RECENT MANI SETTLEMENTS IN SATUN PROVINCE, SOUTHERN THAILAND

Gerd Albrecht* and Johannes Moser**

Abstract The Mani people are hunter-gatherers living in the western part of peninsular Thailand, north of the Malaysian border. During field campaigns in 1995 and 1996 the occupation of ten rock shelters and nine forest camps were recorded. All these belong to the present-day system of up to one hundred different living sites, inhabited by Mani groups during one year in the forested region of Trang, Satun and Phatthalung Provinces. Most of the camps studied could be assigned to a specific Mani group, and it was even possible to tell individual housing habits apart. Beside documentation of the camps, the authors were able to construct kinship structures for 179 persons, belonging to six generations for the Mani. In addition, four prehistoric sites, related to the Hoabinhian and/ or the Neolithic, were discovered.

Research on the Manil Bernatzik (1962). Significant information on Mani life has recently published by Suwat The Mani are the northernmost group of the Thonghom (1995) with the help of the Trang Semang, or Orang Asli, of the forest areas of provincial authorities. These publications are the Thai-Malaysian Peninsula. The dense, and the main source of data on the Mani groups of previously well preserved, forests of Trang, southern Thailand. Satun and Phatthalung provinces were, and Today, the Mani number just over 140 indeed still are, the home for hunter-gatherer individuals, nearly the same number as 60 years groups of the Mani (mani, meaning 'we people', ago, as recorded by Bernatzik. They live in a is the term they use to name themselves, as virtually inaccessible area of large limestone opposed to hami, meaning 'the others' used for karst outcrops, comprising steep cliffs, narrow Thai and other communities). Until the start of valleys, and small basins. These unapproachable intensive logging which began only twelve years land formations are one of the reasons that the ago Mani life was relatively unaffected by Mani have been able to sustain their traditional outside communities. forest lifestyle, despite the presence of large The first written record of the Mani is found farming communities in the vicinity. in the writings of King Rama V, who visited Numerous caves and rock shelters in the them in 1907. In the 1920s, the renowned karst towers serve as habitation sites for the Austrian ethnologist, Paul Schebesta, whose Mani groups. As sedimentary traps, the caves main scientific work was on the Semang of Malaya (Schebesta 1952,1954 & 1957), met a • Faculty of Archaeology, Royal University of Fine small band of Mani in Phatthalung Province Arts, Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Schebesta 1925). The Mani of Satun Province •• Institut flir Ur- und Frtihgeschichte, Universitiit were also visited by the ethnologist Hugo Tiibingen, Germany.

Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 161 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser have accumulated substantial soil deposits, plantations. Those who have money are containing the remains of sub-recent beginning to learn about consumer society and settlements and prehistoric occupation. The becoming dependant upon wages and the goods first excavations at Sakai Cave, Trang they provide. Province in 1991 (Figure 1, site 21) exposed For ethnographic research, there is but hunter-gatherer occupation as far back as limited time to record data on Mani society 10,000 BP, as well as neolithic burials before it loses all recognizable connection with (Pookajorn 1991; Albrecht et al. 1994). its ancient lifestyle. It is recognition of this time constraint, that the Tiibingen/Bangkok joint The Mani today venture was initiated immediately following the establishment of co-operation between the Mani society is undergoing radical change from universities ofTiibingen and Silpakorn. In 1993 ever-increasing contact with the Thai population initial research was conducted in Trang province over the last ten years. Since the disappearance and then in Satun province. This field work of the guerrilla groups of the 1970s-80s, the determined that the most promising area, that traditional settlement area of the Mani has been least disturbed, was located at the convergence heavily disturbed by the intensification of of three provinces: Trang, Satun and logging and rubber plantations making greater Phatthalung. Research indicated that further contact with outside groups inevitable. investigations would be most profitably Development in the upper Langu River region concentrated in this area. ran relatively smoothly up to the early 1990s. In 1993, the Bueng group of Mani were relatively The fieldwork2 undisturbed, living a typical forest lifestyle. Traditional camps and indigenous tools were Following earlier ethno-archaeological still in use; contacts with farmers were restricted fieldwork in the mountain area of Trang province to work as labourers on the winter rice harvest. (Pookajorn 1991; Albrecht et al. 1994) and in Although proclaimed as a Thai National the upper Langu River Area in Satun Province Park, there appears to be no halting the (Albrecht 1994), field campaigns were carried progressive destruction of the rain forest in this out in the forest of northeastern Satun province, region because of powerful economical from 23rd February to 22nd March 1995, and interests. Nutrition has recently become a major from the 27th January to 8th February 1996. problem; with the forest and its wildlife which These latest investigations centred on the had sustained them disappearing, the Mani are occupied and recently abandoned camps of the forced to spend more time working in the fields, Mani (Sakai) in this region. or living from public welfare such as at Nam Seven occupied rock shelters and six forest Tok Mae Taeng near the Phatthalung dam. camps were carefully recorded and mapped. Although there is still wild honey to be found, Several other living ~as in rock shelters and in the Mani, excepting the L6 group in the the forest were also noted and sketched. All southeast of Satun Province, are obliged to sell these occupations are part of a system of up to it cheaply to farmers rather than using it as a one hundred different living sites currently nutritional supplement. inhabited by Mani groups during a single year From February 1995, and even more in 1996, spread through the forested region of Trang, significant changes were observed. The former Satun and Phatthalung provinces (Figure 1). large band had split into several smaller units, Most of the camps studied could be assigned to whose leadership had been taken over by men, a specific Mani group. the presence of a male leader being more Since detailed topographical maps were not acceptable to Thai society. In a few years, there available orientation and mapping in this rugged will be no space left for these forest dwellers. wilderness was made possible by the use of the The Mani are being forced to change their global positioning system3• The co-ordinates traditional way of life, and are beginning to noted after the site names are given regardless work as labourers on the local farms and of their divergence from existing maps.

162 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 ~ 1:: I Key to numbered sites 3 ~ ~ I I 1 La Yuang Pueng s. ·j 2 Tam Jet Kot I C'.!"' A\. c-..mi'OCblwher--- 3 Tam Jet Kot II s· Ao.. ~alellloCIM :3 ...... ,._ 4 Tam Na Daeng ~ ~ "'~ ~ 5 'Kwaan' forest camp - .... ;:s 1;;• -- "' 6 Tam 'Sap' .. 9 ~ < 7 Kai KiMa =:!. ?!- 8 Tong Nong Nien 00 "' 9' 9 Tam Nong Nien "'~ '"C 10 KaoNam Ta :3 ~ ;:s "'..... 11 TamHoi "'o:.' ;;;· !

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LEGEND

® BAMBOO TWEEZERS ® DART CONTAINER AND/OR BLOWPIPE ® ENAMEL BOWL @ BAMBOO WATER CONTAINER © TIED UP BUNDLE ® OTHER REMAINS @ REMAINS OF BLOWPIPE AND/OR DART FABRICATION ® CLOTH RAG ® ANIMAL BONE REMAINS FIRE PLACE FOR COOKING I WARMING @ WOVEN BASKET •5 UNIT No. ® HUMAN HAIR COOKING STANDS FOR BAMBOO TUBES ® KNIFE OR PART OF IT ~ BAMBOO SLEEPING PLATFORM (Q METAWC SPOON c~~:) PROJECTION OF PALM LEAVES SHELTER ® BAMBOO MUG @ft LAYERS OF DRY LEAVES ® HONEYCOMB ... ," ...... ! ROCK OVERHANGING @ COCONUT BOWL Ill SHELTER OF PALM LEAVES ® AWL ROCKPAINTINGS/WOODENGRA~NGS ® SHELLS AND/OR SNAILS 1110* ENTRANCE OF SHELTER, MAX. HEIGHT ® BAMBOO COOKING TUBE ~ TREE ® BAMBOO CONTAINER t!lf1J'fo- UMESTONE ROCK I STALACTITE Figure 2 Key for following plans of rock shelter and forest camp sites

