29-Jan-2009

In Search of Perak Man

Gua Gunung Runtuh is located at Bukit Kepala Gajah, about 105 meter above sea level. Research was carried out by Malaysian Archaeological Research Centre USM in 1990 with the cooperation from the Department of Museums and Antiquities. The important findings was the human skeleton Perak Man dating back between 10,000-11,000 years. Perak Man is the almost complete skeleton in the Southeast Asia and was the only prehistoric skeleton in the world found with congenital deformity known as Brchymesophalangia. Perak Man was buried in a foetal position with both legs were folded towards the chest and the hands grasping many types of meats. He was buried with stone tools and thousands of riverine shells. Perak Man is a male aged 40 -45 years old with 154 cm height, healthy when alive, ate fiber foods and walk in a bending position.

Gua Teluk Kelawar is situated in Kepala Gajah limestone massif. The cave forms a number of rock shelter inhibited by the hunters and gatherers since 10,000 years ago as revealed by the excavation conducted by Malaysian Archaeological Research Centre USM. The oval shaped unifacial tool was found in Kota Tampan about 74,000 years ago. Associated with the stone tools was riverine shells, animal bones and pottery sherds dating back to 6,000 years as an evidence that these area was inhibited continuously by the nomadic. The cave formation is suitable for shelter, the surround forest are sources for animal, vegetables, herbs and river nearby was sources for stone, riverine shells and fish. This normadic people adapt themselves with the environment that offered them sources for life.

Text above by the Department of Museums and Antiquities

Useful Articles:

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/40889/text.html

http://www.asiaexplorers.com/malaysia/lenggong.htm 

Perak Man Exhibition in 2006

Please click on hyperlink above for more stories on Perak Man.

Channel NewsAsia 13 Mar 06
Investigators keen to present Bigfoot's footprint cast to Johor government
Johnson Choo Malaysia Correspondent

JOHOR : Investigators who found what is believed to be a clear footprint of Malaysia's own 'Bigfoot' are waiting to meet the Johor Chief Minister. They want to present him with a cast of the print found in the rainforest and get his permission to carry out further investigations.

They came from across the world, drawn by a common attraction - the prospect of finding Malaysia's very own Bigfoot. The paranormal investigators from Singapore, USA and the UK were invited by their Malaysian counterparts, a group known as the "Uncle Seekers."

At Endau-Rompin National Park in the state of Johor, they ventured deep into the forest with the help of local guides. And after a daylong search - success! Mr Syed Abdullah Al-Attas, "Uncle Seekers", says: "Actually we saw 10 footprints -- but they are not clear." At about 6.15pm, George from Destination Truth, and Jenny from Independent Paper found it. "Yes Uncle! We found it! It's not myths!"

An entire Bigfoot colony is said to have moved there from the jungles of Perak in the North during the 70s. Also known as the tropical Yeti or Mawas, the huge creatures reportedly have dense growth of hair on several parts of their body.

Mr Eugene Toh, Singapore Paranormal Investogator, says: "We have this department called Crypto-zoology. It is actually the study of hidden animals, which is like Bigfoot, and all those mythical creatures, like the unicorn and stuff like that."

The clearest footprint found by the team had a four-inch depth. Going by that, and the height of broken tree branches overhead, the investigators believe an adult Bigfoot can reach a height of three and a half metres, and weigh more than 200 kilogrammes!

Ms Lee Qing Yu, Singapore Paranormal Investigator, says: "I brought along some crime scene investigator kit. So I went there and made some solution, pour into the footprint and made the cast."

The team now wants to present a cast of the footprint to Johor authorities and get permission to carry out further investigations.

Eversince this expedition, the Johor State Government has banned all foreigners from going into the area. It is still opened to Malaysians but they have to pay 5 ringgit, or the equivalent of US$1.50 just to go in there and try their luck at finding Bigfoot.

The Johor government has formed an official committee of research scientists, and are urging Malaysians to consider the creatures as part of the state's heritage. - CNA/de

Related articles: http://www.ufodigest.com/news/1206/malaysia-bf.html

Colin Nicholas

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 and administrators 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.

The Orang Asli, nevertheless, are not a homogeneous group.  Each has its own language and culture, and perceives itself as different from the others. Linguistically, some of the northern Orang Asli groups (especially the Senoi and Negrito groups) speak languages - now termed Aslian languages - that suggest a historical link with the indigenous peoples in Burma, Thailand and Indo-China.

The members of the Proto-Malay tribes, whose ancestors were believed to have migrated from the Indonesian islands to the south of the peninsula, speak dialects which belong to the same Austronesian family of languages as Malay, with the exceptions of the Semelai and Temoq dialects (which are Austroasiatic).

The Orang Asli have equally varied occupations and ways of life. The Orang Laut, Orang Seletar and Mah Meri, for example, live close to the coast and are mainly fishermen. Some Temuan, Jakun and Semai people have taken to permanent agriculture and now manage their own rubber, oil palm or cocoa farms.

