Hi everyone! Thanks for all the comments.
I made the video solely because I am amazed at how much traditional craft and knowledge that still exists within Stem and his people. The Semelai tribe, according to some books have made Lake Bera their home for more than 600 years and for that I think they have adapted very well to their surrounding. They are one of the few indigenous communities in Malaysia I know that still make dug out canoes, fire pistons, musical instruments with materials from freshwater puffer fish (from the lake) and even harvest
tree oil using fire the traditional way. The Semelais at Lake Bera are like my 'Myth busters'
As for the flexible wood handle, Stem refers to it as 'Mempulut'. The word 'Pulut' itself means 'glutinous rice'...'Mempulut' is literally 'to glutinous rice'.
I am amazed because he did not use rattan for a flexible handle. Rattan is something he could find easily in the jungle around the lake. He told me the flexible wood handle lessens the vibration to the hands and arm when in use. This would allow them to work longer hours. If he expects to be chopping down big trees, he would soak the wood overnight as it would allow the wood to be more 'springy'.
Initially, I thought Stem was the only one using the wood. But when I visited another village where Jamri (the
fire piston maker) is staying and casually asks him what kind of wood he uses for his axe, he too brought out a piece of Mempulut wood. Jamri was demonstrating his mempulut wood towards the end of the video.