Tasik Chini, by Wan Aqmar Zulkifli
On this artwork, it show a Tasik Chini. Based on folklore, a large dragon known as Naga Seri Gumum, is said to inhabit Lake Chini and the story is also displayed on a large sign placed at Lake Chini Resort to be read by tourists who come there. According to the story of the elders, once upon a time, a group of Orang Asli of the Jakun tribe came to the thick forest area, then explored and cleared the land there for farming.
One day, when the Orang Asli group was gathering to cultivate, a woman with a cane suddenly appeared and told, the place was hers and they had to ask permission before exploring it. However, the woman finally allowed them to clean the area after Tok Batin apologized and to strengthen her claim, the woman brandished her cane in the middle of the explored area while warning not to pull it out before she disappeared. The group continued to cultivate until suddenly they were disturbed by barking dogs at the edge of the cleared area.
One of them decided to find the cause and was shocked to find that the barking sound came from a large old ebony stick. Then he threw his tugal (a sharp stick to make a planting hole) towards the stick and was surprised to see blood squirting out of the ebony. Trembling he kept running and told the strange thing to his friend, but his friend did not believe him.
At that time also black clouds enveloped the space, followed by thunder and lightning before heavy rain. The group of Orang Asli split up as they ran for cover and in a state of confusion, one of them pulled out the stick that the woman had cut. At that moment, water squirted out of the hole, the earth began to shake and submerged the area that had been cleaned and the rainwater reservoir became a lake known as Lake Chini.
Local folk tales say that the wood is the incarnation of a dragon known as Naga Sri Gumum and the grooves around it are traces of the Orang Asli route when they tried to save themselves. The story of the legend has been the talk of the community in the past until now, even though Tasik Chini covers an area of 12,565 hectares, including the surrounding forest area, it has undergone a development process to become an interesting recreational place. The Tasik Chini area has 12 seas around it, namely Laut Gumum, Pulau Balai, Chenahan, Tanjung Jerangkung, Genting Teratai, Mempitih, Kenawar, Serodong, Melai, Batu Busuk, Labuh and Jemberau.