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Thursday, June 28, 2012

UNIVERSE’S ORIGIN: NIAS MYTH (POLYNESIAN)


UNIVERSE’S ORIGIN: NIAS MYTH (POLYNESIAN)

Erle Frayne D. Argonza

In the Polynesian area one of the most characteristic and interesting types of cosmogonic myths was that which explained the origin of the universe as due to a sort of evolutionary development from an original chaos or nothingness; and, at least in central Polynesia, this assumed a genealogical form. This evolutionary genealogical type of origin-myths seems, so far as available material goes, to be lacking in Indonesia, except in one very restricted region, the island of Nias, lying off the western coast of Sumatra. According to myths from this island, there was in the beginning only darkness and fog, which condensed and brought forth a being with-out speech or motion, without head, arms, or legs; and in its turn this being gave existence to another, who died, and from whose heart sprang a tree which bore three sets of three buds. From the first two sets six beings were produced, two of whom made from the third set of buds a man and a woman—the ancestors of mankind. The several variants of the myth differ in details, but all agree in tracing the origin of things to a primeval chaos, from which after several generations was developed a tree that in turn gave rise to gods and men. Although lacking the details and development found in Polynesia, these Nias myths seem to show the same fundamental conception.
REFLECTION

The Polynesian cosmogonic myth suggests first of all the notion of a forward movement, not necessarily linear though genealogical in model.

The reality of the void at the beginning of the Manvantara—great cycle of life—is revealed. A formless Supreme Being, the One Universal Principle is outrightly indicated. Not only that, there is also the notion of the pre-human forms, in higher dimension, as being one “without head, arms or legs”—meaning, they were of spiritual and etheric constitution.

Those higher dimension beings, upon their descent to the lower spheres, of high compassion mode (“whose heart sprang a tree”), were the precursors to the etheric form of Pangean races. From the Pangean to the Lemurian, from the asexually birthing to the sexually birthing humans, three ‘root races’ have come to pass as Divine Wisdom or Theos Sophia revealed.
The number 3 is of course the Upper Triune that was embedded in the Polynesian collective mind and genes. A legacy of ancient Mu whose direct remnants were indeed the Polynesians.

[Philippines, 20 June 2011]

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Monday, June 25, 2012

SKY, WIND, SEA, EARTH: COSMOS UNVEILED IN ASEAN FOLKLORE


SKY, WIND, SEA, EARTH: COSMOS UNVEILED IN ASEAN FOLKLORE

Erle Frayne D. Argonza

In my succeeding notes I will delve on the matter of cosmogony as contained in ASEAN myths, which is a synthesis of the objective world of cosmos and the subjective worlds of sentient beings. Before I proceed to those note presentations, let me articulate briefly the archetypal images in the cosmogony.

Essentially, three (3) archetypal images are observed across the diverse ethnicities and cultures: sky, sea, earth. The complexity of the cosmos and subjective worlds was attempted to be encapsulated in these archetypal images. Betwixt sky, sea, earth is the intermediary archetype of wind, the flowing or convection of which sort of meshes up the former 3. So that’s a 3 + 1 sort of formula all in all.

Do note that the ancient peoples of the region went through a long dormancy of high knowledge and high culture in the aftermath of the sinking of Poseidonis which triggered global submarine explosions that, in turn, ended the last Ice Age. The melting waters from glaciers, poles, and related glacial formations caused a Deluge and obliterated knowledge and epistemes (knowledge-building modes) of the ancients.

The knowledge, truths and wisdom were to survive through oral modalities of conservation and heritage, out of which evolved the folklore: myths, legends, puzzles, idioms, related forms. Divine wisdom flowed openly to the ancient peoples, but after the Deluge just the few Initiated Ones, notably the shamanic-priestly caste, obtained access to high wisdom.

Out of such preserved embeds of wisdom came the archetypes of sky, sea, earth. The embedded codes are surely tough nuts to crack, but let us try to decode those tough stuff just the same.

Divine wisdom reveals that both the objective and subjective domains of reality were emanations from the One Universal Principle or Supreme Deity, done upon the Out-breath phase of the Manvantara or great cycle of life. From out of that process evolved the 7th, 6th and 5th planes, which constitute the spiritual planes. Such ontological domains would roughly be the equivalent of the ‘sky’ archetype in ASEAN cosmogony.

