The Spirit of Adventure

He’s a construct of the mind, a yearning of the heart, an aspiration of the soul….He dwells in the mountains, the forests and the seas of Sabah…. He’s Borneo Bob…. The Spirit of Adventure!

The legend arose in the late 18th century, or at least that is when his name first appeared. Borneo Bob, or “Bobozamajai” in Kadazan-Dusun (the predominant language amongst the thirty two indigenous tribes of Sabah), was first associated with the locally celebrated warrior/headhunter Monsopiad. Famous for his guile, daring and strength and the greatest adept of the local martial art, the hero Monsopiad came under the protection of Bobozamajai, the nature spirit. Thereafter, the spirit appeared in various guises amongst local notables in times of distress. These notables shared the common characteristics of boldness, daring and an adventurous nature combined with a deep respect for their natural surroundings - whether forest, mountain or sea.

Borneo Bob came to the attention of outsiders during the first foreign ascent of Mount Kinabalu by Sir Hugh Low in the mid-nineteenth century. It is reputed that Low was desperately lost in the clouds while making his way to the peak and almost fell into that daunting gorge that now bears his name, “Low’s Gully”. Having no clue as to his bearings or direction, Low caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure, attired in the most elegant adventure garb of the time! The phantom appeared to be beckoning him while parting the fog and pointing out a safe path.

Upon returning from his successful ascent to the upper plateau of the sacred Borneo mountain, Low described his vision to the local tribesmen who informed him that like his other courageous predecessors, he had fallen under the aegis of the protective spirit, Bobozamajai. As to be expected, the intrepid adventurer, unable to wrap his tongue around the elaborate local name, renamed the spirit “ Borneo Bob”. And the name stuck!

But Borneo Bob is not always recognized as a benevolent spirit. He has been known to create mischief and even act comical sometimes but only to lighten the arduousness of a particular venture. More ominously, there are stories of his ire being meted out on innumerable cowards who inflicted damage, caused destruction or showed disrespect to the entities within his domain – animal, vegetable or mineral! And hence, upon embarking on a particular adventure, although one is encouraged to seek his blessings and encouragement, locals also warn against incurring the wrath of Borneo Bob!

Many witnesses have attempted to describe their fleeting glimpses of Bob, but strangely, none of their descriptions seem to match. His appearance usually projects the imagination of those who glimpse him. However, he is commonly described as tall, lithe and strong without being muscular. His attire is always casual- neither sloppy nor particularly elegant and reflective of the times- what people would nowadays describe as “cool!” His expression appears impish, implying that though the going may be tough, hey! It’s not that serious and whatever the task, let’s make it fun!