{"id":2586,"date":"2020-12-27T10:54:20","date_gmt":"2020-12-27T10:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/daveandrewproductions.com\/thecatwith5tales\/?page_id=2586"},"modified":"2020-12-29T05:57:53","modified_gmt":"2020-12-29T05:57:53","slug":"the-tiger-in-me","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/daveandrewproductions.com\/thecatwith5tales\/the-tiger-in-me\/","title":{"rendered":"The Tiger in Me"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Tiger in Me!<\/h3>\n
\n\t

by Dave Andrew ~ originally printed in The New Straits Times (July 28, 2019)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"Tigers die and leave their skins; people die and leave their names.\" <\/em>- Japanese Proverb<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

AT the tender age of nine, I had a wild encounter with a tiger. It took place in Kalijhora, in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. It was a moment in time that I\u2019ll never forget.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I spent the summer camping in Kalijhora with fellow classmates who couldn\u2019t return home for the school holidays. I remember it as a tranquil, beautiful place surrounded by forests, a wildlife sanctuary and tributaries that fed a mighty river which flowed southward through gorges and rapids in the Sikkim Himalayas. The holiday was filled with adventure, beauty, friendship and memories that all children should be lucky to have.<\/p>\n

We followed a simple routine and would begin each day early. We\u2019d grab our pouch of charcoal dust (a cheap but effective toothpaste), soap and towel and make our way to a small tributary at the bottom of the camping ground. There, we\u2019d bathe in icy water, fresh from the glaciers of the nearby mountains, before heading for the church service held in a small makeshift shed further up the hill.<\/p>\n

That fateful morning I awoke before the rest. Deciding to get an early start, I grabbed my modest toiletries and headed down to the river. I placed my precious bar of soap safely on a rock, got down on my knees and splashed numbingly cold water on my face. Then I opened my pouch of coal. Armed with nothing more than my forefinger, I dabbed it into the pouch and proceeded to lace my teeth with fine coal dust.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I started not so much to brush, but polish my teeth clean when something stole my attention. A noise. It silenced the usual morning choir of wildlife. Looking up, I slowly shifted my gaze from the reflection in the water to the bank ahead. Standing there was a tiger! A magnificent Bengal tiger. I froze! It was staring straight at me, lapping water, studying me, staring. It contemplated me from no more than a tiger\u2019s leap away, lapping, looking, and then...<\/p>\n

How I wish I could tell you more but unfortunately, that\u2019s all I remember! But despite the brevity of the encounter, it\u2019s still enough to sear the image deep into my memory. I owe that tiger a profound debt of gratitude for letting me be \u2013 and hence allowing me to write this piece nearly 40 years later.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Tige Lore<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since that fateful day, tigers have always occupied a special place in my heart. Its mythic stature is evident in many guises, woven into Asian folklore. In Chinese mythology, it symbolises the yin or material force. References to the occult powers of tigers can be found in the\u00a0Atharva Veda<\/em>, in the\u00a0Ramayana<\/em>, the\u00a0Mahabharata<\/em>, and in images painted on rocks in central India some 10,000 years ago that are still visible today.<\/p>\n

In Tibet, the tiger symbolises immortality. The Tungus people of Eastern Siberia regard the tiger as being close to a deity; meanwhile, in South Korea, it\u2019s the country\u2019s national animal. Some cultures believe man and tiger to be brothers \u2013 one being human, while the other, striped.<\/p>\n

In Malaysia, Man\u2019s association with the tiger is deeply rooted too, going back countless millennia. Locals living in areas populated by tigers never referred to them by their real name\u00a0harimau tunggal<\/em>\u00a0or unique tiger (to differentiate it from the other species) in the belief that it understood human speech. In reverence, the tiger was instead called\u00a0Tuhan Utan<\/em>\u00a0or Lord of the Jungle. The excerpt below is taken from a British colonial account in Malaya in 1839:<\/p>\n

