Who are the Orang Asli?
The Orang Asli are the indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia.The name is a Malay term which transliterates as 'original peoples' or 'first peoples.'
It is a collective term introduced by anthropologists for the 18 sub-ethnic groups generally classified for official purposes under Negrito, Senoi and Proto-Malay. They numbered 105,000 in 1997 representing a mere 0.5 per cent of the national population.
This group of Orang Asli live close to forested areas. Here they engage in swiddening (hill rice cultivation) and do some hunting and gathering. They also trade in petai, durian, rattan and resins to earn cash incomes.
Orang Asli are traditionally animists, where they believe in the presence of spirits in various objects. However, in the 21st century, many of them have embraced monotheistic religions such as Islam and Christianity following some active state-sponsored dakwah by Muslims, and evangelism by Christian missionaries.(How do you know that this group of Orang Asli has embraced Christianity?)
How do the Orang Asli look like?
The Orang Asli are divided into three main tribal groups – Semang (negrito), Senoi, and Proto-Malay (Aboriginal Malay).
Many Senoi live in the Cameron Highlands. They just look like Malaysians, although the dark ones look like Negrito's. Originally they must have come from the hills in Vietnam, Cambodia or Northern Thailand, about 6000 - 8000 years ago.In Cameron Highlands some of the Senoi live as wage-earners, working on the highland tea estates. Others have obtained jobs as varied as government employees and taxi drivers
How do the Orang Asli hunt?
The Orang Asli ( mostly Negrito),who live in the jungle, hunt with blowpipes for birds and little monkeys. The blowpipe is made from bamboo.
The mouth piece is made from damar, a resin obtained from the dipterocarp trees. Darts are made from the split leaf-stalks of Arenga palm cone
The tip is coated with a lethal preparation made from the sap of the lpol tree (Antiaris toxicaria) and carried in a carefully closed bamboo tube.
As for the windage, a soft fluffy "wool' is made from as kind of bark. Blowpipe is deadly accurate within 20 meters.
Why are their house built on stilts?
At night,90% of the rain forest inhabitant come out to play,eat and sometimes cause trouble. Snakes, poisonous insects, army ants, scorpions, hungry mammals, all roam the forest floor by nightfall and sue heat seeking sensors and night vision to home on their preys.
This is why the Orang Asli always build their huts on stilts, never on bare ground.
Bamboo strips are used as walls and windows.
Some part of the roof are made from bertam palm leaves while the rest are made from zine.
A typical Orang Asli hut is divided into two sections -- one for sleeping and the other for cooking.
They have no need for lobby or dining room.
Although enclosed, the interior is usually airy because ventilation takes place between grooves and gaps of walls and floors made from bamboo strips.
There is always a fireplace where mud pad insulation protects bamboo flooring from damage.
Here, Ms Farida is interviewing the settlement
headman who could speak in Malay. It was a rare opportunity for us the gather some oral history evidence right from the horse's mouth
At the end of the visit, the Orang Asli and our students took a group photo.
Reflection Questions
1. Do you think that the Orang Asli standard of living is better or worst then those living in Kuala Lumpur?
2. Do you agree that although the Orang Asli has a lower standard of living, their quality of life is higher then those in Singapore?
3. Do you think that their way of life will be destroyed when tourist like us visit them?
4.. Tourism for the Orang Asli : Boom or a Bane?
CLick the video below to see an interview that Mdm Feridah has with an Orang Asli mum.
1. Do you think that the Orang Asli standard of living is better or worst then those living in Kuala Lumpur?
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious that the orang asli does not have the same standard of living as the people in KL. In comparison to the KL buildings which are made of brinks and concrete which gives stablility, the houses in the orang asli settlement are mostly made of wood. At the same time , not having proper clean water, electricity and other basic fundamentals.
2. Do you agree that although the Orang Asli has a lower standard of living, their quality of life is higher then those in Singapore?
TOTALLY AGREE...though they have a lower standard of living than in singapore, their quality of life should be much better than in singapore. for example; These people would not be corrupted by the greed of a better financial status and other materialistic stuff.
