Orang Asli- Blow Dart Guns

Traditionally, Orang Asli hunted for small game (birds and small monkeys) using blow darts. When I was in Krau, it was not unusual to see people driving down the road on their motor skooters carrying their blow dart guns with them, so these are still very much in use today. Unlike in Central and South America where the poison comes from frogs, the poison used by the Orang Asli in Malaysia comes from plants.

When you rely on killing prey using poison darts, then the technology for producing a blowdart gun that shoots far and straight is as important as computer technology is to us today. It was interesting to learn how they craft a blow gun to assure that it is as straight as possible.

This is an actual poison dart. I think that he said it would take the poison about an hour to kill a monkey.


Making the dart. First he attached the base to the dart.


Next he shaped the base of the dart by sanding it using a dried leaf. It took just a couple of minutes to make a new dart.


Time to try out the new dart. He two two shots at the target. How did he do?


Two direct hits! I am not sure where the Orang Asli hatred of Winnie the Pooh comes from.


I took a try. I have to admit that I was pretty impressed when my shot was just a bit high and to the left. I only missed the target by about three inches which was close enough to stop a charging tiger!

I was very happy that I didn't hit the Orang Asli toddler that was foolish enough to wander behind the target while I was shooting.