From the spiritual dimensions the cosmic element of ether was to descend downwards, to aid in the formation of all the other elements. The possibility for emanating objective, material domains was then increased, thus creating the 4th, 3rd and 2nd planes. Altogether, the 4th and 3rd planes are the equivalent of the ‘wind’ archetype, while the 2nd plane corresponds to the ‘sea’ archetype.

The final, most dense form of domain, the physical or 1st plane, was the last. The ‘earth’ archetype corresponds to this domain. In the last instance, humans, plants, animals were created in this domain, which is what the ancient Malayans-IndoMongolians-Polynesians can make sense of the creation narrative. The ‘earth’ domain was an extrapolation from their solid existential context, so we will understand how they comprehend cosmogony during their own times as struggling post-Glacial peoples.

As always, the creator deities, led by the Supreme Deity, come from the ‘sky’. That is the closest that the ancients came to the real, the truth, the knowledge. For indeed Deities were of the 7th plane which is the dimension of deities and/or avatars. Such deities & avatars can always descend down the 5th plane, which is the dimension of the souls.

With this backgrounder, maybe we are ready to move on to the review of diverse cosmogonic/creation myths.

[Philippines, 17 June 2011]

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Friday, June 22, 2012

COSMIC, DEVIC & TRINITARIAN GODS: PHILIPPINE MYTHOS


COSMIC, DEVIC & TRINITARIAN GODS: PHILIPPINE MYTHOS

Erle Frayne D. Argonza / Ra

Among ancient Filipinos, a branch of the Malayo-Mu peoples, is the belief in the Supreme Being. The Tagalogs held the belief in Bathala, the Supreme Deity who was also King of the Diwatas. Diwata comes from the Sanskrit devata, meaning deva. The belief in Bathala however goes beyond the Tagalogs, as it goes all the way southwards to the Visayas and Java.

The Trinitarian or 3-aspect deity is traced to Vedic knowledge of the spiritual domains. Vedic knowledge however is traceable to an even earlier set of spiritual discourse, the Lemurian. All such discourses are embedded calcifications of Divine Wisdom, and it takes the sharp eyes of Initiates to extract such wisdom from the later versions (Vedic to Malayan folklore).

The Number 3 is the Upper Triune in the Septenary Law, while the Number 4 is the Lower Quaternary of 4 material domains and elements. There are 3 spiritual planes, a knowledge that would come down unto mankind as 3 aspects of Supreme Deity. In the West that Triune is Father, Son, Spirit/Shekinah (Mother). Among ancient Bharatans (Indians) the Triune comes as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva.

In the Philippine-Malayan version, Bathala birthed Apolaki, Mayari, and Tala. The mythos of Bathala and the Apolaki-Mayari-Tala triune already contains the cosmogony of divinity and humanity, with implications to cosmology or knowledge of the cosmos.

Below is a summary of the mythos.

[Philippines, 17 June 2011]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathala

Bathala

According to Philippine mythology, Bathalang Maykapal, or Bathala, was the Supreme God of the ancient Tagalog and King of the Diwatas. Derived from the Javanese Batara Guru, an alternate name for the Hindu god Shiva, the concept of Bathala, as with many beliefs in pre-Hispanic Philippines, owe a huge debt to the Hinduism of the Srivijayan Javanese. All of these beliefs were soon changed after the Spaniards set foot on the islands. Spanish missionaries used Bathala as a way for them to convert the Tagalogs into Christianity by associating him with the Christian God. They also did this to the other deities by replacing them with saints. Since then, the name "Bathala" was used to refer to the Christian God and is still used by Filipinos today, and God is even addressed as "Poong (Panginoon, meaning "Lord") Maykapal".
Bathala has counterparts in other parts of the Philippines. In Northern Luzon, Kabunian and Lumawig; in Southern Luzon, Gugurang and Mangindusa; and in the Visayas, Abba, Kan-Laon, and Kaptan.

