Pak Mat

I have been priviledged to meet Pak Mat, and will hopefuly in the near future spend some more time with him on jungle walks. His expertise on the very ancient way of using herbs from the jungle are well respected.

I have had a little experience in my past life in other parts of Malaysian jungle with others of similar skills, notably the 'orang asli' the aborigines of Malaysia who were incredible in the range of their knowledge, also the Iban of Sarawak and the Dusun of Sabah. From all of these I have learnt only the minutest part but remain willing to continue if Pak Mat will show me again.

Just one story...

I was trying desperately to keep up with an old 'bomoh' of the asli, Temiar people, who allowed me to go with him. They used to stay sometimes behind my first estate, oil-palm, in Perak. Everything I pointed at and asked what it was called. plants fruit, roots, trees, anything.... he gruffly told me what it was used for, or could do...

After a short while and well out of breath I asked him... " I know so very little about all these things so why dont you treat me like a young teenager and help teach me".......a long silence and his reply in our common language of broken Malay was " I'll have to teach you like a year old baby.. you know NOTHING"...........   he was right. The loss of all that phenominal breadth of skills and knowledge is a great pity.

And anyway I loved this picture of Pak Mat....