Mediavotion

Below is a summary of information that I collected from the trip. Most of this information was not retrieve from the internet. This field research helps me uncover the real problem and life of the Jahai tribe.


We went to 2 Jahai villages, Kampung Air Banun and Kampung Chuweh. Both of them seems to share water supply problem. It was either limited or broken and was not fixed. They mentioned that the government only installed the water but did not carry on the maintenance causing them to retreat to the river or the lake for drinking, washing and cleaning.


As I interviewed more people, especially the women of Jahai, I found out that they were married at a very young age and most of them produce an average of 5-6 children. By the time they were 40 years old the number of children double.


Each village has a Tok Batin that is in charge of the welfare and the people. Having most of the responsibility, both village that I visited told me that the Tok Batin was out on a business trip. Leaving another man called Tok Ketua/ Ketua Kampung to take care of the village for the time being.


Most of the men in these villages went into the jungle to collect fruits and rattan for personal used. For example fixing their bamboo hut requires leaves and bambbo that can be found in the jungle.


In Kampung Chuweh, I saw 3 empty bamboo hut and I was curios as it look slightly different from the rest. One of the man told me that it was for the visitor that come to stay with the villagers. I was told that in few days time there would be visitors from China coming in to stay for 3 days and the hut cost RM20 ringgit per night. These information startled me as they Jahai were very shy with us when we approach them but they were open to welcome international visitor and allowing the visitor to spend time in the village.


Most children did not attend school due to distance, lack of encouragement or money problems. I also interviewred a boy that have a striking appearance and found that he was not a Jahai at all. He came from the Temiar tribe and was visiting his friend in Kampung Chuweh.


These information was fascinating to me as this is the kind of information that you do not get on the internet and I was happy to learn something from the experience.