Fundraising for Salt Trail Mission, April 2015

by Mahen Bala· March 25, 2015· in Uncategorized· 0 comments tags: charity, documentary, fundraising, lusong laku, mercy malaysia, photography, photojournalism, Sabah, salt trail, Sarawak
Dear friends, In the middle of April, I will be joining a team of volunteers from various backgrounds on the Salt Trail: Trek and Treat, Crocker Range Mission in Sabah. We will be trekking for five days, from the 21st till the 25th of April, while conducting mobile clinics in 5 villages along the way. Challenging, but just imagine how challenging it must be for those in such remote areas to visit a clinic. One of the participatory requirements for each participant is to raise funds for the mission. Here is my attempt. A few years ago, I was on a similar mission to Lusong Laku in Sarawak, also with Mercy Malaysia. We visited a small community of Penans who lived in two long houses where we conducted dental screenings and hygiene lessons(how to wash hands and brush their teeth). During the mission, I had the opportunity to photograph some of the families. Here are the portraits, exactly as how I saw them; proud, dignified human beings deserving of respect. My favourite is no.2. I thought it would be really great if I could use something from the previous mission for the next. The ‘Portraits of Lusong Laku’ is the […]
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RAW 04 : Korban

by Mahen Bala· October 05, 2014· in Photo Series· 0 comments tags: aidiladha, allah, cow, culture, documentary, islam, korban, mahen bala, Malaysia, photography, photojournalism, raw, religion, sacrifice, slaughter
  The fourth issue of RAW is sacrifice, or korban in the Malay language. It documents the ritual of animal sacrifice in celebrating Hari Raya Aidiladha as a remembrance of Abraham(Ibrahim)’s obedience in obeying God’s command, even when asked to sacrifice his own son.
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The Hungry Ghosts of 17

by Mahen Bala· August 24, 2014· in Journal, Photo Series· 1 comments tags: celebration, chinese, culture, documentary, essay, festival, hungry ghost, mahen bala, Malaysia, petaling jaya, photography, photojournalism, worship
  ‘Wooden tables were covered with piles of food, offerings to the hungry ghosts who roamed the streets. Fresh vegetables, fruits, junk food, biscuits, sponge cakes, whole roasted ducks and pigs were all laid out in rows. Thick joss sticks sat on empty chairs right in front of the stage, special seats reserved for the spirits. The entire night market area of Section 17, including the open air car park was taken up for the event. One area held the altars and food offerings and the other was occupied with chairs, a stage, towering speakers, and spotlights that cut through the night. 5 young Chinese girls provided entertainment on stage, with a change of clothes between songs, as it shifted from Ace of Base to Psy, with a love ballad or two slotted in the middle.’
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Why am I doing this?

by Mahen Bala· December 21, 2013· in Journal· 1 comments tags: adat perpatih, culture, custom, documentary, documentary film festival, documentation, essay, filmmaking, finas, heritage, history, ideas, inspiration, journey, mahen bala, malay, Malaysia, national geographic, negri sembilan, opinions, passion, photography, photojournalism, research, short documentary, short film, thoughts, tradition
In all my documentary adventures through some of the most amazing places across the region, I’m careful to even consider myself a humble electron in the world of research and documentation. A humble speck in the dusty air that swirls endlessly with the passing of time. I grew up with three words burned into my mind. The National Geographic Society.
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