Moken

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Description: "The life of Robinson Crusoe, or any other castaway for that matter, can’t have been exactly idyllic. The sands may have been golden, the waters azure, the island “delightfully unspoilt” – but what did he do come happy hour? All of which brings us to the Mergui Archipelago (aka Myeik Kyunzu, aka Maldives sans the masses), on the west coast of Myanmar, which teeters between being 800 mainly uninhabited islands pure and simple, plus some thriving coral reefs, and getting branded – the horror, the horror – “the next big thing”. One or two resorts have opened up on the islands, balancing their eco credentials with assertions of luxury, and liveaboards still putter about, but otherwise Mergui is one of the few places in Asia that has not succumbed to the homogenisation engendered by mass tourism. The diving is unparalleled, and the sense of isolation untrammelled. So – assuming this is not blindingly obvious – if there is any time to go, it would be sooner rather than later. Apart from slurping up the peace, quiet and exclusivity, diving and snorkelling are the obvious recreations, while the Moken (sea gypsies) are tolerant of visitors. Forging a trail through some of the larger islands’ jungles has its Indiana Jones moments..."
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Source/publisher: "South China Morning Post" (Hong Kong)
2019-04-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-12-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: follow us in feedly Burma Boating is set to launch monthly cruises around the Mergui Archipelago in southern Myanmar, combining two of the most sought-after activities in these pristine waters – yachting and scuba diving. The SY Dallinghoo, a 30 meter classic gaff-rigged schooner crafted by renowned US yacht designer Dudley Dix, will cast off from the port of Kawthaung in southern Myanmar once a month from November 2019 through April 2020 and traverse the Mergui Archipelago on an 8 day, 7 night sailing trip which can accommodate up to eight qualified divers. Michael Cole, the head of Burma Boating, says that with this new Sail & Dive adventure, they wanted to offer something extraordinary. “There are few, if any, undiscovered nirvanas like the Mergui Archipelago left on this planet. These cruises will provide comfort, exquisite dining, and stops at no less than five fantastic dive sites, all of which feature a kaleidoscope of coral and magnificent marine life.” follow us in feedly Burma Boating is set to launch monthly cruises around the Mergui Archipelago in southern Myanmar, combining two of the most sought-after activities in these pristine waters – yachting and scuba diving. The SY Dallinghoo, a 30 meter classic gaff-rigged schooner crafted by renowned US yacht designer Dudley Dix, will cast off from the port of Kawthaung in southern Myanmar once a month from November 2019 through April 2020 and traverse the Mergui Archipelago on an 8 day, 7 night sailing trip which can accommodate up to eight qualified divers. Michael Cole, the head of Burma Boating, says that with this new Sail & Dive adventure, they wanted to offer something extraordinary. “There are few, if any, undiscovered nirvanas like the Mergui Archipelago left on this planet. These cruises will provide comfort, exquisite dining, and stops at no less than five fantastic dive sites, all of which feature a kaleidoscope of coral and magnificent marine life.” Doing Myanmar's Mergui Archipelago in style | News by The Thaiger The Mergui Archipelago is located in the Andaman Sea off the coast of southern Myanmar, and is home to the ethnic Moken community of fisherman, also known as “sea gypsies.” For decades, the 800 islands, lagoons, atolls and coral reefs of the archipelago were off-limits to visitors. The islands are now accessible to limited sustainable tourism, though just five hotels have opened to date..."
Source/publisher: "The Thaiger"
2019-09-12
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "For millennia, the Mu Ko Surin fishervolk have been fishing the Andaman Sea using traditional methods. This small fishing community on a beach in the Ko Surin island group in Thailand belongs to the Moken tribe. For millennia, the Moken have been fishing the Andaman Sea, diving with spears down to depths of 40 meters. They have trained their lungs so that they can stay underwater for up to four minutes and even walk on the seabed. Years of diving without technical aids has sharpened their eyesight. The Moken used to live in their boats, moving from island to island and living mainly from catching fish and seafood, only staying on dry land during the monsoon season. But nowadays they live onshore all year round, because the Ko Surin National Park’s regulations forbid them to live at sea. So father Chao has turned his back on Moken tradition and moved to the mainland, whilst his son Nguei still tries to live according to it while he still can..."
Creator/author: Ulrike Bremer
Source/publisher: Deutsche Welle (DW) Documentary
2018-11-22
Date of entry/update: 2018-11-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "One of the few remaining hunter-gatherer populations in Southeast Asia, the Moken have made the sea their home. Foraging food from oceans and forests, trading fish and shells for other necessities, and traveling by boat across the waters of southern Burma and Thailand, the Moken have maintained a self-sufficient, nomadic way of life along the Andaman coast for hundreds of years. Approximately 3,000 Moken live around and on the 800 islands of the Mergui Archipelago along Burma?s southern coast, while an estimated 800 Moken are currently settled in Thailand. The Moken have lived in this area since at least the 18th century, though over time they have traversed the entire Andaman Sea.2 Most Moken spend their daily lives on small, covered wooden boats, called kabang. The Moken?s hunter-gatherer lifestyle relies on men, women, and children each playing roles in community subsistence, taking only the resources they require for survival and making minimal impact on the natural environment. Usually catching enough for their consumption and trade, Moken men use harpoons and, more recently, nets to catch fish. Moken women and children collect crustaceans and shells during low tide on beaches.3 When trading goods with land-based communities, the Moken usually work through middlemen operating in port towns along the Andaman.4 The Moken face deepening poverty, marginalization, and discrimination. Most are stateless, making them more vulnerable to human rights abuses and depriving them of access to other rights, including the medical care, education, and employment opportunities that Thai and Burmese nationals enjoy. Tightening immigration and maritime conservation laws restrict the Mokens? freedom of movement, threatening their traditional lifestyle. In addition to government distrust and discrimination, the Moken often face exploitation from land-based communities, but are unable to seek redress through national laws and policies. In recent years, more Moken have decided to reside permanently in Thailand and Burma. Both governments should act to protect and promote the Moken?s basic rights, including taking steps to provide them with citizenship..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Watch (HRW)
2015-06-25
Date of entry/update: 2015-06-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 2.21 MB
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