The Moken are part of an indigenous population of Austronesian Sea People along the Andaman coast of the Malay Peninsula. They have been living a nomadic lifestyle in the Mergui Archipelago off the southern coast of Myanmar for centuries. Mokens eat rice but don’t grow it; they are sea hunters and gatherers but don’t fish (until recently). They do not believe in the accumulation of goods and wealth. To them, greed only brings disparity and envy.
Traditionally, the Moken have lived on big wooden boats called kabang during the dry season, roaming the islands in search of valuable products like pearls, bird nests, and sea cucumbers to be exchanged for rice, iron, and fuel. Moken are as skilled in the forest as they are at sea. In the water, the men hunt turtles and rays; in the woods, they hunt wild boars and mousedeer. Women collect shells, sandworms, urchins, and vegetables. Moken men look for tradable goods, while women seek food for daily consumption. Having lived amongst the islands for centuries, Moken have learned to manage their resources – taking only from the sea and forest what is necessary for subsistence.
Countless generations have lived in huts near the shore in the rainy season and when not at sea. But, as the Myanmar fishing industry grew over the past twenty years, the Moken lost most of their kabang and became more sedentary, settling on shore year-round. Moken are famous for being good divers, earning a good income from spearfishing. Squid fishing started in the 2000s, and most of the Moken now dedicate their time to this activity. As resources have become scarcer, the Moken are finding it challenging to compete with better-equipped fishermen who come from away.
