P'riok deri Jawa The cooking-pot from Java;
Datang 'Wa' Si Bagok Here comes Uncle Bagok
Bawa ketam sa'ekor: Bringing a crab.
Chepong masok ayer, A dish (?) to put water in,
Chepong masok api, A dish (?) to put fire in,
O nenek, O nenek, O granny, O granny,
Rumah kita 'nak runtoh! Our house is tumbling down.
Reh! Reh! Rum! . . . . . .
Finally they sit still with hands clasped on knees, and sing--
Nuria! Nuria! . . . . . .
Tali timba 'ku The rope of my bucket,
'Nak 'nimba lubok dalam, To draw water from a deep hole,
Dalam sama tengah, Right in the middle of it,
Saput awan tolih mega. Veiled by the clouds, looking up at (?)
the welkin. [713]
Of minor children's games the following may be mentioned:--
(1) Tuju (not tujoh, [714]) lobang, which appears to be identifiable
with "Koba," and which is played by throwing coins as near as possible
to a hole (or holes?) in the ground.
(2) Chimplek, which is a sort of "heads and tails" game; "heads"
being called chaping, and "tails" sim.
(3) Porok, which consists in kicking (with the side of the foot)
a small cocoa-nut shell, with the object of hitting a similar shell
a few yards off.
This game appears to be identical with what is called main gayau in
Selangor, in which, however, a fruit or seed called buah gandu is
substituted for the cocoa-nut shell and propelled by the big toe of
the player's foot.
(4) Main seremban, which is played with cockle-shells by two girls at a
time, each player taking twenty cockle-shells (kulit k'rang) into her
lap. Each player in turn has to toss up one of the cockle-shells and
catch, simultaneously snatching a fresh shell from the heap. If the
girl who is playing fails in either task, she loses to her opponent.
10. THEATRICAL EXHIBITIONS
The Malay Drama, taking the word in its widest sense as comprising
every kind of theatrical exhibition, includes performances of several
different types, which derive their origin from various distinct
sources. Most of them bear some traces of their foreign extraction,
and though they have been much modified by the Malays, and are now
quite "naturalised" in the Peninsula, it is pretty clear that the
greater part have been borrowed from India, Siam, China, and possibly
other countries. It is noteworthy that many, perhaps most, of the
plots represented in these performances owe their origin to the old
classical Indian Epics, and especially to the story of the Ramayana,
which has been handed down traditionally, much modified by local
colouring, in Java and Siam as well as in the Malay Peninsula.
It is not within the scope of this work to give anything like a full
description of these different kinds of dramatic representations, but
it is desirable to give some account of the ritual which accompanies
them, and the ideas and superstitions which they seem to involve.
The most important of the ceremonies which relate to the Malay theatre
is that of inaugurating or "opening" (as it is called) a site for
the performance. The following is an account (by Mr. Hugh Clifford)
of the performance of this ceremony:--
"When one of these companies arrives at a place where it intends to
'open,' it erects a small, square shed, open at all four sides, but
carefully roofed in, and with a hand-rail running round it about two
feet from the ground. This shed is called a Bangsal, and the space
which its sides enclose is termed Panggong. Before the play begins,
the ceremony called Bûka Panggong, which has for its object the
invocation and propitiation of certain spirits, is gone through....
"The ceremony, which is a curious one, is performed in the following
manner: The company having entered the shed and taken their seats, a
brazier is placed in front of the Pâwang, or Medicine-Man, who is also
the head of the theatrical troop. In this brazier precious woods and
spices are burned, and while the incense ascends, the Pâwang intones
the following incantation, the other members of the troop repeating
each sentence in chorus as he concludes it.
"'Peace be unto Thee, whose mother is from the earth, and whose father
has ascended to the Heavens! Smite not the male and female actors,
and the old and young buffoons with Thy cruelty, nor yet with the
curse of poverty! Oh, do not threaten with punishment the members
of this company, for I come not hither to vie with Thee in wisdom
or skill or talent: not such is my desire in coming hither. If I
come unto this place, I do so placing my faith in all the people,
[715] my masters who own this village. Therefore suffer not any
one to oppress, or envy, or do a mischief unto all the body of
male and female actors, together with the young and old buffoons,
and the minstrels and bridegroom, [716] together with Sri Gemûroh,
Sri Berdengong. [717] Oh, suffer them not to be hurt or destroyed,
injured, or maimed; let not the male or female actors be contused
or battered, and let them not be injured or maimed; let them not be
afflicted with headache, nor with undue physical heat, nor yet with
throbbing pains or with shooting aches. Oh, let them not be injured
by collisions like unto ships, the bows of which are telescoped, [718]
nor afflicted with excessive voiding. Suffer them not to vomit freely,
nor to be overcome by heavy weariness or fatigue or weakness. I ask
that Thou wilt suffer them to be as they have been accustomed to
be in former times, and to feel cool and fresh like unto the snake,
the chinta-mâni. [719]
"'Peace be unto Thee, O Black Awang, [720] who art King of the
Earth! Be not startled nor deranged, and be not offended, for Thou
art wont to wander in the veins of the ground, and to take Thy rest
in the portals of the Earth. [721] I come not hither to vie with Thee
in wisdom, for I only place my trust in Thee, and would surrender
myself wholly into thy hands; and I beg Thee to retire but three
paces from the four corners of our shed, and that Thou shalt refrain
from wandering hither and thither, for under Thy care I place the
male and female actors, and all the buffoons, both young and old,
together with all the musicians and the bridegrooms. I place them
under Thy care, and do not oppress or envy them, neither suffer evil
to befall them, do not strike against them as Thou passest by. I place
them under Thy charge, together with the actors and actresses, the
musicians and bridegrooms, the buffoons, both young and old, also the
spectators and the owners of this house and compound; suffer them not
to be afflicted with headaches, throbbing pains, nor yet with shooting
pains, nor yet with toothache, nor with itchings and skin irritations,
nor with burning sensations; for I pray that they may be suffered to
get cool and refreshed like unto the snake, the chinta-mâni.'
