KUALA LUMPUR: The Orang Asli elders including the ‘Tok Batin’ and ‘Tok Halaq’ are among those who are well-versed with resources from the jungles.Their knowledge on the jungle produce included the use of various herbs for medicinal and healing purposes, said National Museum director-general Datuk Ibrahim Ismail.
He said this is based on the Orang Asli who are closely linked to the forests and who believe each of the nature’s beings has its own soul and spirit.
“Hence, it is no surprise that after hundreds of years living in the jungles, the Orang Asli community continues to ensure that the priceless herbs will be inherited by the future generations,” he said.
Ibrahim was commenting on the Orang Asli Magic Jungle Herbs Exhibition held at the National Museum here during the recent year-end school holiday.
The exhibition that ended last Dec 31 was staged to expose the younger generation on the special features of the jungle herbs that are closely related to the Orang Asli customs and traditions.
“We can see how the restrictions, practice and advice of the Orang Asli when harvesting the jungle produce which indicates the belief in the soul and spirit of the jungles,” he said.
Ibrahim said the experience inherited across generations enabled the Orang Asli to know the secrets of plants that can be turned into medicinal herbs, and it is no surprise to see that they can identify each of these herbal species for their respective function and usage.
Despite not having formal education, the Orang Asli folk are the experts on the jungle plants and are well-versed on the plants’ cycle and changes.
Therefore, the Orang Asli Magic Jungle Herbs Exhibition depicted the relation of the herbs right from the resources, socio-culture and production as well as their use and understanding towards the conservation of the forest biodiversity.
“Herbs not only provide insight on the diverse Malaysia health traditions but also provide the scientific explanation and its relation on the cultural and historical background of the Orang Asli community.
“Further than that, herbs have featured in other fields like bio-technology, health, agriculture, business, medicine and social science,” Ibrahim said.
When opening the exhibition, Information Communication and Culture Ministry secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Siaraf said the Orang Asli conserved and respected these jungle treasures as they deemed them to have one thousand and one ‘magical’ features.
He expressed hope that the younger generation would appreciate the Orang Asli’s effort to produce and conserve these herbs.
“Its a pity, the youths of today only know about the herbs in the form of capsules and juices without actually knowing the herbs original appearance.
“They should know the herbs’ original appearance. One day when they come across a herbal plant, they will take care and conserve it to become the nation’s priceless treasure,” he said.
He said herbal-based items is the choice for alternative medicine and for those who wish to obtain chemical-free treatment.
“With the organising of such exhibition, the public is able to see the herbs more closely apart from improving their knowledge and understanding on their usage,” said Kamaruddin.
National Museum curator Mohd Jamil Haron said the Orang Asli community in the Peninsula comprises 18 tribes with the Senoi, Negerito and Proto Malays making the main groups.
He said the Orang Asli’s surrounding environment comprises of tropical plants and this made them to be familiar to these plants in their daily life.
“They know the secrets of some of the 6,000 species of the nation’s tropical plants which can be consumed, and these include the herbs,” he said.
Mohd Jamil said each of the Orang Asli tribes have their own knowledge on herbs but only those from the Senoi group like the Semai and Temiar are assisting in the sharing of their knowledge for research activities.
Hence various research work and innovations related to the herbs have been carried out, he said.
“Now herbs are not only recognised by the health experts but it is also a commercialised international industry.
“Despite extracts being taken from only a small number of the herbs, research and development work continues to surge each year,” he said.
Mohd Jamil said in Malaysia, traditional medicine has been extracted from parts of plants like the roots, barks, leaves and fruits.
“There are at least 1,158 species of trees in Malaysia recorded to have medicinal values. From that 1,075 are plants with flowers, 76 species of ferns and seven are gymnosperms,” he said.
Apart from being effective in treating common ailments like headache, cough and fever some herbal species are able to treat tropical diseases like malaria and cholera.
He said the Orang Asli utilise basic tools in their daily life in order to prepare the herbs into traditional medicines.
“It begins with the choosing of a herb plant by the Tok Batin, Tok Halaq or elderly Orang Asli who are well-versed with the medicinal herbal plants.
“The choice is determined based on the Orang Asli’s belief as well as restrictions inherited from their forefathers,” he said.
Mohd Jamil said only certain parts of the trees can be utilised such as the roots, skin of the bark, leaves or fruits.
However, only the ‘pokok layang-layang’ can be used in its whole form for the medicinal purpose.
He said the usual method is to boil the herbs in water and the water is used for consumption and bathing.
The herbs can also be ‘smoked’ and used for women in confinement and also for treatment of wounds.
“Ideally, the herbs should be promptly processed (after harvesting) without having to be stored to prevent its sap or juice to dry up, reducing the herb’s efficacy,” said Mohd Jamil.
Mohd Jamil said the focus is on the nature’s herbal affluence in order for the herbs to be utilised in new forms whether in agriculture, medicine, pharmaceutical and nutriceutical industries.
He said at present, the herbal plants are commercialised and used for a variety of needs such as that in the culinary and medical industries as well as being used in fragrances, cosmetics and landscaping fields.
“Among the factors on why the herbs are much sought after is in the demand for alternative medicine,” he added..
This can be seen with the surge in the sale of herbal products and the mushrooming of health centres and spas that offer traditional treatment like aromatherapy and ayurvedic. — Bernama