Take The Path Less Ordinary

When prehistoric man first left Africa, he came to Malaysia.

In 2005 May, Glasgow and Leeds University’s researchers found that the Orang Asli has mitocondria DNA that matched a 65,000 year old African sample.

Orang Asli hunters circa 1920 (pic) - A coded set of instruction that enables cell reproduction is found in DNA. The form found in the mitochondria, the energy generating part of cells, is inherited maternally. By analysing differences in mitochondrial DNA, scientists can estimate genetic lineages and how long ago one race diverge to another.

This finding was reported by American Journal of Human Biology 18:654-667 (2006) and suggested that they are the closest descendants of prehistoric group that first walked out of Africa. This finding rewrites conventional theory that humans first migrated through a northern route via North Africa, Middle East and Mediterranean based on earlier DNA samples taken from Tubu natives living near Sahara desert.

It makes perfect sense. When Ice Age came, temperatures in Europe and Eurasia were too cold for northern route. Early humans have no choice but to trail coastal Arab, India, Burma and finally settle down in warmer Malay peninsula - the southernmost tip - which hugs the equator. Being isolated for thousands of years in the rainforest has kept Orang Asli genes pure. Certainly, the extraordinary advancement in science continues to unravel more mysteries and Orang Asli who today number no more than tens of thousands are an isolated community directly descended from the first Adams and Eves. Read more about it in International Herald Tribune article.

Today’s Orang Asli

Orang Asli, which literally translates as “original people” or ‘first people” of Malaysia, are categorised linguistically into three Aslian groups (Wurm and Hattori 1983; Benjamin 1986):
- Northern Aslian - Kensiu, Chewong, Batek, Kentaq Bong, Jahai, Medrique and mintil (Malaysia) and Tonga’ and Mos speakers from Southern Thailand
- Central Aslian - Temiar, Semai, Jah Hut, Jengjeng, Lanoh, Sabum and Semnam.
- Southern Aslian - Ma’Betisek, Semelai, Temoq and Semaq Beri.
- The remaining Orang Asli - Temuan, Jakun, Orang Kanaq and Orang Seletar speak Malay dialects.

The other categories that are used for the Orang Asli are based on ethnic and cultural criteria (Roseman 18: 1991);

1. Negrito - including the Kensiu, Kintak, Lanoh, Jahai, Mendriq and Batek.
2. Senoi - including the Temiar, Semai, Semoq Beri, Che Wong, Jah Hut and Mah Meri.
3. Proto-Malay or Aboriginal Malay - including the Temuan, Semelai, Jakun, Orang Kanaq, Orang Kuala and Orang Seletar.

Each group Orang Asli group has its own language, history and customs that are distinct from each other. The Mahmeri, touted as “sea aborigines”, is the only ethnic group that populate the shorelines.

Up to December 2006 with the headcount of 141,230, the Orang Asli make up less that 1% of the total population in Malaysia. While many still prefer age-old ways of gathering food and household materials from the jungle, younger ones are slowly venturing to urban areas for new age lifestyle.

Way of life

The Orang Asli have deep respect for the rainforest as have their fathers and the fathers before them. They ask for little and are contented with living at the fringes of the rainforest. They are governed by traditions, taboos and animism practices passed down from their forefathers. Orang Asli are one of the few aborigines in the world who do not practice of animal killing for “coming of age” rituals. They do not wear animal skins or furs and one will never find parts of animals hung in homes as hunting trophy. Orang Asli have deep respect for wildlife and only hunt for sustenance.

Petai - Orang Asli live of the land by collecting jungle edibles such as petai. Jungle produce, herbs, fruits and other edibles are also traded for cash needed to buy fuel, school books and other modern necessities.

Communal bond and the spirit of sharing are ingrained in every adult and child. A child or adult will be too embarassed to accept gift if she/he senses you don’t have any for her/his siblings, friends or neighbours.

The highlight of an Orang Asli’s life is his/her wedding.

Wedding celebration is a village affair and everyone chips in to hunt, collect food and prepare the grandest banquet for the bride and groom. It’s common for invited guests from neighbouring and far flung villages to start trekking the jungles 2-3 days ahead just to attend the banquet on time. Matrimonies are solemnised and blessed by the Tok Batin (chieftain). Wedding gift is not common. The act of helping out and being present at the wedding is considered an honourable gift to the wedding couple. Orang Asli marry young, usually in their early twenties.

Not all men are from Mars - Orang Asli men are tough outside but tender inside. They have no problem helping out with child rearing and household chores.