"The Pâwang here scatters parched rice stained with saffron in
every direction, and chants the following incantation the while:
`Peace be unto thee! I am about to move from within this enclosure
four paces in each direction of the four corners of the universe. O
ye Holy Ones who are present in this place, within the space of
these four paces towards the four extremities of the universe, be
not startled nor deranged, do not remove to a distance, and be not
angry or wrathful, for thy servant cometh not hither to vie with
ye in wisdom within this thy territory and village. Your servant
cometh to satisfy the desires of all the people who own this place,
and your servant desires to abandon himself unto ye, his guardians,
the Holy Ones of this place, and thus presuming he asks pardon of ye,
and would commend to your care himself, and the actors and actresses,
O Grandsires, ye Holy Ones of this place; and in like manner would
he commend unto ye the musicians and the bridegrooms, the buffoons,
both old and young; and he prays ye not to show envy towards them,
nor yet to oppress them, nor do them any injury; suffer them not
to be destroyed or injured; and he entreats thee, his Grandsires,
and all your many imps, to refrain from striking against them as ye
pass by them, neither to address them, nor to pinch or nip them, and
let not your youths, O Grandsires, remove our means of livelihood;
and your servant prays ye to refrain from destroying or damaging,
injuring or hurting the whole company of the ma'iong, and suffer them
to be cool and refreshed like unto the snake, the chinta-mâni.
"'Peace be unto Thee! I am about to remove from thee my Grandsire
who art styled Petera Gûru, the original teacher, who art from the
beginning, and who art incarnate from thy birth. Teacher who dwellest
as a hermit in the recesses of the Moon, and who practisest thy magic
arts in the womb of the Sun; teacher of mine whose coat is wrought
of green beads, whose blood is white, who hast stumps for bones, the
hairs of whose body are turned the wrong way, and the veins of whose
body are adamant, whose neck is black, whose tongue is fluent, whose
spittle is brine! [722] Oh, because thou, my Grandsire, art a man of
magic, whose prayers are answered, whose desires come to pass, do not,
O Grandsire, show cruelty, or afflict with poverty or with punishment
any of the actors or actresses, the musicians and bridegrooms,
and the buffoons both young and old! And I pray thee, O Grandsire,
to stretch forth thy feet--the feet at which I prostrate myself;
and thy hands--the hands which I take in salutation. And I beg from
thee, O Grandsire, the white charm (antidote), the medong ber-sîla;
cause to descend upon me three drops thereof together with thy magic,
O Grandsire; I wish to sprinkle therewith all the actors and actresses,
the buffoons both young and old, together with all the musicians
and bridegrooms, and suffer them not to be destroyed or injured,
and let them not be laid open or exposed to any evil influence; I
pray thee not to suffer them to be injured, maimed, or battered. And
now I will arouse all the actors and actresses from within the seven
Chambers of the seven Palaces, the seven Pavilions--the Palaces which
are on high, the Palaces which were from the beginning, which in the
beginning came into being in their entirety. [723] I am about to open
the portals of the seven Chambers of the seven Palaces; I am about to
open the closed doors from the exterior even unto the inner portals of
the seven chambers of the seven Palaces. Let them be opened together
with the Gates of Lusts and Passion, together with the Gate of Desire
and Faith, together with the Gates of Longing and Supreme Desire. The
Longing which lasts from Dawn unto Dawn, which causes food to cease to
satisfy, and renders sleep uneasy, which remembering causes to remember
unceasingly, hearing to hear, seeing to see! I will awake all from
the exterior even unto the inner Chambers of the seven Apartments of
the seven Palaces! remain not plunged in slumber, but awake! One and
all awake and hear my tidings and my words! Awake and hearken unto
my words, for they vanish not, neither are my senses slumbering, nor
is my memory a blank! Awake, O actors and actresses, and await one
upon another! Awake, O buffoons, together awake! Awake, ye drummers,
together awake! Awake, ye gong-smiters, together awake! Awake,
ye bridegrooms, together awake! Be not removed far from your means
of livelihood, nor destroyed or injured! Oh, suffer them not to be
hurt or damaged--all this company of actors and actresses, all this
company of players who sit within this shed!'
"When this incantation is finished the player, whose turn it is to
begin the performance, prostrates himself before the Herbab, or large
Malay fiddle, washes his face in some imaginary essence which the
gong is supposed to contain, and then arises and begins to act his
part." [724]
A similar ceremony was witnessed in 1897 by Mr. Everard Fielding
and the present writer at the back of the Bungalow at Jugra
(in Selangor). The object of the ceremony was to drive away evil
spirits from the spot where the performance was to take place, and the
performers were a little band of players from Penang who had settled in
the neighbourhood and had planted their holdings with Liberian coffee.
The Pawang or magician in this instance was a Malay named 'Che Hussein,
who acted as clown, and subsequently wrote out at my request rough
transcripts of more than a dozen of the plays acted by his company.
A big mat or mats having been laid upon the ground in a spot carefully
selected for the purpose, four corner posts were planted and a big
awning or ceiling-cloth (langit-langit) stretched between them. The
square space between the posts was then fenced off by carrying a
couple of cords round it horizontally from post to post, one at the
height of two, and the other about five feet above the ground. From
these cords were suspended various ornamental objects made of plaited
strips of cocoa-nut leaf, fashioned into rough resemblances of animals,
birds, fruit and flowers, a few bananas being added at intervals,
these latter serving as light refreshments for the players whenever
they felt so minded. Stems of banana trees with their leaves fastened
at each post made the structure complete, and the general effect,
enhanced by the bright costumes of the performers, was extremely
picturesque, and, as it was intended to be, extremely rural. [725]
A tray with the usual brazier of incense and small bowls of rice
variously prepared was then brought in, and all the instruments,
though not necessarily the players, being in their places, the ceremony
commenced as follows:--
First came the Lagu Pemanggil, or Invocation, a peculiar air performed
on the instruments and accompanied by the Pawang. The latter heaped
incense on a brazier in front of him, and "waved" in the incense
first the fiddle (rebab) and then the masks, wooden daggers, and other
"properties" of the company, until they were well fumigated. He next
lighted three tapers, which he charmed and took between the closed
palms of his hands (held in front of him), with the fingers straight
and the thumbs crossed. He then proceeded to "wave" these tapers,
pointing them first to the right, then in front of him, and finally
to the left, and then distributed the tapers, putting the first
on the rebab, and the second on the big gong, and the third on the
edge of a brazen ring in front of the place where he is sitting. He
now reached for the betel-leaf box (which should be close by), and
dipping the tip of his finger into the moist lime which it contained,
smeared the metal all round with it, and made the sign of the cross
inside the ring. Next he shrouded his head with a black cloth, and
taking a handful of rice in his closed fist held it in the incense,
sprinkled some of it over the brazier and "charmed" it, holding it
close to his mouth. Then he suddenly scattered it first to the right,
then in front, and lastly to the left, the scattering being in each
case accompanied by a single boom of the big gong.
