Orang Kanaq

This article is about an Orang Asli ethnic group of the Proto-Malay branch. For other uses, see Kanak (disambiguation).
Orang Kanaq
Orang Kanak / Kanak people
Total population
238 (2010, Population & Housing Census)[1]
Regions with significant populations
 Malaysia:
Johor139 (2010, JHEOA)[2]
Languages
Orang Kanaq language, Malay language
Religion
No religious system (originally and predominantly),[3] Christianity, Islam
Related ethnic groups
Jakun people, Orang Kuala, Orang Seletar, Temuan people, Orang Laut

Orang Kanaq are one of the 18 Orang Asli ethnic groups in Malaysia. They are classified under the Proto-Malay people group, which forms the three major people group of the Orang Asli.[4] The Orang Kanaq are considered as the smallest Orang Asli group with the population of approximately 90 people only.[5]

Despite its negligible numbers, most representatives of the micro-ethnos have well maintained their identity. However, the sad dynamics of the Kanaq people's population show that there is a real threat of disappearance over their unique language and culture. It continues to exist only because of the low level of contact with other people since its traditions do not approve of mixed marriages with other ethnic groups.[6]

Indigenous inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia have a special status, which is enshrined in the legislation of the country. They use the special term Orang Asli, which means "ancient inhabitants", "original peoples", "first peoples", "aborigines" in the Malay language. They were sponsored by the state Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) until 2011 when it became the Department of Orang Asli Affairs (Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli, JHEOA). The purpose of the department is to raise the living standard of the indigenous people to the country's average.

The Orang Asli do not form a united community, but it is a conglomerate of different origins, culture, way of life, language and racial features of tribes and peoples. For ease of administration, JHEOA divides them into 18 tribes, uniting in 3 groups of 6 tribes in each. This group are the Negritos, the Senoi and the Proto-Malays. Kanaq people belong to the last of them.

Despite belonging to the indigenous population, the Kanaq people are relatively recent inhabitants of the country. They have lived on the Malay Peninsula for only about 200 years. Their motherland is the islands of the Riau-Lingga Archipelago located further south, within the present-day Indonesia. There, on a small island, Daik, that is still inhabited by a tribe of Sekanak people, which is believed to be related to the Kanaq people of Peninsular Malaysia.[7]

The Kanaq people are the least studied group of Orang Asli. Usually, they avoid contact with other people and so researchers have paid little attention to them.[6] Only recently have Malaysian scholars published a number of materials devoted to this tribe.

The spoken language of the Orang Kanaq resembles Malay but with a distinct coarse accent. Its population of the Orang Kanaq is dwindling,[8] bit according to the Center of Orang Asli Concern, the Orang Kanaq language has still managed to survive.[9]

  1. ^ Kirk Endicott (2015). Malaysia's Original People: Past, Present and Future of the Orang Asli. NUS Press. ISBN 978-99-716-9861-4.
  2. ^ Mustaffa Omar & Nor Hafizah Mohd Fizer (2015). "Kelestarian Hidup Ekonomi Komuniti Orang Kanaq Dan Orang Kuala, Johor: Suatu Penelitian Dari Aspek Penguasaan Ke Atas Modal Kewangan". Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Retrieved 2017-10-18.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference TOKOSJ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Zafarina Zainuddin (2012). Genetic and Dental Profiles of Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia. Penerbit USM. ISBN 978-98-386-1550-1.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference ADSDKT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Mahani Musa (2011). "The Socioeconomic History Of The Orang Kanaq Of Johor" (PDF). Universiti Sains Malaysia. Archived from the original on 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2017-10-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ "Bilangan orang Kanaq terkecil di dunia". Utusan Malaysia. 27 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-08-21. Retrieved 2017-10-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ "Suku Orang Asli Kanaq semakin pupus". Utusan Malaysia. 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2016-12-11.
  9. ^ Colin Nicholas. "Orang Asli Language-Loss: Problems & Prospects". Centre For Orang Asli Concerns. Archived from the original on 2012-03-12. Retrieved 2016-12-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)