3. Do you think that their way of life will be destroyed when tourist like us visit them
yes. i think that though people visit them to know more about their way ofl ife, it would affect them. As overtime , instead of living a simple life, they would think of ways to earn money though tourism. Eventually their real culture would be covered.
4. Tourism for the Orang Asli : Boom or a Bane?
i have no answer
1. Do you think that the Orang Asli standard of living is better or worst than those living in Kuala Lumpur?
ReplyDeleteI believe that orang asil has a lower standard of living as compared to Kuala Lumpur.This can be seen by the roads in these two places.Where KL-has traffic lights,roads barriers and road 'tags' to remind people to be aware of traffic.However, in places like Orang Asil,there have no road barriers and no road 'tags'.Also,the buildings made from these two places are also diff.Their workplace also carries diff 'culture' and system.
2. Do you agree that although the Orang Asli has a lower standard of living, their quality of life is higher then those in Singapore?
I agree that though Orang Asil have a lower standard of living but their quality on life is much higher that people living in KL.
This is because from the way I interact with the Orang Asil, I personally feel that they can be easily be Satisfied by game like scissors,paper,stone that does not require any technology.However, for teenagers like us, we can only be happy if we have a hp,psp,or computer with us.
Tha Orang Asil has a very simple mind of thinking towards what they are facing.They don't need to be worry about money,obs or food.Hence, their quality of life is much higher than ppl in s'pore.
3. Do you think that their way of life will be destroyed when tourist like us visit them.
In my opinion, I believe that tourist like us who came to visit them actually 'destroy' their culture, but 'enrich' our own knowledge. This is because their life has been interrupt by us and thus they will start taking opportunities to set up business to increase their standard of living.This will actually let the younger of the orang asil thought that setting up business is part of their ancestor culture/traditions. This, will cause a loss in culture in the future if tourist keep interrupting them.
Goh Pei Fen, 5f
QNS1. Do you think that the Orang Asli standard of living is better or worst then those living in Kuala Lumpur?
ReplyDeleteIn comparison with those living in Kuala Lumpur,the Orang Asli definitely are the worst one.In Kuala Lumpur,we can see tall building with proper sanitation;proper planning;buildings are tidy,neat and do not have potholes;well-maintained.However,the Orang Asli,their living environment do not have windows,instead only Bamboo strips are used for windows and walls.Low construction standards;lack of proper sanitation.
Therefore,in comparison with the Orang Asli,those living in Kuala Lumpur are obviously those that have a better standard of living.
QNS2. Do you agree that although the Orang Asli has a lower standard of living, their quality of life is higher then those in Singapore?
Yes,I do agree. Standard of living refers to the living conditions of people while quality of life refers to the degree of satisfaction people have with their living conditions. The way we get interacted with the Orang Asli,we can feel that they are satisfied with what they are and of course,their living conditions. It is less competitive as compared to people living in the cities,therefore,the degree of sastisfaction are lesser. Gathering the Orang Asli's kids for a photograph,teaching them how to pose for photo-taking..etc,you can see those blissful smile on their face,in other words,they can easily be satisfied,as there is less challenges.
Unlike people living in S'pore,we often take things for granted. Little things like ice-cream seem to be nothing to us. We aim for trend,what's the lastest trend? For examples,handphone. A simple handphone is not enough,we must have phone with super good musicplayer,super good camera or even 3G etc. When we live in a country that has more challenges,more higher technology,we often aim for better quality of things,as such,we tend to be less easier to be satisfied. Thus,i agree that although Orang Asli has a lower standard of living,their quality of life are higher than people living in S'pore.
QNS3. Do you think that their way of life will be destroyed when tourist like us visit them?
Yes,i think their way of life will be destroyed when tourist like us visit them.Because when we visit them we actually get to know their life and ways of living,thus,we learn new things. But when they saw us visiting them,they will eventually think that by upgrading themselves will make their life better,therefore try ways to improve themselves, like ---tourism,business,oversea working etc. This will then cause them a loss of culture,when their future generation grown up,they will not know what is the original life of an Orang Asli.
