Page 35 - Malayan Story
P. 35
MALAYAN STORY
CHAPTER 8 MALAY’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
The information services of Malaya in the 1950’s listed the number of Malayan aborigines as
50,000 in all. They divide into two main groups, the Negrito tribes in the north and east, and the
Senoi in the south and west, with a mixed group in the far south of Johore. These were a mixture of
Senoi and proto-Malay. The Negrito in the north, and whom we contacted mainly on trips to the
Cameron Highlands, were nomadic and spent a lot of their time searching for food. They lived
mainly on what they could hunt or collect in the jungle. Their use of blowpipes for shooting
poisoned darts when hunting, became a tourist attraction.
The nomadic lives they lived made it very difficult t do any work among them. There was also the
problem that the Malayan Government regarded all the indigenous people in Malaya as Malays to
whom the restrictions on preaching the Gospel also applied. The authorities were opposed to any
missionary work being done amongst them. And of course, our main work was to the Chinese
people in the new villages, but when Bertha Silversides and Ina Tebbs moved into Kuala Kubu in
1952 they found that a group of Senoi aborigines had been moved into the outskirts of the village.
There were about 50 homes and the Government District Officer not only encouraged Ina to do
some medical work in the village itself, but also among the aborigines. This quickly broke down
opposition, although at first it was difficult because of the lack of an interpreter. It was not long
before a Malay man who was interested in their work offered to interpret, and that made it much
easier. In trying to reach them with the Gospel it was found that there was practically no literature
for them which, the missionaries felt, intensified the challenge to their faith and prayers.
In October 1953 Leah Evans, who had been waiting in Singapore for an entry visa into Indonesia,
moved up to Kluang to help Dorothy North with her work there. While there, she studied Malay to
prepare for Indonesia and became interested in a group of Sakai aboriginal people living in Bekoh.
She wrote to Percy asking if she could do some work among them.. Percy replied, encouraging her,
adding, “If you are asked to stop by Government or other officials, don’t make a fuss about it, just
stop. We will be praying for you. Find an opportunity to give them the Gospel.”
Another letter to Percy gave the details of her visit to Behok: “To start at the end, it was a very rich
experience for me, seeing it was the first time I had really preached in Malay to unbelievers. I
certainly felt my own weakness as we walked our of the gate of Behok to the Sakai encampment.
We found on our arrival that the Headman was the only man at home as the rest had gone hunting.
He understood Malay well and willingly accepted our offer to play Gospel records for him. We
were led into a raised bamboo house and invited to sit on the floor with the Headman himself. Quite
a group of women and children gathered round both inside and outside the house, but as none of
them sat down, we presumed the floor was the more exalted position. When we were nearing the
end of the record, another man returned but only paused at the door to say something to the
Headman. I gathered there had been some sort of remonstrance, because the man with us said, ‘I
told him it didn’t matter. It is only singing.’ When the other man had gone, he explained that he was
one of the Sakai who had been converted to Islam since his arrival in the village. I made enquiries
of our friend to find out his (spiritual) position, but he was most emphatic that he was not going to
be a Moslem.
35
CHAPTER 8 MALAY’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
The information services of Malaya in the 1950’s listed the number of Malayan aborigines as
50,000 in all. They divide into two main groups, the Negrito tribes in the north and east, and the
Senoi in the south and west, with a mixed group in the far south of Johore. These were a mixture of
Senoi and proto-Malay. The Negrito in the north, and whom we contacted mainly on trips to the
Cameron Highlands, were nomadic and spent a lot of their time searching for food. They lived
mainly on what they could hunt or collect in the jungle. Their use of blowpipes for shooting
poisoned darts when hunting, became a tourist attraction.
The nomadic lives they lived made it very difficult t do any work among them. There was also the
problem that the Malayan Government regarded all the indigenous people in Malaya as Malays to
whom the restrictions on preaching the Gospel also applied. The authorities were opposed to any
missionary work being done amongst them. And of course, our main work was to the Chinese
people in the new villages, but when Bertha Silversides and Ina Tebbs moved into Kuala Kubu in
1952 they found that a group of Senoi aborigines had been moved into the outskirts of the village.
There were about 50 homes and the Government District Officer not only encouraged Ina to do
some medical work in the village itself, but also among the aborigines. This quickly broke down
opposition, although at first it was difficult because of the lack of an interpreter. It was not long
before a Malay man who was interested in their work offered to interpret, and that made it much
easier. In trying to reach them with the Gospel it was found that there was practically no literature
for them which, the missionaries felt, intensified the challenge to their faith and prayers.
In October 1953 Leah Evans, who had been waiting in Singapore for an entry visa into Indonesia,
moved up to Kluang to help Dorothy North with her work there. While there, she studied Malay to
prepare for Indonesia and became interested in a group of Sakai aboriginal people living in Bekoh.
She wrote to Percy asking if she could do some work among them.. Percy replied, encouraging her,
adding, “If you are asked to stop by Government or other officials, don’t make a fuss about it, just
stop. We will be praying for you. Find an opportunity to give them the Gospel.”
Another letter to Percy gave the details of her visit to Behok: “To start at the end, it was a very rich
experience for me, seeing it was the first time I had really preached in Malay to unbelievers. I
certainly felt my own weakness as we walked our of the gate of Behok to the Sakai encampment.
We found on our arrival that the Headman was the only man at home as the rest had gone hunting.
He understood Malay well and willingly accepted our offer to play Gospel records for him. We
were led into a raised bamboo house and invited to sit on the floor with the Headman himself. Quite
a group of women and children gathered round both inside and outside the house, but as none of
them sat down, we presumed the floor was the more exalted position. When we were nearing the
end of the record, another man returned but only paused at the door to say something to the
Headman. I gathered there had been some sort of remonstrance, because the man with us said, ‘I
told him it didn’t matter. It is only singing.’ When the other man had gone, he explained that he was
one of the Sakai who had been converted to Islam since his arrival in the village. I made enquiries
of our friend to find out his (spiritual) position, but he was most emphatic that he was not going to
be a Moslem.
35
