Young Indigenous Women Speak Up

The Apa Kata Wanita Orang Asli (AKWOA) or 'Young Indigenous Women Speak Up' collective is made up of 10 Orang Asli women aged 22 to 33 from various tribes across Peninsular Malaysia.

AKWOA began through capacity-building sessions in 2018, organised by Freedom Film Network, a rights-based media organisation that continues to mentor us. From shy participants, we’ve grown into confident media producers who speak up and advocate for our rights. Our mission is to empower Orang Asli girls, women, and communities to defend our rights using media. We aim to strengthen our collective capacity and inspire more young women to become advocates and leaders.

We organise training activities tailored to our needs and produce short videos that reflect our lived realities and struggles. These videos help raise awareness and push for change among the public and policymakers.

Title : Selai Kayu Yek (Roots of My Land)

Medium : Short film

Runtime : 12 minutes

Language : Malay, Temiar

Producer : Apa Kata Wanita Orang Asli collective

Year : 2020

Film synopsis:

Aleh, a young Orang Asli woman, struggles to find support from her village when her family’s ancestral land is encroached. In fear of losing her land that she also uses to grow ubi kayu, she seeks out famous Orang Asli YouTuber Rien to expose and share her story. But Rien refuses at first as she believes that their community should pursue a better life in the city instead of farming on their land. Aleh and Rien eventually realise that they share similar struggles because of their identity. Together, they find their voice and speak out.

Conceptually, Aleh centres on themes of Indigenous land rights, intergenerational tension, and identity. It highlights the power of storytelling and solidarity in grassroots resistance.