Read the following excerpt and match each statement given below to a philosophical concept that is most relevant to the respective statement. 

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The Rise Of Shaq Koyok And How Art Is Keeping Orang Asli Legacy Alive 

Written by Mira Sharon

They say the pen is mightier than the sword. Shaq Koyok proves that so is a paintbrush. Shaq, a contemporary artist from the Temuan Orang Asli tribe, is known for merging art and activism into a glorious hybrid. Shaq hails from Pulau Kempas, Banting, and lived a typical Orang Asli upbringing. The building blocks of his humble home consisted of twigs, leaves, and other jungle material- a generous offering from the surrounding forest perimeter. He and his family had built their home with their bare hands – a product of their own effort, sweat, and tears.  Members of the Orang Asli community are famously known for their skills in building houses with the most basic resources of nature. In sharing his story about his upbringing and culture, it is evident that Shaq holds a lot of pride in his identity and origins.   He almost always wears a headdress of woven leaves, known as the tali dendang, at cultural shows and exhibitions that he attends. He dons this special gear as a crown of appreciation for his ancestors and to symbolise that through him, their culture lives on and will not perish.

For many years now, he is a common face at protests, standing shoulder to shoulder with activists to demand equal rights for Orang Asli folk. Additionally, through art, he frequently expresses the plight of the indigenous communities scattered across Malaysia with his bold brush strokes. His work depicts gorgeous portraits of everyday Orang Asli people, with powerful stories that cling tightly to the canvas he paints on.

Shaq manifests his identity powerfully through art. Growing up, Shaq used to admire his brother’s art skills and strived to emulate them. Shaq started drawing, painting, and learning about art in school. As he evolved with practice, his talents intensified. His works bagged him numerous awards at local art competitions and in some instances, helped him to generate income too. He used to draw portraits of his teachers for a commission fee. 

Shaq found a sense of meaning and purpose as he gravitated towards the world of the arts.  Each of his masterpieces was a point of self-reflection and culmination of the experiences he endured in life.  “Art is not just a rigid picture, it is a moving conversation,” he says. To him, art is a powerful tool to spread awareness, and he has channeled his own talents to shine a light on the longstanding issues prevalent among the Orang Asli community. He said that art is unique in that it can transcend language barriers, allowing him to communicate his feelings to anyone and everyone who beholds his creations.

In his iconic artwork titled Legacy and Nightmare of Moyang Bajos, Shaq juxtaposes Orang Asli subjects amidst a field of deforested land. Far too many cases of villages and livelihoods have been stolen to satisfy capitalistic avarice and the Orang Aslis are untoward victims. They are constantly haunted by a sense of insecurity, as even their lands that are labelled as a forest reserve, can be degazetted by the authorities at any time. The Kuala Langat Forest Reserve, which is home to the Temuan tribe, for example, is in danger of being degazetted for economic development despite protests from environmental activists. 

Orang Asli identities are deeply rooted in their harmonious symbiosis with nature. They are guardians who understand the importance of maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Their legacy is the wisdom inherited from their ancestors, which emphasises preserving the vitality of trees, plants and the soil that shelter and provide for them.

Their animist beliefs emphasise that respect for nature also strengthens their ties to their ancestors. When elders pass on, the funerary rites are regarded as among the most sacred of their ritualistic beliefs. Naturally, orang Asli burial grounds are considered inviolable and well kept by the community. Each tribe’s identity and cultural beliefs are interlinked with the specific forest they come from. Evacuating them is an act of severing the connection they have with their forefathers. “It is not just culture and custom that we lose, it is our identity itself. "Orang Asli identity is tied to the land we live on. It is like being separated from your soul and spirit,” Shaq explains.

“It is almost as if our identity is hidden, our history is hardly taught in schools,” he says. He hopes that fellow Malaysians would take the time to learn more about Orang Asli and support causes that will allow his people to thrive, with the pride of their heritage intact.

All images supplied by Shaq Koyok. Article is adapted from https://www.eksentrika.com/shaq-koyok/

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