About 40 per cent of the Orang Asli population - including Semai, Temiar, Che Wong, Jah Hut, Semelai and Semoq Beri - however, live close to, or within forested areas. Here they engage in swiddening (hill rice cultivation) and do some hunting and gathering. These communities also trade in petai, durian, rattan and resins to earn cash incomes.

A very small number, especially among the Negrito groups (such as Jahai and Lanoh) are still semi-nomadic, preferring to take advantage of the seasonal bounties of the forest. A fair number also live in urban areas and are engaged in both waged and salaried jobs.

There is no doubt, however, that the Orang Asli are the descendants of the earliest inhabitants in the peninsula. It has been suggested that they retained much of their identity to the present day because of their relative isolation from the other communities and the forces of change.

This is not to suggest that the Orang Asli lived in complete isolation, existing only on subsistence production. Economic dealings with the neighbouring Malay communities were not uncommon for the past few hundred years, especially for the Proto-Malay groups. Those Orang Asli living in remote forest areas also engaged in some trading with the Malays, with jungle produce being exchanged for salt, knives and metal axe-heads. There was also evidence of trade in blowpipes and blowpipe-bamboo among certain tribes. It has also been shown that the Orang Asli have played a significant role in the Malay Peninsula's economic history as collectors and primary traders as early as the 5th Century A.D. An early 19th century report also tells of Negritos providing forest products as tribute to the Malay chiefs of the river basins they resided in.

There seemed, therefore, to be a certain amount of interaction between the Orang Asli and the other ethnic groups, particularly the Malays who resided along the fringes of the forest. Some of the initial contacts, however, were unfortunately characterized by cruelty and mutual hostility.
 

Slavery
Slave raids into Orang Asli settlements were not an uncommon feature in the 18th and 19th centuries. The slave-raiders were mainly Malays and Bataks, who considered the Orang Asli as 'kafirs', 'non-humans', 'savages' and 'jungle-beasts.'

The modus operandi was basically to swoop down on a settlement and kill off all the adult men. Women and children were preferred as they were less likely to run away and were 'easier to tame.' The Orang Asli slaves were sold off or given to local rulers and chieftains to gain their favour.

A considerable trade in slaves thus soon developed - and even continued into the present century despite the official abolition of all forms of slavery in 1884. In fact, the derogatory term Sakai used to refer to the Orang Asli until the middle of this century meant slave or dependent. Many elders still remember this sad period of their history, and all Orang Asli detest being called Sakai.
 

Specimens and Souls
The coming of the British administrators led to some outcry against the slavery of the Orang Asli, but there were no efforts to promote their welfare. Because of their 'primitiveness' and their 'uncivilized culture', Orang Asli were regarded as excellent subjects for anthropological research. That the Orang Asli were seen so can be gleaned from the fact that the earliest official act directed towards the Orang Asli was the setting up of the Perak Museum in Taiping, from where research into Orang Asli demography and ethnography was to be carried out.

Also, being regarded as 'uncivilized' and therefore, it follows, 'unsaved', placed the Orang Asli in good light for the zeal of missionary proselytizers. The Catholics began their missionary activities among the Temuans in the middle of the 19th Century. The Methodists started theirs in the 1930s. Bahai missionaries also had a following in the 1960s while Muslim missionary work became increasingly more active over the last two decades.

Interest in the Orang Asli therefore tended to revolve around their usefulness as anthropological curiosities or as convenient subjects for proselytization. Otherwise, the official attitude towards the Orang Asli was one of indifference.
 

 Full story please click on:

http://www.magickriver.net/oa.htm

http://www.bukitpagar.com/bukit_pagar/bukitpagar.asp?bukitpagar=orang_asli

Belum Valley, located in the northern region of Perak State is bristling with fauna and flora, a rich natural heritage.

This remote area of Perak was once the battlefield between the Malaysian security forces and communist bandits.

Known as the Bamboo Trail, an infiltration route for the communist terrorist into Malaysia, the trail passes through secondary forest, bamboo forest and lowland primary jungles.

Virtually untouched by mankind and with the lifting of the curfew in 1991, Belum is slowly exposing it's well kept secrets to the outside world.

There are various activities that the adventurous can enjoy here.

This valley boasts of a river safari along Sara River where it passes by numerous islands that were once hilltops.

Trek through different jungle foliage where animals such as tigers and deers can be seen.

A waterfall, called the Terhong Cascades along Sara River, is definitely a cool place to enjoy the pristine jungle as you relax in its cool and clear waters.

Wildlife in Belum is difficult to be seen due to the density of the vegetation and the animals' shy tendency.

When in season, the Rafflesia flower, the largest flower in the world will be in full bloom.  This rare Rafflesia takes months to develop into a beauty, but dies only after a few days.

The Orang Asli, natives of the jungle, still rely on the jungle to sustain their lifestyle.  Although friendly and simple people, they are shy by nature. Having lived in the jungle their vast knowledge have enable them to practically live-off the land.

See more at: http://www.nss.org.sg/activities/081008.htm