Milky Stork (Mycteria cinerea).





A Milky Stork scratching itself.

     


The Milky Stork, a large water bird, with an estimated world wide population of around only 5,550. Listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN/Birdlife International. it can only be found on the West Coast of Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Historically, in Malaysia they are found mostly along the West Coast, but due to habitat deterioration, low reproduction and predators their number is very low now.

Drying out after its bath.

     The lake at Pulau Kelumpang has being confirm as a reserved breeding, feeding and roosting sanctuary for the Milky Stork. Around the Kuala Gula area, a semi wild population of released Milky Stork can be found.


Collecting twigs for nest building.



Frolicking in the hot sun.

Asian Openbill Stork (Anastomus oscitans)

An Openbill with outstretched wings while landing. 

    

The Asian Openbill Stork are distributed throughout the Indian Subcontinent, Thailand right up to Cambodia. During certain times of the year they can be seen among the wetland and padi fields of Malaysia.

An Openbill foraging for food.

     The storks are normally found congregating at wetlands and padi-fields foraging for food. They feed mainly on molluscs, especially of the pila family. Most of the time the birds used their bill to search for the molluscs in the water and can manage to open the shells to extract the meat. All adults have a gaps in their bills which is well adapted to hold the slippery shells of molluscs. Susprisingly this feature is absent from the juveniles. Water snakes, frogs and large insects round up as part of their food chain too. At times the stork can be seen gliding in flocks, circling in the air, using the thermal to help them move around and save energy.

A freshwater crab fell victim.

     Breeding season is around July to September. Nests with 2-4 eggs are often built on half submerged trees.

The openbills like to sun
themsleves like this.

Ancestor Day (Hari Moyang) of the Mah-Meri Orang Asli tribe of Malaysia.

This article was published in the SJ Echo March 2015 issue.

     Mah-Meri (pronounced: Max Mri) one of the Aborigines tribes of Malaysia are confined to the state of Selangor of Malaysia. They are mainly living near the coast and are mostly fishermen. Being skill carvers and weavers, their labour of love are highly valued by art lovers and collectors.

The Moyang Bojos. A main character of the Jo'oh Dance.



The ancestor shrine being
prepared for blessing ritual.

     The Mah Meri are very respectful of their ancestors and as such set aside a day each year as Hari Moyang (Ancestor Day). On this day, the community pays respect to their ancestors and seek their blessings for bountiful harvests.



     Rituals and blessings are offered to all that come to seek. The Jo'oh Dance is performed by women dancers. Masked male dancers called the Moyang Bojos join in the dance too. They dance around a symbolic mountain (weaved out of leaves of the pandanus trees), that represent their belief of how the world come into being. Music is provided by a group of percussionists and singers.

Blessing ritual in progress.

    
     The women dancers wear blouses made from pounded barks of the Terap tree. While their hairs are decorated with objects and things in their daily lives, weaved from the leaves of the pandanus trees.




The Jo'oh Dance.

     On this Ancestor Day, the villagers and (outsiders too) are encouraged to bring food and drinks as contribution to the celebration. These are then displayed on long tables and serve as refreshments after the rituals, ceremonies and dance performances are over.

They are highly skill weavers too.



Some sing too.

Heads of women dancers
decorated with weaved objects.

The percussionist performing.