Mah Meri people
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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (3,800) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Pulau Carey, Selangor, Malaysia | |
| Languages | |
| Besisi, Malay | |
| Religion | |
| Forest & Natural Spirituality, a type of Animism and a significant population practicing Islam or Christianity. | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Senoi subgroup which includes the Che Wong, Jah Hut, Semoq Beri, Semai & Temiar |
The Mah Meri (pronounced [max mri]) is an ethnic group native to western part of Peninsular Malaysia. They are one of the 18 Orang Asli groups named by the Malaysian government. They are of the Senoi subgroup. Most of the members of the Mah Meri tribe live along the coast of South Selangor from Sungai Pelek up to Pulau Carey, although there is at least one Mah Meri Community on the other side of the Klang River.
According to the Orang Asli Office of the Malaysian government, they numbered around 2200 in 2005. Most of the Mah Meri live in small villages (kampungs) on the fringes of other cities and on Pulau Carey, which has five separate villages of Mah Meri.
The Mah Meri people are internationally well known for their traditional wood carving skills.
In common with other Orang Asli Villages, each kampung elects its own Batin (Village Headman) and a council of 'elders' to represent the people living in the kampung. The Batin is paid an annual salary by the Malaysian government. The Bomoh, who functions as a shaman in their society, plays an important role in the kampung. Main puteri (meaning "Playing princess"), a dying ritualistic form of treatment due to Islamisation; is performed by the Mah Meri shaman with the purpose to rejuvenate patients suffering from emotional depression, physical fatigue or psychological problems caused by metaphysical forces.
The Mah Meri language, also called Besisi is a native language of the Mah Meri people. It is part of Semelaic sub-branch of Aslian languages which is part of Austroasiatic languages and is related to Semelai and Temoq in Pahang as well as Semaq Beri in Terengganu. The language also borrowed various loanwords from Malay. There are an estimated 3,000 people still speak the language.
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Wikipedia