It’s been more than one year since the last post, and many things happened in the mid-time. One more expedition has been done in March 2016, allowing the footage of a documentary by Image Images, narrating the contemporary life of Moken, their loss over the past 15 years (notably the Moken boat, kabang), but most of all relating the everyday’s resistance of the last sea-nomads. For French speakers, the movie is already broadcasted on French television. Look for « Les frères de la tortue ». A French critique of the footage is available here. We will keep you informed as soon as the documentary is available in English. To make you wait, here are some pictures taken by the photographer Laurent Parienti during the expedition.
This journey has been singular in that we witnessed the first bo lobung (making of the spirit poles) ceremony performed in its « traditional » form since many years, over 3 days in 3 different locations. The icing on the cake, this ceremony was performed by the Nyawi group that did not held it since many years.
Last but not least, the project is about to benefit from a long awaited Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Culture from the Republic of Myanmar (signed with the French National Center for Scientific Research, CNRS) that will allow greater visibility and cooperation with local stakeholders for the setting-up of a museum dedicated to the valorisation of Moken culture and the wider Taninthayi (Tenasserim) cultural heritage.
Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks!
Moken Spirit 