Mah Meri - Forest Indigenous People Or A Seafarers Nomadic?

Mah Meri is one of a subgroup from Senoi ethnic of indigenous people in Malaysia. The name of Mah Meri give a Malay translation of 'Orang Hutan' or jungle people. But that is not entirely true when we understand their history background - once a majestic seafarers travelling around the Southeast Ocean as a daily life living on their unique 'sampan' before permanently reside on the mainland rescuing from the uneven wild weather of the ocean and pirates mainly.

What an introduction I have here. Yes, it's a new topic here on my blog...wrote like an historian know-it-all.  This is my new phase of life, a new job task come when you change to a new organisation. My life become even more interesting with new expectations. And this is one of it, my very first task organised a student's trip to one of the 'Orang Asli' village in Klang valley.

Never in my life teach a history architectural subject nor I know that much of Malaysia history. But once you were given the task, you will make them truly in your heart. So as I know Mah Meri culture .... It was a blessing to accidentally to come upon this website http://mmcv.org.my/ in searching a spot for the students to conduct their research on that particular topic, the cultural and architecture of Orang Asli in Malaysia.

So the process started by setting the dates and collecting money from the students, deposit payment until to the transport which we have decided to drive on our own.  Located at the Pulau Carey, Kuala Langat, my journey from Cheras through Federal Highway during the Federal Holiday is not a good idea.  Stuck in the massive jam, we reach the place 1 hour late.  And most of the students reached earlier (because they used different route Kesas Highway, which is brilliant) have waited patiently for us, the lecturers.

I have built a good relationship with En Rashid Esa through telephone conversations.  When meeting him face to face, have proven me right, a nice person with good personality and huge knowledge on indigenous people.  In fact he is a full time arts and culture Orang Asli activist, researcher and specialist since 1989.  Been living with the tribe of Temuan for more than 12 years.  He has received numerous awards from UNESCO and AHPADA as well.  And we were so honored having him as our guide for the rest of the trip.

He welcomed us with a warm smile and gave some introduction about the community and their special skill in producing unique origami.  The community even prepared us a unique origami headgear for each of us to wear during the entire visit to indicate us as a visitor.  And we started the visit with given an exclusive opening by planting a baby tree on their soil. Cool...

One of the Mah Meri young lady crowned us with their unique origami headgear to welcoming us.

one of the student help us planting  the baby tree...our very own tree...

The students were given task to do some research about the chosen indigenous people in Malaysia - their culture, languages, foods and most of it is the architectural.  They were require to produce sketches and writing for their very own publications.  So here they were working really hard digging more information they could get from En Rashid who was more welcome them to ask with many questions.

one of the view inside the centre...

En Rashid told us that Mah Meri tribe are rich in traditions and culture whereby the women are extremely exceptional ability in art of leaf origami while the men are highly skilled in wooden sculpting.  Their population are increasing around 3000 and still they practicing this culture which are their beliefs towards their ancestors and spirits.

En Rashid explained us one of the culture in the tribe,  decorated 'Rumah Sanggar'

The 'Rumah Sanggar' or altar were complete with food and drinks for the spirit of their relatives for protection seeking.

Students were gathering in front of the main arch to enter the rest of the facilities.

One by one have to step on this special rug and cleansed by one of the people.

This particular guy will give the permission for you to enter once your feet were cleansed.

Once you enter, you will walk thru this decorated alley.

at the top of the each of the arch were placed with 'Dzambak'. It is belief that this earrings provide a resting place for their spirits.

Next to the entrance is a traditional shelter made of wood and thatched with leaves for roofing.

Inside the shelter rested a 'sampan' or boat where once the Mah Meri's lives were surrounded with ocean. This is their house where they provide a roofing for their sampan which the same architecture used for their house on the mainland.

The inside of the 'sampan' comprised all the needs to survive at the ocean.

Their light source...

One of their needs for seafood supply, the 'bumbu'

Then we were brought to 'Rumah Moyang' the house of spirit.

The Rumah Moyang were decorated with different kind of origami with different names for them. In the spirit house also have altar to place foods and drinks for their spirit.  And the story about this house are amazing which touched about the dream theory.

Different from the 'Rumah Sanggar', 'Rumah Moyang' is for the spirit who will give the village some protections.  It is celebrated only once a year called The Spirit's Day. During the spirit's day, the Mah Meri welcomed the spirits in the form of signs and visions received in their dreams.  And from the dreams, they will sculpted the vision out of a log.  And their dreams are different from the normal dream.  They are real and some sort of actually you were at their dimensions.

During the spirit's day, the Mah Meri likes to dance together.  Here we were entertained by their famous Joh-Oh mask dancing.

The Jo-oh mask dancing were perform by several Mah Meri ladies wearing 'mengkuang' leaves skirt and their unique origami headgear.  They will dance in a very limber movement around a 'busut' or ants house look-like origami circling anti clockwise    There were also a male dancer wearing a mask and dance clockwise.  And their songs were quite similar with Malay song that we somehow understood it.

