Thee Influence of Environmental Adaptation on Orang Seletar Cultures

Abstract

Environment strongly influences human life. Environment would determine the form of human cultureand has influenced the survival of human life. Orang Seletar, like other people of Orang Laut puts theirlife in ocean environment that formed a unique culture. Their lifestyle is really different from the peopleliving in mainland. From the ethnoarchaelogical fieldwork, it showed that Orang Seletar is a maritimecommunity based on their adaptation to their environment of mangroves, sea shore and sea. Thisadaptation has influenced their culture and could be seen in their settlement and economic pattern, typesof dietary and subsistence, material culture and their belief system. This article will discuss howenvironment has influenced the culture of Orang Seletar. The discussion consists of the environmentadaptation on the types of economic patterns, dietary and subsistence, material culture and their beliefsystem. The research was conducted through archeological surveys, ethnographic fieldwork and dataanalyses.