Join Malaysia's Mah Meri tribe in the Puja Pantai thanksgiving ceremony

Malaysia’s indigenous Mah Meri tribesmen performing the ‘Main Jo-oh’ dance during the Puja Pantai event, a thanksgiving ritual for the spirits of the seas in Carey Island, Selangor. Photo: AP

Ever wanted to be part of an indigenous community event that’s over 300 years old? On Jan 29, you can witness the Mah Meri tribe performing a seaside ceremony called Puja Pantai, a thanksgiving ritual, which offers prayers to the spirits of the seas in Carey Island, Selangor.

Puja Pantai is one of the important rituals still being practised by the Mah Meri and it is believed to appease the guardians of the sea and honour the protector spirits.

The day-long Puja Pantai Festival 2020 will take place at the Mah Meri Cultural Village in Carey Island.

For the first time since Puja Pantai was opened to the public in 2016, visitors would be able to participate in the parade section of this thanksgiving ritual. Visitors can assist villagers in carrying some of the offerings to sea.

The Puja Pantai Festival has given the Mah Meri tribe a platform to introduce their culture to the masses, but visitors will still need to be respectful and mindful it is an important traditional ritual for the community.

The villagers believe that the Moyang Getah (Spirit of the Rubber) protected their junk ship that was caught in a big storm off the coast of Carey Island, near Tanjung Rhu hundreds of years ago.

Visitors can join the Mah Meri folks as they walk to the beach during the Puja Pantai Festival on Jan 29. Photo: AP

“Visitors are expected to behave respectfully so as to not disrupt the ceremony. During the parade, they should not block the path or form crowds in front of them. They should not take the food and drinks from the altars as these offerings are for the spirits of the sea, ” says Rachael Lum, LokaLocal’s content and marketing lead.

This is the fourth year the Mah Meri Cultural Village will be partnering with LokaLocal, an online travel marketplace for experiential activities, to promote Puja Pantai.

The cultural village works alongside the Mah Meri community to preserve their cultural heritage, while educating the outside world about their way of life.

This year, up to 200 visitors can participate in this ritual, which starts at 9am.

The day before the ritual, the villagers will spread rice offerings into the sea and offer prayers to the spirit houses. At sunset, the villagers will commemorate their departed loved ones by offering food and drinks to them.

A Mah Meri shaman going into a trance during Puja Pantai. Photo: AP

On the day itself, the villagers will march to the grand altar during low tide to make their offerings. Visitors can receive blessings from the Mah Mari shaman, join the traditional dance and witness the ceremony itself after lunch. During the festival, the Mah Meri tribesmen and women wear intricately carved masks and perform the mystifying Tarian Jo-oh and Tarian Topeng, which are the main features of the festival repertoire. These famous wood masks produced by the Mah Meri crafts people from Carey Island have also been selected as one of the country’s handicraft products to be highlighted in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2020.

“Most Malaysians are not aware of how truly diverse our country is. Joining the Puja Pantai event to observe these age-old rituals can open our eyes to a lesser-known cultural heritage.

“At the same time, this is a way of showing our support for the Mah Meri and encouraging them to continue Puja Pantai for years to come, ” shares Lum.

The Puja Pantai Festival 2020 is on at the Mah Meri Cultural Village, Jalan Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Bumbun, Kampung Manikavasagam, Carey Island in Selangor on Jan 29. Entrance fee: RM90. For more details: www.lokalocal.com.