Abstract
Much of what I know about the sacredness and sustainability comes from constant reading and regular visits to the indigenous communities in Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. My own initiation and lived experiences in the Murut village of Bantul in Sabah, East Malaysia, has substantially generated a rather context-specific and germinal knowledge of sacredness and sustainability. Usually, the visits are occasions for me to interact with some of members of the communities over meals, meetings, conversations and outdoor activities and trips. Most of the time the interaction is with men and rarely with the women, youth and children of the community. The interactive conversations with the elders and shamans oftentimes confirm, inform or challenge what I have learnt about sacredness and sustainability.
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Notes
- 1.
These are the participants of the Youth Leadership Seminar on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Dokdaeng. The theme of the seminar was: “Sacred Nature and Sustainable Life.” It was organized under the aegis of the Seven Fountains Jesuit Retreat House, Chiangmai, Northern Thailand that also acts as a Chaplaincy Center for the university students.
- 2.
The author designed and discussed the questionnaire with Dr. Sunthorn Wongjomporn on April 10, 2013 at RTRC (Research and Training For Religio-Cultural Communities) to check the adequacy of the questions posed to the interviewees whom we will interview in Dokdaeng.
- 3.
Two of the Karen religious leaders, Kihai and Sintong suggest that sacredness (as a noun) possibly comes from the Christians. They postulate that the Karen of traditional religious beliefs understands sacred (as an adjective) in relation to places.
- 4.
Conversation with Chan Pen on April 22, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 5.
Conversation with Mu Leay on April 15, Dokdaeng village.
- 6.
Based on a conversation in the village of Dokdaeng on April 12 and 15, 2013.
- 7.
Conversation with Pha tij Loi Cie on April 14, 2013, Dokdaeng village. Pha tij is a Karen term of respect for an elderly person.
- 8.
Conversation with Pee Nong on April 10, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 9.
Conversation with Du Du on April 16, 2013, Dokdaeng village
- 10.
Conversation with Dr. Suthorn Wongjomporn, April 10, 2013, RTRC, Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.
- 11.
Conversation with Kihai on April 16, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 12.
Based on the conversation with Nu Po on April 24, 2013, Maelid village.
- 13.
Based on the conversation with Ponchai on April 24, 2013, Maelid village.
- 14.
Conversation with Paya on April 18, 2013, Dokdaeng village
- 15.
Conversation with Pa La on April 22, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 16.
Nau is a Catholic young child who was interviewed on April 22, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 17.
Conversation with Ke Pu on April 15, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 18.
Conversation with Lek Tsi on April 14, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 19.
Conversation with Patipat on April 18, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 20.
Conversation with Boon Si on April 18, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 21.
Conversation with Du Ma on April 13, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 22.
Kanya talks about the need to protect local species like the black pig (htauv soo) from being out-marketed by the pigs from China called muay sang and also the local knowledge of picking out the local and imported pigs and their meat on sale in the market.
- 23.
Conversation with Ni Na on April 16, 2013, Dokdaeng village.
- 24.
On April 3, 2013, I personally participated in nailing of a wooden cross to a tree after the missa buadpa in Mae Tum village.
- 25.
Conversation with Dr. Sunthorn Wongjomporn, on May 31, 2013, Dokdaeng village. In other words, there are some farmers who need the additional income not out of greed but of necessity and who believe that God must be beseeched and blessed before and after the cash-crop farming.
- 26.
One of the elders remarks on May 19, 2013 at the seminar, “This is a good time to come together, elders, young adults, the youth, women and men. In the past we seem to meet together only as elders. We need to meet together twice a year. It is like a pipe, when it is smoked, the smoke does not reach the end into the mouth.”
Bibliography
Fung, Jojo M., SJ. 2012. “Sacred Space For Sacred Sustainability.” Landas Journal of Loyola School of Theology 26/2, 103–125.
Fung, Jojo M., SJ. 2014b. A Shamanic Theology of Sacred Sustainability: Church in Dialogue with Shamans for Liberative Struggle. Manila: Jesuit Communications Foundations INC.
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Fung, J.M. (2017). Sustaining Indigenous Religio-Cultural Traditions. In: A Shamanic Pneumatology in a Mystical Age of Sacred Sustainability. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51022-4_3
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