Research materials
These materials were first posted by David P. Quinton on Figshare in 2023. After publication of the book The Temiars of the Puyan River, in 2022, the author deemed it necessary to make parts of it concerning spirituality and rituals available online. Soon to follow were early versions of the author’s grammar and dictionary of Temiar. There are also audio recordings of Temiar dance and some videos (but unfortunately not many of the latter to date).
These materials remain on Figshare for now and the links to each item are given under the headers below.
My comments on the book Temiar Religion, by Geoffrey Benjamin (2014. NUS Press). After testing the book with with Temiars of Pos Goob, in Kelantan, Malaysia, I discovered that many errors had been made (misunderstandings and mixed up concepts) which then led the author to make some inaccurate and false conclusions. Unfortunately, the author did not respond to my comments.
As his work is currently the leading voice on Temiar ritual traditions, I find it necessary to make my comments public, so that the Temiars might be better understood and their culture be better preserved. Without my work to balance/correct areas of the book by Benjamin, their real belief system will hardly be known by the outside world.
In the book, he seemed determined to prove that good vs evil is rooted in the culture (when actually it is human vs the wild), and to prove his theory that rituals produce morals (which I find they don’t in Temiar society), thus clouding the real social concepts from view. His theory of multiple souls existing in the Temiar makeup, the heart soul, head soul, grave soul, eye soul, tiger soul and any other soul, also doesn’t hold up well to real Temiar belief. And his description of spirit mediums making a pretense, dreaming what they want to and having fake experiences does little to promote respect.
The information in this discourse was compiled over a six year period (2018-2023) in the Temiar villages of hinterland Kelantan, Malaysia. Geoffrey Benjamin’s ‘Temiar Religion 1964-2012’ (2014) served as a guide to help uncover many aspects of Temiar belief and ritual practice that I had not as yet discovered (having begun conversing with the Temiars back in 2010). As it stands, however, the book does not portray their beliefs in an accurate manner, and it contains many assumptions that are built on a) misunderstandings of Temiar language and concepts, and b) the half-stories given by Benjamin’s respondents which were not proven thoroughly over a longer time period immersed in the culture. (See my Comments on Temiar Religion paper for full details of the issues I found with Benjamin’s book, which basically make his work good for rolling tobacco, in the mind of the Temiars!).
With this record I hope to paint a clearer and more accurate picture of the beliefs of the Temiars which have stood largely unchanged through perhaps a few thousand years. This discourse may be found in full in my book, The Temiars of the Puyan River, in Chapters 1 & 2. Here, I do away with the images and provide it condensed, so that scholars of the Aslian or other indigenous people groups may be able to obtain it easily for study.
This is also not a static paper - I will update it when concepts are explained in greater detail and new traditions come to light, as I converse with the Temiars. Updates to this version are listed at the front of the document.
Please note that my book is now available, through Amazon or others.
THE TEMIARS OF THE PUYAN RIVER VOL. 1
978-1-7391344-1-9
THE TEMIARS OF THE PUYAN RIVER VOL. 2
978-1-7391344-2-6
These few folktales (cᵊnaal) were transcribed from the recordings made in 2021, at Kampung Pincong, in Kelantan, Malaysia, with some variation and creativity, by ˀElla Samsudín.
Time has not allowed for making translation and thus one needs a good idea of Temiar to be able to read them! One day we will write more and translate them for everyone to enjoy.
For the student of Temiar these writings are invaluable, because the exibit real Temiar speech, without any non-Temiar iterference. The writing style used shows an accurate use of grammar that would be hard to discover by linguistic study alone.
Titles:
Cᵊnaal ˀAsuh Bơᵏ Tajuᵏ – ˀAsuh and the serpent
Cᵊnaal Taliᵏ Talud – The talud vine
Cᵊnaal Kɛŋkax – The horned toad
Cᵊnaal Luwaaᵏ – The luwaaᵏ fruit creeper
With this document I release something of a data drop of information that has been waiting many years to be seen. I release it along with two other documents, those being my comments on papers by Geoffrey Benjamin on Temiar linguistics and my list of toponyms of the Puyan Valley in Kelantan. I’m releasing it here in case I get blow-piped or eaten by a tiger some day and everything gets lost!
