98
Introduction
Ethnozoology refers to the study of the relationship between humans and animals in
their environment. It highly reflects the importance of animals in the life of man
(Alves 2012). Historically, various animals have been utilised for many purposes, and
have provided significant support to humans in terms of livelihood. For instance, wildlife products that are readily available, such as ivory, bones, antlers and feathers, have
been used by humans as tools and ornaments since prehistoric times (Pederson 2004).
In Peninsular Malaysia, the forest-dependent community belongs to one of the
minority groups, which are the indigenous people. The indigenous people (or Orang
Asli in Malay) are the earliest inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia. Some of the subtribes have lived in Peninsular Malaysia for at least 25,000 years (Nicholas 2000),
and they have been called the “first people” or “original people”. The three major
groups of the Orang Asli are the Senoi, Negrito and Proto Malay, and they are made
up of 18 sub-ethnic groups (Carey 1976). Each sub-tribe has a distinctive culture,
belief, language, tradition and lifestyle. The Negrito consists of the Kintak, Kensiu,
Jahai, Medrik, Batek and Lanoh, while the Senoi consists of the Semai, Temiar, Jah
Hut, Mah Beri, Che wong and Semoq Beri. The Temuan, Jakun, Semelai, Orang
Seletar, Orang Kuala and Orang Kanaq, meanwhile, are Proto Malays.
Today, many Orang Asli communities have been resettled in villages outside of
forests. Traditionally, the Orang Asli lived in and around forests in bamboo and rattan huts. They live a nomadic and semi-nomadic life, acquiring various resources in
and around their surrounding forests to survive (Kuchikura 1986). Their high dependency on forest resources and products has been widely studied (Ramle et al. 2014),
particularly among the Batek communities (Tuck-Po 1998). It appears that poverty
is one likely reason for this high dependency. According to a report from the
Statistics Department (2010), 1.4% of indigenous people nationwide were classified
as poor. In Pahang, 35.2% of the Orang Asli were classified as hardcore poor.
Only a few studies have documented the use of animals by the Orang Asli in
Peninsular Malaysia. At least 12 species are known to be utilised by the Orang Asli
for various purposes (Yahaya 2015; Azliza et al. 2012, Howell et al. 2010). In
Sarawak, however, up to 52 species of animals have been utilised by the indigenous
people for medicinal purposes (Mohd Azlan and Muhammad Faisal 2006). Thus,
this survey aims to compile a list of wildlife utilised by the Orang Asli community
living near Tasik Kenyir (the largest man-made lake in southeast Asia) in Terengganu.
The uses of the wildlife will also be discussed.
Methods
Background of Study Area
The survey was conducted at Kampung Sungai Berua (5° 4
′
49.8
”
N 102° 53
′
2.76
″
E),
an Orang Asli village in Kenyir, Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu (Fig. 1). The majority
of the Orang Asli in the village were from the Semoq Beri sub-tribe of the Senoi. The
C. V. Bartholomew et al.
Introduction
Ethnozoology refers to the study of the relationship between humans and animals in
their environment. It highly reflects the importance of animals in the life of man
(Alves 2012). Historically, various animals have been utilised for many purposes, and
have provided significant support to humans in terms of livelihood. For instance, wildlife products that are readily available, such as ivory, bones, antlers and feathers, have
been used by humans as tools and ornaments since prehistoric times (Pederson 2004).
In Peninsular Malaysia, the forest-dependent community belongs to one of the
minority groups, which are the indigenous people. The indigenous people (or Orang
Asli in Malay) are the earliest inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia. Some of the subtribes have lived in Peninsular Malaysia for at least 25,000 years (Nicholas 2000),
and they have been called the “first people” or “original people”. The three major
groups of the Orang Asli are the Senoi, Negrito and Proto Malay, and they are made
up of 18 sub-ethnic groups (Carey 1976). Each sub-tribe has a distinctive culture,
belief, language, tradition and lifestyle. The Negrito consists of the Kintak, Kensiu,
Jahai, Medrik, Batek and Lanoh, while the Senoi consists of the Semai, Temiar, Jah
Hut, Mah Beri, Che wong and Semoq Beri. The Temuan, Jakun, Semelai, Orang
Seletar, Orang Kuala and Orang Kanaq, meanwhile, are Proto Malays.
Today, many Orang Asli communities have been resettled in villages outside of
forests. Traditionally, the Orang Asli lived in and around forests in bamboo and rattan huts. They live a nomadic and semi-nomadic life, acquiring various resources in
and around their surrounding forests to survive (Kuchikura 1986). Their high dependency on forest resources and products has been widely studied (Ramle et al. 2014),
particularly among the Batek communities (Tuck-Po 1998). It appears that poverty
is one likely reason for this high dependency. According to a report from the
Statistics Department (2010), 1.4% of indigenous people nationwide were classified
as poor. In Pahang, 35.2% of the Orang Asli were classified as hardcore poor.
Only a few studies have documented the use of animals by the Orang Asli in
Peninsular Malaysia. At least 12 species are known to be utilised by the Orang Asli
for various purposes (Yahaya 2015; Azliza et al. 2012, Howell et al. 2010). In
Sarawak, however, up to 52 species of animals have been utilised by the indigenous
people for medicinal purposes (Mohd Azlan and Muhammad Faisal 2006). Thus,
this survey aims to compile a list of wildlife utilised by the Orang Asli community
living near Tasik Kenyir (the largest man-made lake in southeast Asia) in Terengganu.
The uses of the wildlife will also be discussed.
Methods
Background of Study Area
The survey was conducted at Kampung Sungai Berua (5° 4
′
49.8
”
N 102° 53
′
2.76
″
E),
an Orang Asli village in Kenyir, Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu (Fig. 1). The majority
of the Orang Asli in the village were from the Semoq Beri sub-tribe of the Senoi. The
C. V. Bartholomew et al.