Tiger tales from colonial Malaya

The Tiger has featured prominently in Malay culture and history throughout the centuries, both as a symbol of authority, power and respect, as well as an object of terror, superstition and destruction.

In 2010, I was requested by the nature conservation organisation WWF Malaysia to prepare a compilation of accounts and stories of the tiger in Malayan history. This was for a fundraising event being organized by WWF Malaysia in the lead-up to the international Tiger Conservation Summit in St Petersburg, Russia, at the end of that year. Unfortunately, the fundraising event never took place but I'm providing the document I compiled here, for your edification.

Among the stories and accounts you will read about here is the legend of Tiger Rock in Pulau Pangkor; were-Tigers, including the Kerinchi were-Tigers and the fanged white Tiger-king of Kedah; Tiger superstitions and 'Kramat'(sacred) Tigers; the excommunication of Tigers by the first Bishop of Malacca; use of Tiger parts in Singapore; royal Tiger and buffalo fights; accounts of unusual Tiger attacks; the Tiger in Malay proverbs; and the Tiger in the historical flags of the Malay peninsula.

Click here to download the document (17 MB).