at the other side of Donggongon. In other words, these people used to 'mundo'ong' or took a rest here.

So, it was said that because of this, people started to call it 'tundo'ongon' or a place to rest. As time passed, 'tundo'ongon' became 'Donggongon.' Perhaps, this was the way the Chinese who married native wives pronounced 'tundo'ongon'. I remember as a schoolboy hearing some Chinese shopkeepers call Donggongon as Tonggongon. It sounds almost like 'tundo'ongon', doesn't it?

People still make a stop at Donggongon
Even now, many people on their way to and from Kota Kinabalu make a stop at Donggongon. They may make a stop for a drink or a meal or to do some shopping before moving on. These include people staying in the interior like Tambunan, Keningau and Ranau. This town is the last major town between Kota Kinabalu and the interior. So, people stop here for a while to buy stuff they need for the journey or for their households.

And so, Donggongon continues to be a 'tundo'ongon' to this very day.