This complete version contains phonology, nouns, toponyms, autonyms, kin terms, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and syntax & conjunctive words. There is a good deal said on verb inflection in the phonotactics section, and also much Temiar vocabulary is given in the Temiar/Semai comparison, together with a great list of ideophones, found in the Appendices, which means that there is more than plenty here for any linguist to digest.
I commenced this work with some bare lists of pronouns and spatial adverbs, that I had made back in 2010, while correcting the lists given in Means’ dictionary. More recently, I came across Niclas Burenhult’s grammar of Jehai, which has helped me to actually write about Temiar in proper detail. Geoffrey Benjamin’s work on Temiar has also been an immense help, as, although I criticise his mistakes, he has made much useful analysis.
Now available on Amazon in paperback!
978-1-7391344-6-4 …218pp…
For more details, see books page
At first glance, and especially by non-Temiar or non-Aslian speakers, the papers by Geoffrey Benjamin on Temiar Language appear to be detailed, methodical and robust. However, when the language analysis and example texts were tested with native Temiar speakers, it showed many weaknesses and apparent errata. For the sake of Temiar language studies and the students of Aslian languages, I have compiled these comments to highlight problems with Benjamin’s work and to promote accuracy of Aslian language study.
Resulting from some 15 years of work - 5000 word entries - 500 of which are further expounded. A level of language collation probably never before seen for an Aslian language, let alone Temiar.
The Temiars are the second largest indigenous people group of West Malaysia, after the Semais. They speak a Mon-Khmer language that has been preserved to this day very much undiluted by neighbouring language influence. It is hoped that this collation of word definitions - tried and very well tested with native Temiar speakers - can be a useful tool for students and linguists looking at Aslian languages or Temiar itself. It could also aid to preserve Temiar language and culture, for the generations to come.
Now available on Amazon in paperback! More updates and additional content including a concise grammar of Temiar.
978-1-7391344-5-7 …404pp… With illustrations
For more details, see books page
The Temiars carry intrinsic knowledge of tropical montane birds and there are many species which find pertinent place in their beliefs and daily existence, deep in the forest of the Malayan Peninsula.
I give three lists of bird names in Temiar:
This document contains the historic names of some 1645 places in the Puyan River valley surveyed by the Pos Gɔɔb community (2013-2015). Every Primary toponym has been etymologically investigated with the help of knowledgeable Temiars. It is my hope that this list might provide valuable insights into Temiar culture, history and knowledge of the environment. Of note, it is very telling that over 55% of primary toponyms originate from Temiar names of natural species, indicating how strongly attached the Temiars are to the forest environment around them.
For further discussion on these names, please refer to Chapter 6, Vol. 2, of my book, The Temiars of the Puyan River (2022), and also to Section 4.1 on names, in my draft work A Grammar of Kelantan Temiar, Part 1 (2023).
In Appendix 2, Vol. 2, of the book, a list of toponyms is given in categorised according to type of origin (natural species, animal species, environment, events, dreams etc). The list here, however, is arranged by type of geographic place (swidden, mountain, river, waterfall etc.). This means that, the list in the book is useful for cultural study, as one can see how many toponyms were derived from forest trees, from flowers, or from encounters with tigers etc. The list here is useful for historical studies, as one may view all toponyms of any geographic type together, such as all the rivers found in the Puyan Valley.
The Temiars are the second largest indigenous people group of West Malaysia, after the Semais. They speak a Mon-Khmer language that has been preserved to this day very much undiluted by neighbourieg language influence.
These maps show:
The dispersal of ethno-linguistic sub-groups of the “Aslian” languages speaking groups of West Malaysia - those indigenous peoples (Orang Asli) who speak languages derived largely from Mon Khmer, not Malay - or who could be classed Austro-asiatic as opposed to Polynesian.
