In northern Perak, deep within the forests of Temengor, getting food on the table is not as simple as going to the supermarket.Those that reside there go into the forest at the break of dawn to hunt for their meal. What they will have for dinner depends on luck and whatever that is caught will be consumed within the day as there are no means of refrigeration in their world. If they are lucky, they will eat today.

As a wildlife researcher, I have been most fortunate to spend time with the indigenous people in the Temengor Forest. Known as the Jahais, these people rely heavily on the forest and lake that surrounds them for their food and income. Many Jahai people possess boats, either with or without engines, mostly donated by the government. They use these boats to fish for fresh water fishes such as Kaloi (Giant Gourami) through the use of nets or fishing lines.

Hunting activities are usually carried out in a small group, to reduce noise. The weapons are handmade blow pipes, crafted from the slender bamboo plants known locally as Buluh Sumpitan (Bambusa wrayi). A blowpipe is a small but intricately decorated tube and shoots out poisonous darts. The long, thin dart is also made of bamboo and the tip is sharpened and dipped inpoison. Once the Jahai hunter has come across its target, the poisonous dart is inserted inside the pipe and blown out using the hunter’s considerable lung power.


THE POISONOUS DARTS

To make the darts deadly, the Jahai use the sap of the Ipoh tree (Antiaris toxicaris). The sap of the Ipoh tree is collected by cutting a “V” shape into the bark of the tree. This process is carried out cautiously, as the spurt of the poisonous tree sap may come into contact with the eyes or mouth of the person collecting it. Once collected, the sap requires a bit of cooking over fire, which gradually changes the color of the sap from light to dark brown. Then, the tips of the darts are rolled into the poison and placed upright to dry, leaning against a log, with its deadly tips facing upwards. When the poison is in a dry form, the darts become safe to handle by the hunter.

The Jahai have a rather precarious way of keeping these poisonous darts while hunting.Though they usually have bamboo containers to keep these darts safely, the Jahai find that the darts are more easily accessible, when they are inserted into the coarse hair on their heads!


MAKING BLOWPIPES

In Kampong Cuweh, Mr. Ahim, an elderly man diligently makes blowpipes for those that hunt. No longer strong enough to join the hunters, he now enjoys crafting these beautiful yet lethal weapons in his spare time.

Most tourists that visit this village are most intrigued by the blow pipes he creates, and they often purchase these crafts directly from him. He uses this income to buy livestock so if you’d like to purchase a blowpipe from this man, make a visit to Kampung Cuweh, Temengor. Poisonous darts not included!.