SONGS OF ECOLOGY, COMMUNITY, AND INDIGENOUS VALUES :THE MAH MERI OF CAREY ISLAND, MALAYSIA

This book is about the musical life and traditions of the Mah Meri of Kampung Sungai Bumbun, Carey Island, Malaysia from the early 1900s to the early 2000s. Through ethnographic fieldwork, the stories of the Mah Meri villagers about the musicians, musical styles, musical instruments, song texts and interaction with music from various cultures are detailed. This book also presents the relationship between songs and music with the natural mangrove environment as well as how the Mah Meri's changing livelihood from permanent settlements to modern life styles influence their music. In negotiating national politics, tourism and modernization, the Mah Meri recreate the main jo'oh, their music and dance tradition to assert their identity and sustain their heritage as the indigenous people of peninsular Malaysia.