Apolaki, Mayari, and Tala

Legend has it that Bathala fell in love with a mortal woman when he was visiting the Earth. They got married and had three children: Apolaki, Mayari, and Tala.
Many years had passed and the three younglings grew up to become mighty demigods. The time has finally come for them to take their rightful place in Kalualhatian. There was a big feast in the Sky World and both gods and humans were celebrating. After the feast was done, the ceremony of initiation began. Bathala came out of the crowd and summoned his children to stand in front of him. He then appointed them with a task.
Apolaki was appointed "God of War" and "Guardian of the Sun". Mayari was appointed to be "Goddess of the Moon". Tala was appointed "Goddess of the Stars".
The three offspring of Bathala soon became known to be among the greatest of gods and goddesses.
The Story of Bathala
In the beginning of time there were three powerful gods who lived in the universe. Bathala was the caretaker of the earth, Ulilang Kaluluwa, a huge serpent who lived in the clouds, and Galang Kaluluwa, the winged god who loves to wander. These three gods did not know each other. Bathala often dreamt of creating mortals but the empty earth stops him from doing so. Ulilang Kaluluwa who was equally lonely as Bathala, liked to visit places and the earth was his favorite. One day the two gods met. Ulilang Kaluluwa was not pleased. He challenged Bathala to a fight to decide who would be the ruler of the universe. After three days and three nights, Ulilang Kaluluwa was slain by Bathala. Instead of giving him a proper burial, Bathala burned the snake's remains. A few years later the third god, Galang Kaluluwa, wandered into Bathala's home. He welcomed the winged god with much kindness and even invited him to live in his kingdom. They became true friends and were very happy for many years.
Galang Kaluluwa became very ill. Before he died he instructed Bathala to bury him on the spot where Ulilang Kaluluwa’s body was burned. Bathala did exactly as he was told. Out of the grave of the two dead gods grew a tall tree with a big round nut, which is the coconut tree. Bathala took the nut and husked it. He noticed that the inner skin was hard. The nut itself reminded him of Galang Kaluluwa’s head. It had two eyes, a flat nose, and a round mouth. Its leaves looked so much like the wings of his dear winged friend. But the trunk was hard and ugly, like the body of his enemy, the snake Ulilang Kaluluwa.
Bathala realized that he was ready to create the creatures he wanted with him on earth. He created the vegetation, animals, and the first man and woman. Bathala built a house for them out of the trunk and leaves of the coconut trees. For food, they drank the coconut juice and ate its delicious white meat. Its leaves, they discovered, were great for making mats, hats, and brooms. Its fiber could be used for rope and many other things.

In popular culture / Language

The Filipino philosophical expression "Bahala na!" is usually interpreted as a fatalist remark, comparable to "Whatever will be, will be".[1] According to Paraluman S. Aspillera, a writer from the Philippines, the expression and its meaning might have been altered throughout the ages. It might have originally been "Bathala na!" ("As God wills it!"),[2] but was changed at one point in time. It might also be uttered when the Filipino has exhausted all possible ways to get out of a difficult situation.[3] A modern fuller version of the phrase is "Bahala na ang Diyos!"
Also, the Tagalog word pamahalaan (government) can be traced from the word Bathala. According to linguistic studies, the word is a result of the full assimilation of the prefix pang- with bathala and the suffix -an. So, the Tagalog term for government actually means "to Lord over" or "to be God's vicar."
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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

ABSOLUTE DEITY, FEMININE & MASCULINE, CREATORS: MALAYAN BRIEFER


ABSOLUTE DEITY, FEMININE & MASCULINE, CREATORS: MALAYAN BRIEFER

Erle Frayne D. Argonza / Ra

Divine wisdom or Theos Sophia articulated well about the Supreme Deity or the One Universal Principle. The Supreme Being has the Unmanifest and Manifest aspects, and we can know only the Manifest aspect of that omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent Being.

Southeast Asians are not wanting in knowledge of the Supreme Deity, both the Manifest and Unmanifest facets of the Godhead. Below is a summary of deities in Malayan myths.


