Seri Gumum Dragon

Seri Gumum Dragon (Malay: Nāga Seri Gumum) is a legendary Nāga thought of as the Malaysian Loch Ness monster, and is believed to live in the waters of Chini Lake in the Sultanate of Pahang, on Peninsular Malaysia.

Setting

Second to Lake Bera in south Pahang, Chini Lake is Malaysia's second largest natural freshwater lake. It is a formation of twelve lakes in central Pahang, itself centrally situated in West Malaysia. From earliest times, an indigenous, or Orang Asli legend warned of a dragon-like beast guarding the serene lake and a sunken city.[1]

Oral history

As the history of Seri Gumum (or Sri Gumum) is from the mists of time it is given in oral history from two sources, the indigenous peoples, Orang Asli and later the Orang Malayu. The first offer a creation myth about the origins of Chini Lake waters and a bleeding tree trunk that turned into a living dragon or Nāga.[2] As such, she is the esteemed spirit of the lake itself, who may take the form of a snakelike dragon among other reptilian forms.[3] In non-indigenous Malay or Orang Malayu stories, Seri (Sri) Gumum is a terrifying crocodile.[3]

Description

Over the years, there have been occasional reports of sightings of the lake’s gigantic occupant[4] As recently as 1986, it has been described as a huge black snake-like beast.[5] The creature is said to be a dragon associated with water and the heavens, originally described as being fully dragon-like, sometimes more serpent-like.

Existence

Its existence is as presented by locals and tourists who claimed they encountered the beast while fishing. Those who met with it are said to have suffered disease or death some time afterwards.[5] Others attribute mysterious happenings around the lake, or capsizing waves, to the dragon.[3] Like other lake monsters, the Seri Gumum Dragon is a creature of legend, and there is no solid evidence of it as no scientific study has shown that the monster actually exists.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Prologue, The Legend of Tasik Chini
  2. ↑ The Myth, The Legend of Tasik Chini
  3. 1 2 3 "Dragons of the Lake", Peter van der Helm
  4. ↑ Inquirer article, "5 Mystical Places in Malaysia..."
  5. 1 2 People's Belief, The Legend of Tasik Chini
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