May-June , 2021 | @ Forest
ISSUE
31
About the Mah Meri Tribe
Siti Kasim
MAH MERI is an indigenous tribe that is famous for its Puja Pantai ( Oceanic Healing ) ritual . For many years , the Selangor tourism industry has benefitted from their rich cultural tradition . The community mainly resides in the Mah Meri Cultural Village in Pulau Carey , also known as a tourist attraction in Selangor .
The Mah Meri settlement in Bagan Lalang started when a Mah Meri individual from Bukit Bangkong decided to build a temporary shelter to ease her daily commute to work . Fast forward 20 years later , the area has expanded and houses more than just one Mah Meri family .
The Mah Meri are an ethnic group native to the western part of Peninsular Malaysia . They are one of the 18 Orang Asli groups named by the Malaysian government . They are of the Senoi subgroup . Most of the Mah Meri tribe members live along the coast of South Selangor from Sungai Pelek up to Pulau Carey . However , there is at least one Mah Meri Community on the other side of the Klang River .
According to the Orang Asli Office , they numbered around 2,200 in 2005 . Most of the Mah Meri live in small villages ( kampungs ) on the fringes of other cities and on Pulau Carey , which has five separate villages of Mah Meri .
The Mah Meri people of Pulau
Carey are internationally well known for their traditional wood carving skills .
Mah Meri in Mah Meri dialect means “ Jungle people ” ( Mah = people , Meri = jungle ). In contrast , in another term , the name means Bersisik (“ scaly ” in Malay ) or Persisir (“ coastal ” in Malay ).
They are also considered Orang Laut due to them residing in nearby seasides and working as fishermen . They presumably migrated from the islands in southern Johor to the coastal shores of Selangor to escape from their enemies .
The Mah Meri language , also called Besisi , is an Austroasiatic language . It is part of the Southern Aslian sub-branch of Aslian languages . It is related to Semelai , Temoq and Semaq Beri . There are an estimated 3,000 people still speaking the language , but it is seriously endangered .
Many among them are skilled in carving statues that are made from wood . Their carvings include deities , humans , flora and fauna figurines . These carvings have gained recognition from UNESCO . Handicrafts produced by the Mah Meri community in Sungai Bumbun , Kuala Langat , have high artistic value and the potential to be recognised internationally .
the affected families , she replied : “ I ’ m not sure about that as that is really up to their decision . When we met them recently , it was merely to explain what ‘ Tanah Wilayah Adat ’ means . We believe that they are not fully aware of the meaning of ancestral land under the law .”
Fulfil the requirements of ‘ Tanah Adat ’
According to the lawyer , the Mah Meri people who have resided in that part of Bagan Lalang since 20 years ago seem to fulfil the requirements of “ ancestral land ”.
“ It seems they have always been in control and using that area of land . As for
the definition of ancestral land under the law , the Orang Asli must show that they are in continuous use and in control of the part of the land .
“ It seems like they do . It is not about building houses . It is about using the area and the surrounding continuously . They have always used that area to go to the sea etc . They kind of fulfilled the requirements with regards to the definition of ancestral land .
“ We leave the decision to them and advise them what they need to do if they want to take matters to court to challenge the State government .”
She highlighted it was important for the Selangor government to consult the community first before pursuing the matter .
Orang Asli and their unique connection with nature
When asked if monetary compensation was needed by the Orang Asli community whenever there ’ s a land dispute , Siti Kasim said the Orang Asli ’ s relationship with the land differed from general perception .
“ They have a very close connection with nature spiritually . Even though they have converted to Islam just like how most Mah Meri people did , they still have enormous respect for nature .”
She further emphasised that even though some of them have 9 -5 jobs like other people , they were still very connected to nature . This showed they had a different idea of what is important to them with regards to land matters .
Solution for the neverending issue of ancestral land
Siti Kasim emphasised the importance of having a good government that truly understands the culture and lifestyle of the Orang Asli community . She said that many recommendations regarding ancestral land have been submitted to the government by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia ( SUHAKAM ).
So , the government is the only one that can put an end to the issue . Siti also shared that people who wished to contribute to the Orang Asli community can do so by donating to the Bar Council ’ s account to help the committee fight for their rights . — @ Forest