The distribution of the rice being completed, he took four "chews"
of betel and handed one to each of the two drummers (juru-gendang);
the third he threw on to the top of the ceiling-cloth (or roof in the
case of a shed, bumbong bangsal), and the fourth he buried underneath
the bottom mat. [726] With his head still shrouded he now placed the
tip of his right thumb within the metal ring, in the very centre of
the cross, called the Heart of the Earth (pusat bumi or hati tanah),
and pressing downwards with it, worked it round to the left and back
again repeatedly whilst he recited the necessary charm. After this
he leaned in turn on the upper end of each of the drums, which he
inclined over the brazier and "charmed," concluding in each case with
three loud taps on the drum which he was "charming," each tap being
accompanied by similar taps on the other two drums. Finally, the Pawang
put the flageolet (serunei) to his lips, and the other instruments
accompanied him in the performance of the tune called taboh. [727]
As has already been observed, the performances at these theatrical
exhibitions are of several distinct kinds, and vary considerably
in different places. The Joget, a kind of dramatic and symbolical
dance, has been described under the head of Dances. The Ma'yong is a
theatrical performance which includes both dancing (or posturing as
Europeans would be tempted to call it) and singing. It is generally
performed by travelling companies of professional actors and actresses,
who go on tour and perform either at the houses of Rajas or other
persons of some social standing, or before the general public in some
public place. [728] Just as the dances of the Joget are supposed to
be symbolical of different actions and ideas, and are accompanied by
appropriate music, so in the Ma'yong there is quite a long list of
tunes, each of which is considered to be appropriate to a particular
action, or to some one or more of the dramatis personæ. In fact,
one may almost say that we have here, in principle, the rude germ
of the Wagnerian Leitmotif. Thus when one of the performers is
supposed to be sent to sleep, the Lagu Legor Radin is the one used;
in the representation of a death, the Lagu Merayu; when a character
is supposed to be entering the jungle, the Lagu Samsam; when any one
sits down, the Lagu Patani Tuah. Similarly the Lagu Puyuh, the Lagu
Dang Dondang Lanjut Kedah, and the Lagu Sendayong Dualapis Putri are
appropriated to the Princess (Putri), one of the stock characters
of this species of play, while other tunes can be used only by the
Princess and the Raja or principal male character (Pa'yong); and
others, again, are employed indifferently to accompany any of the
parts, whether prince, princess, clown (P'ran), or maid (Inang).
The costumes of the performers in the various kinds of dramatic
exhibitions vary, of course, with the subject-matter of the
representation. The clown's masks and the forest demon (hantu hutan),
of which illustrations are given, will serve as specimens to indicate
the nature of some of the accessories in use. A fairly full list of
their Malay names will be found in the classification given below.
The Ma'yong is perhaps the most typical form of Malay theatrical
representations, but another very characteristic performance is the
Shadow-Play, properly termed Wayang, a name that has been loosely
extended to cover theatrical exhibitions in general.
"The show is called Wayang Kulit, or leather puppets. It is exhibited
in a rough shed, which has a flooring raised about three feet from
the ground; the building is usually twenty feet square and enclosed on
three sides, the front alone being open; across this opening a white
sheet is stretched on which the shadows of the puppets are thrown and
seen through by the audience; the latter sit or stand in the open air.
"The show seems to be of Hindu origin, if we may judge from the
strong resemblance the figures bear to the representations of gods and
goddesses worshipped by the Hindus of India; it is probably obtained
from Java.
"The figures are made of buffalo hide, and the arms alone are movable;
they are moved by slips of wood attached to them, which are very
clumsily contrived, and as their shadows are seen with the puppets
the effect is very much destroyed. Various scenes of a domestic nature
are exhibited, and they take the shape of a play, but with no definite
plot running through or connecting the different scenes.
"The following is a specimen:--
"An old man appears weeping for a long-lost son, and moves to
and fro for some time bewailing his loss; the showman speaks each
figure's part, and alters the tone of his voice to suit the age of
the speaker; a second figure comes on, representing a young man armed
with a kris, who endeavours to pick a quarrel with the first comer,
and the conversation is witty and characteristic, eliciting roars
of laughter from the lookers-on; a fight ensues, and the old man is
wounded; he falls and cries out that were he a young man, or if his
lost son were present, his adversary should not thus triumph over
him. In his conversation he happens to mention his son's name; the
young man intimates that his name is the same, an explanation ensues,
and it ends by the old man discovering in his late adversary his
long-lost son. The old fellow weeps and laughs alternately, caresses
his son frequently, and declares they shall never part again; the
scene ends by the youth shedding tears over his late inhuman conduct,
and he finally walks off with the old gentleman on his back.
"The conversation is carried on solely in the Malayan dialect. Warlike
scenes please most: a warrior comes on the stage and challenges his
invisible enemy to mortal combat; suddenly another figure comes on at
the opposite side and a desperate fight ensues, which lasts for a very
long time, and ends in one of the combatants being killed. Occasionally
a battle in which ten or twelve figures join takes place, and for
hours will the Malays look on at such scenes.
"The show concludes with an exhibition of various animals--deer,
horses, tigers, crocodiles, etc., also birds and fishes. The figures
are perforated to represent the eyes, shape of the dress, etc.