\u201cOne night, passing through a forest on the Peninsula, I was startled by the momentary appearance of two eyes glaring along the road before me, succeeded by a sudden crash in the bushes. I asked the Malay guide, who was about three paces from the horse's head, what it was; but for some time I could extract no reply beyond the enumeration of his relatives. At length he came close to me, and with a tremulous voice whispered, \u201cRimou, Tuan,\u201d \u201cA tiger! Sir.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Adding to the lore of the tiger is the belief that the soul of the dead takes refuge in the body of the animal, making them even more revered. For many, killing a tiger is an unforgivable sin, unless of course it attacked first. However, should one be confronted by one, there are said to be ways to pacify \u201cTuan Utan\u201d. The following excerpt comes from another British account in 1898:<\/p>\n

\u201cI have known so many cases of *latah (entering a trance like state while perfectly mimicking the actions of a tiger) during the years that I have spent wandering up and down the Peninsula, that I am tempted to multiply my instances indefinitely. The Malays have many tales of latah folk who have terrified the tiger into panic-stricken flight by imitating his every motion, and impressing him thereby with their complete absence of fear. I cannot say if there is any sort of truth in these stories, but I can see no good reason for doubting them...\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Other approaches to managing the tiger, besides pacification, are mystical still. For those who knew the art of\u00a0Harimau Jardin<\/em>\u00a0or Weretiger, inheriting not only the powers but also the image of the tiger, was possible.<\/p>\n

Like its werewolf counterpart in western mythology, the metamorphosis happens at night. Thought to have originated in Kerinchi, Western Sumatra, the art of transmutation was something that could be passed down from father to son. They could be called upon in times of need or even appear uninvited.<\/p>\n

In his book\u00a0Tracking the Weretiger<\/em>, Patrick Newman highlighted accounts from the Sunda people of West Java who talked about ancestors appearing in tiger form in times of family strife to offer guidance. Other accounts collected in the 1970\u2019s from the Batek Negrito hunter-gatherer tribes in the Malaysian peninsula also mentioned about ancestors who visited in the form of a tiger to teach them useful things through song.<\/p>\n

In the jungle, Batek hunters would carry incense with them in case they bumped into an ancestor in tiger form. They believe that by blowing smoke towards it would temporarily transform into the human form. Another sign indicating that a transmuted ancestor is nearby is the presence of a single tiger paw print that\u2019s smaller than the others.<\/p>\n

However, these tiger-form ancestors didn\u2019t always provide kindly guidance. If, for example, a member of the village or an outsider were to break social harmony (maybe through ill-doings or showing a lack of respect), they\u2019d unleash their wrath.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Image of a tiger painted some 10,000 years ago in the Bhimbetka rock shelters in India<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The chickens would be targetted first. And should the warning go unheeded, it would be the turn of the valuable cattle. If these signs continue to be ignored, the offender would simply disappear. Such events were accepted signs that the tiger-ancestor is just trying to repair social ills. They were disciplinarians, but also guardians of their people, as described in the famous Malaysian tale,\u00a0The Legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The legend dates back to the 15th century when the kingdom of Melaka was at the height of its glory. It\u2019s a story about a beautiful Javanese Hindu princess who lived on the peak of Gunung Ledang (or Mount Ledang ) and the all-powerful Sultan\u2019s quest for her hand in marriage. According to the legend, the princess resided at the highest point of the mountain, protected by guardians.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0The Malay Magician<\/em>, Richard Winstedt gives an account of the Portuguese writer Godinho de Eredia 1613 description of the forest thickets surrounding Gunung Ledang as being occupied by tigers guarding the Puteri (or Princess) residing there. He goes on to say that the Banuas (\u2018orang benua\u2019 or indigenous people) learnt their magic in a cavern at Gunung Ledang, and used the art to transform themselves into the tiger form.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Tiger Today<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not all tiger tales are set in the past. In India, through the creation of a new groundbreaking comic, director and filmmaker Ram Devineni has tried to address issues in society related to gender. Priya\u2019s Shakti (meaning Priya\u2019s Power) is a female superhero who rides a tiger and fights for women\u2019s rights and equality. Having been shunned by society, the character Priya takes refuge in the jungle where she\u2019s stalked by a tiger.<\/p>\n