In the following text, only camps of known given by Kleo Boonrung, a local farmer, who Mani groups are described. When possible, the employed this Mani group during the rice harvest. names of the inhabitants of each camp are given, The site was occupied from late 1993 to early together with the number allotted to them in the 1994. Nine groups of sleeping platforms were Mani genealogy in Tables 1 and 2. identified at the entrance of the cave. These groups only approximate to family units. The sites Unit 3 could be recognized as the place of the old woman Bueng (3l. Until1994, she was the La Yuan Pueng-07° 04' 50" N; 99° 56' 11'' kepala, the head of this entire group (Schebesta E, (Figure 1, Site 1) 1925: 24 ). After 1994 the group split into smaller This rock shelter was first examined in 1994, units. Bueng's platform is the only full length has been published (Albrecht 1994) and is listed one. All other sleeping platforms served only for here to complete the information. The most the upper parts of the body, with a layer ofleaves recent occupation of this site was from late lower down, as preserved in units 2 and 8. This is 1993 to the beginning of February 1994, with in contrast to the sleeping structures in La Yuan 25 people of the Bueng group living here. The Pueng, where most of the platforms consist of most impressive features are the rock paintings two parts, forming an obtuse angle adequate for along the walls of the rock shelter. In the same the whole body (Albrecht 1994:201). Units 1, 2, period the Bueng group also utilised the nearby 4 and 6 consist of pairs of platforms at right cave, Tam Nong Nien, one km away, in the angles to each other, with two persons sharing same limestone outcrop. the same leaf layer for their legs. One fireplace located between the angle of Tam Nong Nien Rock shelter-07° 05' 05" the sleeping platforms, in the rectangular N; 99° 55' 50" E, (Figure 1, Site 9 and Figure patterned structures, appears typical. To hold 3) the platform off the ground at one end, the fork This site was recorded on 6th March 1995. of a branch was generally utilized. In units 4 Information about the former inhabitants was and 8 stone slabs instead of branches served as

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Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts I & 2 165 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser a base. The platforms of units 1 and 2, near the of wooden bars. Bueng's bamboo mug was still drip line of the cave, were protected from rain in the rock shelter. and sun by sloping roofs of palm leaves, as in La Yuan Pueng. Unit 9, being in a poor state of Tam Jet Kot I Rock shelter--07° 06' 12" N; preservation could be remains from an earlier 99° 56' 18" E, (Figure 1 site 2 and Figure 4) phase of occupation. This was recorded on 26 February 1995. In unit 7, the remains of dart manufacture Information about the former inhabitants was were found, including the handle of a knife given by local farmers who told us that it had utilized in that process. In unit 3, a bamboo mug been occupied in December 1994. was found. It belonged to the old woman Bueng, This site is situated at the foot of a steep and was used for serving liquid drugs (personal cliff; outside the rock shelter there is an earthen communication from Kleo Boonrung). mound, the surface of which slopes down to the Of interest is the apparent 'hidden' deposit back wall of the rock shelter. The sleeping of two containers, or ladles, found in a cavity of platforms are located on this slope, being well the limestone wall, at the south end of the site. hidden and hardly recognizable from the outside. The handles are made from branches, with the Eleven groups of sleeping platforms were 'cup' being formed by large leaves. identified. In units 9 and 10, the platforms consist A splinter of plain glass was found, under a of two parts, comparable to the structures found layer of leaves, at the extreme rear of the cave. in La Yuan Pueng. No angled platforms were A tuft of hair was found in another niche, a few found with fireplaces between the angles, as in meters away. Questions remain of whether they Tam Nong Nien. Most of the platforms serve are intentional depositions, and/or if the deposits only the upper part of the body, a person's legs are somehow linked. being placed on leaf layers, as in Tam Nong The best parallel to La Yuan Pueng, except Nien. As the site had only been recently been for the painted frieze at La 'Dschaem' rock abandoned, the leaf layers and the other shelter (Figure 11 ), comes from the charcoal structures were all well preserved. As at La drawings on the northern wall of the cave. Yuan Pueng and Tam Nong Nien, the platforms However, unlike at La Yuan Pueng, there are in the area of the drip line are sheltered by no human figures. The drawings display different sloping palm leaf roofs. signs, among them the igan, a fresh water fish In unit 1, the sleeping area contains only a (personal communication Tao Sang (36), head layer of leaves, and is situated slightly apart, at of a Mani group, in Trang Province). the southern end of the inhabited area. By The site was revisited on 31st January comparing this arrangement with the sites of 1996, having been briefly occupied for three Tong Nong Nien, Kao Nam Ta and Tam Na or four nights in December 1995, according Daeng this should denote the sleeping place of to Kleo Boonrung, by part of the Sen group, the old man Sing (25). including Yao (58) and his wife Prang (57) Unique to a forest occupation is a small and between eleven to fifteen persons in seven table-like construction in unit 3, attached to the units. Some changes in the pattern of wall, giving the impression of a bedside table. occupation were noted. Features like this are known from Mani With the exception of the back part of the occupation in the rubber plantations, as in the cave, the same area at the mouth of the cave one near Tschong Nap, a village in the Thung was used, as in the winter 1993/1994. Even W a district, where they serve to store kitchen some of the platforms looked just like the old goods. ones. And as two years previously, stone slabs Apart from some cloth rags, this occupation were used to support the platforms. The utilised is not rich in the remains of special activities. area was extended to the north, along the wall Two enamel plates were found at the foot of the of the rock shelter and on a sloping surface, but limestone wall, at the north end of the site. In a inside the drip line. The change in level was niche behind unit 5, a bunch of bananas were better compensated for than during the last found. It appears as though the site was occupation, by a careful step-like construction abandoned suddenly, as a large number of

166 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand

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Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 167 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser unused bamboo containers and collected to a tree and two poles, and a small fire place. firewood, were found. This, together with the Unit 3 was the single platform of Re (24). Both partially burnt wood in the fireplaces of units 2, men are the husbands of Dschai (79). Unit 2, 5, 7, 9 and 11, support this speculation. A large located between Sing and Re, was occupied by number of red cloths were also found, red being Dschai and her four children, Thong (143), Lorn the favourite clothing colour of the Mani. (144), Lap (145) and Don (146). This 'family' No rock paintings were found, which might was spatially separated from the other indicate that the site was occupied for only a inhabitants, and from the bamboo floor. short time. Leaving Tam Jet Kot I, this Mani Unit 14 was occupied by Kai (75), the husband group moved to Tong Nong Nien, three km of Jaa (76), who occupied unit 15. Unit 9 is the away. Although no sleeping platform in Tam largest of the shelters, connected with the central Jet Kot I could be identified as belonging to the bamboo floor by a long gangway, leading directly old woman Bueng and, from this time onwards under the roof. The Sen family lived here, perhaps she seems not to have been with this Mani with Sen's (6) daughter Sap (23), who, after the group, although the local farmers named the departure of Bueng, seemed to have been the Mani here at this site as the 'Bueng' group. As strongest member of this Mani group. of the beginning of 1996, this rock shelter had Unit 10 was occupied by the Kwaan (27) not been reoccupied. family. Also a large shelter, it is located 'next door' to the Sen family. There is only vague Tong Nong Nien Forest Camp-07° 05' 19" information about the inhabitants of the other N; 99° 55' 25" E. (Figure 1, Site 8 and Figures units. Unit 5 could belong to the Gam (82) 5 and 6) family, and unit 11 to Tsem (?),whose wife and This site was recorded on 7 March 1995 and, children lived in unit 12. The Loo family stayed according to information given by the local in unit 4 or 6 and Dek (or Daed), together with a farmer, Kleo Boonrung, it was occupied in child in unit 13. January 1995. As is typical in forest camps, all the structures Of all the sites observed during the 1995 were covered by sloping palm leaf roofs. The field campaign, Tong Nong Nien is outstanding. entrances of shelters 4 through 13 inclusive, are First, it is a large camp, with 15 groups of oriented toward the central split bamboo floor. sleeping platforms. Second, these platforms are This site was rich in kitchen equipment with connected to each other with gangways, and many bamboo cooking tubes, bamboo tweezers floors of split bamboo. The investment of time, and a bamboo mug, found in unit 5; a bone awl, materials, and energy gives the impression of a used to open special seeds in unit 6, and a more permanent occupation. woven basket, was found in front of unit 12. In A special type of combined platform can be unit 7, there were the remains of blowpipe dart noted in units 5 and 15. It consists of a two-part fabrication. Behind unit 5, human hair had been platform for an adult and another at right angles placed near a large tree trunk, and cloth rags to these, which are perhaps sleeping places for were found in units 5, 10 and 11. In the small children. Kleo Boonrung related that unit 15 unit 13 a bamboo container concealed in the was utilised by Jaa (76) and her two children roof contained poison for darts. Puk ( 141 ), of two years, and the new-born Baen In unit 14, the sleeping place of Kai, and (142). concealed in the roof in the same way, another This type of structure, with two short bamboo container was found. This one contained platforms at right angles to each other, and a grease of a mu din (hog badger). The burrow of fireplace in between, is common in Tam Nong such an animal was still to be seen in a small Nien and can be seen in units 4 and 6. In one mound at the centre of the occupation. According case, unit 9, this structure has been modified, to the information of Kleo Boonrung, the Mani using a base of sticks to serve the legs of the rub this grease onto their bodies before dancing, sleeping individual, instead of a layer of leaves. and going into a trance. Unit 1 was the sleeping place of Sing (25). It The Tong Nong Nien forest camp was most consisted simply of a roof of palm leaves, tied probably used for an annual meeting of members

