Talang Mamak Communities in Bukit Tigapuluh National Park

The Talang Mamak communities living in the Bukit Tigapuluh National park can be found within Sembilan, Batang Gangsal, Sepuluh Jan, Denalah, and Pasak Melintang areas predominantly. About a hundred years ago all of these people were Talang Mamak, but since the influx of Islam people in three of these hamlets have become Malay. It was estimated in 1999, the communities in Bukit Tigapuluh National Park remaining were 181 households or 844 individuals. Of the total number 97 households or 523 individuals were Talang Mamak and 64 households or 321 individuals were Malay.

Both traditional Malay and Talang Mamak people live in alaong the Gangsal river inside the park. They spread out in several hamlets which included seven hamlets in the Riau section: Tanah Datar, Dusun Tua, Suit, Sadan, Air Bomban, Nunusan, and Siamang and one hamlet in the Jambi part: Semerantihan. The Dusun Tua group split because of conflicts and less available resources. Three hamlets have been inhabited by Malay people: Sadan, Air Bomban and Nunusan.

The population growth in the park tends to be stagnant as the birth and mortality rate is generally balanced. The health care system is still predominantly traditional. To cure and prevent diseases, the people utilize some medicinal plants combined with cosmological system. Culturally, the Talang Mamak in Bukit Tigapuluh differ slightly with those in Tiga Balai hamlet, which is the center of Talang Mamak culture. They do not follow the tradition of going down river to respect their King. Their traditional institutions have become faded, and generally they are more autonomous so that any serious conflict can be resolved with assistance from the formal village heads. Although they are generally animistic, some people have become Catholic especially those who live in Siamang hamlet.

They have extensive knowledge about traditional medicines. A survey conducted by a Biota Medika expedition (1998) has identified that Talang Mamak communities utilize some 110 species of plants for curing 56 kinds of diseases and utilize some 22 species of mushrooms of medicinal plants for curing 45 kinds of diseases. Apart from having knowledge about many species of medicinal plants, Talang Mamak communities possess extensive knowledge regarding wildlife.

Interactions

The Talang Mamak communities living in the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park are known as being polite and willing to welcome visitors from outside the area. They do not want to interfere with other people; when there is conflict they will avoid it by going deeper into the forest. This is a basic attitude of Talang Mamak. It is not wise to think we are superior to them when we consider their extensive knowledge about ethnobotany, ethno-zoology, culture and farming systems.

In the provision of assistance to these people we should ensure that our gestures are not simply symbolic thus underestimating their status and needs. It is better to give them something useful for their life and environment such as seeds to be planted or basic life education. Anyone who wants to do researvh in their area should ask them for permission in advance, as there are some pkaces are considered to be sacred and offlimits to all visitors.