Mah Meri tribe dazzles Osaka Expo with sacred dance
KUALA LUMPUR: The Mah Meri tribe of Carey Island, Selangor, captivated international audiences with a sacred performance of the Mayin Jo'oh dance at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
Mah Meri Cultural Village director Rashid Esa said the Mayin Jo'oh dance, led by Adi Guru Diaman Kisah, honours the moyang (ancestral spirits) and offers a rare, powerful glimpse into Malaysia's Orang Asli heritage.
'After the performance, visitors eagerly posed with replicas of the 'Bajos' and 'Tok Naning' masks worn by Diaman, bringing home not just photos, but a piece of living culture.
'For the Mah Meri, the Bajos masks are believed to offer protection and promote the fertility of crops and fruits. In contrast, the Tok Naning masks embody joy and cheerfulness, serving as symbols of harmony with nature and the community.
'The performance, held during Selangor Week, drew large, fascinated crowds. Many were entranced by the rhythmic footwork, leaf-woven skirts, and most of all, the carved masks, each carrying a distinct spirit and story,' he said in a statement.
He added that the Mah Meri, one of Malaysia's 18 recognised Orang Asli tribes, belong to the Senoi subgroup, speak a Mon-Khmer language alongside Malay, and practise a culture rooted in animism and rituals that honour the natural world and ancestral spirits.
'Central to this worldview is the Mayin Jo'oh, performed during 'Hari Moyang', an annual festival welcoming spirits of the departed.
'Women dance in anti-clockwise circles, symbolising life cycles, while masked men move in counterflow, portraying tales passed down through generations. Accompanied by bamboo 'tuntog' stampers, the 'jule' stringed instrument, and the 'tambo' drum, the music creates a hypnotic rhythm that transports visitors far from the digital din of the expo,' he said.
Rashid also noted that among the crowd were not just curious tourists but art collectors and scholars drawn to the Mah Meri's intricate craftsmanship, Bernama reported.
'Over 20 of their wooden sculptures have received Unesco's Seal of Excellence. Each mask, carved from 'nyireh batu' or 'pulai' wood, carries both spiritual meaning and artistic precision. Some carvers even describe being guided by dreams, blurring the line between creation and ritual,' he said.
At live sessions, Mah Meri artisans demonstrated nipah leaf weaving, showing how to shape spiritual offerings known as 'tupak', which resonated with Japanese visitors due to their similarity to origami.
Beyond the performances, Rashid said Mah Meri's presence at platforms like Expo Osaka was a powerful statement on indigenous identity in a rapidly modernising world.
'For many Orang Asli communities, preserving culture amid socio-economic shifts is an ongoing challenge. Platforms like Expo Osaka provide not just visibility, but validation,' he said.
Diaman said the performance was their way of showing that the Mah Meri people still exist and that their culture remains important – both for their community and now for the wider world.
'We do this to honour the moyang,' he said.
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