‘Amidst the darkness from evil things creeping into the community and the societal chaos that keeps young people away from religion, Pondok children are considered to be a beacon of goodness and religious knowledge that shines light on the community, guiding more people in the community to enter the path of religion.’

— Nayueree Awaekueji

Pondok child revising before class. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

The word ‘pondok’ in the Malay language is borrowed from the Arabic word ‘فندق’ (pronounced ‘funduk’, meaning ‘hotel’). It refers to an Islamic seminary or school that has student dormitories within its compound. In Thailand, most pondoks are found only in the Southern Border Provinces.

Pondok children get up at 3:00 a.m. to perform Tahajjud (night prayers). From then they read the Quran until it’s time to pray Subhi, sunrise prayers. They spend their days studying religion, performing other religious duties and relaxing. The pondok sets rules to ensure that all pondok children live their lives in the same way, in accordance with regulations.

Teaching and learning at Pondok Darul-Qur’an Haj. Ismaili Batukayak 1 in Narathiwat Province. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

Through this series of photographs, I want to communicate about pondok life, education, learning by yourself, survival training, relying on yourself and living with others. Pondoks are an expression of the Malay Muslim identity, they are centres of Islamic learning and life.

 After studying, pondok children gather to prepare food and eat it together. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

After finishing the photography training, all participants had to go back and do their homework by thinking of a topic they wanted to work on. The trainers and organizers gave us complete freedom in choosing topics. I spent some time thinking about topics for my homework. Since I have studied at a pondok before and have friends still studying at pondoks, I thought, why don’t I do something about the lifestyle of pondok children?

 A pondok child holds a book used for his studying. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

I returned to the same pondok I studied in, in Narathiwat Province. I came back to my friends, juniors, and the teachers who had taught me. They welcomed me with friendly and warm smiles as always.

Pondok children’s dormitory of the Pondok Darul-Qur’an Haj. Ismaili Batukayak 1 in Narathiwat Province. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

Our conversation flowed freely as I told them about my photography training and exchanged stories of the past with them, including my memories of studying there. At pondoks, instruction is in Arabic or Melayu (Malay). Estimates show that as much as 85 per cent of Malay-Muslim students in Thailand attend Islamic schools rather than state schools.

 After preparing the food, they eat together. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

After talking for a while, I asked them for permission to take photos of the pondok and the children living there. They cooperated with me very well.

Friends in the pondok, who live in the same dormitory, help prepare food for a joint meal. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

 Books and notebooks used to revise lessons in the pondok. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji. 

 After finishing school, pondok children return to their dormitory for rest. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji. 

 Pondok children eating the simple dish they have prepared together. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

 A pondok child spending free time at the dormitory reviewing lessons learnt each day. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

 A pondok child preparing to go to school for study. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

 During free time, a pondok child spends time reviewing their lessons and memorizing what was learnt. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

 Pondok child with his books and notebook for studying. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

 A bit of rest while reviewing lessons in the dormitory. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

 After revising his lessons, a pondok child takes time to rest. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

 Taking a shower and preparing to go to prayer. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

 Getting dressed after a shower to prepare for prayer together. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

 Studying after the congregational prayers are finished. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji. 

 The pondok dormitory. Credit: Nayueree Awaekueji.

By Nayueree Awaekueji

First Prize winner

In the Southern Border provinces, we often see members of our community gather to help cooks on wedding days. We’re used to seeing them, but don’t always know the background and stories of those people. I’d like everyone to hear the stories of kitchen workers and the atmosphere behind-the-scenes at a Muslim wedding through this set of photos.

Kakak (referring to elder sisters or older women) gather to help prepare things in the kitchen for someone’s wedding day in a village in Narathiwat Province. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

Usually, the meat ingredients are prepared by men but sometimes women have to do those duties. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

In the past, rich people would have cows slaughtered for their weddings. They’d ask community members to do the slaughter; because it requires a lot of strength they are mostly men. These days, the host will reward people who butcher the cow with cigarettes or energy drinks. Sometimes they celebrate by boiling cow entrails to eat that night during preparation for the wedding. This can still be seen in rural areas but, in the city, it’s now a rare sight.

Kakak preparing vegetables for cooking at the wedding. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

There are two types of kitchen workers at Muslim weddings: volunteers and workers for hire. For the women who help to prepare food at weddings, the host will give them a sarong in the local fabric, a Hijab or some curry to take home. Some people will be at the wedding all day to help, but some will come for two days, before the wedding, because they must boil the curry base in advance. For those who come after the wedding, they will come and help wash dishes, pots, pans, and clean the place.

