Money, magic and fear : identity and exchange amongst the Orang Suku Laut (sea nomads) and other groups of Riau and Batam, Indonesia.

摘要

The central focus of my thesis is the symbolism of money and the power itholds in the Riau archipelago and Batam of Indonesia to affect the nature ofsocial relationships. These social relationships in turn affect the differentforms of exchange that take place in the archipelago.In particular, I am exploring the meaning and moral implications ofmonetary and commercial exchanges in contrast to exchanges of other kindsthat take place between the Orang Suku Laut and other Malay and non-Malaycommunities. The Orang Suku Laut are regarded as the Orang asli Melayu(indigenous Malays) of Riau. Yet in the interaction between the Malays andOrang Suku Laut, there exists much fear between them with constantaccusations of being poisoned and harmed by one and the other throughpractices of magic and witchcraft. This stems from the Malays' perception ofthe Orang Suku Laut as a "dangerous, dirty and unprogressive people. "The Orang Suku Laut are regarded as preferring a life of nomadism,and one without a religious orientation towards Islam, as opposed to a life ofsedentism guided by the Islamic religion. This thesis explores how this selfand other perceptions which have shaped the image of the Orang Suku Laut,have become enmeshed in the exchange economy of the Orang Suku Laut andthe Malays.