Authors : Clare Chan Suet Ching, Juli Edo, Loy Chee Luen, Mohd Nizam bin Nasrifan
Music : Wesley A. Johnson
Price : RM 35.00

This book was made possible through the Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (ERGS) awarded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia from July 2012 to July 2014. We are indeed grateful to the Ministry for supporting this research project and enabling the documentation of the Orang Asli’s folktales, which that embody their cultural aesthetics, worldview and wisdom. We also express our appreciation to Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) for encouraging the extension of knowledge and sustainability of cultural heritage through research, publication, and commercialisation.

We extend our warmest appreciation to the two Orang Ali storytellers who told us the stories of Bah Luj, otherwise known as Mamak Bongsu, the hero in this folktales series. Bah Kang s/o Bah Mat is a talented Semai storyteller in his late 70s. He told stories of Bah Luj with a cheeky sense of humour and passion. Bah Kang is a tok halaq or traditional shaman and healer from Kampung Bukit Terang, a village located in Kampar town, in the state of Perak. Beside this, Bah Kang also has a talent for storytelling. Our second storyteller was Harun bin Itam, a Temuan from Kampung Serigala, a village located in Ulu Selangor, near the border of Northern Selangor and Southern Perak. Harun is a Temuan in his late 60s and was the previous batin (village head) of Kampung Serigala. The Temuans refer to the same superhero, Bah Luj, as Mamak Bongsu. Harun knew many stories about Mamak Bongsu and was happy to share some with us. His stories of Mamak Bongsu were colourful and diverse.