Mergui Archipelago - Tanintharyi Division
The people of Mergui Archipelago Salone people
or the Sea Gypsies
The " Salone "of Myanmar, who called themselves,
" Moken ", are forgotten people who fight for their
survival. They adopt their way of life as marine
nomads. They are expert in swimming, diving and
submerging in the sea ---- and hence the names " Sea
- gypsy " or "Men of the Sea" .
Habitant
The salone can be found in the Southern part of
Myeik Archipelago which has more than 800 small
islands. It has been believed that the salone people
had lived, in the ancient times, on the Malay
Peninsula until the Malay incursion when they left
their native places and lived scattered throughout
the Myeik Archipelago. Now - a - days, the salone
can only be found on the coastal islands around
Kawthoung, formerly Victoria Point --- the
southernmost town of Myanmar.
Social Life
The salones do not live on agriculture or
farming, instead they roam in the sea near the
coasts and pursuit on sea and marine products that
they could obtain in their strange and various
traditional ways. Their boat, made of light wood,
are convenient and appropriate to go in the sea.
Their customary way of living in the sea is
extraordinary in that they take all the household
things---- utensils, food rations and including
dogs, cats and chickens ---- with them on the boat.
During the hot and cool seasons, they survive
their living by fishing, gathering and selling of
natural marine products. However, during the rainy
season, when the weather is strong and rough, they
managed to stay slovenly on the nearest islands they
could find. They built long legged huts made of
bamboo, canes or anything that they could find
useful for building huts. As their name, sea-gypsy,
implies they are skilful in returning back to their
islands, shortly, when they behold an unfavorable
weather.
The cleverness and expertness of the salone in
diving and submerging in the sea is incomparable.
They could dive down to 8 -10 fathoms and stay for
long time. They used to dive and submerge several
times in a day. It is presumed that the salone are
the only people who can stay underwater for many
minutes without using oxygen tank.
They collect and trade marine products such as
sea shells, oysters , mollusks, ambergris ,
seaweeds, pearls etc., as well as the edible nest of
swifts (Collocalia spp.) honey and medicinal plants
that grow on the island. The salone nomads do not
easily mix with other people. They do not
participate in economic, social or even cultural
development of the country they live in. Their
society has different cultural values from those
offered by modern society. They are locked in the
value system that they believe to be their own.
Customs & Traditions
The salone nomads still hold on their own
beliefs. They worship two spirit gods - the good and
the evil. Shamanism is the central element during
the spirit festival. The devotional offerings, at
the festival, include pop corns, alcoholic drinks,
honey, betel and flesh and blood of ducks, chickens,
dolphins and turtles. They used to sing at the
festivals. The talent of the salone are very
remarkable that they could sing songs at hand to the
scenes, happenings and fact they see. One of their
musical instruments is a drum made from monitor
lizard (Varamas Spp.) skin.
The rites and rituals at the festival were done
by the shaman, who involved not only at the festival
but also during illness or at death. The salone do
not bury the corpse, instead they left on a scaffold
stand and all the people of the village move to
another island.
The Sea-Gypsy Festival
Where will the festival be held?
The salone or Sea-gypsy festival will be held at
Ma-Kyon-Galet village on Lampi Island, one of the
islands of Myeik Archipelago of Southern Myanmar.
When is the Sea-gypsy Festival?
The salone (or) Sea-gypsy Festival will be held
during the second week of February each year.
What to see at the festival?
The visitors to the salone (or) Sea-gypsy
Festival can see the salone traditional ritual
dances as well as the traditional dances of the
local tribes of Dawei and Kawthaung. It has been
arranged that the visitors can also participate in
some salone spiritual dances. Bonfire will be held
at the festival site during the nightime. In
addition to the dances and show booths, Submerging
competition and traditional regatta will also be
held. Above all, the visitors to the festival can
see and feel the scenic beauty of the sea and
islands of the Myeik Archipelago.
How to get there?
Visitors can fly to Kawthaung ( and then to the
festival site by boat ) from Yangon by three
airlines - Myanmar Airways, Air Mandalay and Yangon
Airway. It would take about one and half hours
flying time from Yangon to Kawthaung. Visitors can
also go to the festival via Phuket or Ranong. One
option is that the visitors can go to the festival
and return via Yangon by air. |
