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