The area of location of the Temiar people, across the states of Perak/Kelantan. Note the seven main rivers of the Kelantan Temiar region that are iconic to Temiar land.
Pre 1950 swidden locations of the five main kin groups of Pos Goob, in north-western Kelantan.
Footage of Temiars from the Puyan River in western Kelantan, Malaysia, sourcing bamboo from a mountain region, for making the outer barrels of the blowpipe.
The Temiars are still dependent on forest resources to sustain their lives in many ways. Areas of montane forest, such as is seen in parts 2, 3 and 4, can found in pristine condition and are very valuable to them.
Edit1 heading up the Pincoong River
Edit2 ascending Capaak mountain
Edit3 ascending Berleey mountain
Edit4 blowpipe bamboo cutting
Edit5 baking manioc and the walk down
This film was made possible with support from the GEF Small Grants Programme (UNDP).
In these two clips, I record three Temiar villagers of Kampung Pincong, Pos Goob, Gua Musang, Kelantan, in Malaysia, talking of the rice crop that was devastated by a rogue elephant, in February, 2022. Because of this disaster (which has been occurring every year since 2017) the Temiars of this region have been going without food and have been pushed well below the poverty line (with virtually no income except for handouts). Whats more, the elephants causing such trouble are not the native kind but were dropped off down the road by the elephant protection people! No compensation has been offered to the villagers for the destruction caused. It takes months of work and food to cultivate hill rice in cut and burn swiddens and then there is no food created from such a situation.
Three other short clips document the destruction caused by an elephant to rice fields of the same village, in 2020.
Recently added clip shows a large elephant munching through sugar cane planted by this author, in Nov 2024! Filmed from his kitchen window with family present and unbearable sand flies.
These folktales (cᵊnaal) were recorded in 2021 as part of a GEF-funded project to safeguard culture and traditions of the Temiars of Kelantan, Malaysia.
Time has not yet allowed for making transcripts or translations of them all, and thus they may only be of use at this stage to those with a proficient level of Temiar.
The first 50 cᵊnaal were recited by ˀAyob Bərlɛɛy and the last five, by Bawa ˀAdiᵏ, two Temiars of the Puyan River who learned the cᵊnaal from their late ancestors.
It is important to realise that the cᵊnaal are only shared orally and there have never been any written forms of them, especially not made by the Temiars. Therefore, without these recordings the cᵊnaal risk being forgotten and then lost forever, if the new generation fails to learn them.
List of files and titles:
210408_2247_aluj_juliir - ˀAlʉj Julíír & ˀAsuh
210409_0021_aluj_samaᵏ_alooŋ - ˀAlʉj & ˀAlơơŋ
210409_0114_tajuuᵏ_daŋgooy – The Daŋgơơy serpent
210409_0203_kaaᵏ_ayom – The mahseer fish
210409_0237_cᵊkər_bayas – The bayas palm
210409_2000_awɛn_gantaaŋ – The giant bamboo
210409_2050_taliᵏ_talud – The talud vine
210409_2130_asuh_samaᵏ_tajuuᵏ – ˀAsuh and the serpent
210409_2224_kᵊbəəᵏ_luwaaᵏ – The luwaaᵏ fruit creeper
210409_2323_sɛgnug_kɛŋkax – The horned toad
210413_2058_cɛp_həlaŋ – The rhinoceros hornbill
210413_2127_sᵊkɛᵏ_kajaax – The kajaax pandanus
210413_2158_taaᵏ_wooy_pᵊrahuᵏ – The jungle man and the boat
210413_2248_jajaaᵏ_wooy - The jungle woman
