Moken sea gypsies at Ko Surin, Phang Nga
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( Uncle Du-Nung tells story to children in Moken language ) -
Children of Moken -- a Sea Gypsy Tribe who live on the Surin Islands, in the Andaman Sea of southern Thailand, are attentively listening to a senior citizen of the village, Uncle Dunung Klathaley. The old man is telling the children about his experience when he survived the Tsunami on December 26th, 2004. He passes on his traditional knowledge, learnt from his ancestors, to the younger generation in the village.
Observing nature is a local wisdom that Moken tribes here use and pass on to new generations for early warnings. And the knowledge helped their survival from the tsunami back in 2004.
** Laboon is in the Moken language, but Thai people call it Tsunami. Moken children say "Laboon Laboon Laboon: run up to the wood" while Thais say "Tsunami comes: run to the hill." ***
'Laboon' is the word the Moken use for 'giant wave', literally meaning big water. Moken sea gypsy tribes only have an oral language, not their own written language. Laboon became a tale told and passed on for hundreds of years. It's widely known and has been a safety code of conduct for the tribe members.
Uncle Dunung relates his old knowledge, stressing that they keep watching any abnormal receding of the sea water, as well as any strange behavior of animals.
The code is that, when such phenomena occur, people must shout to warn others and run to higher ground behind the village. In the past, the Moken sea gypsies on Surin island evacuated to a hill behind the village near Bon Yai and Sai End as shelter.
"We were told that in the old days, when Laboon came, this island was inundated, but last time the island did not vanish. They know that the tide come up, recedes and then dries out. People know so they run up to higher ground. Our ancestors taught us that when Tsunami comes, you see high water, and then it dries out. They run up to the forest. No one died in the Surin Islands in December 2004.
The local knowledge in observing the abnormality of nature has resulted in their survival from the killer wave in 2004. No single life of a Moken sea gypsy was claimed in the incident then. Their homes were however damaged forcing them to go live on the main-land for a while. Their survival experience has been shared with the younger members of the community.
Today a warning tower has been installed within the Surin Marine National Park where they reside. Local authorities have been educating the villagers here about the function of the early warning system. Today the villagers live and learn to apply modern technology with their own wisdom.
"Do you know the warning tower? It signals out loud if danger comes.
Not then. There was nothing then. Now I know.
Do you know how it functions?
No! But they say if it sounds, we go up to higher ground. All the children know about it also.
If older people pass away, the children were taught that if the sea water is high, then quickly recedes, run up to the forest, then you'll be safe.
The destructive wave in December 2004 not only left the Moken tribes and others with life threatening experiences, but on the other hand, it taught humans how to survive and live safely with nature. It's a combination between traditional knowledge and keeping ears open for modern news and information.
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