Coming to her aid, the Hindu goddess Parvati grants her superhero powers. These include fearlessness and a mantra to change people's minds. With these newly bequeathed powers she tames the tiger and rides him back to the village to start her quest. According to the character\u2019s co-creator Devineni, Priya is like an incarnation of the goddess Parvati, who also rode a tiger and once killed a murderous demon in a battle.<\/p>\n

Today, around Mumbai, Augmented Reality murals from the comic unlock animations, engaging the young, pulling them in with strong characters through technology whilst also tackling a huge social issue. Devineni also noted that \u201c... what\u2019s unique about Priya is that she doesn\u2019t have any superpower like Wonder Woman or other superheroes. Her power is persuasion -and riding a tiger is a very persuasive argument.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Priya with her Tiger & Street Artist (images courtesy of Ram Devineni)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From scriptures to verses, to songs, the tiger is featured in all cultures - eastern and western. From\u00a0Priya\u2019s Tiger<\/em>\u00a0and Blake\u2019s\u00a0The Tyger<\/em>, to Kipling\u2019s Shere Khan and Pi\u2019s lifeboat companion, Richard Parker, the tiger still has a strong hold on us. The symbolisms attached to this animal remain as strong today as it has been for millennia.<\/p>\n

However, as much as the tiger has enriched our culture and heritage, we\u2019re now at a tipping point regarding their survival. Tiger populations are dwindling across Asia at an alarming rate for a myriad of reasons, including poaching and habitat loss.<\/p>\n

But there are many striving to usher in change for the tiger. More and more people across Asia are getting increasingly proactive in trying to protect the endangered animal. One notable example took place in India where 25,000 children took to the streets and collected two million signatures to incite change, prompting the country\u2019s Prime Minister to respond: \u201cOur children have woken up; why are we adults all asleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

EPILOGUE - TUAN NAN GEDAN<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hubert Banner\u2019s book about Java, written in 1927, recalls the awe that the Javanese had for the tiger and how the locals would woo the animal before entering their domain. In the passage, he cites every word meant to pacify and respect the \u201cMighty Lord\u201d of the Jungle, as a defender of people, their ancestors and the forest, offering utmost respect to Tuan Nan Gedang:<\/p>\n

\u201cTuan Nan Gedang, Mighty Lord,<\/em><\/p>\n

Hard is the wood, hard is the iron which cuts the wood;<\/em><\/p>\n

But harder yet than wood and iron,<\/em><\/p>\n

Is the Mighty Lord of the strong claw,<\/em><\/p>\n

That tears the wood and snaps the iron of the spear.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hailah! Hailah!<\/em><\/p>\n

The mighty and the good, tis Tuan Nan Gedang!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Sadly, the Javanese tiger is extinct! To remember them only in lore is a huge injustice.<\/p>\n

In Malaysia, the tiger population has declined from roughly 3,000 in the 1950\u2019s to 200 at present. The tiger is part of our heritage, our national symbol, and lends itself to our Coat of Arms. On it is a shield framed by two tigers with the motto\u00a0Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu<\/em>\u00a0or \u201cUnity is Strength\u201d. Nothing could be closer to the truth if we want to save the tiger. Ultimately, saving the tiger saves an entire ecosystem. It\u2019s a cause to unite us. When we save the tiger, we save the forests and ultimately, we save ourselves.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dave Andrew<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a9 2026<\/a> New Straits Times, New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Dave Andrew ~ originally printed in The New Straits Times (July 28, 2019) “Tigers die and leave their skins; people die and leave their names.” – Japanese Proverb   AT the tender age of nine, I had a wild encounter with a tiger. It took place in Kalijhora, in the foothills of the Indian Read more about The Tiger in Me<\/span>[…]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-fullwidth-no-title.php","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2586","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/daveandrewproductions.com\/thecatwith5tales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/daveandrewproductions.com\/thecatwith5tales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/daveandrewproductions.com\/thecatwith5tales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daveandrewproductions.com\/thecatwith5tales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daveandrewproductions.com\/thecatwith5tales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2586"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/daveandrewproductions.com\/thecatwith5tales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2586\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3058,"href":"https:\/\/daveandrewproductions.com\/thecatwith5tales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2586\/revisions\/3058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/daveandrewproductions.com\/thecatwith5tales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}