After the (mock) wedding ritual at the Mah Meri Cultural Village, the intrigue with Mah Meri culture continued. We were in awe of the beautiful and intricate weaving of wild pandanus leaves by three Mah Meri women, in a demonstration led by Maznah. Weaving is one of the most important of various activities of the women in the Mah Meri villages. Strips of wild pandanus and nipah leaves are used to make bunga moyang* accessories also baskets, bags/pouches, and mats. These handicrafts are derived from their rituals and involve special techniques. The art of the Mah Meri leaf origami is said to be older than the Japanese paper origami.
Maznah and her friends wore pandanus weave 'jewelry' - earrings, chokers, and bracelets. During the demonstration they very deftly wove snakes, birds, bird nests and butterflies for the guests (A was gifted with a charming butterfly, and for me, a very pretty bird on the nest). These gifts are living crafts that we will definitely treasure because they are the art of a people with prehistoric roots.
After the leaf origami demo, we had a break for lunch. What we had was the freshest barbecued seafood with fried rice and an array of fried tubers. All very delicious indeed.
The Indonesian tourists had to leave after lunch (they had a cruise ship to re-embark), but A and I stayed on. Encik Rashid and his wife Norlia were very gracious hosts. We were given more insight into the lives of the Mah Meri by this couple who have been very closely involved with the Orang Asli for nearly three decades. It was also nice to meet up again with Madiah and her grandniece Siti Aida whom we encountered on our first visit to the MMCV in August.
Before leaving we watched a video program on the various aspects of the fascinating art and culture, and unique lifestyle of the Mah Meri. We also got a close look at their wood art of sculptures and masks exhibited in the galleries.
"Woodcarving among the Orang Asli is believed to originate from a healing ritual (sakat buang to the Mah Meri). During the ritual, the shaman transfers the evil spirit causing the sickness from the patient's body into wooden sculptures of ancestral spirits (moyang), which are later left in the jungle or thrown in the sea. The Mah Meri also carve wooden masks to be worn during ceremonies and dances. These masks are used as a means of communication with the moyang, and have movable jaws so that the spirits may speak through them. The Mah Meri believe that whoever wears such a mask will be imbued with the particular spirit. The Mah Meri have more than 450 varieties of sculptures and masks. These sculptures have become sought-after collectible crafts".
The carvings of the Mah Meri tell stories of the tribe and their beliefs. One that fascinated us is the story of Moyang Harimau Berantai - about a tiger caught in a trap and dying because nobody dared to set it free. Craftsman Encik Alias a/l Sayor (son of Encik Sayor and brother of Siti Aida) explained to us that this sculpture is carved from a single piece of wood and features seven inter-connecting rings to represent chains and a ball in the tiger's mouth.
The Mah Meri honour their ancestral spirits annually with day-long feasts and dance rituals, known as Hari Moyang. Due to their sea gypsy origins, one ceremony involves food and tobacco being placed in small woven baskets atop a seashore temple for the spirits. Hari Moyang is usually held about the time of the Lunar New Year.
*Encik Rashid Esa has written a book on the leaf origami of the Mah Meri entitled Bunga Moyang; Seni Lipatan Daun Mah Meri (Siri Buku Kraf Orang Asli). Published by Kementerian Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan Malaysia, 2007.
Note: The Mah Meri Cultural Village was built in 2011 under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage Malaysia.
23 December 2014 (In Progress)
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