Published on January 01, 2005

Elders’ advice save entire village

Nature has its own way, albeit sometimes harsh, of demonstrating the existence of miracles. That is what the Morgan sea gypsies learnt when all 181 members of their village on South Surin Island miraculously survived Sunday’s deadly tsunami.

Sarmao Kathalay, the village chief, clearly recalls every moment of the day. Miracles apart, he attributes the villagers’ survival to their firm faith in ancestral lore.

“The elders told us that if the water recedes fast it will come back fast and will reappear in the same quantity in which it disappeared,” says the 65-year-old sea gypsy.

That truth was certainly borne out on Sunday. Never questioning the handed-down wisdom, Sarmao hastily led all 181 members to Wat Samakkitham on a hill inland. Some were injured, but they spent days at the temple until all had recovered and were ready to return to their usual abode.

The Morgan sea gypsies constitute a minority in the Andaman Sea from India to Indonesia.

In monsoon season they live in boats, then between December and April in shelters on shore.

They survive by catching shrimps and spear-fishing. In May they have a boat-launching festival to ask the sea for forgiveness.

While the world changes around them, they keep to their primitive way of life.

To Sarmao and his people the sea has always been kind. It does not mean to hurt anybody, he says, but we need to know when to be on it and when not.

Thawechai Jaowattana

The Nation

Phang Nga

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