Jungle trap markers by Orang Asal in Perak

Spot the trap marker

Every wondered how jungle traps, when set are marked to warn others? There are a few Orang Asal villages I have visited that still uses traps as means to hunt game. While some traps like snares are less harmful to human beings, there are other traps that inflicts some serious injuries. In order to mark and warn others about the trap, some of the Semais in Perak fashions a ‘pointy marker’ to do the job.

It is important to mark the locations of animal traps for obvious reasons. In the jungle, it also serves as a reminder to the hunter where he/she has placed it. After a while walking in the jungle, one can easily miss a location. It is common when a hunter goes out to set traps, he/ she will set up numorous sets.

By using two pieces of stick, a Semai will mark the whereabouts of his/ her trap similar to how we would normally use a road sign. The only difference is that the signs used in the jungle does not have wordings on it and one would have to know the local ‘language’ to read the markers.

A marker placed by a Semai, pointing to the direction of the trap

The above is one of the many markers placed by a Semai hunter along a trail in the jungles of Perak. We initially thought it was a marker telling others the direction to follow, instead, our local guide explained that it is actually a marker telling others there is a deadly tap inside. The sharpened end of the short piece of stick tells the use of a ’stabbing’ type of trap, probably armed with a spear like tip.

I wondered what would have happened if me and Jan treaded this trail without a local guide. What would have happened if we followed the direction of the marker, following the faint trail it was pointing to. I am curious to as how ‘deadly’ this trap is. Our guide however insisted that it is not safe to go in and explore as some of the traps laid are highly concealed. Okay…we decided that perhaps getting stabbed by sharpened bamboos meant for game is the last thing we wanna get ourselves into.

Further down the trail, we came to yet another marker. Near to a small creek and clearing, this marker consists of two pieces of sharpen bamboo. One of the pieces pointing slightly upwards. It turns out that this indicates that there are two traps within the vicinity and both are deadly. One of the other traps however is located further inside, hence the slight point upwards.

This trap marker indicates that there are two deadly traps within the vicinity

Another deadly jungle trap marker along the trail

There are also markers to mark non-deadly traps. The Semais in the area normally uses green leaves  in replacement or with the bamboo arrow.

Green leaves used to mark jungle traps that are not so lethal

I have seen this sort of markers elsewhere but they are normally used to indicate travel directions. Here in Perak, some of the Semais actually uses them to mark and identify their jungle traps. This is a reminder that whenever one treads on unfamiliar jungle areas, it is best to have a local guide to walk with.