Among the many indigenous peoples in Indonesia and Malaysia there are several examples of dual gods and sometimes of trinities. In Sumatra, the Toba Batak see the Absolute Mula Jadi na Bolon as three persons representing the upper, middle, and lower worlds. In Nias there is a two-person divinity representing the dual nature of the universe—good and evil, light and dark. For the Ngaju people of Borneo, Jata is the feminine side of a dual godhead. She represents the lower world and the moon. Mahatala, the male aspect, is the upper world and the sun. Together Jata and Mahatala form the Absolute Tambon Haruei Bungai (see Southeast Asian entries)


REFLECTION

A further reflection on such Beings reveal the three generic domains of Spiritual (upper), Mental (middle), and Physical-Astral (lower) domains. As one studies the myths across the ASEAN, one would encounter such division of domains, which is indicative of the grasp of occult knowledge by the ancient Lemuro-Atlanteans from whom the Malays and IndoMongolians came from.

Note the Absolute Tambon Haruei Bungai, for instance. The Absolute is of course no other than Supreme Deity, with both Feminine and Masculine aspects represented. In the Malayan version, Mahatala is the male aspect while Jata is the feminine side. The Absolute already contains both manifest and unmanifest aspects as per inductive indications.

Jata representing the lower world (material/physical) and the Moon also indicate the ancient knowledge of the Lunar ‘Fathers’ (creator deities) who hastened the creation of the first root races of humanity. Mahatala as representing the upper world and the Sun, indicates the ancient people’s knowledge of the Solar ‘Fathers’ (creator deities) who helped to breed and accelerate the evolution of humanity after the episode of Lunar creator deities’ involvement.

[Philippines, 16 June 2011]

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Monday, June 18, 2012

QUATERNARY PRINCIPLE, 4 ELEMENTS, DHARMA IN ‘FOUR PUPPETS’ NARRATIVE


QUATERNARY PRINCIPLE, 4 ELEMENTS, DHARMA IN ‘FOUR PUPPETS’ NARRATIVE

Erle Frayne D. Argonza / Ra

Behind the number 4 is the esoteric knowledge of the material elements of earth, water, air, fire. The elements characterize the four (4) material planes, to note: physical, earth element; astral, water element; mental, air element; and, causal or ‘higher mental’, fire element. The lower domains or dimensions of reality comprise the Lower Quaternary in the Septenary Law.

Narratives with the number of 4, such as the Four Puppets tale from Burma, are fascinating as they subtly embede the four (4) elements. To recall, among the early theories of personality goes the 4-Types personality: sanguine, melancholic, choleric, phlegmatic. Notice the four types representing roughly four (4) elements, to note: phlegmatic, earth; sanguine, water; melancholic, air; and, choleric, fire.

Below is a summary of the Four Puppets Tale as an exemplar of the Number 4 dovetailing into folklore. The denouement of the narrative stressed on Dharma, which is sacrosanct to Divine Wisdom.


