Semais and missions: from resistence to compliance

Abstract

Cultural encounter between social entities is inevitable; but the quality and consequences of the encounter is a subject to the nature of the involved entities, as well as their evaluation of their position in a given relationship. Some religions show an innate inclination to "evangelize" other people and invite them to the "truth" they hold. These missionary religions, with their tendency to expansion, historically were the pioneers of globalization. The responses to Missionary religions, however, have not always been welcoming. In fact, like globalization, missionary activities face responses from resistance to compliance. many Semai people of Malaysia, the biggest aboriginal tribe of peninsular Malaysia, have been subject to missionary activities by Christian, Islamic and Baha'i missions. Semai traditional religion is a tribal religion that is a property of Semai community and is restricted to their particular landscape. Christian missions started their activity among Smais in 1930s, while the Islamic missions boosted when the government took a more active role in Islamic invitation (da'wah) in 1970s. The missions' effort to convert Semai people resulted to conversion of some Semais while other Semias still keep their traditional religion. The Semai's reaction to missionary religions is complicated by the social, cultural and political context of the missionary activities. Islamic mission is backed by the government and is seen as a part of a plan for Semis' assimilation into Malay community. Christian and Baha'i missions, on the other hand, are run by Chinese, Indian and in some cases of Christian missions by the natives of East Malaysia; joining these religions means to establish a closer relationship with these people. Generally, as the religious emotions, personal reasons and perhaps financial incentives lead to a compliant response to the missions; cultural dislocation and protection of the identity can be the causes of resistance to missions.