Sri Gumum

Sri Gumum
Peter A. van der Helm



A Glimpse of Orang Asli Life at Tasik Chini

Nurul


History and Profile Stories of the Lake Annotated Slide Shows



The Orang Asli ("First Peoples") are the indigenous people of West-Malaysia. They form a population of about 150,000 people divided over about 18 groups (see the Orang Asli Archive for general information). Many of them live in or near rainforest areas. One of these areas is around the legendary lotus-covered lake called Tasik Chini near the mountain called Gunung Chini in the state of Pahang.


Orang Asli oral tradition has it that the mountain now called Gunung Chini got its name after the original Gunung Chini had become Tasik Chini, and that a city built on top of the original Gunung Chini now lies submerged in Tasik Chini, guarded by the spirit Sri Gumum who may appear e.g. as a naga ular (snakelike dragon). See Stories of the Lake for more.


Pop up Satellite Photo to get a first impression of this beautiful but endangered lake that consists of 12 laut (seas) and that, by the jungle creek Sungai Chini, connects to the great river Sungai Pahang. See Annotated Slide Shows for further impressions.
Tasik Chini (geographically)


The Orang Asli around Tasik Chini belong to the Jakun (also called Orang Hulu) who live in the south-east part of Pahang but they feel, and through marriages are, also connected to other Orang Asli groups, in particular the Semelai around Tasik Bera (see also Stories of the Lake). They practise consensus politics with equal rights for men and women. Their traditional life-style is gradually being replaced by a more modern life-style, but unemployment and poverty make it hard to keep pace with the rapid economic developments in Malaysia.

See History and Profile for an illustrated account of developments in the Orang Asli community at Tasik Chini.

See Annotated Slide Shows for 150 photos taken in the years 1989-2005 and arranged in 10 topical slide shows that highlight various aspects of Orang Asli life at Tasik Chini. The slide shows cover, among other topics, the kenduri -- a ritual meal prepared on only three occasions in one's life, namely, birth, wedding, and death.







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