In the early hours on the coast of the Andaman Sea in
Myanmar, Noi hurriedly brought his boat ashore. He had planned to go fishing
that day, but the sea level was dropping to ankle height. He knew a big tsunami
was coming; his ancestors had taught him well how to read and understand the
sea’s behavior. As people around him started running to the hills, Noi and his
family left their village, which was later devastated by massive waves.
Noi was grateful they survived the tragic event at the end
of 2004. He and his family are part of a unique community known as the Saloun
Sea Tribe, also called Salone, Salum, or Moken. These traditional sea nomads
are often referred to as the last sea gypsies in Southeast Asia. Their
population is estimated to be only 2,000 to 3,000 people. They live nomadically
on small boats, moving from one island to another following the seasons and
nature’s signs, spreading across Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines,
and the coast of Borneo.
Their lives are closely tied to the sea. They are used to
swimming and diving freely to catch fish and hunt various marine life. Men use
spears and nets to catch fish, while women and children collect crustaceans
during low tide. They are extraordinary divers, capable of staying underwater
for long periods without oxygen tanks. Even small children can see clearly
underwater. Their skills in maneuvering traditional boats called kabang
allow them to navigate the sea expertly.
The traditional lifestyle of the Moken is well preserved. As
nomadic people, the Moken rely on solidarity and communal cooperation within
their group to meet their needs, sharing resources and knowledge and helping
each other in daily sea activities. These communal values are the foundation of
their resilience and sustainability. The kabang serves not only as a
means of transport but also as a home, a place to gather, learn, play, and
educate children. They live with few possessions but are rich in culture and
traditions passed down through generations.
They possess profound traditional knowledge and skills about
the sea, currents, weather, and ecosystems, taking only what they need for
survival. Their activities are always in harmony with nature, causing no
significant damage. The origins of the Moken tribe are still speculative,
despite various studies from linguistic, socio-cultural, and genetic
perspectives. It is estimated that they belong to the same Austronesian group
as other tribes in Southeast Asia, such as the Orang Laut in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Some researchers suggest that the Moken might descend from
small groups separated from larger populations in the past. Kelsey Needham
Dancause and colleagues, in their 2009 journal titled Origins of the Moken
Sea Gypsies inferred from mitochondrial hypervariable region and whole genome
sequences, explored the origins and affinities of the Moken by comparing
the entire mitochondrial genome and hypervariable segment I sequences of 12
Moken individuals from four islands in the Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar, with
other populations in mainland Asia, Island Southeast Asia (ISEA), and other
Oceanic populations. Their analysis revealed one major haplotype and one minor
haplotype within the population, indicating low mitochondrial diversity likely
due to historically small population size, isolation, and genetic drift.
Phylogenetic analysis also revealed close relations between
the major lineages originating from the Southeast Asian mainland coast and
spreading to ISEA and quickly to the Mergui Archipelago in the last few
thousand years due to population pressure induced by climate change. The Moken
live a traditional sea life, floating in groups of at least six boats, each
housing a family, usually comprising three generations. They hunt turtles,
collect sandworms and clams, and catch numerous species using traps, nets, and
spears.
According to Moken myths, the shape of the kabang
boat symbolizes the human body. The front of the boat is considered a mouth
that constantly demands food, while the back is seen as the anus for expelling
waste. On the kabang, Noi never has a specific route for his
destination. He only stops at certain islands for necessary supplies.
Otherwise, he feels free and lets the kabang be his guide. “Our life comes from
the boat. For instance, I was born on the kabang, as was my grandmother.
We spend our lives on the kabang,” Noi said, accompanied by his mother,
wife, and two children.
He and the other Moken worship two main spirit gods,
indicating a polytheistic belief system in their spiritual tradition. Besides
worshiping gods, the Moken also practice shamanism, which is usually associated
with customary ceremonies or specific rituals. Although the Moken have access
to gas stoves on some boats, they still prefer cooking over an open fire, even
when the kabang is anchored near the shore. Cooking over an open fire
has traditional and cultural significance for them. Fire symbolizes warmth,
community, and the simplicity of life. Cooking over an open fire is also a way
to connect with their ancestors and keep their traditions alive.
The spirituality of the Moken is not just about belief but
also a way of life. Families spend six to eight months on the kabang and
stay on land only during the wet and windy southwest monsoon season. When not
at sea, these sea gypsies often live on land during the rainy season
(May–October), hunting wild boar and small game and gathering fruits and
vegetables from the forest. During this time, they also use the marine
resources they collected throughout the dry season as supplementary food, such
as crustaceans, clams, and sea cucumbers.
This period is also when they form temporary settlements
that support their social structure and cultural rituals, like performing
religious ceremonies and various traditional rituals. Animism totems often
stand in the middle of stilt villages with thatched roofs, indicating a
significant non-material presence. Although they often move, most of the Moken
tribe inhabits the Mergui Archipelago, which stretches 400 kilometers in the
Andaman Sea, Myanmar. They are organized into large kinship groups based around
a fleet of boats. They anchor in safe places to meet with other tribe members
and communities.
Supply points on land are crucial for the Moken to maintain
and build kabang. This process is usually done during the rainy season,
when they spend more time on land. Some basic needs, such as hunting tools,
fuel, and other materials for boat maintenance, are sourced from specific
supply points on land. These points can be places to trade goods, get help, and
strengthen social relationships. When returning to sea, it is not uncommon for
relatives or acquaintances to stay, narrowing the boat’s space.
In using devices, the Moken also use plastic and modern
materials alongside traditional ones, such as using plastic bottles as boat
floats. However, the Moken’s existence is currently threatened by various
factors, such as climate change, overexploitation of marine resources, and
rapid infrastructure development. Their traditions and culture are endangered,
and their way of life is increasingly pressured by modernization. They are
often victims of exploitation, such as being forced to work on fishing boats or
other places that do not suit their traditional lifestyle.
The Myanmar government even plans to permanently relocate
the Moken to the mainland. They want to place them in national parks as tourist
attractions, hoping to increase tourism revenue. Additionally, many Moken
people in Myanmar lack citizenship and access to various facilities and health
services. According to a UN Human Rights Commission report, the Navy is accused
of extortion, arbitrary arrests, and violence against the Moken. This was
previously attempted by Thailand when it established the Tarutao National Park
in 1974 and forced the Moken to live permanently. A few years later, a fishing
ban in several Thai waters caused conflict with their traditional lifestyle.
The Moken do not know politics or violence; they only live
within their own group. Except when trading, they usually do so in a kabang
owned by one extended family. Following the changing seasons, the Moken plan
their movements between sea and land. The dry season has arrived, and they
return to the sea to hunt, gather various fish, and traverse the vast maritime
areas to maintain their autonomy, which heavily depends on the sea. Their
relationship with the land is not opposed to their sea life but complements it
for the sustainability of their rich culture and traditions.
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