168 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts I & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand

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of the former Bueng group. Perhaps this site only be roughly accomplished, as it was also functioned as a ceremonial location as more presently being occupied by the Mani. This site than 30 people, including children, gathered was found with the assistance of the Mani here. After a meeting in January, most of the themselves, and was unknown to the local Mani left this area in a north-easterly direction farmers. The Mani arrived on 27th February (via Tam Sap or Kai Ki Ma, see below). Only 1995 and left before 20 March 1995 the families of Sing IRe I Dschai, Kai I Jaa and Under big trees, and adjacent to huge Som Priau (= Dschaem, 22) I Run (50) I Maen limestone boulders, five units stretch north­ (51) I Na'e (52) remained in the region during south, situated on a small plateau, on a hillside. our 1995 fieldwork. Unit 1 is a large shelter with a palm leaf roof. The site was revisited on 28 January 1996 Three short platforms, with an extended layer (Figure 6). One year having passed, the Tong of leaves in the back, serve for the three women Nong Nien camp appeared undisturbed, all the Run (50), Maen (51) and Na'e (52), along with structures having rotted. Previously hidden, two their twelve children. The platform of their pits were now visible below the central platform; husband Som Priau (= Dschaem, 22) was one of which yielded a bamboo container. The unidentifiable, and he was not seen. Stone slabs specific function of these pits is unclear, other are used as the platform base for units 4 and 8, than that they served as hiding places. as in Tam Nong Nien. Unit 2 belonged to Jaa and her two children, Tam Na Daeng Rock shelter-07° 08' 57" N; who used the larger of the platforms, with her 99° 56' 17" E, Figure 1, Site 4) husband Kai occupying the smaller. In this unit, This site was first visited on 26th February 1995. the palm leaf roof is quite steep, not protecting No mapping was done the first day, but much the whole sleeping area. information was received through interviews Units 3, 4 and 5, are arranged in the same with the Mani who were at the site. When the pattern as in Tong Nong Niem. Dschai (79), camp was revisited on 28 February, it had been with her four children were in unit 3, the children burnt to the ground. It is possible that the camp in the middle, on a two-part platform. The older was destroyed by loggers for, according to husband Sing (25) was in the rough shelter of rumour, our presence here and our contact with unit 4, under a single palm leaf roof, sleeping · the Mani groups, was not appreciated. on the bare floor. Unit 5 has Re (24) on a In February 1995, the Sing I Re I Dschai sheltered leaf layer. family, with four children, and the Kai I Jaa As this was not an abandoned camp, like the family, with two children, moved to this rock other sites, all items recorded remained shelter. This site is situated around seven km undisturbed for the Mani' s further utilisation. north of Tong Nong Nien, uphill, at an altitude In the rear of unit 1, a dart container, a of 200 m above sea level. All sites previous to woven basket and red cloth were placed in the this had been situated approximately at river sloping roof. At the north end of the shelter, a level which is only a few meters above sea bamboo water container, clothes and a basket level. were hanging from the roof. In the rear of unit 2 On 27th February 1995, the two families were placed a blow pipe, dart container and a had moved to the forest camp of Kao Nam Ta, woven basket. about one km away, and situated at an elevation Unit 3 contained some clothes and a bamboo of 300 m above sea level. At this forest camp, water container. Only a dart container was they met up with the Som Priau I Run I Maen I observed in the rough shelter of unit 4; while Na'e family. walking around the site, Sing kept his blow pipe with him. In unit 5, a single bamboo cooking Kao Nam Taa Forest Camp-about one km tube was observed. Re, like Som Priau, was NW of07o 09' 21" N; 99° 56' 34" E, (Figure 1, absent from the camp. Site 10 and Figure 7) Between units 2 and 3, there was a fresh This site was visited on 4th March 1995, and engraving one meter up the trunk of a tree. No recorded the following day. The mapping could explanation could be elicited for this complicated

Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 171 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser

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172 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand sign. Although the sign had no parallels from 4th March, to relocate this site, they proved other camps observed on this fieldwork there unsuccessful. A sketch, but not a detailed map are similar signs made by the Mani at their was made. It had been occupied in the Winter camp near the Sakai Cave, Trang Province. of 1994-95. The Mani had contacted us personally, and The Tam Sap rock shelter extends invited us to visit this site. They were willing to approximately 10 m in a north-south direction, give us a great deal of information, and, after with the opening facing to the east. Six some time, communication was possible even platforms were constructed on a small terrace with the women. This site was exceedingly overlooking a steep slope. Five single difficult to find. in the forest and without the sleeping platforms were observed, with the guidance of the Mani themselves it is typical leaf layer to serve the legs. Two palm questionable whether it could be found by the leaf shelters had been erected over the local Thai farmers. southernmost and the northernmost platforms. Close to the sleeping platforms, four Kwaan Forest Camp-07° 06' 59" N; 100° fireplaces were noted along with two bamboo 00' 27" E, (Figure 1, Site 5 and Figure 8) tubes. A tortoise shell was found in the rear This site, occupied in 1993 or 1994 according of the rock shelter. to local farmers, was recorded on 2nd March The Tam Sap rock shelter is located in the 1995. Unfortunately, because of restricted time, environs of Kai Ki Ma and K waan forest camps. only a rough sketch could be made. According to information from our guide, the Containing sixteen sheltered units, this was site had been inhabited by eight individuals, quite a large camp, comparable in size to Tong possibly a single family (Sap, 23, and Kiat, 5, Nong Nien, and perhaps used by the same ?). There is no more information about this people. Some of the structures had been burnt, relatively small site. but why or by whom was unknown. Units 3, 4 and 13, have the typical two-part Qu'ham Mo Biyae Rock shelter-Or 08' 07" platforms, with unit 2 laid out in a rectangular N; 100° 00' 25" E, (Figure 1, Site 14, and pattern. Most of the units consist of short Figure 9) platforms, possibly with a leaf layer, as in unit 7. This site, close to a small ravine also has a Thai All the shelters were arranged to form a name La Klok Kloi ('rock with trunk of Iiana') large oval, with the openings to the centre. Units and was visited on 30th January 1996. A great 10 and 11, were located slightly apart from the deal of useful information was received from other units, unit 10 being the only one without Yao (58), the son of Qu'an (21), along with his traces of a platform. In unit 11, a base of sticks second wife Maen (51), who accompanied the was utilised to serve the legs, instead of a leaf team. It had been occupied for two nights at the layer, also as observed in Tong Nong Nien, unit end of December 1995 to the beginning of 9. In unit 6, an enamel bowl was found, and in January 1996. unit 16, two bamboo water tubes. There was The wall of the rock shelter faces west. The unfortunately little time for more detailed structures cover a distance of more than 20m in observation. a north-south direction. All nine units of the last Due to the year or two which had lapsed occupation can be found along the wall inside since the Mani last used this camp, the structures the drip-line of the shelter. In one area, the drip were in a poor state of preservation, really quite line extends out giving a dry space for unit 3 on rotten. After six months, the platforms in a forest a small mound some meters away from the camp cannot be reused: one year for a rock wall. shelter. The shelter was inhabited by 22 members of the Yao, a subgroup of the Sen group. Typical Tam Sap Rock shelter-300 m NE of 07° 07' for this site are simple platforms with leaf layers 57'' N; 100° 00' 33" E, (Figure 1, Site 6) serving the lower part of the body. In two units, This site was visited for a short time on 1st 2 and 9, the sleeping place for a man consisted March 1995. Though attempts were made on only of a leaf layer. Units 1 and 5 were protected

Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts I & 2 173 Gerd Albrecht an d Johannes Moser

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176 Journal of the Siam Society, Vo l. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand by a palm leaf shelter. The occupants were as testify to the increasing contact between the fo llows: Mani and Thai farmers, the closest small shop Unit 1: Dschaem (= Som Priau, 22) with hi s being about three hours distant. wife Maen (5 1) and children, Tui (59) and Piaen Qu' ham Mo Biyae was used as a stop-over (60) in the north-south route. The ni ght before the Unit 2: Hi (male, 56) Yao group slept here, they had occupied a forest Unit 3: Dschid (male, 65, at this place not camp called Huai Sai. Upon leaving thi s rock yet together with Jap, 6 1) shelter, they walked one day south to the Manang Unit 4: wi fe Kung (29) and children, Tom fo rest camp to meet the Re group. (83) and Loh (84) Unit 5: Pon (male, 67) La Dschaem Rock shelter-Or 06' 08" N; Unit 6: Yao (58) with hi s wi fe Prang (57) 99° 56' 35" E, (Figure I, Site 15 and Figure I 0) Unit 7: Dsched (69) with hi s wife Daeng Thi s site had been occupied in mj ddle of January (68) and children, Dschaed ( 136), Pan ( 137) 1996, for a few days and was visited on 3 1st and Dschom ( 138) Janu ary 1996. The area was shown by the local Unit 8: Dam (72) with his wife Dschim (7 1) farmer Sawaang, who gave us all the information and children, Dob ( 139) and Bonn ( 140) at hi s disposal. Unit 9: Daeng (male, 62) Located on the same cliff as Tam Jet Kot Traces of an older occupation could be fo und II, this huge rock shelter faces the north, not in side and outside the shelter, eight meters from far from a river. Sixteen sleepin g places are the back wall and undisturbed by the more recent concentrated in a small area to the eastern side. occupation. Thirteen of these consist of simple platforms T hree monkey skulls were fo und in units 5 with leaf layers, the other three beds showed and 8 and in the refuse area to the south of the on ly leaves. One of these leaf beds was situated shelter. The remains of a varanid li zard, together close to the wall , beside which there is a free wi th a rattan trap in unit 7, indicate some of the space, about 3m wide in front of the wall. T hi s acti vities of the Mani during their short stay mi ght be due to the fact th at the wall is full of here. An empty fish can and broken chinaware paintings.

Figure 11 Drawings in La Dschaem, photo

Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts I & 2 177 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser

Exceptionally at this site, the three fireplaces periods of occupation. Up to ten years ago, this have wooden 'carving' forks fixed into the rock shelter was utilised by guerrilla groups to ground (Figure 10, A), one still holding the mill rice. Today, this is evidenced by thick layers scapula of a small animal. of rice hulls, built up in the northern side of the This camp was occupied for a few days by a site. Additionally, patches of elongated leaves group of sixteen to eighteen Mani; this included were noticed, scattered about the rock shelter. Dschaem (= Som Priau, 22), who probably The platforms are concentrated on the stayed with his wife(s) and children in the large southern and northern edges of the rock shelter. sleeping area in the north. The names of other On the southern side, there were two units members of the group are unknown, but are (Figure 12). Unit 1 exhibits only one rotted believed to include some of the Sen group from platform, but contains three fireplaces, indicating Tam Jet Kot II. a more intensive utilisation. Unit 2 has two The outstanding importance of this site is fireplaces, with the remains of cooking stands the extensive wall painting covering about seven and bamboo cooking tubes. Many bones, snails, meters of the vertical limestone at the back of and a piece of honeycomb were also found. A the shelter (Figure 11). Here is not the place to black painting in the rock overhang nearby could describe the numerous pictures and signs, but be a rough Thai inscription. Sawaang regarded the production of these In the centre of the rock shelter, there are ten paintings as 'a work of children'. When queried fireplaces, patterned into four distinct occupation that some of the pictures were two meters above areas. Between these areas, enamel bowls and the ground, he replied that young men had metal spoons were found, two coconut bowls, shouldered children to reach the height. This one between two fireplaces in a layer of leaves, impressive frieze needs careful analysis. as well as bamboo cooking tubes. There was It appears that the site was abandoned in also a concentration of seeds, deposited near to great haste. Close to each fireplace wood had where the rice-hull layer intruded into the centre been stockpiled (Figure 10, X). A complete bush area. knife (X1), a smaller knife (X2) and a significant On the northern side of the rock shelter, the amount of cloth (E) appears left behind. Even a features are better preserved, perhaps belonging packet of tobacco was observed, including the to more recent occupation. Unit 3 consists of a cigarette papers. Concerning the flight, Sawaang short platform and a fireplace with water related the following story. containers and a cooking 'tube found nearby. At the beginning of January, the Sen group Some dark shadows, possibly drawings of occupied Tam Jet Kot IT. Some Thai boys visited human figures were observed on the limestone the camp and asked for some arrow poison. wall near the platform. Unit 4 is similar in When the Mani refused to give the poison, the construction to unit 3, with cooking tubes found boys threatened to return with pistols. The Mani nearby. Fragments of honeycomb were also then left Tam Jet Kot II and split into different found on this side of the rock shelter. groups, the largest group staying for some days Due to the poor condition of the structures nearby in La Dschaem and the apparent sudden in this rock shelter, the settlement patterns abandonment of La Dschaem could be related remain unclear. Which features had been made to this incident. by the Mani, by the guerrilla groups, or by local farmers visiting the site, is difficult to Tam Jet Kot II Rock shelter-07° 06' 29" N; differentiate. The layers of elongated leaves 99° 56' 43" E, (Figure 1, Site 3 and Figures 12 could well be a natural phenomena. It was related and 13) that the Mani ceased using this site two years This site, occupied in 1992 and/or 1993, was ago, following the construction of a farmhouse first recorded on 25 February 1995. The site on the other side of a nearby river. was described by Sawaang, although no The Tam Jet Kot II site was revisited on 31 information was available about the inhabitants. January 1996, and recorded that day (Figure This large rock shelter measures 60m along 13). A new occupation had occurred in the the cliff and the remains could belong to different beginning of January, just three weeks earlier.

