Simply beautiful
I decided to join Jan on a trip to an Orang Asal (a.k.a Orang Asli) Semai village in Pos Betau in Pahang. Jan obviously was in search of another elusive waterfall in Malaysia while I was more than happy to be part of the recee trip. This will be my first real visit to a Semai village and I was also hoping to find some new sites that I can use for work. As it turns out, this trip had so much more to offer than just waterfalls and village life.
Continue reading A visit to Orang Asal Semai village, Pos Betau Pahang (Part I)
Our Orang Asal guide proudly showing off his Keruing torch
It was an amazing experience watching an Orang Asal makes a jungle torch using the resin of a Keruing tree. The Semelais may have relied on this jungle torch for hundreds of years to ensure their safety and comfort during the nights of the rainforest jungle. Watching him take his time making the torch makes me wonder how long this jungle skill will continue to be practice among his people.
Continue reading Making a traditional jungle torch from Keruing tree oil
Part of the Keruing extraction process
Traditional extraction of the resin from the Keruing tree is a rare sight there days. Keruing (Dipterocarpus kerrii) is an important tree to many cultures because of its many uses resin. The Keruing name is used by the Semelais of Peninsula Malaysia. It is known as Eng in Burma, Apitong in the Phillipines and Yang among the Thais.
The Keruing oil has many applications. In the olden days, it is used to make a light torch, as sealants for making musical instruments, caulking boats and as a varnish (see pic below). Orang Asli has also been known to use the oils for medicinal purposes and the more recent application is in perfume making.
Continue reading Traditional Keruing tree resin extraction by the Orang Asal of Malaysia
Meun is always on to safety
This is our first experience cooking fish in the jungle using the Orang Asli way. It’s like a Malaysian bush cooking crash course. We have cooked and BBQ fish in the bush before but it normally involves some form of stove or metal grill. There’s also the process of cleaning the fish, seasoning it with salt and spices and wrapping them in some sort of aluminum foil or banana leaves.
This particular experience cooking fish in the jungle changed how we used to view bush cooking. Simplicity is often the best way to prepare food.
Continue reading Cooking fish in the jungle; the Orang Asli way- Part I
Cooking food using natural wood
Coming together on big occasions and helping each other out seems to be a norm in most small, tightly knit communities. Such is the case of one particular Orang Asli in the Bera region in the state of Pahang.
I was fortunate to be part of a nature trip led by Malaysian nature guide John Chan into the remote part of Bera. The Orang Asli community there was already expecting us and come lunch time, it seemed obvious that a lot of effort was put in by the villagers to feed almost 37 of us.
Continue reading Community cooking at an Orang Asli village
A fire piston from Malaysia
This is a Malaysia fire piston I purchased from a local indigenous maker in Pahang. Also known as a fire syringe or ‘Api Lantak’ (hitting fire), this piece was made by order as a souvenir. Obviously this piece has been shellacked to make it look nicer but the wood itself is a natural yellowish color. The maker has also ‘creatively’ added a small storage area attached to the cylinder to hold some tinder.
Continue reading Fire Piston Malaysia; An indigenous fire making tool
A Puchong making a get away
I came across this odd, probably very old indigenous (Orang Asli or Orang Asal) people of Malaysia game when I visited a remote Semelai village in the state of Pahang. Our group was hanging around the kitchen, waiting for lunch to be ready when I spotted a couple of Orang Asli children squatting and staring at the ground. Their ‘focus’ at whatever they were doing was enough to tickle my curiosity.
Continue reading Puchong fishing; an old indigenous people game
Having had some makan at the Slim River morning wet market, I hopped into my Vitara and started driving to the rendezvous point to meet up with the rest of the group. My next destination is Ulu Slim, roughly 16km away from Slim River town. The name ‘Ulu’ has always been associated with something ‘remote’. This place was no exception. Halfway in, I lost my mobile reception and the surrounding scenery started to reveal a more ‘traditional’ lifestyle. There were barely any shops in sight, no street lights, rarely anyone in sight and piles of wood at the side of the road for firewood. Strange though why the locals place them at the side of the road rather than stow they away in shaded area.
Firewood is still being used by the locals. Or are they used for something else? I wonder…
Continue reading The road to Tibang Waterfall; Part 3
I had the opportunity to witness and experience first hand some of the traditional ways of the Semelai people during one of my recent rainforest adventures. I have always been intrigued by how aborigines (Orang Asal) co-exist with the natural world around me. In fact, one of my dream is to spend weeks with some Orang Asal in some remote places and learn first hand from them the skills to survive and live off the land. Many of my friends did tell me that this dreams is rather easily achievable, but I guess I am not confident with myself enough to take that step.
The Semelai people are friendly and very helpful. Their way of life seems to detach them from the ills of the modern world, namely money. While the dough is useful to them, they seem to be very contended with what they have. They still live in simple houses made from jungle produce. Wooden pillars, tree bark walls and bamboo flooring is cooling and very comfortable. The lack of big scale deforestation has probably continued to supply the Semelais with ample building material.
Continue reading The traditional ways of the lake people
