FOR thousands of years, Malaysia’s nomadic Batek tribe have roamed the country’s ancient tropical rainforests, completely at one with their natural habitat. But now their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle is under severe threat from deforestation and development, and the peninsula’s last nomadic tribe may soon have to abandon their traditional life and settle down.
A Bateq girl resting on a makeshift shelter in the jungle near her village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.A woman from the Bateq tribe along with her children gathering at their makeshift shelter in their village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.Young women from the Bateq tribe wandering in a jungle near their village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.A grandmother caring for three of her grandchildren in a jungle near their village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.A woman from the Bateq tribe carrying a child while making her way home after filling containers with water from a river near their village. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.A family returning home after filling their water containers from a river in the jungle near their village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.A boy exploring the jungle near his village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.
Boys from the Bateq tribe playing near the river next to their village. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.A woman smoking in a makeshift shelter in the jungle near her village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.
Teenagers from the Bateq tribe hanging out at their makeshift shelter in the jungle near their village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.
A family outside their home, which was provided by the government and has no electricity, at their village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.A woman cooking in a tent outside her home at a village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.Teenagers from the Bateq tribe outside their house, which was provided by the government with no electricity supply, at a village next to the entrance of the Kuala Koh National Park in Kelantan. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.Teenagers from the Bateq tribe performing a traditional dance called ‘Sewang’. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 31, 2017.
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