Ari Moyang of the Mah Meri, Kampung Sungai Bumbun

The Mah Meri of Kampung Sungai Bumbun in Pulau Carey celebrated their Ari Moyang/Hari Moyang (Spirits/Ancestors Day) on the 20th March this year. It was a day of thanksgiving to their guardian and ancestral spirits and they were most gracious to share the occasion with many visitors and tourists including a busload of local secondary school children and three busloads of (very fervent) Indians.

                                          Shamidah and Suhaila greeting visitors

                                          Decorated archway to the first Rumah Moyang

At the Rumah Moyang or Spirit House, the Mah Meri villagers were not the only ones who sought the blessings of the spirits through the Batin/poyang. The fervent Indians jumped the queue to do so, much to the chagrin of other visitors.

But true to their peaceful and non-confrontational nature, we noticed the local Mah Meri youths lining up to be blessed only after the bulldozing visitors have had their turn!

Food is potluck on Ari Moyang. All families in the village contribute to the buffet spread. Likewise, visitors are encouraged to 'bring a plate' so that there will be enough food to go around.

To celebrate with the spirits, the Mayin Jo-oh dancers and musicians provided the entertainment with seven song-and-dance displays. Suffice to say cameras were clicking and whirring incessantly throughout.

A and I took the opportunity to talk to the masked dancers during their break. The men behind the masks? Sazali Halim wears the Moyang Pongkol mask while Fizal 'Ijal' anak Layon wears the Puteri Gunung Ledang mask. Masks are passed down from fathers to sons.

The celebration of Ari Moyang in Kampung Sungai Bumbun is at three sites, where the Rumah Moyang are. (Historically, there existed three settlements, hence the three spirit houses).

The second site was quite a walking distance away. Here, as at the first Rumah Moyang, many sought the blessings of the spirits through the poyang/shamans. The celebration of Ari Moyang also entails that the Mah Meri do not do paid work for three days.

(In progress)

Appeasing the Sea Spirits at Pulau Carey Part 2

The Puja Pantai ritual got underway when the tide ebbed and revealed part of the sea bed of the Straits of Malacca. Three 'shamans' led the way to the shrine there which moments ago was partly submerged in water.

Traversing the mudflats through the mangrove stumps was a pretty dicey affair but the sure-footed ones helped others along. For the masked dancer Diaman, it was easy-peasy so he was all smiles getting to the shrine while assisting others (including moi) along.

Three 'shamans' conducted the ritual, two (representing the Moyang Bate' and Moyang Gabus?) very obviously in a state of trance. Offerings of chamai (betel leaves), areca nuts and tobacco (among other things) were made to appease the spirits of the sea and pray for a bountiful year.

Then the celebratory dance of Mayin Jo-oh was performed by youthful dancers who were then joined by all the other children present. The chief 'shaman' kept a watchful eye on the children and the ceremony ended with him blessing them as they queued to clasp his hands.

He was joined by the other two 'shamans' and together they blessed all the Mah Meri villagers among the spectators who came up to them.

23 February 2015

Appeasing the Sea Spirits at Pulau Carey Part 1

On the 23rd February 2015, the Mah Meri Cultural Village (MMCV) played host to the Minister of Tourism & Culture during the Mah Meri Puja Pantai ceremony at Pulau Carey. Puja Pantai* is the thanksgiving ritual during Hari Moyang to appease the spirits of the seas which the Mah Meri have carried out since a very long time ago. It coincides with the 'new year' of these descendants of a seafaring people who had depended on the sea for their livelihood.

                                          Outdoor panga (altar) with offerings

The event for the Minister's entourage started at the MMCV site, where Mah Meri arts and crafts of Kampung Sungai Bumbun were showcased for the visitors. Maznah Unyan exhibited her skill in anyam hake' (pandanus leaf weaving) and Pelat, his wood carving skills of topeng (masks) and patong (sculptures).

Not to be left out is the (mock) Mah Meri wedding ritual, of course. And (uh-oh), surprise, surprise, the Minister found himself  to be the pretend bridegroom! He was grinning from ear to ear the whole time during the 'ritual', so he must have found it (and the pretend bride?) amusing/pleasing. As is customary, the Mayin Jo-oh (traditional mask dance) was also performed.

From the MMCV, we all went on to the site on the beach where the Puja Pantai ritual would be carried out. This time the folks of another Mah Meri village, Kampung Sungai Judah are the main players. When we arrived, the tide was still not out yet so we mingled with the rather nice people of the kampung who had turned out then. There was the Mayin Jo-oh dance on the beach by the mangroves, and lots of picture taking of everything and everybody around, including the shy little children, the jubilant youth and the quite friendly adults. Anyi and Armah were two ladies I befriended, who enlightened me a bit on the Puja Pantai ritual.

The wait for the tide to subside enabled the mingling with the kampung folks who had come out to take part in this annual event on the sea bed of the Straits of Malacca. Even the poyang ('shamans') were obliging and ready to strike a pose.

For the Mayin Jo-oh, there was a beautifully woven decorative Busot; representing a so' (mountain). It is the focus around which dancers form a circle and move counter-clockwise.

Youthful Mayin Jo-oh dancers, Azlan and Mohd Fauzi, strike poses for my camera.  And 'Peace' from teen in pink, Diana (in the background of the left picture below).   To be continued...

*Puja Pantai rituals by the Malay farmers and fisherfolk in the East Coast states of Kelantan and Trengganu were carried out till 1960, after which it was banned and deemed unIslamic. In Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak the equivalent was 'Mandi Safar'.

Note: There are five Mah Meri villages in Pulau Carey namely; Kampung Sungai Bumbun, Kampung Sungai Judah, Kampung Rambai, Kampung Sungai Kurau and Kampung Kepau Laut.

Ref: Chita' Hae; Culture, Crafts and Customs of the Hma' Meri in Kampung Sungai Bumbon, Pulau Carey. Centre for Orang Asli Concerns for Tompoq Topoh, 2007.

23 February 2015

A Mah Meri Cultural Experience (Part 2)

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)