"At the back of the shed, concealed by the sheet, sit the musicians,
who keep up an incessant din on drums and cymbals." [729]
The puppets for these shadow-plays are usually cut out of deer-skin
(not buffalo hide) and it is worth remarking that they are all
considered to be more or less animated; a stringent propitiatory
ceremony has to be performed in their honour, incense being burnt
and rice scattered about, just as in the Ma'yong ceremony already
described.
The present writer, while in Selangor, bought from a Kelantan
Malay named 'Che `Abas, a performer of shadow-plays, his entire
stock-in-trade, including not only his musical instruments (amongst
which were some curious drums called gedu and gedombak), but also his
candle (with its shade), the rice used for the ceremony, and his entire
stock of shadow-pictures, all of which are now in the Cambridge Museum.
The following classification of the more important kinds of theatrical
performances, which was drawn up for the present writer by 'Che
Hussein of Penang, the actor of whom mention has already been made,
may be of interest, and will serve to indicate briefly their several
characteristic features, though it does not profess to be absolutely
exhaustive:--
Classification of Theatrical Performances known to Malays of the Peninsula
Name of Instruments. Dress. No. of Place of Names of Stories
Performance Performers. Performance, Represented.
and Reputed etc.
Place of
Origin
1 Lekun or Gendang besar, Head-dress: 100 to 200 Indoors, with S'ri Rama, Dewa
Lakun (Kedah gong, gambang kechobong, chawat (in choruses) proper scenery Matahari, Sendrong,
and Siam). dua-b'las, kromong (sayap all females, and dresses Prak Jusin.
(or mong-mong), layang-lay-ang), except the (masks).
anak ayam, sabok, bimpau, sap musicians.
breng-breng, suang, g'lang,
serunei, cherek. g'lang kana (=
kena), changgei,
saluar.
2 Mendura Gedombak, gedu, Same as in the About 10 to Out doors; no S'ri Rama, Lak
(Siam). serunei, cherek, Lekun. 15 good scenery. Kenawan, Timun Muda,
mong, breng-breng performers; Iprat, Prak Jusin,
anak ayam; but not all male, Pran Bun, Sendrong,
gendang, rebab, or including the Dewa Matahari.
gong. Princess.
3 Ma'yong Rebab (yang Head-dress: tanjak 10 to 20 (15 Out doors; no Dewa Sri Rama, Dewa
(Siam). betuah), gendang (sapu tangan), g'rak is the scenery, which Muda, Dewa Pechi,
(2), gong (2), gempa, sabok, bimpau average), is, however, Gambar Lilin, Batak
gedombak (2), g'lang, changgei, both male and described by the Puteh, Siamang Gila,
gedu-gedu (1), saluar, sarong, female. performers. Raja Gondang, Gajah
b'reng-b'reng (1); baju, topeng (pran). Panggong and Dang Daru, Bijak
mong-mong (2), langit-langit Laksana, Raja Muda
serunei (1), anak are all that is sama Puyuh, Pran
ayam (2), cherek required. Bun, Timun Muda, Lak
(10-20). Kenawan, Iprat,
Putri Duab'las, Dewa
Bisnu, Solong Sakti,
Putri Bongsu, Megat
Gembang Sultan
Kechil Bongsu
di`Alam, Bongsu
Kechil S'ri`Alam,
Bujang Lempawi.
4 Wayang Kun Gong, gendang, Same as in the 30 to 40, Indoors; no Same as in the
(Siam). kromong, anak ayam, Lekun, except that both male and scenery. Lekun.
b'reng-b'reng, the kechobong is not female.
gambang dua-b'las, used, but a sort of
serunei; but not ornamental sampul or
cherek or rebab. songko' with
artificial flowers,
Different airs g'rak gempa. Females
(lagu) from those wear jambangan, a
used in the Lekun. made-up head-dress,
also sambok, sap
suang, chawat,
saluar; but not
g'lang or changgei.
5 Mek Mulong Same as in the Same as in the 8 to 15, Out doors; a Malim Bongsu, Awang
(Siam?) Ma'yong, but the Ma'yong. males and panggong, as in Salamat.
rebana is used females. the Ma'yong.
instead of the
rebab, gendang, and
b'reng-b'reng.
6 Bangsawan Biola, kechapi, Persian in 30 to 50, all Indoors; Lela Majnun, Sap
Parsi Indra gendang (dul), character. males except sevenfold langit Jafri, Raja Gelepam,
Sabor gong, etc., as in 2 or 3 langit, and etc.
(Persia?) the Mendu. females. tabir; wires are
used in some
performances to
enable
performers
impersonating
Dewas, etc. to
fly.
7 Mendu Gendang (dul), Same as in the 20 to 50 Indoors; the Saifu-'l-Yazan, Siti
(Pontianak). gong, Wayang China, i.e. Malays acting same rough Zubeidah, Ken
b'reng-b'reng, Chinese in Malay scenery as in Tabohan, `Abdul
biola, kechapi, character: a baju stories, but Chinese Muluk, Bestamam,
piano (or argin, teratei, a small in Chinese theatres; there Mara Karma,
i.e. concertina), jacket without dress; both are small Bidasari, Dewa Mendu
sam dyen (Chinese), sleeves; head-dress: male and theatres for the di Negri Langkadura,
resembling the mahkota (bulu female. Mendu at etc., most, if not
rebab; chên-chên kuang), beard and Singapore, all, being war-like
(cymbals), and whiskers. Pahla-wans Penang, and themes.
gendang singa. are distinguished by Malacca.
a koh sah
(decoration on the
fore-head); socks
are worn.
8 Wayang Makau The same as in the Chinese in 20 to 50, Indoors. Siti Zubeidah, and
(China). Mendu. character. male and also Chinese
female. subjects.
9 Wayang Kulit Various. According to the -- Indoors. Chekil Wanam Pati,
(Java) [but nationality Jarang K'lena, Misa
the stories represented. Perbu Jaya, Misa
are Kiamang, Lalat
Javanese, Hijau, Kalang
Malay, Bongkang, Panji
Siamese and Samerang, K'ra Amas,
Chinese]. Iran Kasuma, etc.
