This is the story of a Temiar community in the Kelantan hinterland. Never before has it been told in such detail and clarity, even though anthropologists have been intrigued with the Temiars for over a hundred years. It is a story of their survival in the deep rain forest of the Malayan Peninsula, from time immemorial to the present, living according to a ritual and social system taught to them through dreams, whereby they could placate the adverse spiritual entities of the wild and live peaceably as part of a strong ethnic group. Their dependence on natural resources has bonded them to the forest for millennia, and this is the lifestyle they seek to preserve today. Ten years of interaction with these true guardians of the forest has enabled David P. Quinton to piece together the facets of an unseen belief system and learn what makes them at one with their environment. He has also uncovered a wealth of knowledge that the Temiars possess of natural species and their uses.
VOL. 1:
- The life of the Temiars in the old days, their reliance on dream guides and spiritually adept leaders to teach them the way of peace with nature, their adherence to strict taboos and their celebration of life-giving spirits.
- The practical modes of sustaining their existence, building homes and procuring food by foraging and hunting in their unspoiled river valleys.
- Hundreds of Quinton's own pictures, which vividly capture the Temiars' way of life.
- 1000 names of species from the plant and animal kingdoms, known to the Temiars.
Author Bio
In 2007, David P. Quinton made his first acquaintance with the Temiar people, at Kuala Betis, in Kelantan, Malaysia. Later, in 2010, he reached the hinterland Temiars of Pos Simpor and Pos Gob. His fascination with their way of life and the knowledge of the environment they held, being so isolated from the outside world, not to mention their gentleness and deep beliefs, led David to begin a journey of investigation into their origins. In 2016, David settled down at Pos Gob, where he began writing his book.
David's wife, Ella, and her family, have been an invaluable source of information regarding Temiar culture, providing a wealth of knowledge that would have been impossible to discover otherwise. David has planted over 50 fruit trees at his home and each year he plants manioc and peanuts. But with elephants on the rampage at night, David has experienced first hand the difficulties that now face the Temiars in their endeavor to find food for their families.
This book project was supported by the GEF Small Grants Programme in Malaysia (UNDP).
