Written by representatives of Indigenous groups from Malaysia (Temiar, Dusun and Semai) and Indonesia (Batak) during the 10-day extensive media production training for Asian Indigenous youth in Kep Province, Cambodia, in March 2024.
Temiar are a Senoic group indigenous to the Malay Peninsula and one of the largest of the eighteen Orang Asli groups of Malaysia. They reside mainly in Perak, Pahang and Kelantan. Their total population is estimated at around 40,000 to 120,000, most of which live on the fringes of the rainforest, while a small number have been urbanized. Temiar are traditionally animists, giving great significance to nature, dreams and spiritual healing. The ceremonial Sewang dance is also performed by the Temiar people as part of their folk beliefs.
Dusun is the collective name of an indigenous ethnic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah of North Borneo. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. The Dusun people have been internationally recognised as indigenous to Borneo since 2004 as per the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Other similarly named, yet unrelated groups can also be found in Brunei and the Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Bruneian Dusuns (Sang Jati Dusun) are directly related to the Dusun people of Sabah, both belong to the same Dusunic Family group. Bruneian Dusuns share a common origin, language and identity with the Bisaya people of Brunei, northern Sarawak and southwestern Sabah. In Indonesia, the Barito Dusun groups that can be found throughout the Barito River system belonged to the Ot Danum Dayak people instead.
Semai (also known as Mai Semai or Sengoi Hik) are a semi-sedentary ethnic group living in the center of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia, known especially for their nonviolence. This characterization was made by Robert Knox Dentan, an anthropologist who studied the Semai in the 1960s, though he offered a more nuanced view after subsequent fieldwork. They speak Semai, an Austroasiatic language closely related to Temiar, spoken by Temiars nearby. The Semai are bordered by the Temiars to the north and the Jah Hut to the South. The Semai belong to the Senoi group, and are one of the largest indigenous ethnic groups in the Peninsula and the largest of the Senoi group. Most Semai subsist by cultivating grain crops, hunting, and fishing.
We underlined the importance of aboriginal language that helps us to appreciate our own identities as aboriginal people and our traditions. Dancing and songs are means of communication and transmission of our own cultures to share with others. Our spirituality finds a good moment in meditation among natural environments and technologies help us to share our knowledge with others.
The stories of our ancestors not only provide us with insights into love but also they offer a profound understanding of the Ten Commandments and virtues such as compassion and appreciation for our rich cultural heritage and traditions.
Our ancestral stories become evidence for fighting for the human rights of the community. Through the stories of the ancestors, the natives manage to prove the truth that the land belongs to the natives.
By leveraging technology and social media platforms like TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, and others, we can foster collaboration and establish meaningful connections with people from diverse nations.
The ancestral land is the place to live, it is our origin, the place of growing up, the authentic “supermarket” where we can get natural resources for survival, especially for our aboriginal communities.
In order to protect our ancestral territories, we need to invest funds on it, documenting the land, our customs, our history, and the origins of the population. It is important to make community maps by making marks with rocks or trees. Holding meetings of village leaders to manage and carry out ceremonies / rituals. We must be connected to this topic of the land because we need it for our life and shelter. If we take care and be kind to the land, then the land will also give us good things.
We consider that it is important to lead programs of reforestation and celebrate our culture in festivals, ceremonies and traditions. By wearing our cultural accessories such as bracelets, necklaces, rings, crowns, clothes and so on, we are also communicating who we are, being proud of our identity wherever we are, not being ashamed to speak in our mother tongue, sharing our culture such as musical instruments, dance, singing, folklore, traditional songs and so on in festivals or events. Forming a community. In this community we can speak our own mother tongue, share traditional food and drink, and celebrate important festivals. Making documentation of identity markers about clothes, customs, language, games and so on to be able to continue their identity and sharing our culture through social media and websites.
Although some of us have embraced and practiced the teachings of Christianity, we still practice our traditional beliefs, especially during engagement, marriage, death, and healing ceremonies. During the Worship or Holy Mass, traditional elements are also included such as language, dance, music and song. So far there is no problem between priests and practitioners of traditional customs (elders or spiritual aboriginal leaders). However, there are a few priests who forbid Christians to continue to practice traditional customs. Our local church appreciates the rituals, traditions and belief system of our aboriginal community. However, the sad part is the attitude of the natives themselves who do not want to practice and take care of their own tradition and cultures.
We need to walk together in the diversity of artwork and creativity of our aboriginal peoples. In general, the Church means something for all peoples in the world.
Therefore, the aboriginal languages are very important for the Church, because the Church must make sure that the message is really understood in the feelings of the peoples. The aboriginal language is the one we use to communicate deeply with God or with our spiritualities. We need to develop more dictionaries and documentation in and about our languages. Thanks to all those who could join in these projects, to help us in the skills of technologies, to acquire knowledge for our process to protect and promote our languages. The Church can do it.
The Church must be able to accept and respect several cultural traditions in the customs and culture of aboriginal peoples. The Batak people practice a syncretic religion of Shaivism, Buddhism, and local culture for thousands of years. The last Batak king who fought valiantly against Dutch imperialists until 1905 was an Indonesian Shaivite king, showcasing their strong resolve and courage. The Batak tribe’s stories of hope, pain, and struggles are deeply intertwined with their rich history, resilience, and cultural heritage. The community’s determination to maintain their unique identity and traditions, despite facing numerous challenges, is a testament to their strength and perseverance.