11. WAR AND WEAPONS
Such charms as might be used in time of war, or in case of danger
from wild beasts or other enemies, are partly what may be called
"defensive" and partly "offensive" in character.
The Malays who use them pray, on the one hand, for a supernatural
appearance wherewith to scare their enemies and protect themselves,
and on the other for supernatural powers to assist in the destruction
of their foes.
Thus, one of their charms runs:--
"Let me face the Seven Suns,
But let not my enemies face me.
Ha! I am a Tiger and thou art a Dog." [730]
The use of such charms is supplemented in various ways: thus a
champion (penglima) will sometimes draw a line in front of him, which
he believes his enemy will be unable to pass; [731] this is done by
simply scraping the ground with the right foot and threatening the
foe with a dire curse if he attempts to cross it.
"Push and you die, step across and your leg shall break.
I apply the charm of the Line called the Swollen Corpse."
According to another method of gaining martial vigour and immunity in
fighting, you take a wick as long as the short span between your thumb
and first finger (sa-jengkal telunjok), and after passing it over your
body upwards (di-naikkan) thrice, take it between your two hands and
try and turn it round while you repeat the charm. The ceremony must
take place at the time of full moon, and if you do not succeed in
turning it the first time, you can try again at the next full moon,
and so on up to three full moons. At night, if you succeed you will
(according to the Malay account) see the vision of a man, a sign,
it is to be supposed, that the charm has been effectual, and that
the prayer has been heard.
The charm begins as follows:--
"In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate!
May this nerve of stone pierce stone,
Pierce stone and split stone,
Pierce planks and go right through them,
Pierce water and dry it up,
Pierce the earth and make a hole in it,
Pierce the grass and wither it,
Pierce mountains and cause them to fall,
Pierce the heavens that they may fall," etc.
The charm concludes with the following magnificent boast:--
"Of Iron am I, and of Copper is my frame,
And my name is 'Tiger of God.'"
In a somewhat similar charm, a warrior prays that he may be
"Fenced with Hell-fire up to the eyes;"
and another expresses the wish that his enemies may be
"Ground to powder like tin-ore after washing."
In actual warfare a number of rules are laid down, the observance of
which is supposed to be necessary in order to achieve success. As in
several other pursuits, [732] there is, of course, a "taboo" language
of war (bhasa pantang p'rang), of which the following are examples:--
Dagger (k'ris) = pisau (lit. knife).
Bullet (peluru senapang) = kumbang puteh (lit. white beetle).
Ball of swivel-gun (peluru lela) = kumbang hitam (lit. black beetle).
Stockade (kubu) = batang melintang (lit. transverse trunk), or balei
melintang.
Cannon (meriam) = batang kabu-kabu (lit. cotton-tree trunk), or batang
buloh (lit. trunk of bamboo).
Cannon-ball = buah niyor (lit. cocoa-nut).
When a man is out in the wars his pillows and sleeping-mat at home
have to be kept rolled up. If any one else were to use them the
absent warrior's courage would fail, and disaster would befall him
(ter-tentu-lah kachau hati tuan-nya yang di p'rang itu, datang-lah
mara). His wife and children must not have their hair cut (ta'
buleh potong rambut atau berandam) during his absence, nor may
he himself. Strict chastity must be observed in a stockade, or
the bullets of the garrison will lose their power (peluru jinak di
kubu-nya), and it is also forbidden to abuse or mock at the enemy,
or even at their weapons. [733]
Bullets are frequently, if not always, "charmed" before being used,
and their efficacy is supposed to be increased thereby. The Orang
Kaya Pahlawan, a chief of some local notoriety in recent times,
claimed to be invulnerable (kebal) to the extent that nothing but a
silver bullet would hurt him.
The following legendary tale illustrates a somewhat similar idea:--The
assailant, one Magat Terawis, an unknown warrior who had joined the
Sultan's investing army, had four bullets, on each of which were
inscribed the words: "This is the son of the concubine of the Raja
of Pagar-ruyong; his name is Magat Terawis; wherever his bullet falls
he will become a Chief."
"Magat Terawis levelled his matchlock and fired, and his bullet struck
Tan Saban's leg. The skin was hardly broken, and the bullet fell to
the ground at the chief's feet; but, on taking it up and reading
the inscription, he knew that he had received his death-wound. He
retired to his house, and, after ordering his flag to be hauled down,
despatched a messenger to the opposite camp to call the warrior whose
name he had read on the bullet. Inquiries for Magat Terawis were
fruitless at first, for no one knew the name. At length he declared
himself, and went across the river with Tan Saban's messenger,
who brought him into the presence of the dying man. The latter
said to him, 'Magat Terawis, thou art my son in this world and the
next, and my property is thine. I likewise give thee my daughter in
marriage, and do thou serve the Raja faithfully in my place, and not
be rebellious as I have been.' Tan Saban then sued for the Sultan's
pardon, which was granted to him, and the marriage of his daughter
with Magat Terawis was permitted to take place. Then Tan Saban died,
and was buried with all the honours due to a Malay chief." [734]
The national and favourite weapon of the Malays is the k'ris, [735] a
short dagger usually with an undulating or wavy blade set in a handle
of peculiarly carved pattern, as to the probable origin of which some
allusion has already been made, [736] and furnished with a sheath
which is generally of wood and quite plain, but sometimes of metal
chased, hammered, and set with gems in the most elaborate and lavish
style. The blade is quite different in appearance from the steel or
iron blades to which we are accustomed, being prepared in a peculiar
way by a process of "damasking" which produces a variety of designs on
the roughened surface. To the shape of these designs much importance
is attached, as will appear from the following passage extracted from
Newbold's British Settlements in the Straits of Malacca:--
"Translation of Malayan MS. on Krises and Process of Damasking
"Fasl I.--On the Pamur, or Damasking of Krises
"If the damasking of a kris only reach within a finger's breadth of the
point, and if it reach the edge, it is inauspicious for combat. Should
the damask not be even with the point, a stab made with such a kris
would err; but if even, then the kris will never deviate, although
its possessor lose strength to thrust; still, by the grace of God,
it will hit the mark should he cast it at his adversary. If it be
damasked on both sides, it is good; but not so should the damask be
separated at intervals.