210413_2300_jɛᵏtuux_kᵊruhuy - The tiger and the changeable hawk-eagle
210416_2047_kᵊmaay_gííb – The tiger moth caterpillar
210416_2120_sᵊmuj_rɛjaw – The rɛjaw wasp
210416_2152_bᵊrəx_bᵊlod – The bᵊlod fruit
210416_2213_Taaᵏ_caŋgɛrgab – The giant
210416_2247_bᵊcơᵏ_samaᵏ_kapur – The mouse deer and the river snails
210418_2002_bataᵏ_bᵊrəx_təŋơᵏ – The bataᵏ and the təŋơᵏ fruit
210418_2045_bataᵏ_kᵊbəəᵏ_tɛljool - The bataᵏ and the tɛljool fruit
210418_2122_bataᵏ - The bataᵏ and the jiyɛɛs tree
210418_2149_jɛᵏtuux_bᵊcơk – The tiger and the mouse deer
210418_2254_ancơơh – The flying lemur
210418_2311_tataaᵏ_kɛlbaax - The kɛlbaax fruit man
210419_2105_jɛᵏtuux – The family of tigers
210419_2207_aluj_cowaᵏ - ˀAlʉj and the dog
210419_2226_aluj_kajɛx - ˀAlʉj and the fire ants
210420_2420_aluj_cᵊkər - ˀAlʉj and the lᵊgơơg palm
210426_2011_sɛgnug_gagag – The gagag frog
210426_2125_buhyaaᵏ – The crocodile
210429_2032_bawaaj_kᵊlusar - Kᵊlusar the pig-tailed macaque
210429_2130_jiyɛɛs – The jiyɛɛs tree
210429_2224_aluj_taaᵏ_gorís - ˀAlʉj and Karɛiy
210512_2004_Aluj_pᵊrɛnhic - ˀAlʉj the creator
210512_2118_amɔɔᵏ – The mountain goat
210512_2148_gantus – The dung beetle
210512_2224_bataᵏ_asu – The bataᵏ and ˀAsuh
210512_2310_apoos_tapix – The bowl ginger
210513_1959_sơr_aluj - ˀAlʉj and the cockriaches
210513_2111_cᵊkər_kᵊlabơơb - ˀAlʉj the kᵊlabơơb palm
210513_2200_jɛᵏtuux_aluj – The tiger and ˀAlʉj
210513_2241_jɛᵏtuux_babɔɔᵏ - The tiger woman and ˀAlʉj
210513_2332_bataᵏ_babɔɔᵏ - The bataᵏ and the woman
210514_0106_kᵊwɔɔᵏ_jɛᵏtuux – The great argus pheasant and the tiger
210514_0133_kᵊdiig_rayaaᵏ – The large and small rats
210514_0153_kɛnrơơb_pacɛy – The pacɛy palm
210514_2404_kabɛd_takơy – The takơy black ants
210514_2444_Taaᵏ_wooy – The jungle man
210505_1946_Bataᵏ_perahuk – The bataᵏ camping upriver
210505_2026_Jaak_Wooy – The jungle woman
210505_2106_Gasɛᵏ – The gasɛᵏ palm
210506_2011_Alaaj_Bᵊcox – The elephant and the mouse deer
210506_2151_Kᵊbəək_Gɛnraac – The gɛnraac fruit
These recordings were made by various Temiars at villages such as Bihay, Tohoy, Beriix, Langsad and others.
They give a good idea of today’s style of ritual dance of the Temiars.
01/25, added some 16 recordings given to me from Dendi, including two of “selombang” style dance, recorded at Kampung Wüüd.
These are a few audio recordings that I made some time back, in 2011.
The recordings made at Gawin village, although short, were taken during a ritual invocation session. Those made at Temagaak village were taken during a demonstration session, hence the jovial atmosphere.
These recordiegs were made by Temiars at Lalok village, on the Panees/Yaay Rivers, in Kelantan, Malaysia. In the 1990s a Temiar by the name of Taak Usop arose with messages from the Creator, Nyuk Alüj. He taught the people who came to him how to differentiate the deeds of darkness from the deeds of light .
He is heard giving teaching in the first audio file. As yet no transcript or translation has been made and therefore one needs some basic knowledge of Temiar to follow.
The second file is a recording of the ritual dance they held at Lalok. The recording quality is poor, due to the basic equipment they had at the time.
I am endeavouring to obtain more recordings from Lalok to add to this collection.
For the story about Taak Usop, please refer to my paper, The Temiar Ritual Belief System, in the part about the hukom code of life.