178 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand

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Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 179 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser

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180 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand

Sawaang again gave us information about the Yao, stated that Daeng was already single at the site, this time including remarks about the end of December 1995, during his stay in the inhabitants who belonged to the Sen group Qu'ham Mo Biyae. Only the middle of the rock shelter was utilised, with thirteen units housing up to 25 La Sawaang Rock shelter-07° 05' 35" N; persons. Three units, 4, 12 and 13, as observed 99° 57' 38" E, (Figure 1, Site 16) in La Dschaem, consisted of only leaf layers This site which had been occupied for a few and may have been used by the same persons days at the end of December 1995 was visited who had occupied that location (?). Simple on 4th February, and recorded on 6 February platforms had been constructed with layers of 1996. Information about the site was given by leaves serving the lower part of the body. One Sawaang, for whose assistance this site was exception was in unit 5, with a sleeping place of named. two platforms lying at a slight angle to each The La Sawaang rock shelter (Figure 14) other. extends about 25m in a north-west-southeast In units 4 and 11 stone slabs were used as a direction, the surface of the shelter descending base for the sleeping platforms, as in Tam Nong sharply, south to north. A large cave-like niche Nien one year earlier, and in Kao Nam Taa. The intrudes approximately 10m into the rock face, sleeping places in units 3, 5-11 were protected located at the middle of the rock shelter. In the by a palm leaf shelters. back of this niche, the remains of older The occupants of the camp units were as occupations were preserved. follows: Of nine units with simple sleeping platforms Unit 1: Long (30) with his wife Kung (29) and leave layers, units 1, 4, 5, 8 and 9 were and children Tom (83) and Loh (84) constructed on small terraces, with wooden bars Unit 2: Run (female, 50) and three children employed to compensate for the difference in Unit 3: Dschaem (= Som Priau, 22) with his level, as in Tam Nong Nien and in the Tam Jet wife Maen (51) Kot I. Only unit 9 was protected by a roof of Unit 4: children of Maen and Run palm leaves. Unit 5: Yao (male, 55) The site had been inhabited by fourteen to Unit 6: Yao (58) with his wife Prang (57) eighteen people belonging to the Yao subgroup, Unit 7: children including Dschaem (= Som Priau, 22). Perhaps Unit 8: children La Sawaang had been occupied by the Mani Unit 9: Dsched (male, 69 ?) while on their way south from Qu'ham Mo Unit 10: Sen (6) with his wife Aet (= Baen, Biyae. But a stay here before the Qu'ham Mo 7 ??) Biyae is also possible. Unit 11: Waang (64) with his wife S6 (63) This is the only site where more than twenty Unit 12: Daeng (male, 62) wooden sticks (Figure 15) and one forked stick Unit 13:? (Figure 16) were observed. They were up to There were rock paintings on the ceiling of 80cm long and around 3cm thick, covered with the rock overhang, some 90-130cm above the parallel markings (X2), decorations or scratches, ground. They showed only signs. Interestingly, and having an intense smell infused into them. a small image of an erect penis was found carved For clarification of their purpose two of these in wood (X 1). The contents of a nearby 'hidden' sticks were shown to L6, the head of a Mani bundle of leaves (X2) remain unknown, as it group, located in the south-east of Satun was left untouched. In unit 6 there was a bamboo province. He described the sticks as being part mug. of a grill, utilised in the roasting of mu din (hog For the background to this site, see remarks badger), the smell deriving from this. There is for La Dschaem above. an accumulation of grease on the sticks, which Sawaang related another short story. During is later removed by scraping with a scale as this stay in Tam Jet Kot II, Waang (64) asked used for grinding the wild yams. Daeng (62) for his wife S6 (63); Daeng Known from Tong Nong Nien, grease from apparently agreeing. However, another source, the mu din plays an important role in Mani life,

Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 181 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser

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182 Journal ofrhe Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts J & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand

Figure 15 Decorated wooden stick, La Sawaang

Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts I & 2 183 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser

'

Figure 16 Decorated wooden fork, La Sawaang being rubbed into the body before dancing, and Yao, was undertaken on 30 January. Information a medicine. Bones of the mu din (Figure 14, F) was related by Yao and a local farmer, Porn. were found scattered about, with a concentration Stretching over 30m up a slight south to north in the north of the site, where an isolated slope, fourteen units are arranged in two rows, fireplace might have been used for roasting. accommodating 44 people. Many kinds of After more than a month, the smell of the grease sleeping places were observed, from only leaf remained intense. The great importance of the layers, in units 4, 8, 12 and 13, simple platforms mu din to the Mani warrants further with leaf layers, to two aligned partial platforms investigation. Many questions remain regarding (unit 6) or angled (unit 5). Unit 8, interestingly, ceremonial and symbolic practises, the removal had the leaf layers surrounded by wooden bars. of the grease and the resulting 'decorated' sticks. As is usual in forest camps, all of the shelters At the entrance to the camp, a young tree were protected by roofs of palm leaves. was carved with lines and signs, from the bottom This site could be divided into a northern to a height of 180cm. and southern part, the entirety utilised by an enlarged Sen grouping. At the northern edge of Pa Pon Forest Camp---07° 05' 36" N; 99° 59' the settlement traces of older structures could 44" E, (Figure 1 site 18 and Figure 17 be observed (X3). This site, which had been occupied for a few The following list was compiled from Yao's days in the middle of January 1996, was visited information: on 28 January 1996, and recorded in detail the Unit 1: Dschid (65) with his wife Jap (61) next day. An additional visit, accompanied by and her daughter Pa (128)

184 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand

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0. E 0:: u

·-.·

Journal oft he Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts I & 2 185 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser

Figure 18 Toy, Pa Pon

Unit 2: Daeng (male, 62) approximately 1: l 0 (Figure 18). Remains of Unit 3: Dam (72) with his wife Dschim (71) blowpipe fabrication were observed on unit 8 and children Dob (139) and Bonn (140) (D). Unit 4: Pon (male, 67) Scattered about the site were many consumer Unit 5: Dschaem (= Som Priau, 22) with his goods (Xl), such as empty cans and instant noodle wife Maen (51) and children Tui (59) and Piaen soup packages. Between units 3 and 12, there (60) was a concentration of refuse, such as Nescafe Unit 6: Kai (75) with his wife Jaa (76) and bags, and a milk carton. This marks the camping children Puk (141) and Baen (142) area of the teacher Suwat Thonghom (1995), who Unit 7: Kai (male, 66) visited here for one night. He had donated a sack Unit 8: Hi (male, 56), Daen (male, 135), of rice to the Mani, which was found empty Daeng (male, 62, temporarily: see unit 2) and behind unit 10. Yao related that during Suwat Dsched (male, 69, temporarily ?: see unit 11) Thonghom's short visit none of the Mani slept, Unit 9: Si (129) with her husbands Hoe being afraid of the hami ('other people'). (131) and Dschaa (130), together with Kung (29) and her children Tom (83) and Loh (84) Nam Tok Mae Taeng Forest Camp (Nam Unit l 0: Yao (58) with his wife Prang (57) Tok = waterfall)-07" 10' 17" N; 100° 04' OS" Unit 1l:Dsched (69) with his wife Daeng E, (Figure 1, Site 19) (68) and children Dschaed (I 36) and Dschom This site (Figure 19), had been occupied from (138) the middle of January to the beginning of Unit 12: Kam (male, 70) February 1996, was visited on 29th and 30th Unit 13: Dik (male, 127) January 1996. Only the positions of the platforms Unit 14: Sen (6) with his wife Aet (= Baen, were recorded in a rough sketch. 7 ?) The Mani were present during this visit, so a The most remarkable find at this site are the detailed record of the Nam Tok Mae Taeng site toys (X2), found in units 5 and 11. They were was not possible. This forest camp is located in rough copies of pickup trucks, made from banana Phatthalung Province, uphill, not far from the trunks and palm panicles, to a scale of site of a new dam project, on the river Pa Bon.