Kakak were divided into duties and were responsible for making red sticky rice which will be served on the wedding table Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

Kitchen work at the wedding may seem like an easy task but it is considered tiring work. There must be division of duties such as scraping coconuts, squeezing coconut milk, frying dried fish, cooking rice, making sweet syrup, making pulo (red sticky rice), arranging food, serving food, and preparing snacks.

View of the open kitchen for preparing food that will be served to guests at the wedding. An open kitchen is usually held behind the bride’s house. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

The number of people for this work will also depend on the scale of the wedding. Weddings have three main mealtimes: morning (brunch), noon (lunch), and evening (dinner), but food is also served throughout the day, because wedding guests will arrive from the morning and continue to arrive all day until the evening.

A place for cleaning kitchen utensils. It is a spot for washing cups, plates, bowls, and glasses, used until the end of the wedding day.  Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

If there is no clear division of duties for the kitchen work, the work will not go smoothly and will affect the impression of guests coming to congratulate the newlyweds. Therefore, the cook is a very important part of the wedding.

Preparing beef soup, one of the dishes that will be served at the wedding. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

These are stories and information that I got from field work while participating in MRG’s photography training. Nowadays, most people organize their weddings at restaurants, so they don’t have to deal with preparing food or cleaning up after the event.

Kakak putting steamed rice in a plastic bag to make it easier to serve to guests, and so guests can eat rice as they want. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

A place for washing cutlery, so guests can use clean cutlery throughout the day. People are stationed here to clean the cutlery. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

View of an open kitchen for preparing food that will be served to guests at the wedding. Both men and women take care of the food that will be served to the guests at the wedding. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

Area for preparing water and fruit served to guests at the wedding. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

Simmering beef massaman, one of the main dishes that will be served at the wedding. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor

An area of ​​the open kitchen set up especially to provide guests with an uninterrupted flow of steamed rice. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

Group of men preparing to bake food. Food is baked in layers and using a large pan as the base, a fire is built under the pan and the heat is transferred up to each layer. The tank hanging above will be lowered over the food to keep the heat in. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

It is often necessary to use coconut milk as the main ingredient in food, so most weddings have a space for scraping coconuts to make coconut milk to be used in cooking. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

Small batch cooking is sometimes not done in the open kitchen set up behind the bride’s house, but in the bride’s kitchen. So on the night of the wedding preparations, there will be villagers coming in and out of the bride’s house to help prepare or cook these dishes. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

For the waiting team, the organizers usually hire male teenagers to do the task. They often have team shirts to make it easier for guests to ask for food to be served. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

One of several pans of beef soup being prepared. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

Preparing side dishes such as vegetables, shrimp paste and fermented rice that are usually served with main dishes. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

The area for washing dishes, cups, and bowls. After guests have finished eating, the catering team cleans and cleans tables so that other groups of guests can continue to sit, and those plates, cups, and bowls will then be handed over to the dishwashing team for further cleaning. Credit: Waeasmee Waemanor.

By Waeasmee Waemanor

Second Prize Winner

Who said this country is equal? What truth is that, spilling out?
The heighs and lows have gone their separate ways. Swinging in the waves*

Thailand’s Southern Border Provinces: Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat are areas with chronic poverty problems. They have been continuously ranked among the top 10 poorest provinces in Thailand for more than 16 years. The local economy has structural problems; there is not a large enough labor market to support the new generation. Meanwhile, the agricultural sector, like elsewhere in Thailand, is struggling to survive.

A boy leading a cow to graze during school hours. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

Arriving at the corral to graze and walk the cows. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

Due to a lack of income, many households lack daily necessities, their quality of life deteriorates, and they live each day to survive. Many households therefore overlook the importance of their children’s education.

Silhouetted on the wall of a villager’s house in the neighbourhood where the boy grazed the cow. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

Taking the cow out of its corral to go for a late morning walk and graze. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

Even though school is free for everyone in Thailand, from kindergarten until high school, this does not mean there are no costs at all, leading some families to decide not to send their children to school. Even children who have already attended school, often choose to leave education because they saw that their education came from the sacrifice and hard work of their parents. They think that if they do not study, they will be able to help their parents earn money for the family.

Watching cows graze. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

For this reason, in the Southern Border Provinces you can see children and young people are in areas where they shouldn’t be during normal school hours, like this boy I happened to meet while I am taking pictures during the photography training organized by MRG in collaboration with Realframe.

In the Southern Border Provinces, it cannot be denied that the conflict and violence that has been beleaguered the area for the past 19 years, is a part or maybe the main thing that affects the recession of the local economy, impacting the education of the region’s youth. So, I chose to do my photography homework on that boy, looking at these structural problems.

Corralling the cow to prevent it from wandering off. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

The following story is that of the boy I met while visiting the area during photography training. I first met him on a Saturday afternoon.