The Four Puppets
A Tale of Burma

Told by Aaron Shepard

Printed in Australia’s School Magazine, May 2007
Once there was a puppet maker who had a son named Aung. The father always hoped his son would grow up to be a puppet maker like himself. But to Aung, such a life was far from exciting.
“Father,” said Aung one day, “I’ve decided to leave home and seek my fortune.”
The puppet maker looked up sadly from his work. “I wish you would stay, my son. The life of a puppet maker is an honorable one. But if you must go, let me give you companions for your journey.”
He showed his son four wooden puppets he had carved, painted, and costumed. “Each puppet,” he said, “has its own virtue and value.”
The first puppet was the king of the gods. The puppet maker said, “The god’s virtue is wisdom.”
The second puppet was a green-faced ogre. “The ogre’s virtue is strength.”
The third was a mystic sorcerer. “The sorcerer’s virtue is knowledge.”
The fourth was a holy hermit. “The hermit’s virtue is goodness.”
He told his son, “Each of these virtues can help you on your way. But remember, strength and knowledge must always serve wisdom and goodness.”
Aung started off the next day. On his shoulder he carried a bamboo pole, with food and clothing tied at one end, and the puppets hanging by their strings from the other.
When night came, Aung found himself deep in the jungle. He stopped beneath a banyan tree.
“This looks like a good place to sleep,” he said to himself. “But I wonder if it’s safe.”
Then Aung had a funny idea. “I think I’ll ask one of the puppets!” He turned with a smile to the king of the gods. “Tell me, is it safe here?”
To his amazement, the puppet came alive. It got down from the pole and grew to life size.
“Aung,” said the god, “open your eyes and look around you. That is the first step to wisdom. If you fail to see what is right before you, how easy it will be for others to misguide you!”
And the next moment, the puppet was hanging again from the pole.
When Aung had gotten over his shock, he looked carefully all around the tree. There in the soft earth were the tracks of a tiger! That night he slept not on the ground but in the branches above. And he was glad he did, for in the middle of the night, he saw a tiger come prowling below him.
The next day took Aung into the mountains, and at sunset he left the road and camped a little way up the mountainside. When he awoke the next morning, he saw a caravan coming along the road below. A dozen bullock carts were piled high with costly goods.
“That caravan must belong to some rich merchant,” Aung told himself. “I wish I had wealth like that.”
Then he had a thought. He turned to the green-faced ogre. “Tell me, how can I gain such riches?”
Aung watched in wonder as the puppet left the pole and grew to life size. “If you have strength,” boomed the ogre, “you can take whatever you like. Watch this!” He stamped his foot and the earth shook.
“Wait!” said Aung. But it was too late. Just below them, dirt and rocks broke loose in a landslide. It rushed down the mountain and blocked the road. The terrified drivers jumped from their carts and ran off.
“You see?” said the ogre.
“Is it really that easy?” said Aung, in a daze.
He hurried down to the carts and rushed from one to another, gaping at the heaps of rich fabrics and piles of precious metals. “And all of it’s mine!” he cried.
Just then, Aung heard a sob. Lying huddled in one of the carts was a lovely young woman his own age. She cried and shivered in fear.
“I won’t hurt you,” said Aung gently. “Who are you?”
“My name is Mala,” she said in a small voice. “My father is the owner of this caravan. We were on our way to meet him.”
All at once, Aung knew he was in love. He wanted to keep Mala with him forever. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll take you with me and care for you.”
Mala sat up angrily. “Go ahead! Take me, like you’re taking everything else! But you’re just a thief, and I’ll never, ever speak to you!”
Aung was shocked. Was he really just a thief? He didn’t know what to say.
The ogre came up beside him then. “Don’t listen to her. She’ll change her mind—and anyway, the important thing is you got what you wanted. Now, let’s go.”
The ogre cleared the road, then helped Aung lead the caravan. That afternoon, they came out of the mountains, not far from the capital city.
Aung asked the ogre, “What should I do, now that I have all these riches?”
“Don’t ask me!” said the ogre. “Ask the sorcerer!”
Aung turned to the mystic sorcerer. “Can you tell me?”
The puppet came to life and floated before him, as Mala looked on with wide eyes. “If you want your wealth to grow,” said the sorcerer, “you must learn the secrets of nature.”
He tapped Aung with his red wand, and together they rose high in the air. Looking down, Aung saw everything in a new way. He could tell what land was best for farming, and which mountains held gold and silver.
“This is wonderful!” said Aung. “Just think how I can help people with what I know!”
“Certainly you could,” said the sorcerer. “But knowledge is power. Why not keep it all for yourself instead? Isn’t that what other people do?”
“I suppose so,” said Aung.
So they came to the capital city. Aung became a merchant, and with the help of the ogre and the sorcerer, he grew many times richer than at first. He bought a palace for himself and Mala, and kept the puppets in a special room of their own.
But Aung was not happy, for Mala still would not speak to him.
One day, he placed before her a headdress fit for a queen. The heavy gold was set with dozens of large rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. The magnificent piece had cost Aung a third of his wealth.
Mala took one look and pushed it away.
Aung was heartbroken. He said, “Don’t you know I love you?” But she only glared at him and said not a word.
The next morning, Aung went to the puppets’ room and spoke to the ogre and the sorcerer. “Mala’s father must now be very poor, while I have more than I need. I’ll help Mala find him so I can pay him for what I took. Maybe then she’ll speak to me, and even learn to love me.”
“A terrible idea!” said the ogre. “You should never give up what is yours. You’re just being weak!”
“Besides,” the sorcerer told him, “you’re too late. Mala ran away last night.”
“What?” cried Aung. He rushed through the palace, but Mala was nowhere to be found.
Aung returned to the puppets’ room in despair. “What good is all my wealth if I’ve lost what I care for most?”
For once, the ogre and the sorcerer were silent and still.
Then Aung remembered there was one puppet he had never called on. He turned to the holy hermit. “Tell me, why has everything gone wrong?”
The puppet came to life. “Aung, you imagined that wealth brings happiness. But true happiness comes only from goodness. What is important is not what you have but what you do with it.”
The king of the gods then came to life and stood beside the hermit. “You forgot what your father told you, Aung. Strength and knowledge are useful, but they must always serve wisdom and goodness.”
“I won’t forget again,” said Aung.
From that day on, Aung used his wealth and his talents to do good. He built a splendid holy pagoda, and offered food and shelter to those who visited the shrine.
One day among the visitors, Aung saw a young woman he knew well. An older man stood beside her, both of them wearing humble clothes.
“Mala!” cried Aung. He rushed over to the startled young woman and knelt before her puzzled father.
“Sir, I have done you great wrong. I beg your forgiveness. All I have is yours, and I give it up gladly. I will be content to return to my village and make puppets.”
“Father,” said Mala softly, “this is Aung. But he has changed!”
“So it would seem!” said her father. “And if so, it would be a shame to let go of a young man of such talent. Perhaps he would like to work for me, and live with us in the palace.”
So Aung became the merchant’s assistant, and before long his partner, and when Mala’s heart was won, his son-in-law.
As for the puppets, Aung still called on them as needed. But though he was helped often by strength and knowledge, he was guided always by wisdom and goodness.
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Saturday, June 09, 2012

