Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org
Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org
Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org
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IV. NOTES ON THE SAKA1 OF THE ULU<br />
KAMPAR. (Plates I— V).<br />
By Ivor H. N. Evans, B.A., Assistant ( urator and Ethno-<br />
graphical Assistant, F.M.S. Museums.<br />
l'he toll.. wing notes are <strong>the</strong> results <strong>of</strong> ra<strong>the</strong>r over a<br />
month's work among <strong>the</strong> Sakai <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Kampar River, above<br />
Gopeng, in <strong>the</strong> Kinta district <strong>of</strong> Penik ; my visit to <strong>the</strong>se<br />
people having been made during <strong>the</strong> months <strong>of</strong> May and June,<br />
rgi5. Starting from Gopeng on May 29th, a three miles walk,<br />
chiefly through old and new tin workings, took me to<br />
" Kampong Ulu Pipe," a <strong>Malay</strong> settlement, about three miles<br />
distant from Gopeng, which is close to Messrs. Osborne &<br />
Chappel's new pip -li ie. On <strong>the</strong> hills near this village can be<br />
seen several Sak li clearings, so, with ihe idea <strong>of</strong> getting into<br />
touch with <strong>the</strong>ir inhabitants and <strong>of</strong> learning something <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
ali irigines living round tin.; headwaters <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Kinta River,<br />
I made a few days stay in this locality. With regard to<br />
my second intention, I met with very small success. The<br />
<strong>Malay</strong>s <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> settlement are all foreigners, Sumatra men, who<br />
have come into <strong>the</strong> country within <strong>the</strong> last twenty years or so,<br />
and know practically nothing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> district with <strong>the</strong> exception<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir own village and <strong>the</strong> road to Gopeng. I could not<br />
even obtain from <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> a conspicuous mountain,<br />
which was clearly to be seen from <strong>the</strong> village. The information<br />
I got from <strong>the</strong> local Sakai was almost as unsatisfactory<br />
as that from th>' <strong>Malay</strong>s, since <strong>the</strong>y also seemed to move only<br />
within a small radius in <strong>the</strong> region <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> foot-hills. The<br />
country <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Fahang border was to <strong>the</strong>m unexplored<br />
territory, and <strong>the</strong>y seemed to have no intercourse with <strong>the</strong><br />
aborigines <strong>of</strong> that district. These tame Sakai inhabit <strong>the</strong> Kinta<br />
Valley from about Gopeng to localities some little w#y above<br />
<strong>the</strong> dam on <strong>the</strong> big pipe-line, and also those <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Guroh and<br />
Geruntum (Kuntun on <strong>the</strong> map) Rivers, tributaries <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Kinta, while <strong>the</strong>y have some intercourse with <strong>the</strong> people<br />
<strong>of</strong> Sungei Raia, who are said to differ slightly from <strong>the</strong>m in<br />
dialect. This particular section <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sakai, which cannot<br />
well be called a tribe, falls within <strong>the</strong> large division <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Central Sakai. The aborigines who live near Gopeng have<br />
adopted <strong>Malay</strong> fashions in dress, and <strong>the</strong> blow-pipe seems to<br />
be falling into disuse among <strong>the</strong>m, as do also <strong>the</strong>ir ancient<br />
customs and beliefs.<br />
Finding <strong>the</strong>se people, <strong>the</strong>refore, too sophisticated to be<br />
likely to afford me much <strong>of</strong> interest, I moved to a Sakai<br />
settlement on <strong>the</strong> Kinta River, some two and a half miles<br />
above <strong>the</strong> dam on <strong>the</strong> larire pipe-line, and some ten miles from<br />
Gopeng. Here I staved for about a fortnight. Though <strong>the</strong><br />
inhabitants <strong>of</strong> this settlement had been to a considerable<br />
August, 1916. 4