Kampung Kenip in Pahang; a remote Semai village. Part II

One of the Semai’s hut at Kampung Kenip

We were on our way to visit the Kenip waterfalls and according to our guide Rahim, our cars will only get us as far as Kampung Kenip. From Rahim’s house, we made a brief stop at a primary school on the way to pack lunch. I was happy to be joining the trip, Jan on the other hand very eager to hunt down the other more elusive Kenip waterfall.

Jan wasn’t kidding when he told me that the road leading to Kampung Kenip will be long, winding and unpaved. Off the main road, we weaved through rubber plantations before we hit the dirt track. Soon, it was obvious that we are in Orang Asal land.

A sign to warn loggers to stay off their ancestral land

The ‘early’ parts of the road

We were lucky it hadn’t rained for a few days. Rain would have really made some parts of the dirt road difficult for us and it doesn’t help that none of our vehicles were equipped with any sort of recovery system. I felt as if the ride lasted for hours. It was excruciatingly long and painful, especially when I hear the bottom of my car hit rocks and the side of the car being brushed with thick bushes that protruded from the side of the road.

Nearing Kampung Kenip, we face our biggest obstacle probably. A bridge built across a fast flowing river by loggers connects the village and the outside world. It consists of big timbers, stacked on each other and filled with sand. After constant rain and exposure to elements, some of the timber has been swept away and much of the soil gone. We were worried that it would not hold our cars.

Some of the logs which made up the bridge have been swept away

Pak Dollah inspecting the bridge. Much of the soil has been swept away as well

My car was at the front. As if I had a choice. Its either cross or walk the remainder of the distance. The choice was obvious. We took the chance and got away with it. My first impression of Kampung Kenip…… it’s a barren land! As we drove up around the final turn up the hill towards the village, I cannot help but feel the Kampung being so empty. There were a few huts from a distance but no activity at all.

Kampung Kenip, from a distance seems so…barren

As it turns out, most of the villagers are out working on the farms nearby. Some were out hunting and checking their animal traps. We approached the village, parked our cars and soon after village children start to emerge from the kampung huts. Soon, we were surrounded by curious eyes and it doesn’t help when we have a ‘kulit putih’ (white man) around.

Kids started emerging from the huts when they noticed us strangers

We were soon the village’s main attraction

We were behind time. It took us longer than expected to get to the village. We got our kits together and got the goodies we brought out. These are part of the donations put together by Joe Yeap (of Waterfall Survivors) for the villagers. We waited for the village elder to arrive to receive the goods. When he arrived, he shook our hands but had a really unfriendly face on. We later found out that Mr Unhappy was overly cautious with outsider visiting the village. Seems that the last group that came left with lorries laden with timber harvested from the jungle. And the villagers of course are left with nothing.

Some Semai children are more cautious

The sun was above our head by the time we left Kampung Kenip for the jungle trail. Already I can sense read clearly from Jan’s face…’Lets start walking laaa…  the two Kenip waterfalls waiting!’.

Continue reading…

Part I – A visit to Semai’s village at Pos Betau

Part III – The walk to Kenip Falls

Part IV – The waterfalls at Kenip

Final part – Hill rice, blow pipe & traditional fire starter of the Semais