SEA GYPSIES: EVIDENCE OF POST-DELUGE REMNANTS


SEA GYPSIES: EVIDENCE OF POST-DELUGE REMNANTS

Erle Frayne D. Argonza / Ra

Across the ASEAN are the maritime peoples called the ‘sea Gypsies’. They are very hard to classify with other peoples anywhere in the planet, just like their land Gypsy equivalents. Anthropologist or ethnologists are baffled by the Gypsies, in like vein that they are puzzled by the Basques of Europe.

Sea Gypsies have otherwise been termed as ‘human mermaids & mermen’ which seems to aptly describe them in the absence of acceptable inferences from formal science about what they are and where they came from. Science indeed has to catch up with the realities by discovering new analytical tools for studying human evolution.

Incidentally, Divine Wisdom or Theos Sophia had appresented a version of evolution that is cyclical and truly deep. In the mystical/occult version of human science, race is a central concept, with the law of evolution/devolution well explicated. Accordingly four (4) root-races have come to pass, in this 4th Evolutionary Round or devic-man phase, and we are into the 5th root race.

The last vestiges of the 4th human generic civilization—Atlantean—sank almost 12,000 years ago. Survivors of that last Deluge had three options to take: (a) go to very high places, nestle there for a while, and then go back to lower lands when the waters recede; (b) build underground cities before the Deluge, rescue as many as those who can be accommodated, seal the cities from the Aboveground when the waters come and continue human civilization there; and, (c) take flights in outer space via the galactic fleets’ auspices, then return to Earth when conditions have stabilized.

Gypsies were among those that took the 2nd option, by going underground. Unable to adapt to the harmonized conflict-free culture below the surface, the Gypsies could have been expelled by the underground cities’ guardians and leaders. This theory explains why Gypsies are so hard up in adjusting to contexts that are so alien to what they encountered before the deluge.

Below is an account of the sea Gypsies of Burma, with some notes about those of Thailand and peninsular Southeast.

[Philippines, 17 June 2011]

Source: http://www.projectmaje.org/gypsies.htm

Burma "Sea Gypsies" Compendium

Report by Project Maje
8824 SE 9th Ave
Portland OR 97213 USA
maje@hevanet.com

June 2004
Introduction
"The Salons or sea gypsies are the among the smallest minorities in Burma and no less vulnerable or defenseless against human rights abuses committed by the junta. They need the attention of Human Rights activists and organizations."
-- Chin Forum Information Service

