Reclaiming the Eclipsed Female in the Sacred

Abstract

This article examines an indigenous religion in Malaysia—that of the Semai of Kampung Chang, Sungai Gepai in Bidor, Perak—and expounds the changes in women’s position in Semai cosmology, rituals, and roles. We show that the Bidor Semai religion is neither hierarchical nor egalitarian in terms of the position of women and men; rather, a much more complex situation exists. However, while male authority is becoming more prevalent, the existence of transmutable spirits and an ungendered creator allows men to actively participate, but does not give them religious power. However, due to outside pressure we are beginning to see a breakdown in these social features. The broader implication of reclaiming the female in the sacred is that it makes a strong social-justice argument for Semai women’s rights and, by so doing, gives us a richer understanding of Semai connections to their land and their rights to that land.