Echoes of empowerment to roars of collective action: indigenous women redefining leadership

This article explores Orang Asli women’s leadership in Peninsular Malaysia, focusing on how individual empowerment evolves into collective mobilization. The title, “From Echoes of Empowerment to Roars of Collective Action,” reflects this journey: early, often subdued voices of empowerment gradually amplify into powerful, organized movements demanding justice and recognition. The purpose of the study is to examine how Orang Asli women leaders promote gender inclusivity, defend customary land, and challenge both state structures and patriarchal norms. Using a qualitative research design, purposive sampling was employed to select Orang Asli women leaders from Semai, Temuan, and Semoq Beri communities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically to identify recurring patterns of leadership and activism. Thematic analysis revealed three interrelated themes: (1) the transformation of domestic vigilance into political leadership, (2) the strategic use of maternal frames and cultural values to legitimize activism, and (3) the creation of informal, leaderless networks such as SPNS and JKOASM to sustain community resistance. These findings demonstrate how Orang Asli women redefine leadership as a collective, gender-inclusive practice rooted in cultural survival. The study contributes to broader debates on indigenous rights, feminist leadership, and community mobilization in Southeast Asia.