"If the damask on the point be that of Alif besar (a damask running in
the shape of the Arabian letter Alif), the kris is good for combat;
but it is not lucky to wear such a weapon while trading, nor one in
which the damask runs from the pangkal (the stem which runs into the
handle), to the tali.
"If it possess the Alif damask near the handle, the middle, and
point, it is very auspicious for commercial transactions; men cannot
resist the force of the possessor's arguments; should it be worn
whilst planting, the crop will be fruitful. The possessor will be
irresistible in fight, nor can any person thwart his wishes.
"If the kris (called Tuah) have the pamur kutilang, or the bird's-eye
damask, at its point and stem, it becomes entitled to the appellation
Manikam [737] di Ujong Gala (the ruby at the end of the pole). The
possessor of such a kris is most lucky. If the damask be that of
battu ampar, and reach to the ganja (the lower part of the blade
immediately above the ikat tali), it ensures the safety of the wearer.
"Fasl II.--On the Blade of the Kris
"If the blade of the kris be split in the direction of the tali tali
(the silk and ratan appendage by which the kris is fastened in the
girdle), you cannot return an adversary's thrust with it. If the
betala be cracked to the ikat tali (or bottom welt), it is not
auspicious. Should the point of the kris be split, it is a sign
that it requires blood; if this want be not gratified, the possessor
becomes sick.
"Fasl III.--On the Badik, or Sendrik
"If the blade of the badik be damasked all over to its edge, it is
lucky to wear while trading or dividing property. If the back bear
the damask Alif, it is also good for trading with, or for combat,
by God's assistance. If the blade have the pamur gunong, or mountain
damask, it softens the hearts of men, and is good for trading and
warlike excursions. If the lines of damask be of equal breadth from
the pangkal to the tali, and straight, it is auspicious.
"Should the belly of the blade be veined, it is lucky to trade, and
good for making a stab with, as the possessor's antagonist will not
be able to return the thrust. If the damask be that called pamur kait
(or the damask like a hook), it is auspicious.
"Should the back of the blade be damasked and streaked, it is good;
and also, if it has the pamur belanga [738] in one or two places only,
and on its back. If the damask run waving from the top to the bottom
of the back, it is very auspicious. [739]
"How to damask krises.--Place on the blade a mixture of boiled rice,
sulphur, and salt beat together, first taking the precaution to cover
the edges of the weapon with a thin coat of virgin wax. After this
has remained on seven days, the damask will have risen to the surface;
take the composition off, and immerse the blade in the water of a young
cocoa-nut, or the juice of a pineapple, for seven days longer, and
wash it well with the juice of a sour lemon. After the rust has been
cleared away, rub it with warangan (arsenic) dissolved in lime juice;
wash it well with spring water; dry, and anoint it with cocoa-nut oil.
"Fasl IV.--Measurement of Krises
"Measure the kris with a string below its aring (a jutting out of
the blade near its bottom) to its point; cut the string and fold
it trebly; cut off one of the trebles, and with the remaining two
measure up the blade of the kris, then make a mark how far the string
reaches. Measure the blade across at this mark, and find how many
times its breadth is contained in two-thirds of its length; cut
the string into as many pieces. These form the sloca, or measure,
of which the kris consists. If none of the string remain over, the
blade is perfect, if a minute portion remain, it is less perfect,
but if half the breadth remain, or more, it is chelaka, unlucky."
Newbold adds:--
"The krises most preferred are those of the kinds termed Simpana,
Cherita, and Sapokal. The kris panjang is worn generally by the
Malayan aristocracy and bridegrooms. I have seen some beautiful
specimens of this weapon in Rumbowe, worn by the chiefs of that
state. The blades resembled that of a long, keen poniard of
Damascus steel; the handles of ebony, covered with flowered gold,
and sheaths richly ornamented with the same metal; they are used
in the execution of criminals. Malays do not prize their krises
entirely by the quantity of gold with which they may be inlaid,
but more for their accurate proportions agreeably to the measurement
which is laid down in their treatises on this subject; the damask on
the blade; the antiquity and a certain lucky quality that they may
possess either from accurate proportions, the damask, the having
shed human blood, or from supernatural endowment, like the famous
sword "Excalibur." This property is termed betuah, which signifies
literally exempt from accident, invulnerable. The reverse is termed
chelaka, ill-omened. They believe the betuah in some cases imparts
invulnerability to the possessor of such a kris, which is handed
down as an heirloom from father to son, and honoured as something
divine. The kris is, as with the Javanese, an indispensable article
in dress on particular occasions, and there are numerous regulations
regarding the wearing of it. The Undang Undang Malacca [740] contains
strict injunctions, which are observed to this day, against a person
of inferior birth wearing a kris ornamented with gold." [741]
Besides the mode above described, several other methods of measuring
the k'ris are also in vogue. They differ in various matters of detail,
and will be found in the Appendix.
The measurement of one-edged weapons is effected as follows:--
Measure the length of the weapon from hilt to point, and fold the
string so measured in two. Measure off this half-length from the hilt
and see how often the breadth of the blade is contained in the whole
length of the string. Each time, however, that the edge is reached,
the string must be marked or dented, and the long end wrapped round and
round the blade, so that the measurement of each breadth is consecutive
to the preceding breadth, the portion of the string which is stretched
across the back of the blade not being counted.
This method is called ukor mata sa-b'lah, and is used by Sumatran
Malays, especially in Menangkabau.
Spearheads can also be measured:--
Measure off the length of the spearhead and fold the string in two;
see how often the breadth is contained in the half of the string;
if the blade is a good one, it must be five and a half times (tengah
anam). This is called ukor orang Perak or ukor tengah anam.
Another superstition connected with weapons is described as follows
by Sir Frank Swettenham. It illustrates the magic powers attributed
to the Pawang in so many departments of nature and life, but does
not seem to have any special object or meaning.