RachelChanShiYun,5G
y all copy me copy the question 1st..lolS
ReplyDeletemrs ess where is the traffic question?
1. Do you think that the Orang Asli standard of living is better or worst then those living in Kuala Lumpur?
ReplyDeleteOf course its worst. From the buildings of Kuala Lumpur, we can see that they have good infrastructures.Their buidlings are tall & made of bricks & moreover they have good sanitations and good facilities. They also have electricity . However, the orang asli do not have the chance to enjoy these advantages as their living conditions do not consists of these facilities. Their homes were built of bamboo strips. And they do not even have a simple toilet let alone electricity.
2. Do you agree that although the Orang Asli has a lower standard of living, their quality of life is higher then those in Singapore?
YES!<: Although the orang asli has a lower standard of living,their quality of life is higher than those in singapore as they are much more easily satisfied with their life. Unlike the people living SG, they have a high standard of living therefore they have a even higher desire of an even higher quality of life. As a country develops,the people becomes less satisfied with their present living conditions.They wants things that will make life even more comfortable.Hence they aims for higher quality of life. Whereas,the orang asli, they were used to their life like this hence they do not need/require any changes to make they life even more comfortable.
Therefore, the orang asli has lower standard of living but higher quality of life.
3. Do you think that their way of life will be destroyed when tourist like us visit them?
YES!:D When the tourist visits them , they tend to give them money($$) which in turn cause the orang asli to turn on the tourist for financial assistance. They will then take the money and go to the market to buy food to save them from hunting.This will then cause them to be dependent on the tourist. It will also cause loss of culture,knowledge & skills to hunt for food. The younger generations will then follow them & slowly their culture of hunting with their blowpipes will then be forgotten. Which in fact, the tourists are destroying their life indirectly. Their cultures & traditions will then be gone forever xD
1.Do you think that the Orang Asli standard of living is better or worst then those living in Kuala Lumpur?
ReplyDelete- Obviously it is worst. Because Orang Asli are staying in stilts houses whereas the people living in Kuala Lumpur is living in flats or proper houses made up of brick and so on. Of course a stronger material used is better than the weak one, which explains why. When the Orang Asli is sick they use plant to heal themselves. Because some plant is valuable for medication, the plant could heal a sick person and Orang Asli does not visit a doctor whenever they are sick unlike people who live in Kuala Lumpur. There are clinics, hospitals around Kuala Lumpur and it is very convenient for people to visit the doctors. It also means Orang Asli have sub-standard healthcare services and facilities compared to those living in Kuala Lumpur who have Proper healthcare services and facilities.
2. Do you agree that although the Orang Asli has a lower standard of living, their quality of life is higher then those in Singapore?
- Yes I agree. The Orang Asli seems satisfied with their living conditions. I played Hi-five with the Orang Asli kids, it is just simple slapping of hi-five actions; I could see the happiness they had. Comparing to Singapore kids who wants much more than them, for example kids in Singapore wants the latest laptop and yet sometimes they think is not enough and they want more, perhaps the game stored inside in the laptop. But what does the Orang Asli have? They do not have the life that Singaporeans have and therefore do not experience the same as us. Because people become less satisfied with their present living conditions and lifestyle whenever the country develops, they want things to be more convenient, more comfortable such as more leisure facilities.
3. Do you think that their way of life will be destroyed when tourist like us visit them?
- It will not destroy their way of life but is being interrupted. It is because whenever there is tourist visiting them and they could not carry on with their peaceful life and therefore they may felt uncomfortable too. It would not destroy because we do not do any harm to them but just gain knowledge and know what people are there in the earth and what are their lifestyles compared to our own. So that we would like to appreciate and know that there are much poorer much more sickness people living around the world just that we got to explore. (:
4. Tourism for the Orang Asli: Boom or a Bane?
- I would think it is more of a boom. The tourist who visits them could donate some amount of money to the Orang Asli after hearing their heart aching and their standard of living. It means if there are more tourists visiting them means they could earn a living by just letting the tourist visit them and just introducing their lifestyle to the tourists. It is sort of exchanging knowledge for money.
:D