The boy checking that all is in order after taking the cows back to the corral. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

Leading the cow like this looks cool, but the reason is to not exert a lot of effort. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

In the three Southern Border Provinces, Saturdays and Sundays are not considered school holidays because the children have to go to Tadika (religious school). In some areas Tadika is instead attended from Monday to Friday after finishing regular school. So I didn’t really feel that seeing him was anything out of the ordinary.

Watching the cow gives the boy a chance to think and reflect. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

After that, I saw him again on Wednesday or Thursday – I can’t remember which, but I remember that it was the day when the kids had to go to general school. I wondered why this boy wasn’t studying. I went to greet him.

In the Southern Border Provinces, it is common to see cows and other animals such as goats and sheep walking on the road. The image of the boy leading a cow on the road is a familiar sight to the locals. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

Sitting down to talk with him, I got to know that his family is quite poor. The income the family receives each day is not enough for all of them. He decided to drop out of school to help his family earn money and to save on expenses related to his studies. He was hired to raise cows.

Sweaty faced after taking care of the cow all day, feeding it, watering it and taking it back to the corral. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

His duties are: taking the cows to graze and to drink water, taking them for a walk, and bring the cows into the corral when the sun sets. He has to do this every day, so I was able to see him almost every day, even when (almost) all other children go to school to study.

Posing for the photographer. Credit: Iffan Ussoh.

Leading the cow back to the corral before sunset. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

Closing the corall at the end of the day. Credit: Iffan Usoh.

After taking care of the cow, it’s time to play with friends. Flying a kite on the sea breeze is popular in the area.  Credit: Iffan Usoh.

*Aphichat Chandaeng, Our country and many stories, (2010), Chaikob Publishing, p. 41.

By Iffan Usoh 

Third Prize Winner

It cannot be denied that every area in Thailand (or even in the world) has a market, a central area for villagers and urbanites alike to come shopping for consumer goods and daily necessities, especially food. Both savoury and sweet food, fresh food and dry food, or even processed food, all can be bought in the market. Products in the market are priced lower than in stores, allowing people with limited income to be able to get quality products. For many families in the Southern Border Provinces, selling goods at the market is a vital source of income.

People shopping for consumer goods at the morning market at Old Market, Yala City. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

Mak (a term for an older woman, a grandmother’s age) tying Sato beans into a bundle to make them easier to sell. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

I was interested in the way of life of the people who have to get up early to sell things in the market, so I chose to take photos at my local market selling fresh foods, located in the old market in Muang Yala District, Yala Province – somewhere I pass by often. It’s a fresh market next to the train tracks, relatively large, with many people buying a variety of products.

After trying to enter that market, what I noticed was that the proportion of women traders is many times greater than the men. In almost every area of the market we see more women than men – both sellers and buyers – so, I decided to take pictures of the women in this area. From my visual estimate, there might be as many as 90-95% women. I gathered all my courage to talk to some of the vendors about their lives in the fresh market and their current economic situation.

Kakak (term for an older woman meaning ‘older sister’) riding a motorcycle to the fresh market at the old market in Yala to shop and buy products. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

One woman said, ‘The economy is not good these days. Some days I can sell a lot, some days I can sell a little, but there is no day that I don’t sell. I open the shop early in the morning because most of the people who come to buy things at the market come very early in the morning. I open early in the morning so I can get customers quickly.’

Talking with another woman trader, she said, ‘The economy is not good these days, some days I can sell a lot, some days I can sell a little, but there is no day that I don’t sell anything. I came here to open the shop early in the morning because most of the people who come to buy things in this market come very early. I open in the morning so I can get customers quickly.’

Some women traders come to the market pray Subh – a dawn prayer at 4:30 a.m. according to lunar time. From then on they bathe at the market, eating and attending to other business there, spending their mornings in the market until the market is closed, they gather up their things, close up shop and get ready to go home.

A prayer room with prayer cloths was prepared in the market to accommodate Muslims to practice their religion with ease. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

Kakak sitting and eating her breakfast while waiting for customers to come buy chilis at her stall. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

In the Southern Border Provinces, Malay Muslims (in background) live alongside Thai Buddhists (foreground). Public spaces such as the morning market are where this diversity is especially visible. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

A rice and curry shop in the morning market serves breakfast to customers and traders on the job. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

In addition to being a trading area, the morning market is also a space for Thai Buddhist people in Yala to gather, chat and swap stories. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

Someone bought the zucchini that Mak was selling. The buyer will use the zucchini to cook and Mak – the seller – will get money to spend on other things. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

Burmese people who come to sell traditional cushions and mats at the old morning market in Yala. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

