Real Life Super Powers
The Moken people of Southeast Asia are born on boats and die on them. They spend more than
half of their lives on boats and learn to swim before they can walk. And that's not even what is most impressing about them.
Commonly referred to as the Sea Gypsies, the Moken live on the waters off Myanmar bordering the west coast of Thailand. The have been living as fisherman on the water for centuries. They can free dive to depths of seventy five feet like you or I order our morning coffee. From an early age they train their eyes to dilate in a manner that enables them to see clearly underwater without the aid of goggles. In December 2004 they recognized the wave patterns and in conjunction with their observations of the swimming of dolphins and fishes, the movements of the elephants on land, and the flying patterns of birds they were able to determine that the 'Great Wave' that eats people was coming. Some sought high ground on land while others went deeper into the ocean. The Moken all survived the tsunami of 2004. Unfortunately their ground base didn't. The Moken don't have words in their language that equate to 'mine' or 'ownership'. They probably don't even recognize which country they are supposed to be from. They fish and use the fish to barter for the other things they use, like rice.
Problems that arose from losing their land base set them back and as the margins of tourism have encroached, their way of life seems destined to change against their desires. Hopefully the governments of Myanmar and Thailand can aid in finding out a way to help the Moken continue their ways.
#elliotyi
#paradigmleft
#habits
#mindset
half of their lives on boats and learn to swim before they can walk. And that's not even what is most impressing about them.
Commonly referred to as the Sea Gypsies, the Moken live on the waters off Myanmar bordering the west coast of Thailand. The have been living as fisherman on the water for centuries. They can free dive to depths of seventy five feet like you or I order our morning coffee. From an early age they train their eyes to dilate in a manner that enables them to see clearly underwater without the aid of goggles. In December 2004 they recognized the wave patterns and in conjunction with their observations of the swimming of dolphins and fishes, the movements of the elephants on land, and the flying patterns of birds they were able to determine that the 'Great Wave' that eats people was coming. Some sought high ground on land while others went deeper into the ocean. The Moken all survived the tsunami of 2004. Unfortunately their ground base didn't. The Moken don't have words in their language that equate to 'mine' or 'ownership'. They probably don't even recognize which country they are supposed to be from. They fish and use the fish to barter for the other things they use, like rice.
Problems that arose from losing their land base set them back and as the margins of tourism have encroached, their way of life seems destined to change against their desires. Hopefully the governments of Myanmar and Thailand can aid in finding out a way to help the Moken continue their ways.
#elliotyi
#paradigmleft
#habits
#mindset
Comments
Post a Comment