SENOI constitute the largest community of about 54% of the total Orang Asli in Malaysia. They had migrated to Peninsular Malaysia, about 2000 before Christ (Nicholas, 2000).

The SENOI originated from the ancestry of Monogoloid mixed descent of 'Hoabinhians' and 'Neolithic Cultivators' and spoke 'Austria - Asiatic'. The SENOI ethnic community is divided into six tribes known as SEMAI, TEMIAR, MAHMERI, JAH HUT, CHEWONG and SEMOQ BERI. 

Compared to the NEGRITO, the SENOI have higher physical features. In addition, they have lighter skin and curly hair. They also believe in animism and have their own beliefs such as the existence of such supernatural powers of 'Nyenang' (God) and 'Nyanik' (ghost and demons)(Carey,1976)

Source: SUKI MEE. (2012). THE ORANG ASLI OF PERAK,JIS PAI CELEBRATION AND MARRIAGE CUSTOMS. YOAP BHD. IPOH,MALAYSIA

The NEGRITO or infamously known among the anthropologists as the 'SEMANG' cover about 30% of the total Orang Asli population in Peninsular Malaysia. This makes the NEGRITO people the smallest and oldest people in the community. The NEGRITO has six tribes known as KENSIU, KINTAK, LANOH, JAHAI, MENDRIQ and BATEQ. This race is said to have connections with the Hoabinhian people who settled here some years before AD 800 - 1000 (Nicholas, 2000). In fact, according to DNA research by a group of lecturers, it was found that the NEGRITO existed for more than 50,000 years ago where they had migrated from Africa to Southest Asia (Monash University, 2008)

The NEGRITO tribes have physical characteristics of a lower body with average height of 1.5 meters or less than 1.5 meters. Their skin is dark, ranging from dark copper to black thus the NEGRITO is also known as 'Little Negroes'. Apart from the black skin, other physical characteristics that are significant is the curly hair, big nose, round eyes and sunken cheeks (Carey, 1976).

The people from NEGRITO tribes

For their everyday living, people of NEGRITO hunt and gather forest products (practice self - suffiency in economic activities). They also practice anisme belief system with regard to the existence of ghosts and creatures of nature. This tribe uses a language derived from the 'Northern - Aslian' the Mon - Khmer languages (Benjamin,1996)

Source: SUKI MEE. (2012). THE ORANG ASLI OF PERAK,JIS PAI CELEBRATION AND MARRIAGE CUSTOMS. YOAP BHD. IPOH,MALAYSIA

Distribution of Orang Asli in PERAK

WHO IS ORANG ASLI?

Orang Asli (lit. "original people", "natural people" or "aboriginal people" in Malay) is a generic Malaysian term used officially for the indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia. Officially, there are 18 Orang Asli tribes, categorised under three main groups according to their different languages and customs:

o   Semang (or Negrito), generally confined to the northern portion of the peninsular

o   Senoi, residing in the central region

o   Proto-Malay (or Aboriginal Malay), in the southern region.

Orang Asli in Perak has the largest population of the two major groups of the NEGRITO and the SENOI. However, not all tribes of NEGRITO and SENOI lives in Perak. There are five of the largest tribes;THE TRIBES OF NEGRITO: KINTAK, JAHAI and LANOH and THE TRIBES OF SENOI: SEMAI and TEMIAR. In general, the distribution of the Orang Asli population living in Perak is different according to ethnic group.

The tribes of NEGRITO

The tribes of SENOI


KINTAK: PERAK – KEDAH Boundary
JAHAI: North PERAK and West KELANTAN
LANOH: North of Central PERAK
SEMAI: North of West PAHANG and South PERAK
TEMIAR: North PERAK and South KELANTAN

Source: SUKI MEE. (2012). THE ORANG ASLI OF PERAK,JIS PAI CELEBRATION AND MARRIAGE CUSTOMS. YOAP BHD. IPOH,MALAYSIA