186 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand

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Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 187 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser

When the construction is complete, the resulting Unit 21: Kai (75) with his wife Jaa (76) arid reservoir will flood a certain forest valley which children Puk (141) and Baen (142) the Mani traverse from north and south, thus Unit 22: Daeng (male, 62) forming a barrier to their movement. The site was visited not more than ten days With 22 units this was the largest Mani camp after the group settled there, yet already the yet visited. Two semi-circle like groups of Mani had collected all the food this forest had shelters were attached to each other, slightly to offer. The camp was too big and the Mani displaced. In the open space between the groups stayed too long. It appears that the Phatthalung three small sleeping platforms, units 6, 7 and 11 Dam authorities were supporting the Mani group served three young men. daily with rice and other food stuffs. The state In this huge camp many different types of of the health in Nam Tok Mae Taeng was poor, platforms were utilised, simple ones with leaf with most of the children suffering from colds. layers and two-part platforms, arranged in line or at an angle to each other. Although a detailed L6 Forest Camp-06° 46' 25'' N; 1ooo 09' inspection of the site was not possible, the names 13"E (Thale Ban, Figure 20) of all the inhabitants, as well as pronunciation, The site was visited on 7th February 1996. It is were identified. situated in the Thale Ban National Park near the Unit 1: Sen (6) with his wife Aet (= Baen, 7 Malay border, east of the city of Satun and is ?) not located on Figure 1. The camp was inhabited Unit 2: Dik (127) with his wife Sa' (126). At from November 1995 up to our visit and Pa Pon, just a few days earlier, Dik stayed alone mapping could only be roughly accomplished. Unit 3: Dschid (65) with his wife Jap (61) The group was planning to leave shortly after and her daughter Pa (128) our visit. This site had been inhabited for a long Unit 4: Dam (72) with his wife Dschim (71) time. It was therefore not surprising to find the and children Dob (139) and Bonn (140) shelters constructed in a more solid and complex Unit 5: Dsched (69) with his wife Daeng fashion. (68) and children Dschaed (136), Dschom (138) The camp housed only one family. Unit 4 and Pan (137). There is a high probability that was the shelter ofWaa and her second husband Pan stayed with his family in Pa Pon, unit 11, Nam Ron and contained two platforms, one although he had not been named by Yao. simple and the other of two parts. Arranged in a Unit 6: Kai (male, 66) semi-circle in front of unit 4 were the sleeping Unit 7: Kam (male, 70) areas of Waa's unmarried children. Of these, Unit 8: Yao (58) with his wife Prang (57) units 1, 3 and 5, were protected by sloping palm Unit 9: Pon (male, 67) leaf roofs, supported by posts in all four corners. UnitlO: Qu'an (21) with his third wife Na'e This is quite different to the usual windscreen (52) and son Loh (125) supported on only one side, resulting in these Unit 11: Ja (male, 56) shelters being open on all four sides. In unit 3, a Unit 12: Jat (20) and her son Pat (124) woven fibre mat, possibly palm leaf, had been Unit 13: Yao (55) with his wife Thurn (54) constructed to close in and protect one side of Unit 14: old lady Bueng (3) the shelter. Unit 15: Kwaan (27) with his wife Bau (26) Units 2, 3 and 5 had simple platforms, unit 6 Unit 16: Dschaem (= Som Priau, 22) with had a platform and a leaf layer, and unit ~ was a his wife Maen (51) and children Tui (59) and large, two-part platform. Each unit served only Piaen (60) one person. On account of the length of Unit 17: Daeng (male, 62) and Dsched (69, occupation the fireplaces were large, 60-80 em temporarily ? see unit 5) in diameter and showed intensive burning. From Unit 18: Daen (male, 135) an ethno-archaeological perspective, the size of Unit 19: Kung (29) and her children Tom fireplaces can help in estimating the duration of (83) and Loh (84) occupation at a prehistoric site. Unit 20: Si (129) with her husbands Dschaa The units at the L6 Camp were occupied as (130) and Hoe (131) follows:

188 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Th ailand

3 t entrance N I

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Unit 1: Dschena, a daughter ofWaa and her shelter, was fitted with fixed steps (Xl), and, first husband, the late Hejo according to L6 used to teach climbing Unit 2: Prang, a son of Waa and her second techniques. husband, Nam Ron Unit 3: Enui, a son of Waa and Nam Ron Unit 4: Waa with her husband Nam Ron; occasionally shared with their daughter Ej6 and her child Tscharia, visiting from a Thai village not far away Unit 5: Nam Ron, a son of Waa and Nam Ron Unit 6: L6, a son of Waa and Hejo, who call ed himself the leader of the group In comparison to the Mani camps in the Ban thad mountains, this site contain ed vastl y more commercial goods, obtained from Thai shops in the area: e.g. canned food, cookin g pots, knives, hoes, c loth (X2) and wristwatches. L6 explained this abundance of goods by the Mani selling wild honey and wi ld beans to Thai villagers. L6 receives credit from the Thai shop owners, of whi ch he is quite proud. L6 regularly travels to Hat Yai by bus twice per month to spend an evening with prostitutes. Of note was a tree in the middle of the camp, that had been covered with engravings (Figure 21). A second tree, in front of L6's Figure 21 Engraved tree, L6 camp

Journal of the Siam Society, VoL 86, Parts I & 2 189 Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser

Four blow guns were observed, but only the towards finding Naitra were contradictory. The one belonging to L6 was constructed of two area was first visited on 6th and 7th February bamboo sections, as seen with the Mani to the 19965• north. The other three blow guns had the two Plantations, predominantly rubber, were long sections plus a third shorter section established over thirty years ago but this region attached, IOcm to 30cm in length, which served has seen little further development. With no as the mouth piece. The knives in the camp roads to this remote basin, products and supplies were the same as utilised by the Mani to the are carried in and out by packs. Primary forest north, having a bent handle. has been preserved only around the limestone L6 related the recent history of this Mani outcrops and steep slopes of the surrounding group. Previous to L6, Loi was the head of the ridge, all other land is in some state of group (see Mani Genealogy). Ten years ago, cultivation. Regardless, traces of recent Mani this group had been living in the mountains sites were easy to find. The farmers were helpful 20krn to the north. Because of the shortage of in offering what they knew about the Mani. In wild yams, Loi decided to move the group to our opinion, Naitra could serve as an excellent the south. The shortage had been caused from retreat area for the Mani. Especially, were the an increase in the number of mu din, which fed marginal farming presence reduced, a remote on the wild yams, and which, according to L6, sanctuary would easily and naturally emerge, this Mani group did not hunt because of the mu protecting and preserving the traditional Mani din's intense unpleasant smell. way of live. The area surrounding the L6 group had been Kao Noi Cave and Rock shelter (small settled by Muslim farmers. To the Muslims of mountain)--Or 14' 32" N; 99° 55' 38" E. This southern Thailand, the wild 'ground pig', mu was inhabited between August and November din, is, along with pork, prohibited. For more 1995 by a small Mani group than two generations, the Loi/L6 group has been Nai Ban Forest Camp--07° 13' 47" N; 99° in intimate contact with the Muslim farmers; 55' 46'' E, inhabited in August 1995, possibly, three of L6's sisters have married into Muslim by Re (24) and his family farming families and themselves converted to Kao Lam Lien Cave--07° 13' 00" N; 99° Islam. It is interesting that, in L6's opinion, the 55' 16" E. The entrance facing the river was aversion to mu din is a Mani tradition. inhabited in August 1995, probably, by Sing (25) and his family, numbering seventeen Camps of unknown groups persons No further details, although recorded, are given here. The visited sites are just listed. Summary of ethnographic surveys Kai Ki Ma Forest Camp, inhabited January 1995--07° 08' 18'' N; 100° 00' 12" E, (Figure Our field research of 1995 and 1996 in the 1, Site 7). provinces of Trang, Satun and Phatthalung, is Kuan Din Dam Forest Camp, inhabited but a beginning. It is necessary to continue and December 1995 or January 1996-07° 03' 35" expand this work, compiling more data for the N; 99° 59' 41" E, (Figure 1, Site 20). ethnography of Mani groups and ethno­ Naitra (Camps in the area of Naitra, Figure archaeology of hunters and gatherers in 1, area at upper left) Southeast Asia in general. There are many Mani stories about Naitra In addition to the basic information and which is not so much a site, rather, a large occupational patterns presented in this paper, basin, 4krn across, at an altitude of 250m. Within one other important discovery ought to be the basin are large limestone outcrops, many emphasised. When the fieldwork first began in rivers and streams, and the soil is fertile. The Satun Province, the background information was Mani stories portray this basin as lush, a rich on the Sang group, from data collected by Surin source for food such as fish, honey, durian, and Pookajorn and Suwat Thonghom. One particular a preferred region in which to live. Yet locating focus was on the mobility of the Mani, the initial the legendary basin was problematic; clues model portraying each Mani group as utilising