Public restrooms in the morning market for use by both traders and customers. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

Mak’s shop sells goods for making and seasoning food. She has all sorts of things including shallots, garlic, instant soup seasonings and other seasonings. Mak always sells her goods and talks to customers with a smile. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

Labels showing frequently fluctuating prices at the Yala market. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

In areas that sell fresh food such as seafood, meat and chicken, the floor is always wet. Therefore, buyers who ride motorcycles that enter the market must be especially careful while driving to prevent accidents. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

We will see diversity in public spaces – an area that is not restricted to any one group, but it is a space that is open for everyone to live together. Though outsiders view the Southern Border Provinces as areas of conflict and violence, Thai Buddhist and Malay Muslim people still live together. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

Anyone who doesn’t have an official storefront can use vacant space to set up a stall, even if it’s as small as the space between two cars. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

When entering the morning market area, we can distinguish between buyers and sellers by observing the characteristics of the bags, because sellers usually wear bags that are slung over their bodies and call out to customers in clear, distinct tones. Credit: Shabirin U-soh.

By Shabirin U-soh

Runner-up

The seas of Southeast Asia are home to several different communities of seafaring indigenous peoples, groups with unrivalled navigation, swimming and fishing skills who for hundreds of years have led a more or less nomadic existence. In Thai we call these people Chao Le.

A boat used by Chao Le to go out to fish at sea. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

Discrimination, development, tourism and conservation have in recent decades threatened their way of life and forced many to settle, though fishing is still vital to their culture and livelihoods.

A Chao Le man returning to shore to meet family members after fishing. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

When you think of them, you think of their life on the sea, sailing out to catch fish and seafood, to sell and to eat themselves. They earn money from selling seafood and the use that money to buy the other necessities of life.

A picture of a beach with waves crashing into the sand. We could sit and watch these waves all day, especially when we need some peace and quiet, some time to think and crystallize something. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

The text that follows is a story of the way of life of Chao Le in Pattani Province. After attending MRG’s photography training, I met Abang, an older Chao Le man, who agreed to let me take his photo and follow him as he went about his day.

Local Chao Le fishing boats floating out to sea. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

Most Chao Le work as local fishermen. Because their boats are very small, they cannot stay at sea for more than two nights at a time. The amount of fish or other seafood they can catch is therefore small too, only enough for their family, and a little extra to sell. So, their income does not allow for extravagant spending, but not to the point of poverty.

Chao Le children playing while waiting for their father to return from fishing. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

But climate change has a direct impact on occupations that depend on nature and, of course, the fishing that Chao Le rely on is affected by variations in the weather. In particular, sudden weather events affect the ability to plan for fishing trips. Resource degradation has resulted in a decline in marine life.  As a result, the livelihood potential of fishing has decreased for the Chao Le.

In a village where most people are seafarers, there are teams that go out to sea together to fish, and these two often go out together. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

Abang told me about his life as a fisherman: ‘the income is uncertain, some days I get a lot, some days I get a little, and some days I get nothing at all. We have to be thrifty because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Will there be food? We cannot live a lavish life. Some people do other jobs to earn extra money, but I take care of my children and my family through fishing, and I will keep doing it until I can’t take it anymore.’

Casting a net by hand is another way to catch seafood, though less effective than going out to sea. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

Abang and the net he uses when he does not go out to sea. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

Chao Le children play on the beach while waiting for their father to go out to fish at sea, getting used to the sea breeze and the sand. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

Some Chao Le depart their boats quite far from their homes. They build small shelters for their families to rest in while they go fishing at sea. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

Chao Le heading out into the vast waters to catch fish and seafood to sell and eat at home. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

Sometimes nets cast for seafood catch other things instead, including rubbish. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

When the sky changes color from blue to indigo, the most peaceful time. A walk on the beach during that time will be a joy for many people. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

City kids might like to look at cars, motorcycles, or planes, but for kids born and raised near the beach, the first vehicle that they know and are interested in is a boat. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

On days when Chao Le fishermen don’t go out to fish, they walk into the sea and try to catch fish by casting nets. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

Abang casting a net and catching fish at sea. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

View of the mooring point for Chao Le in Pattani. Credit: Afnan Lateh

Abang soaking up the vibes of the sea and the sea breeze. He says, ‘even though I am a Chao Le and have lived with the sea since I was born, I never get tired of the sea, I love the sea.’ Credit: Afnan Lateh.

On a sandy beach near the sea, children can have play various games. It doesn’t always have to be a sandcastle. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

A Chao Le mother and her daughter resting and chatting while waiting for her husband to return from the sea. Credit: Afnan Lateh.

By Afnan Lateh

Runner-up