Mah Meri Animal Folklore

Being one of 19 culturally and linguistically distinct groups of Orang Asli living in Peninsular Malaysia, the Mah Meri are a coastal people living along the coast of Selangor from Sungai Pelek up to Pulau Carey as well as Pulau Ketam. Mah Meri Animal Folklore is a collection of seven tales, and is described as being filled with entertaining animal characters that provide a glimpse into how the Mah Meri perceive their environment.  With no written language, their folklore is a repository of their wisdom, culture, customs, traditions, and history, handed down from generation to generation. The compilation of seven tales as told by cultural activist Julida Uju, was written by Ann Marie Chandy, with illustrations by Sharon Yap (Creative Director, Gerimis Art Project), and the bilingual book also features translations by cultural worker Shazni Bhai. We find out more about Mah Meri culture and the tales that are documented in this new book from Julida Uju (Tompoq Topoh Mah Meri Women's Initiative), Maznah Unyan (Tompoq Topoh Mah Meri Women's Initiative), and Ann Marie Chandy (writer).