190 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand twenty to thirty different camps per year. After The membership of six Mani groups is more the research of these two seasons, and many or less completely identified: the Bueng, Si and hours of interviews with the Mani, particularly L6 groups in Satun Province and the Ba, Kai with Yao (58), Re (24), Sing (25), the original and So groups in Trang Province. A seventh model appears in need of modification. group, Yam, has been partially documented: When one chronicles the sojourn of Yao and only four names have been recorded, and their his wife, Prang (57), for thirty days, from the end dwelling place is unknown. of December 1995 to January 20, 1996, and their The L6 group has not been linked through arrival in Nam Tok Mae Taeng (Figure 1, Site 9), intermarriage to the others for two generations. a total of nine camps were utilised, with a stay at In total, 179 persons, belonging to six each camp of one to four nights. From the forest generations, are known by name (see Tables 1 camp ofHuai Sai, they travelled south to Qu 'Ham and 2). There is some question whether twenty Mo Biyae, then southwest via La Sawaang' and of these individuals are still alive, and according Manang to Tam Jet Kot II ( Site 3). After a few . to Kleo Boonrung the old lady Bueng (3) died days, they moved on to the east, via La Dschaem in the summer of 1997. (Site 15) to Pa Pon (Site 18). Then, in the middle Most of these groups still live in the forest, of January, they continued east via three forest although for some time the Si group has been camps, Tam Lod (near Kuan Din Dam), Bo Ri staying on the rubber plantation of Mr Wui, Sat, and a third near the village of San Daeng, near Tschong Nap village, in Thung W a district. before returning to Nam Tok Mae Taeng (Site The Ba group is attempting to construct a 9). The individuals occupying each camp cb,anged permanent settlement, and has begun to plant nearly every time! crops. The L6 group still lives an independent Over one year, more than 100 camps appe~ life in the forest, but trades with local farmers. to be utilised by any one individual Mani. Furthermore, their young women are engaged Whether this is traditional behaviour or the result to Thai farmers. of changing conditions, specifically the reduction The genealogy diagrams require some of forest areas, remains to be determined. comments.lt was confusing for the researchers to find that the Mani often have both Mani Mani Genealogy and Thai names, which they sometimes alter. As an example, Som Priau (22) is now named Working from the extensive data base collected Dschaem. Apparently his former name was by Suwat Thonghom from Trang, and from Loi, from the time he was engaged with Na'e intensive fieldwork in 1995 and 1996, the (52). Her name at that time may have been authors were able to construct complex kinship Ban. This information is based on having systems for the Mani in the provinces Trang been given two different sets of parents for and Satun6• Dschid (65); one informant called them

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Table 1: Genealogy of the L6 Group

Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 191 10 N

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~~- CJ ~ k .20 21 22 ;:... Som Priau = Dschaem 23 ~ 28 29 30 -~ l3 Jat Q'uan Sap R.e Sing Bau JKwaan 53 Kung long Si <::;::: 2.! 11. 1. ;;; Ul1. Si Group i :;" 50 I St ! 52 l 53 !:> Po ;::, ~ R""?=Y~" f,Jl"L..'C--2. --~ !:>. '­ ± Cl ~ ::: II I 1. IT iS ;i 2. f:?_ 3. "'~ ~ Ml I I 54 ss l 56 \ 17 58 59 1 60 I 61 62 I 63 64 65 I 66 I 67 I 68 I 69 ro l 11 I 72 7J I 74 rs l 76 nllBl 85 86 I 87 I 88 "' s- Thc .... Ja P"L'Jo T"' p,.,, ', J ~ o~'"Ul....J'"" o"'''d Koi Poo ooeoo Dsohed

::! Kop Rot ~ ;;; · " Pat loh Sa' Dik Pa Si Dschaa Hoe Room Han Tscha Oaen ,.Dsch3ed!, Pan Dschom Dob Bonn .. Puk Baen Legend: ~ '" ~ L_JJ ...,,. L...._il __ '""'~ '"'" .. .~( 1 9" < Kop =female £ Rat= male _a-.00 Dam= Thai farmer or child of mixed ManifThai ., parents ~ "' ?." IV --- ~., [ ~ ;:;:.

V)"' 5• 13 14 15 16 17 '(.am~ruppe 3 12 Nang rschu Na Saonui Rung Yam Ba Group Kai Group So Group ::0 g> "' ~- ":::s "'~ S!"' T" .,~ < 1 r ~ :1 I-:J l . :::s !2. o I I 36 1 H~7 38 1 39 I 4 -_;;-r.·, l 43 1 ,. r .. 1 00 Sang ~ Tae Kai Hleng Oaeng Kjflt le Am a, Biag Dschai "'~ L ~ 'U "';::;. :::s~ "' <:;' ?:> :::s N V) i: "';:s "1:J C3 89 I 90 I , I , 93 04 1 os I " I ~ ~ 97 1· 98 I " I 100 l 1o1 I,., I 103 I 104 1 1os l 1001 tori 108 1 1091 110 I 111 I ml m I 114 I \ 1ts, _r;;;Tm T1r 8 T1 t9 1 L! ::. ~,. Pin FaLtm Ju Baen Cem Loam 1 a W~ng Kea Pat Nu Yang Oschl Oschla Tong Hoo Sam Bou Ba _L Klao Wong Wal Kwaan Maen Lj"" Jr Peon J ~rt :::s 5'>" V) 1 1 a "3 ~ , J 11 :.[ I Meo ::::. I ~~- . ;:;- ~ 147 I 148 149 I 150 1 151 I 152 I 153 ~ 155 15 .~ ::i Ong Li Watans Wandi Radri Sakda Ytg Dek Loa Ktano Yang "-l :::s- 2. L I .___. r.:;- ~

