Though the remaining Penan civilization have been influenced by western behavior in terms of now having permanent homes by riversides, they continue to make long journeys into the forest to collect food, medicine, and other jungle products which is used to aid them, this however has been lost in the western societies as they depend on technology rather than traditional methods of helping and healing one self herbs and bushes which once had medicinal uses/value have been devoured in order to expand countries and build houses. If these basic methods of healing one self were still in place the eco-system would be in better shape that it is in now.
The Penan, like other nomadic hunter-gatherers has developed social relationships, but, the society remains in equilibrium as both sexes are equal, they are no social classes or hierarchies, there is no wealth or poverty, and all food is combined and shared equally to maintain the survival of their culture. Each band has a headman who acts as a spokesperson but wields no power. Although certain tasks are reserved for men and others for women, there is no obvious sexual inequality, and neither sex exercises power over the other. Both men and women are gentle and soft-spoken. Outsiders who observe them are consistently struck by the complete absence of violence among the Penan
Many parts of Southeast Asia are blessed with a remarkable wild tree, a resource that provides the basis for a nomadic existence these trees are used to provide sago floor, which can efficiently provide members with food for an extensive period of time. Once again the social relationship, which Marx talked about, is enforced, as men, women and children have created a system in order to preserve there heritage, and culturally socialize the younger generation with the basic necessitate and survival skills which they will need to implement in the near future, when they become the leaders and preservers of a slowly vanishing culture.
After appealing to the government for several years to end the destruction of their traditional homelands the Penan gave a powerful statement in hopes of redeeming what is rightfully theirs "We, the Penan people of the Tutoh, Limbang, and Patah Rivers regions, declare: Stop destroying the forest or we will be forced to protect it. The forest is our livelihood. We have lived here before any of you outsiders came. We fished in clean rivers and hunted in the jungle. We made our sago meat and ate the fruit of the trees. Our life was not easy but we lived it contentedly. Now the logging companies turn rivers to muddy streams and the jungle into devastation. Fish cannot survive in dirty rivers and wild animals will not live in devastated forest. You took advantage of our trusting nature and cheated us into unfair deals. By your doings you take away our livelihood and threaten our very lives. You make our people discontent. We want our ancestral land, the land we live off, back. We can use it in a wiser way. When you come to us, come as guests with respect.”
These peaceful nomads have no need for violence with in their society but they made it clear they would fight if that’s what it meant to preserve their way of life. As time passed their culture was placed on the line and only one thing was left to do, retaliate these peaceful resilient nomads erected a blockade across a logging road in the Tutoh River basin armed with blow pipes (efficient weapon more accrete than the shot gun loaded with poisonous darks) this was one of the most remarkable resistance movements ever mounted by an indigenous people. generations to come.