declining traditional knowledge and practices in the use ... · 10/3/2019 · • major natural...
TRANSCRIPT
Declining traditional knowledge and practices in the use of natural resources among
Indigenous Local Communities of Selangor,Malaysia
Ho YuekMing, PhDFaculty of Environmental Studies
Universiti Putra [email protected]
OESF 2019: Oceania Ecosytem Services Forum4 September 2019, Christchurch, New Zealand
OESF 2019
Acknowledgement
Environmental Sociology class of 2019:• Ameera Nazeerah Ahmad Khairi
• Chin Kee Tom• Chong Kar Woh• Nurul Nasihah Mohd Najmi
• Nurwindah Rahman
OESF 2019
Overview
• Indigenous Local Communities (ILCs) of Malaysia
• Ethnographic research• Natural Resources• Traditional knowledge & practices
OESF 2019
Introduction
• Ethnographic study • Examines traditional knowledge and practices in the use of natural resources among ILCs in the state of Selangor in Malaysia.
OESF 2019
Objectives
• Identify existing natural resources that are still available within indigenous communities in Selangor
• Examine practices in the use of natural resources • Identify traditional knowledge in the use of natural resources
OESF 2019
Case
• Rapid development has encroached into settlement areas of indigenous local communities – especially those located close to the city.
• Much of the natural resources such as plants and animals were lost due to land use change.
OESF 2019
OESF 2019
Original People – ‘Orang Asal’
• Aborigine (orang asli),• Original people (orang asal)• Three major tribes of Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia.
● Negrito, Senoi, and Proto‐Malay (Thevakumar et al., 2016)● consists of 19 ethnic groups
Ref: ‘Orang Asli ‐ Minority Rights Group, 2018)
OESF 2019
OESF 2019
OESF 2019
Livelihoods
● Live near or deep in the forest● May be engaged in hill rice production● Traditional hunter gatherers activities,● Shifting agriculture (the Jakun tribe).● Coastal fishing, eg. Orang Seletar and Mah Meri● Some persist a semi‐nomadic lifestyle (the Negritos)
OESF 2019
Challenges & Threats
Indigenous communities in Malaysia faces various challenges:• land rights • adapting to modern development. (Worlds News, 2019) • Deforestation – many indigenous groups move from their
native land to new settlements. • Native land encroachment:
– property development – commercial plantations (oil palm, rubber and durian) (Rahim & Puay,
2017)
OESF 2019
OESF 2019
• Any kind of development to the indigenous community should be based on their needs
• They should be consulted • Understand what they really need,• Not dictated to them from top down.
‐Bedi (2018)
OESF 2019
Methodology
• Interviews were held with thirty participants • Three settlement villages:
– Taman Orang Asli Saujana Puchong (Temuan)– Kg. Bukit Bangkong, Dengkil (Temuan)– Kg. Sg. Bumbum, Pulau Carey (Mah Meri)
OESF 2019
Location
OESF 2019
OESF 2019
Puchong
OESF 2019
Dengkil
OESF 2019
Carey Island
OESF 2019
Qualitative data analysis
• Transcription• Coding • Thematic analysis
OESF 2019
Results & Findings
• Most respondents said that the forest area is declining
• Major natural resources disappearing. – semendut, cocoa trees,, kayu nirih batu and some other herbs.
– some wild animals– “semua dah takda dah cuma ada mengkuang sahaja” ‐Carey Island
• Today they ‘buy what they need from the market’
OESF 2019
OESF 2019
Table 1:List of Natural Resources
OESF 2019
Table 2: Use of resources
OESF 2019
Table 2 (cont.)
OESF 2019
Table 2 (cont.)
Pouch made from ‘mengkuang’ Woodcrafts
OESF 2019
OESF 2019
OESF 2019
Traditional knowledge & practices
• Traditional knowledge received from previousgenerations.
• Unable to transfer knowledge of natural resourcesuse to their new generation due to lost ofresources.
• Lack of interest among young generation toinherit this knowledge due to modern lifestyle.
• Problem faced in defending their originalsettlements.
OESF 2019
Conclusion
• Urbanization has changed/reduced traditional knowledge and practices due to declining availability of natural resources.
• The older generation expressed preference for traditional lifestyle and environment
• The new generation felt that development provides convenience and easy access to food, education and healthcare.
OESF 2019
Conclusion
The traditional knowledge and practices in the use of natural resources among indigenous people have changed
•Relocation to other settlement to make way for development influences their way of living.
•The new generations of ILCs do not practise the traditiondue to different culture and way of living.will affect the continuity of indigenous knowledge and culture.
OESF 2019
Further action
• How these vulnerable communities adapt to modern development and their efforts in maintaining traditional cultures warrants further inquiry.
• Ecosystem based economies to sustain livelihood of ILCs.
OESF 2019
KYUTECH, WAKAMATSU 9 JULY 2018 35
OESF 2019
THANK YOU
TERIMA KASIH
Kia ora
OESF 2019