Freely roaming the ocean in small boats from birth to death, living simply off its riches, a Southeast Asian people seem as mythical as mermaids. These ethnic groups known as "Sea Gypsies" are still found from the Philippines to Borneo to Thailand to Burma. Their lives are romantic but increasingly difficult.
This report focuses exclusively on those from Burma's waters. Burma's "Sea Gypsies" face particular problems which may even threaten their existence as a culture and people. Amid the vast array of documentation on Burma's human rights situation and ethnic groups there has been very little investigation about Burma's "Sea Gypsies." A series of books by a French ethnologist, two new books published in Burma, and a recent documentary film are among the main resources available. There has been little press coverage outside of a few tourism-oriented articles and a spate of news coverage in early 2004. Even an activist from the Mon ethnic group of the same region of Burma comments about the "Sea Gypsies": "These people are living offshore and rarely have communication with the people on the coast."
As a compendium, this report seeks to fill some of this information gap with a collection of 29 documents and articles from 1997 to 2004 concerning Burma's "Sea Gypsies" in a format accessible to those who are interested in Burma and indigenous/nomadic peoples issues. This compendium is modeled on Project Maje's previous "A Chin Compendium," released in 1999. The material contained here is compiled for nonprofit public interest use. For reproduction contact the original sources. Be sure to credit the original sources, not Project Maje, if quoting from non Project Maje material contained here.
This is not a scientific study or a comprehensive report. It is intended as a reference and background resource. It draws upon available information in English about Burma's "Sea Gypsies" from an array of sources, including news articles, tour agencies, and researchers. Project Maje, the compiler of this report, does not endorse, confirm or deny the veracity of any of the non Project Maje material.
In some cases, only excerpts directly relevant to the Burma "Sea Gypsies" are included, rather than a complete article. Places where articles were cut for excerpts are marked with three woven rattans (###.) The beginning and end of each article is marked with three nautilus shells (@@@.)
Seafaring
"Not only have the islands escaped development by the modern world, they don't even have a significant indigenous population." -- "Adventure Travel" (a Hong Kong magazine)
The "Sea Gypsies" are known in Burma by a name spelled in variations including "Salon," "Saloun," "Salone," "Salum" and "Salong." "Salon" appears to be the most common spelling. The Burma regime tends to use the spelling "Salone." Project Maje has in the past used the spelling "Saloun" for phonetic reasons. Some articles in this compendium refer to Burma's "Sea Gypsies" as "Moken" (or "Mawken") people, using the name of the "Sea Gypsies" of neighboring Thailand (who are apparently closely related.)
"Moken" is actually the most politically correct term, as it is what Burma's "Sea Gypsies" call themselves. However, in news reports and tourism articles about Burma, "Moken" is not used as often as the Burmese (Salone/Salong) terminology which serves to distinguish those in Burma waters and under the Burma regime's rule, from those indigenous to Thailand who have a different set of experiences and problems. The English name "Sea Gypsies" refers to a nomadic style of life, rather than any direct relationship to the Roma (Gypsy) people of Europe. In French, the descriptive phrase is "Nomades Marins" (Sea Nomads.)
Burma's "Sea Gypsies" are rarely mentioned in books or reports on the ethnic groups of Burma. This obscure status is probably because of their inaccessibility, their lack of an armed force or political organization, and their very small population. In the days of British colonial rule over Burma (1885-1948), some scrutiny was brought to bear on the "Sea Gypsies" by traders, traders and administrators. The Burma "Sea Gypsy" population was estimated at 1,325 in 1901, but such figures were hard to verify due to the ethnic group's nomadic nature. A 2000 article in "The Greater Phuket" magazine estimates between 2,000 and 3,000 "Sea Gypsies" in Burma. Tourist literature associated with various Thailand-based excursion companies often diminishes the extent of Burma's "Sea Gypsy" population, referring to their region as uninhabited, or claiming that they exist only in one particular village. There are also populations of "Sea Gypsies" originally from Burma's waters who live as refugees in Thailand, particularly around the port town of Ranong. In addition, there are an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 "Sea Gypsies" indigenous to Thailand, mostly living on and around the island of Phuket.
The Moken ethnic group, including the "Sea Gypsies" of Burma and Thailand, has historically been based around Phuket, a large Thai island which was a coastal trading center. Phuket, now a tourist resort island, was known in Malay as "Ujong Salang" which may or may not have given these people the name used for them in Burma. It has not been irrefutably determined whether the Mokens are an early autochthonous ethnic group of Southeast Asia, or are descended from some land-based group (such as the Mon-Khmer, Malay, or even Vedda) which took to the sea for economic or political reasons in centuries long past.