"A great many Malays and one or two Europeans may be found who profess
to have seen water drawn from a kris. The modus operandi is simple. The
pâwang (I dare not call him conjurer) works with bare arms to show
there is no deception. He takes the kris (yours, if you prefer it)
from its wooden handle, and, holding the steel point downwards in
his left hand, he recites a short incantation to the effect that he
knows all about iron, and where it comes from, and that it must obey
his orders. He then with the thumb and first two fingers of his right
hand proceeds to gently squeeze the steel, moving his fingers up and
down the blade. After a little while a few drops of water fall from
the point of the kris, and these drops quickly develop into a stream
that will fill a cup. The pâwang will then hand round the blade and
tell you to bend it; this you will find no difficulty in doing, but
by making two or three passes over the kris the pâwang can render it
again so hard that it cannot be bent.
"The only drawback to this trick or miracle is that the process ruins
the temper of the steel, and a kris that has been thus treated is
useless." [742]
The subject of this section, more perhaps than any of the others,
has lost its former importance, and become almost a matter of merely
historical interest. In the Malay Peninsula, at least in the States
which are under British protection, offensive weapons are seldom
worn now-a-days except on State occasions and for purely ceremonial
purposes; and warfare, it may be hoped, is now a thing of the past. In
spite of the halo of romance thrown round it in native writings,
Malay warfare (in modern times, at least) has never been anything
but the barest and most bloodthirsty piracy by sea, and the merest
"bushwhacking" and stockade-fighting on land; its final suppression,
even if in some degree it should involve a slackening of fibre in the
Malay character, is not a matter for regret. With it will disappear
much of the curious lore that surrounded it, and indeed a good deal
of it must have been lost already. Little has been said here of the
methods of divination used in warfare which take up so much space
in Malay treatises on the subject; success in war is held to depend
on a great number of minute observances, and to be capable of being
foretold by careful attention to omens and signs. But the divination
applied in warfare does not seem to differ in principle from that which
is used in all the other avocations of life, and a sufficient idea of
its nature will be gathered from the account given in the next section.
12. DIVINATION AND THE BLACK ART
Omens and Dreams
The significance of ominous signs and dreams is a subject which
possesses vast ramifications, extending so deeply into every department
of the Malay national life, that it will be impossible to do it
anything like full justice within the narrow limits of this book. My
object will be merely to indicate the main lines on which these two
important doctrines of the Malay natural religion appear to have
been developed.
Briefly, then, omens may be drawn either from the acts of men or the
events of nature. Examples of the ominous import attributed to the
acts of man will at once suggest themselves. Thus sneezing is said to
be fortunate as tending to drive away the demons of disease; [743]
yawning is a bad sign, for obvious reasons, if the breath is loudly
emitted, but if a quiet yawn occurs when the stomach is craving for
food, it imports that it will soon be filled. So too stumbling is a
bad omen, especially if the person who stumbles is about to set out on
a journey. [744] Then, again, "to be long in getting up after a meal
is said to be a bad omen. It means that the person, if unmarried, will
meet with a bad reception from his or her parents-in-law hereafter. The
Malay saying in the vernacular is 'Lambat bangket deri tampat makan,
lambat di-tegur mentuwak.' Clothes which have been nibbled by rats
or mice must not be worn again. They are sure to bring misfortune,
and are generally given away in charity. ... When a Malay dinner is
served, the younger members of the family sometimes amuse themselves
by throwing rice into the pan from which the curry has just been taken,
stirring it round in the gravy that remains and then eating it. This is
not permitted when one of them is to be married on the following day,
as it would be sure to bring rainy weather. It is unlucky for a child
to lie on his face (menyehrap), and kick his feet together in the air
(menyabong kaki). It betokens that either his father or mother will
die. A child seen doing this is instantly rebuked and stopped....
"The evil eye is dreaded by Malays. Not only are particular people
supposed to be possessed of a quality which causes ill-luck to
accompany their glance (the mal'occhio of the Italians), but the
influence of the evil eye is often supposed to affect children, who are
taken notice of by people kindly disposed towards them. For instance,
it is unlucky to remark on the fatness and healthiness of a baby,
and a Malay will employ some purely nonsensical word, or convey his
meaning in a roundabout form, rather than incur possible misfortune
by using the actual word 'fat.' 'Ai bukan-nia poh-poh gental budak
ini?' ('Isn't this child nice and round?') is the sort of phrase
which is permissible." [745]
Among omens drawn from natural events are the following:--
"When a star is seen in apparent proximity to the moon, old people
say there will be a wedding shortly....
"The entrance into a house of an animal which does not generally
seek to share the abode of man is regarded by the Malays as ominous
of misfortune. If a wild bird flies into a house it must be carefully
caught and smeared with oil, and must then be released in the open air,
a formula being recited in which it is bidden to fly away with all
the ill-luck and misfortunes (sial jambalang) of the occupier. An
iguana, a tortoise, and a snake, are perhaps the most dreaded of
these unnatural visitors. They are sprinkled with ashes, if possible,
to counteract their evil influence.
"A swarm of bees settling near a house is an unlucky omen, and
prognosticates misfortune." [746]
So, too, omens are taken either from the flight or cries of certain
birds, such as the night-owl, the crow, some kinds of wild doves,
and the bird called the "Rice's Husband" (laki padi).
Passing from the idea of mere omens drawn from fortuitous events we
easily arrive at the idea of a conscious attempt on the part of the
worshipper to ascertain the divine pleasure with respect to a sacrifice
newly offered. This effort of the worshippers becomes crystallised in
time into a sub-rite, which yet forms an integral portion of most,
if not all, of the more important ceremonies, [747] and eventually
develops into a special and separate rite called Tilek (divination),
of which examples will now be given.
One form of this rite was taught by a Malay of Penang extraction,
whose instructions, taken down by me at the time, ran as follows:--
Take a lemon (limau purut), a hen's egg, a taper made of bees'-wax
(lilin lebah), four bananas, four Malay (palm-leaf covered) cigarettes,
four "chews" of betel-leaf, a handful of parched rice, washed rice, and
rice stained with turmeric (saffron), one of the prickles or "thorns"
(duri) of a thorn-backed mudfish, a needle with a torn eye (taken
out of one of the sets of a "score" in which they are sold--jarum
rabit dalam sekudi), and a couple of small whips, or rather birches,
one of which must be composed of seven, and the other of twelve,
leaf-ribs of the "green" cocoa-nut palm (niyor hijau).