Table 2: Genealogy of the Northern Groups

\0 -w Gerd Albrecht and Johannes Moser

Dschaem (22) and Na'e (52), another named the monastery of Tam La Kang Tong. Many them Loi and Ban. similar pieces can be found in an upper chamber The Mani, both men and women, are used to of the Tam Hoi cave system, near an opening in changing their partners several times during their a limestone cliff. The site is heavily disturbed lifetimes. The children they identify as their by farmers, who have dug for fertiliser in that own are sometimes not their biological ones. part of the cave. There are no undisturbed layers For example, Yao (58) is called son of Maen remaining to provide any stratigraphical control. (51) and Ban= Na'e (52)! Scientific analysis can therefore only be based Mani women give birth to remarkably many on the typology of the findings. However, many children: Na'e (52) has seven children, all still archaeological objects are left in the cave and living, while Dschai (79) and Yuun (50) each should be fully recorded and collected. Both have six. Four children per woman are common. these sites, as well as the material preserved in It is thought that this may be a development of monasteries, are worthy of attention by Thai recent decades, and a result of more intensive archaeologists. contact with farmers, with concomitant changes The ceramics from Tam Hoi and Tam Yao in nutrition. caves are relatively coarse in texture and are The relationship between the families typically decorated with cord markings, and can requires further investigation. The information be related to known finds in southern Thailand, in this study will, hopefully provide a base for and northern Malaysia. Similar material is found urgently needed ethnographic studies of the in Lang Rongrien Cave (Anderson 1990) and Mani. This work, which should be done by Moh-Khiew Cave (Pookajorn 1991) near Krabi, highly trained specialists, is rendered urgent by as well as in the Sakai Cave (Pookajorn 1991), the precarious situation in which the Mani find near Trang. themselves. Malaysian sites, which are noteworthy in The Mani need assistance to find their place this regard,. include Gua Musang Cave (Tweedie in the Thai landscape, without losing their ethnic 1953), Gua Cha Cave (Adi 1985), both in identity. Kelantan, as well as the site Tengku Lembu in Pedis (Tweedie 1953), Ulu Jepai, Lenggong in Archaeology Perak and Gua Barna Cave in Pahang (Tweedie 1953). As these sites are but a few hundred During our research, we received fortuitous kilometres from the Thai finds in Satun province, information about two neolithic burial sites the ornamental and formal correspondence in caves of the region, Tam Yao (07° 07' 00'' between the two is hardly surprising. To what N; 99° 59' 50"E, Figure 1, Site 12) and Tam extent there was actual personal contact between Hoi ( 07° 05' 39'' N; 99° 55' 05'' E, (Figure 1 the prehistoric cultures of the two localities must Site 11). remain unknown. Some very good cord-marked-vessels and In addition to these two sites near bowls are kept in the nearby monastery ofBaan monasteries, two other prehistoric sites were Pathana. Remains of at least two burials can be found by the authors, more or less by chance seen, in a hidden small chamber, far back from and without systematic research, while they were the present-day cave entrance, close to the on their way to map Mani rock shelters in 1996. opening to another valley. The widely ramified They are situated along a cliff, and yielded only cave system is not so far completely explored. lithic material, without pottery. No destructive intrusions, such as digging for fertiliser, could be observed. An archaeological Tam Kleo 1-07° 06' 43" N; 99° 56' 98" E, excavation would be worth while. There is even (Figure 1 and 22, Site 17) a chance of finding settlement structures, in the This site was undisturbed. From two small deep, undisturbed, soils at the opening to the pits dug by villagers for fertiliser, Hoabinhian other valley. tools like sumatraliths, could be observed Cord-marked potsherds, typical of the (Figures 22 and 23). No pottery was visible. Neolithic period in Southeast Asia, are kept in The site appears worthy of excavation.

194 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Recent Mani settlements in Satun Province, Southern Thailand

Tam Kleo 11-at the same cliff, around 50m to Research Council of Thailand, for all their 1OOm east of the above. help and to Archaeologica Venatoria for their All of this rock shelter is heavily disturbed, financial support. Further, we wish to thank and most of the original stratification has been Kleo Boonrung, a local farmer, Suwat destroyed by farmers digging for fertiliser. In Thonghom, a teacher in Trang, and Detlef some places, ash layers and fireplaces could be Dirksen from Ko Samui. We would especially seen in the profiles. In the rubble, some like to thank the Mani themselves, without Hoabinhian tools and a neolithic (?) adze (Figure whose patience during the interviews, 24 ), along with bones from big animals, but no especially Yao, the head of a small group, this potsherds were found. report would be less complete. Without the The artefacts of the Tam Kleo I and II are all help of these people our campaigns of 1995 manufactured from black schist. Sumatraliths, and 1996 would not have been a success. We short axes, and chopper-like tools were found. are also grateful to the local monasteries of This inventory can be compared with lithic Baan Pathana and Tam La Kang Tong for material from nearby sites in southern Thailand their guidance to nearby prehistoric caves. (Moh-Khiew Cave) and in the province ofPerlis Jeffery Parker and David Wood have spent a in northern Malaysia (Bukit Tengku Lembu and long time with the translation: Their Gua Bintong: Bellwood 1985). These sites are contribution is very much appreciated. less than lOOkm away. It is particularly to be noted that the sites Notes Tam Kleo I and II yielded only stone tools while Tam Hoi and Tam Yao yielded only 1 The research described in this article is part of a ceramic findings and shell ornaments. Generally, co-operative project between the University of though, an association (perhaps neither Tiibingen, Germany and Silpakorn University, coexistent nor contemporary) is noticeable Bangkok and was financed by the Scientific Society between lithic and earthenware materials in Archaeologia Venatoria e. V. Tiibingen. caves and middens. Neolithic components are 2 The Expedition team in 1995 and 1996 comprised typically obtained from burials (Moh-Khiew, Gerd Albrecht (archaeologist and Leader), Prasit Sakai Cave, Gua Cha). Auetrakulvit (student), Harald Beutel (social A chronological framework with definite anthropologist and cameraman), Kurt Langguth dates is so far not established for the Southeast (student), Johannes Moser (archaeologist). In 1995 Asian region. only, participants also included Katrin Fudicar (student), Bjoern Seif (student); and in 1996 only, Video documentation Martin Porr (student) took part in the work. 3 To determine the camp locations a Magellan GPS As during our fieldwork in the Sakai Cave NAV5000 was used in 1993 and in 1996 a Garmin 1993, a camera team accompanied us in 1995 45 GPS was added as a control. and 1996, and produced video documentation 4 The numbers in brackets after personal names of the Mani groups, and of our work. Three refer to the genealogies in Tables 1 and 2. Mani groups, Bueng, Ba and Si, were visited in 5 A Thai Forestry Office was located at the northern different environments, and the Mani were entrance of the basin ( 07° 14' 32" N; 99o 55' 38'' E). interviewed on camera. This film is now There are eighty houses for the fifty Thai farming complete. Copies are available from the authors. families settled here. 6 The use of the real names in the genealogy is Acknowledgements given with the concent of the Mani.

We would like to take this opportunity to References express our gratitude to the Faculty of Archaeology at Silpakorn University, Adi, Haji Taha 1985. There-excavation of the rock especially Dr Surin Pookajorn and colleagues, shelter ofGua Cha, Ulu Kelantan, West Malaysia. for their generous assistance, to the National Kuala Lumpur: Museum Department

Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 195 Cerci Albrecht and Johannes Moser

.,

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196 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts I & 2 ;::~ ~ ~ So

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..... Figure 23 Stone "tools from Tam Kleo I : 1, sumatralith, unifacially completely retouched pebble; 2, chopper; 3, oval flake with pebble cortex, ventral circulating \0 -...1 retouched; 4, short axe (?), fragmentary, ventral lateral retouched. \0 -00

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Albrecht, G. 1994. Das Abri La Yuan Pueng-ein Pookajorn, S. 1991. Preliminary report ofexcavation Siedlungsplatz der Mani in der Satun Provinz/ at Moh-Khiew Cave, Krabi province, Sakai Cave, Siidthailand. In: EAZ Ethnographisch­ Trang province and Ethnoarchaeological Archiiologische Zeitschrift 35: 199-207. research of hunter-gatherer group, so-called Heidelberg. "Sakai" or "Semang" at Trang Province. Albrecht, G., Berke, H., Burger, D., Moser, J., Bangkok: Silpakorn University. Mueller-Beck, H., Pookajorn, S., Raehle, W. & Schebesta, P. 1925. The Semang of Patalung. Man Urban, B. 1994 Sakai Cave, Trang Province­ 1925: 23-6. Southern Thailand. Report on the Field Work Schebesta, P. 1952, 1954 & 1957. Die NegritoAsiens. 1993 to the NRCT, Bangkok. Vol. 1-3. Moedling. Anderson, D. D. 1990. Lang Rongrien Rockshelter: Thonghom, S. 1995. Sakai. Trang: Provincial a Pleistocene-early Holocene Archaeological Authorities. site from Krabi, Southwestern Thailand. Tweedie, M. W. F. 1953. The Stone Age in Malaya. Philadelphia: The University Museum Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Monograph 71. Asiatic Society 26 (2): 1-90. Bellwood, P. 1985. Prehistory ofthe Indo-Malaysian KEY WORDS-THAILAND, FOREST Archipelago. Sydney: Academic Press. HUNTERS, ETHNO-ARCHAEOLOGY, Bernatzik, H.A. 1962. Die Geister der gelben Blatter. HUNTERS AND GATHERERS, Giitersloh. PREHISTORY

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