00:00:02,02 “The Last Nomads (Logo)”
00:00:05,07 “of Sarawak”
00:00:07,21 “by Claudio Sieber”
00:00:30,03 “In the heart of Sarawak, a land rich in cultural diversity, reside the indigenous Penan.”
00:00:38,28 “Known for their exceptional skills as nomadic hunters and gatherers, they have survived in this wilderness for centuries.”
00:00:47,25 “Since the 80s, their cultural heritage
has been challenged by apocalyptic deforestation and discrimination.”
00:00:56,18 “With only a few wandering Penan left, an era of profound connection with the world's oldest rainforest is about to vanish.”
00:01:05,00 “Until now, headman Guman Megut and his family prefer living in the woods - it’s all they’ve ever known.”
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We are the Megut family. Up to now, we still practice a nomadic lifestyle.
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We are the last group of Penan roaming in this forest,
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... foraging the woods, protecting rivers and lands,
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... always in search of sago palms and other sources of food.
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We are not accustomed to living or working outside of this environment.
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We're constantly on the move. So we don't hunt for surplus food;
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... instead, we gather just as much as we can carry on our shoulders.
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We move from one area to another while covering our basic needs - so is our life.
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We find happiness in gathering with our parents and surviving together.
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We enjoy foraging as a group and then returning to the shelter,
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... where we savor a communal meal. A full stomach brings us contentment.
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Sago has been our staple food for generations,
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... and our survival depends on it.
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We consume the palm's shoots and extract sago juice from the stems.
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The pressed palm fiber serves as a fire starter,
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... while the inner part of the stem provides us with a vital meal.
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This traditional practice has been crucial for our survival throughout our history.
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Sago palms hold significant value for us in the forest,
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... serving as our primary staple food and the source of our sustenance.
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We hunt all kind of animals, especially wild boar and deer.
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Besides, we're checking for langur monkeys, and other animals living in the canopy.
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Before we go on a hunt, we need to extract a poisonous fluid from a special tree.
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After processing, we apply the poison to the heads of our darts.
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Even a huge wild boar will eventually die once the poison circulates through its bloodstream.
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If an animal in the trees is hit by a dart, it will fall down within minutes.
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The prey will become our meal, our strength.
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As Penan, we are native to this legendary land.
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Harvesting sago palms, our staple food, is a generational practice.
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Our forefathers have taught us the ways of survival on these lands.
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We rely on local resources, using trees and plants to build our shelters.
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... such as this floor and rafter.
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Even this fireplace, our kitchen,
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...everything provided by nature.
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One day, when I am no longer with them,
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... they will easily find Streams with abundant fish, or salt licks.
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They will know where Durian or other fruit trees grow.
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They already understand that nature provides all we need.
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They know where to find good rattan. That's why it is so important that I guide them.
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It's not always easy to travel these lands; many things can hurt you.
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Crossing a big river could be deadly. There is always turbulence,
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... and every day holds new challenges.
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We face them and have to educate our youngsters to survive here,
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... so that they learn and gain enough experience.
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Forest preservation and nomadism are ingrained in our cultural identity.
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As hunter-gatherers, we constantly move, ensuring that no outsider can harm our environment.
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Staying in one place for long is not our custom; instead, we prefer to roam freely.
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While we occasionally return to the village,
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... our days are primarily spent out here, foraging and hunting.
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My hope for the future is that our environment, our forest, will thrive.
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No more destruction by bulldozers,
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... no more encroachment by logging companies;
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... instead, let's return to a pristine forest with abundant wildlife.
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We sincerely hope the logging activities will cease permanently.
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it is all we could ever wish for.
00:11:10,18 “The Last Nomads (Logo)”
00:11:13,19 “of Sarawak”
00:11:16,02 “by Claudio Sieber”
00:11:26,15 “Special Thanks to;
- The Megut Family; for showing me their way of life
- BMF Bruno Manser Foundation; for giving the Penan a voice
- Komeok Jo; for coordinating everything
- Padé Tanyt; for interpreting and bearing with me
- Philip Unga; for the translations
- Music credit; RY X / Reza Safinia / Sofiane Pamart