By RACHAEL FRANCIS

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The Orang Asli may lead simple lives quite like the Puritans but unlike us, they have nature at their backdoor, quite literally.

Orang Asli in Malaysia have more often than not been an elusive race. Not much is ever heard about them. In fact, we most often associate them with poverty.

In Chenderiang, Tapah, the Orang Asli settlement is a stone’s throw away from Kem Sentosa, a National Service training camp. Yet, aside from minor touches of modernity, the Semai village seems quite unscathed by development.

Upon entering the village, you will see white brick houses peppered along a scenic landscape. No hustle and bustle, clean air, lots of greens, the sound of water gushing not too far away and perhaps a chicken or two scuttling about.

Bhsai Bugapek, the village chief’s son says the village which has been in existence for more than 100 years consists of around 200 people. Prior to this, the settlement was further up in the hills.

Commenting on the houses, Bhsai says the brick ones are new additions by the government. There still are a few houses on wooden stilts with weaved walls and thatched roofs.

Do not let appearances fool you. Despite a few Astro satellite dishes peeking out from several roofs in the village, the Semai people lead quite a humble life. Behind the brick walls, you will find a simple, minimalistic home like Bhsai’s where the only furniture in the living room seems to be a television.

Bread and butter

The villagers either work for themselves, work outside the village, or work for Malaysian Care, an organization with a branch in Kampar offering diversified services such as residential care and community services.

The people who work for themselves have their own plantations, mainly rubber. Aside from rubber trees, they also plant fruit trees. They harvest various fruits according to season and sell them.

The contract workers take jobs based on offers. Chinese contractors come by every once in a while with new contracts to build houses, drains or other infrastructure.

Most youngsters leave after completing their education. One to two villagers leave to pursue higher education while the rest seek better job opportunities.

Despite the huge outflow, most of them leave only for a couple of months at a time. “They never leave the village for a very long time. They leave for a few months and return,” says Bhsai.
 

Resources

Despite this being the 21st century, the Orang Asli still hunt for food. Squirrels, monkeys and other jungle inhabitants are common prey. Each of them hunts for their own families.

They use blow pipes which they make themselves using bamboo and other resources found in the jungle. This weapon making tradition is passed down from generation to generation irrespective of whether the younger generation hunts.

It may come as a surprise but water is free. Their water supply comes from a waterfall higher up in the hills. They have pipes with no taps whereby the cold water gushes ceaselessly. The villagers even take baths and wash their clothes in the waterfalls.

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Food for thought

As city dwellers that live in brick houses, what they have may not seem like much until you look deeper. I am reminded of a story where a wealthy man takes his child to live with a poor family to show him what poverty is.

Upon returning, the child says, “We may have a pool but they have a creek that has no end. We may have imported lanterns and they have the stars at night. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We buy our food, but they grow theirs.”

He goes on to thank his father for showing him how poor they were. I felt like that little boy. We may have a lot but they have so much more.

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