SELANGOR CELEBRATES

WORLD INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY

About 500 Orang Asli from all over Selangor, and a sprinkling from other states, converged at Laman Budaya, the state's cultural showground in Shah Alam to celebrate World Indigenous Peoples Day on 9 August 2009. This is the first time a state government was sponsoring and organizing such an event with NGOs. In this case, the organizers were Selangor Tourism with the Indigenous Peoples network of Malaysia (JOAS) and COAC.

It was basically a day of family fun, with a strong emphasis on the celebration of cultural heritage and tradition. Apart from traditional dances from Temuan, Semai and Mah Meri communities, there were various stalls selling and displaying Orang Asli crafts and skills. A small traditional sports also took place in the form of a blowpipe competition, children's 'hooking-the-mengkuang-fish' relay, and mengkuang weaving.

The novel part of the part of the programme was the cooking of various traditional dishes, not just for display but for all the 500-odd guests. It was a monumental task but one that was easily accomplished through the traditional community gotong-royong or work-gang system.

Below are two reports in the local newspapers on the event.

A LOOK INTO THE CULTURE

OF THE ORANG ASLI

The Star
Tuesday August 11, 2009

By THO XIN YI

PRESERVE our lands and the ecological habitats - that was the appeal of the Orang Asli during the World Indigenous People Day celebration at Laman Budaya, Shah Alam.

Woodcarver Alias Sayor, 32, who hails from Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Bumbun in Pulau Carey, spoke from experience.

"I get my supply of Nyrih Batu and Nyrih Bunga (hardwood for wood sculptures) at the mangrove forests on Pulau Carey.

"The trees are getting fewer and will become even more scarce in the next five to six years," said Alias, who is a Mah Meri.

His delicate wood sculptures focused on legendary animals and ritual masks unique to the Mah Meri culture.

Graceful: A group called Tompoq Topoh performing a traditional dance.


"The tree-planting effort must start as soon as possible," Alias added.

Selangor state tourism, consumer affairs and environment chairman Elizabeth Wong, who launched the event, took note of their plight.

She said the native customary rights to land should be acknowledged.

"We should check the historical records and hand back the lands to the orang asli," she said.

Wong, who also heads the Orang Asli Land Task Force, added that the Orang Asli community had requested for 7,000ha land in Selangor but it was not possible as one-third of the land had already been developed.

Something different: An orang asli rock band album entitled Happo
by the Temuan people from Pulau Kempas.


"The community is often sidelined for development, or pushed into development which they are not familiar with," she said.

At the celebration, visitors were introduced to some of the indigenous food, which was prepared on the spot and they were also entertained by cultural shows.

There were also stalls displaying handicraft, books and CDs from some of the Orang Asli musical groups.

"Tourists are fascinated by the orang asli culture.

We should view their heritage as part of ours," Wong said.

TUNTUTAN ORANG ASLI

AKAN DIPENUHI

Sinar Harian
11.8.2009

SHAH ALAM - Kerajaan Negeri di bawah portfolio Exco negeri, Elizabeth Wong akan berusaha untuk memenuhi tuntutan masyarakat Orang Asli yang meminta mewartakan tanah mereka sebagai tanah rizab.

Menurutnya, tanah simpanan Orang Asli ada yang telah diwartakan dan perlu dipertahankan tanah mereka seperti tanah rizab orang Melayu yang tidak boleh dijual kepada orang lain tanpa persetujuan mereka.

"Dengan mewartakan tanah simpanan masyarakat Orang Asli ini, kita boleh mengekalkan saiz tanah mereka di samping menjaga sumber ekonomi supaya tidak terjejas teruk.

"Sebanyak 7,000 hektar tanah daripada 76 kawasan Orang Asli yang diminta untuk diwartakan dan ini tidak mustahil untuk dilaksanakan. Bagaimanapun Kerajaan Negeri akan cuba yang terbaik," katanya ketika ditemui pada majlis perasmian sambutan Hari Orang Asal Sedunia di sini, semalam.

Elizabeth berkata, apa yang penting adalah pemilikan tanah dan masalah utama bagi masyarakat Orang Asli ini ialah pembangunan pesat malah ada yang masih belum menerima pembangunan.

Sementara itu, beliau berkata, masih ada kawasan masyarakat Orang Asli ini yang belum menerima bekalan air dan elektrik malah masalah kehilangan sumber pendapatan juga diakibatkan oleh aktiviti penerokaan kawasan masyarakat ini.

Isu kehilangan mata pencarian akibat penerokaan hutan dalam kalangan Orang Asli turut mendapat perhatian Tok Batin, Perat Anak Dolah dari Kampung Orang Asli Pulau Banting yang berharap Kerajaan Negeri Selangor supaya mengekalkan hutan simpan.

"Saya merayu Kerajaan Negeri supaya kekalkan hutan simpan termasuk hutan bakau yang hampir pupus misalnya Pulau Carey untuk kraf tangan dan anyaman," katanya.

Sementara itu, terdapat 7 daerah masyarakat Orang Asli yang terlibat dalam program sambutan Hari Orang Asal Sedunia yang berlangsung selama sehari bersempena program 'Selangor Musical Extravaganza' di Laman Budaya, semalam.