Some of the instruments to play their songs and the name for them are similar  pronunciation of the sound when immitate it.  example, 'tuktuk' for the bamboo stampers.

The 'busut' or the ant house.

One of the most celebrated ceremony here by this tribe is the wedding!!  We were given the opportunity to witness their unique wedding ceremony but only that our own students to act as bride and groom.  The reason why the Mah Meri people couldn't perform this 'pretentious' wedding by their own is that it is against their culture and beliefs.  Our students were enjoying the role play and understanding it better.

The selection of their wedding garments will be wore by the  wedding couple.  All made from natural sources like  nipah leaves for the skirt and head accessories and tree barks for the dress.

They were preparing the groom..

...and the bride was giggling out of shyness.  She was accompanied by one of the Mah Meri lady in the hiding place.  This is vital in their culture whereby the hiding place were covered by curtain and the bride's and other young ladies inside the hiding place will show off their hand out.  The groom will have to pick the right hand (the bride) and if he chooses the wrong hand it means he is not ready to marry the person and will accepted by both parties.

one of the complicated head dress wore by the bride.  This is only one of many other beautiful design they can  produce for certain ceremonies.

This is the stage when the groom have to circle the hiding place 7 times before choosing the right hand.  In Mah Meri culture odd numbers is the chosen numbers in their everyday life.

He choose the right hand!! bravo!!

The couple were place on the dais.  The dais were decorated with a variety of flowers of the spirit.  The flower of spirits plays an important role in their wedding ceremony.  Beside the dais, every step of the ceremony uses the flowers extensively from engagement, procession, to the cleansing ritual.

One of the students perform a ritual dance to honor the couple.  this is quite similar with Malay wedding where the invited people get the opportunity to spatter the bridal with fresh flower and rice flour.

The cleansing ritual...here they didn't actually perform it with water otherwise they will really get wet!   This stage is a bath to purify the body before entering in married life.  The water which were placed in decorated jars with flowers of spirit and blessed will be pour over the couple sitting underneath a cloth stretching over them.

After all those experienced, we proceed to their gallery where they exhibit full information and pictures about their cultures and beliefs.

at the entrance of the gallery.  What a beautiful design of the ceiling!  made of 'mengkuang' weaving leaves.

Inside of the gallery.  The visitors were allowed to take pictures of the exhibits.

The many unique sculpture of spirit were UNESCO Seal of Excellence Awarded.

The image sculptured were not directly copy from surrounding images but from the dreams of their spirit giving the  ideas of what they were trying to tell or predict in their life.

During the gallery tour we told some stories of the Mah Meri's folks tale similar with Romeo and Juliet enigma and they have sculpture the dreams out of this forbidden love.  And it was one of the beautiful art we have encountered among others.

Not realizing the time, we felt terribly hungry and to our rescue, they have prepared us a delicious food.  Not really their staple food but more similar with Malay delicacies.  But still they are yummy!

One of the building they have built for the gallery and the restaurant. Not really traditional but they have the elements.

After all the food and drinks consumed, we proceed to the village to witness one of the under construction architecture of Mah Meri's.  This is an extra opportunity we had arranged by Encik Rashid Esa.

The front view....this is a communal hall for the Sg Bumbun villagers to conduct class or preparing the origami design for continuing the culture and skills they had for centuries.  The roofing design is depicted from the 'sampan' roof.

From the side.

The open ceiling design.  They used modern facilities here....the electricity.

The students were tentatively listen to the Head of the village says about the building and their dreams to pursue with this communal hall.

Unfortunately the construction were done the day before we came, so we can't actually see the process of the construction.  But we were happy that we were the first visitors to come and being honored by the people by giving each of us their beautiful origami for keeping.  It was such an honored.

Eventually we can't stay longer even we wanted to.  As the time is running fast, we still have one place to visit....the 100th years colonial building.

It was a breathtaking architecture located in the midst of the world largest Sime Darby's palm plantation area which is so nearby the Sg Bumbun village.  It is not really easy to get the permission to enter the estate not to mention the permission to enter this extraordinary British colonial house owned by the Sime Darby company.  Thanks to Encik Rashid, we were finally here.

It is said that this house were built by Mr Carey himself when the British set their foot on this island.  That's how the named 'Pulau Carey' were given to this island.  The house was built with many other colonial houses for the British residents in this island.  So their design were unique to blend with the tropical weather.

The interior.  It was well preserved and still remain the same look as 100 years ago.

The dining area used lots of furniture made out of wood which brought here from India.

One of the antique furniture....dressing table.

One of the bedroom interior.  Typical colonial color for wall, must be light color and used heavy dark brown for furniture and detailing.

So that was our end of trip.  After thanking Encik Rashid for his marvelous hospitality, we heading back home after late evening.

*Towards the end of the trip, my camera were out of memory.  There were lots of views I would like to snap such as the massive garden, the hidden closet, the underground tunnel they have in the house and many more interesting area.  Even the group photo we totally forgotten.  This is totally unacceptable :(