The Question of Representation

THOUGHT PROCESS

This writeup intends to create a discussion centred on important questions raised, surrounding the book: Recalling Forgotten Tastes.

The project started off as a way of feeding my curiosity and thirst for knowledge on our beautiful forests and the people who are at the vanguard of protecting them. It grew to become a kind of visual documentation, later translated through illustrations coupled with writings that were developed through active communications and reflections on how I position myself within this work. Thus, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the project as a continuous process. It came to a point where questions such as having a non-Orang Asli capture Indigenous knowledge were brought up, and why not the Orang Asli themselves. With this, I think it’s apt for me to discuss the process of making the book in a more transparent manner. Such issues are important for further discussion, i.e: having a Malay person working with Orang Asli knowledge and how does one navigate such representation, in light of all the racial discriminations still prevalent in this country?

KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND CONSENT

The book is an honest effort to illustrate Orang Asli indigenous plants and food, in hopes to address their current perils through deforestation and developments that continuously disregard their rights as human beings. As natural forests start to degrade, so do their ecological knowledge, as they are not able to practice eating traditionally as much as they used to. Being simply one of the many curious learners out there of Orang Asli knowledge and through this humbling learning process, it has opened my eyes and those in the same space to see the bigger picture (the significance of protecting such knowledge). Not in any way, I intend to represent the Orang Asli communities with this book.

Throughout the development of the book, I had to be respectful at every step that I took, especially with regard to consent and educating myself about their community and struggles, while keeping true to everyone’s intentions. The process was done in a manner where I always checked in with my guides/teachers about their thoughts on the work, whether I can or can not share certain information in this publication. Such conversations are indeed important as I myself need to reflect continuously on how we can do better collectively.

AUTHORSHIP ≠ OWNERSHIP

In the case of why the author’s name is on the cover, is solely because of authorship and the book is essentially a compilation of the author’s own illustrations as they were done entirely for the book. After much discussion with fellow friends here and abroad who work with Indigenous communities or have been involved with communal knowledge gathering, it is apt for the book to use the Creative Commons license. This is to address how the source of knowledge was gathered, especially works related to commons (milik bersama) and how it may be shared for educational purposes. Creative Commons license helps people to respond to works such as this book, to be used wisely and fairly so that the knowledge is continuously distributed and reproduced.

A conscious decision was made in naming the collaborators (a.k.a our guides; Raman Bah Tuin, Samsul Senin, Shaq Koyok, Lisa Koyok) throughout the book, so that it is a clear narrative that I am learning from them and it is an effort to document these knowledge. In addition, the indigenous names of the plants were highlighted instead of its scientific terms, in the efforts to honor their indigenous language.

All in all, their (my collaborators’) opinions matter the most. They have so far been very supportive of the work and continue to encourage more similar documentations to be done in addressing these knowledge systems, despite the majority/minority complex. Yes, being a Malay which is the majority group in this country, I have to always keep in check my own privileges and consider power dynamics. It’s also important to create space for these conversations to thrive and to not discourage such efforts. By all means, they believe we (no matter who you are or which race you’re from) should amplify indigenous voices in any way that we can. This is about us all joining together across cultures, races and classes to challenge and change the way our vicious system works, the way we see and talk about these issues. The other challenge is not only on how we navigate the media portrayal of this work, but more importantly is how our fellow collaborators or their community feel about it, which have been positive thus far. And I am very much grateful for that.

In Sejarah Orang Asal Facebook Group, a Orang Asli, Yus Yus who diligently writes and speaks critically on OA issues shared his positive reviews on the effort, which encapsulates the need to extend such works in diversifying our shared and collective histories.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/599969457017845/permalink/1341154366232680/

From this project, part of the proceeds from the sales of the book will be going into further research work surrounding the same theme and approach in the near future (as soon as the Covid situation eases in Malaysia). This is to sustain the effort of preserving and sharing the disappearing knowledge systems with the future generations.

Links to Interviews on the book:

BFM 89.9 Radio - Live & Learn, 27 Jan 2021.

Documenting Mother Nature in the Eyes of the Orang Asli

Periuk.my, 13 Jan 2021.

Telling a Tale of the Land

The Star, 5 Jan 2021.

Foraging For Knowledge

The Star, 20 Dec 2020.

Here's a list of Malaysian books that will make good stocking stuffers

Malaysiakini, 15 Dec 2020 (Mandarin Version)

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/555239
Malaysiakini, 15 Dec 2020 (English Version)

Painting plants and the Orang Asli's fight