The Moken language, which has been classified as "Austronesian" features many Malay words, as well as strong Thai vocabulary influences. There are other ethnic groups in Southeast Asia known as "Sea Gypsies" which do not appear to be directly related to Burma and Thailand's Mokens, although they live in a similar way. These groups live off the coasts of Malaysian and Indonesian islands including Borneo, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and the Sulu Archipelago. Burma's "Sea Gypsies" are found amid the Mergui Archipelago, a chain of hundreds of small islands parallel to the southeastern Burma coast (Tenasserim) of the Indian Ocean's Andaman Sea. Burma's regime calls this the "Myeik Archipelago" (and calls Burma "Myanmar.")
Burma's "Sea Gypsies" are thought to have held fast to their own traditional Animist beliefs. French ethnologists Pierre and Jacques Ivanoff have made extensive studies of Moken belief systems, folklore and the spiritual symbolism used in their boat-building. There have been conversion efforts by Christian and Muslim missionaries but these made few inroads among the Mokens. Buddhist conversion efforts may be part of current relocation programs by the Burma regime.
A maritime hunter-gatherer culture, Burma's "Sea Gypsies" are said to spend most of their lives on their thatch-roofed wooden boats. In small groups, they roam among the islands, harvesting crustaceans, turtles, and shellfish. Some accounts insist that the Mokens do not eat fish. Sea cucumbers, a holothurian animal related to starfish and sea urchins, are known as "trepang" or "beche de mer" when dried and are a delicacy of Chinese cuisine which the "Sea Gypsies" collect for trade. Several articles in the Compendium refer to these sea cucumbers as "sea slugs" but they should not be confused with actual sea slugs which are nudibranch snails without shells. Pearls and decorative shells have become Moken trade commodities as well. Vegetable crops are planted sporadically on the islands, which serve as seasonal meeting places and storm shelters. Trained dogs are used to hunt small game on the forested islands.
Roundup
"The Salone nomads do not easily mix with other people. They do not participate in economic, social or even cultural development of the country they live in. Their society has different cultural values from those offered by modern society. They are locked in the value system that they believe to be their own." -- "Myanmar's .net" website, 2004
Burma's "Sea Gypsies," whose ancestors may have originally taken to the sea to avoid conflict, were far removed from politics until the 1990s. Unlike many of Burma's ethnic groups, they never had their own rebel army (or navy) although a few might have joined the forces of Andaman Sea coastal Mon or Tavoyan ethnic groups, or even seafaring units of the All Burma Students Liberation Front (ABSDF) or Arakan Army (from the Western Burma coast.) The "Sea Gypsies" were too poor to be the prey of pirates marauding in the Andaman Sea. Although some have accused Burma's "Sea Gypsies" of being pirates themselves, there seems to be little evidence to support this and it may come from confusing them with more aggressive "Sea Gypsy" groups from elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
In the late 1990s a few reports leaked out about forced relocation by Burma's military regime of Burma's "Sea Gypsies" to on-land sites. At least one such report claimed that most of them had been relocated by 1997. This practice would be consistent with an enormous pattern of forced relocation of suspect ethnic, economic and political groups, conducted throughout Burma, particularly in the late 1990s.
The Andaman Sea off the Tenasserim coast received increasing attention from Burma's regime during the 1990s due to offshore petroleum exploration, discoveries and transport by multinational corporations including Unocal, Total, Premier, Petronas and others. This led to a drastically heightened military security presence, with fishing communities of the Mon and Tavoyan ethnic groups moved elsewhere and small-scale fishing boats chased away. The increased presence of foreign trawler fleets under joint-ventures with the regime also discouraged small-scale local fishing.
While the effects of the 1990s developments on the "Sea Gypsies" off the southern coast of Burma were less well-known than those on the Mons and Tavoyans to the north of the Mergui Archipelago, reports indicated that the "Sea Gypsies" suffered as well. An unknown number of them are have said to have fled to Thailand. There the men reportedly took jobs on Thai fishing boats, a dangerous and often economically exploitive situation. Most of the fishing boats used legitimate methods, but there was considerable use of dynamite fishing by Thailand-based fleets as well. Refugee "Sea Gypsy" women and girls may have ended up in prostitution in Thailand's notorious port brothels, where HIV/AIDS exposure was extremely widespread.
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