Dream tribe

Among many tribes, the Senoi Temiar is probably the most studied by anthropologists. Many movie fans who watched 1995 blockbuster “Batman Forever” starring Nicole Kidman and Val Kilmer would remember the scene when Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) reveal a “Malaysian Dream Merchant” idol in the hope of helping Bruce Wayne (Val Kilmer) curb his recurring nightmares.

Well, this is it. The Temiar is famous for their “dream therapy” practices.

Young ones are gathered during stormy nights and trained by elders to master their dreams and overcome deepest phobias. Anthropologists call this “religion of psychotherapy”. First brought to the attention of the western world by adventurer-anthropologist Kilton Stewart in 1960s, Temiar individual believes that dreams are a mythical experience in which the person’s soul wanders about the forest in search of guidance. In other words, they communicate with their spirit guides through dreams. Temiar children grow up without any phobias or mental scars. They are brave, steadfast and always tow along the “que sera sera” attitude

The “sewang” dance (top) is as old as time. It is believed to be an act of inviting the spirits of rainforest, animals and Orang Asli’s forefathers to join in the happy occasion. Lyrics of the “sewang” song are considered mystical and cannot be learnt. Songs are passed on through dreams and elders have to go into trance to sing.

Another western anthropologist H.D.Noone who studied the Temiars called them “happy people” although their tainted past suggest otherwise. In olden Malayan, Temiar villages were often raided and enslaved to serve feudal lords. As a result, the Temiar remains to this day incredibly shy, with a general mistrust of outsiders.

Senoi Paraaq Jungle Elites

“These men recruited from the Orang Asli tribes proved to be breathtakingly successful in the suppression of the Malayan Races Liberation Army (MRLA), so much so that at one point in the conflict, more communists met their fate from Senoi Paraaq hands than from any other security forces unit”

- Roy Davis Linville Jumper, 2001, “Death Waits in The Dark”

Orang Asli’s stealth, skills in rainforest and the troubles they gave to invading Japanese soldiers did not go un-noticed. Orang Asli’s blowpipe was so potent that Japanese who invaded Malaysia during World War 2 kept away from the rainforest and concentrate their campaign in town areas. It was hard to fight people who moved swiftly but quietly in the jungle and possessed a weapon that kill without a loud bang to show where projectiles are coming from. In those turbulent times, the rainforest was a safe haven for locals and their families seeking refuge.

After World War 2, the British under R.O.D. Noone, gathered Orang Asli experts and formed the Senoi Paraaq force in May 1956 as an answer for stopping the communist threat in the countryside and deep jungle.

The term Senoi Praaq, translates as “war people,” stems from the native Semai language.

Orang Asli has uncanny ways of making traps (right) to suit every kind of prey, enemy and situation. They modified animal traps to cripple terrorists and turned bamboos into lethal weapons. This made them feared adversaries of the communist terrorists in Malaya. By 1957, the Senoi Praaq have grown to 2 squadrons of 80 men each. The special force is also responsible to train British SAS elites in jungle survival and tracking skills. Nowadays, they are often called in to lead search and rescue operations in the jungle.

Making friends with Orang Asli

Cultural barrier breaking is fine art - especially in the jungle. You have to understand their folk traditions, way of life and taboos to get on well.

As a general rule, if you walk into a village with children and women peppering its compound, the place is usually safe. That said, the matriarch, or oldest woman in the village, is always somewhere around watching silently. They can be pretty hostile to strangers who look scruffy and rowdy. Understandable, considering it’s only natural maternal instinct to protect the young ones. As old as the grand lady may seems, you’ll be surprised how well they handle the machete when felt threatened. So, smile a lot. Get into her good book and everything should be fine.

Village pecking order puts the “Tok Batin”, or chieftain, on top. It’s always polite to visit him first and introduce yourselves before rummaging the rest of the village to look for a place to overnight or sightseeing. It’s easy to spot the Tok Batin. He’s usually the one with the whitest hair in the village.

Once accepted, the Orang Asli can be the nicest people on earth and you become part of their extended family. Whatmore, you feel for them after a while and it’s hard to go away and not asking, “What can I do to help?”. This was the main reason why OO came into existence. By helping travellers reach the inner parts of Malaysia, OO hopes to bring more economical spread to their communities.

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The Temiar celebrates tribal new year annually on 10th Jan. This is the time close friends are invited to their homes to sample traditional food. Seen on picture is Abang Sum (right, in blue shirt), one of Outskirt Outreach co-founders, playing host to foreign friends. Read about it here.