Two of the bananas, two cigarettes, two chews of "betel," half of each
of the three kinds of rice, the egg, and the birch of seven twigs,
must now be taken outside the house and set down under a tree selected
for the purpose. When setting it down the egg must be cracked, the
cigarettes lighted, and finally the taper also. On one occasion when I
witnessed the performance, the taper, after being taken up between the
outstretched fingers of my friend's two hands, was waved slowly to and
fro--first to the right and then to the left; finally it was set down
on the ground and began to burn blue, the flame becoming more and more
dim until it almost expired. On seeing this the medicine-man exclaimed,
"He has promised" (dia mengaku), and led the way back to the house,
where he proceeded to go through the remainder of the ceremony.
First, he deposited the brazier with incense upon the leaf of
a banana-tree, then took the prickle of the fish and thrust it
horizontally through the lower end of the lemon, leaving both ends
exposed; then he thrust the needle through in a transverse direction,
so as to form a cross, the ends of the needle being likewise exposed,
and slipped the noosed end of a piece of silken thread of seven
different colours over the points thus exposed.
Next he scattered the rice round the censer and fumigated the birch and
the lemon, recited a charm as he held the latter in his right hand,
recited the charm for the second time [748] as he took the birch
in both hands, with the upper end close to his mouth and the lower
(spreading) end over the brazier, and finally repeated the charm for
a third time, suspending, as he did so, the lemon over the brazier
by means of the thread held in his left hand and holding the birch
in the right.
Everything being ready, he now began to put questions to the lemon
into which the spirit was supposed to have entered, rebuking it and
threatening it with the birch whenever it failed to answer distinctly
and to the point. The conversational powers of this spirit were
extremely limited, being confined to two signs signifying "Yes" and
"No." The affirmative was indicated by a pendulum-like swaying of the
lemon, which rocked to and fro with more or less vehemence according
to the emphasis (as my friend informed me) with which the reply was
to be delivered. Negation, on the other hand, was indicated by a
complete cessation of motion on the part of the lemon.
When it is required to discover, for instance, the name of a thief,
the names of all those who are at all likely to have committed the
theft are written on scraps of paper and arranged in a circle round
the brazier, when the lemon will at once swing in the direction of
the name of the guilty party. The best night for the performance of
this ceremony is a Tuesday.
Sir Frank Swettenham's account of a similar ceremony of which he was
an eye-witness will serve as a good illustration of the methods in
use for this purpose:--
"It was my misfortune some years ago to be robbed of some valuable
property, and several Malay friends strongly advised me to take the
advice of an astrologer, or other learned person who (so they said)
would be able to give the name of the thief, and probably recover
most of the stolen things. I fear that I had no great faith in this
method of detection, but I was anxious to see what could be done,
for the East is a curious place, and no one with an inquiring mind
can have lived in it long without seeing phenomena that are not always
explained by modern text-books on Natural Philosophy.
"I was first introduced to an Arab of very remarkable appearance. He
was about fifty years old, tall, with pleasant features and
extraordinary gray-blue eyes, clear and far-seeing, a man of striking
and impressive personality. I was travelling when I met him, and tried
to persuade him to return with me, but that he said he could not do,
though he promised to follow me by an early steamer. He said he would
be able to tell me all about the robbery, who committed it, where
the stolen property then was, and that all he would want was an empty
house wherein he might fast in solitude for three days, without which
preparation, he said, he would not be able to see what he sought. He
told me that after his vigil, fast, and prayer, he would lay in his
hand a small piece of paper on which there would be some writing; into
this he would pour a little water, and in that extemporised mirror
he would see a vision of the whole transaction. He declared that,
after gazing intently into this divining-glass, the inquirer first
recognised the figure of a little old man. That having duly saluted
this Jin, it was necessary to ask him to conjure up the scene of the
robbery, when all the details would be re-enacted in the liquid glass
under the eyes of the gazer, who would there and then describe all
that he saw. I had heard all this before, only it had been stated to
me then that the medium through whose eyes the vision could alone be
seen must be a young child of such tender years that it could have
never told a lie! The Arab, however, professed himself not only able
to conjure up the scene, but to let me see it for myself if I would
follow his directions. Unfortunately, my gray-eyed friend failed to
keep his promise, and I never met him again.
"A local Chief, however, declared his power to read the past by this
method, if only he could find the truthful child. In this he appeared
to succeed, but when, on the following day, he came to disclose to
me the results of his skill, he said that a difficulty had arisen,
because just when the child (a little boy) was beginning to relate
what he saw he suddenly became unconscious, and it took the astrologer
two hours to restore him to his normal state. All the mothers of
tender-aged and possibly truthful children declined after this to
lend their offspring for the ordeal.
"My friend was not, however, at the end of his resources, and,
though only an amateur in divination, he undertook to try by other
methods to find the culprit. For this purpose he asked me to give
him the names of every one in the house at the time the robbery was
committed. I did so, and the next day he gave me one of those names
as that of the thief. I asked how he had arrived at this knowledge;
he described the method, and consented to repeat the experiment in my
presence. That afternoon I went with him to a small house belonging
to his sister. Here I found the Chief, his sister, and two men whom I
did not recognise. We all sat in a very small room, the Chief in the
centre with a copy of the Korân on a reading-stand, near to him the
two men opposite to each other, the sister against one wall, and I
in a corner. A clean, new, unglazed earthenware bowl with a wide rim
was produced. This was filled with water and a piece of fair white
cotton cloth tied over the top, making a surface like that of a drum.
"I was asked to write the name of each person present in the house
when the robbery was committed on a small piece of paper, and to fold
each paper up so that all should be alike, and then to place one of
the names on the cover of the vessel. I did so, and the proceedings
began by the two men placing each the middle joint of the fore-finger
of his right hand under the rim of the bowl on opposite sides, and
so supporting it about six inches above the floor. The vessel being
large and full of water was heavy, and the men supported the strain
by resting their right elbows on their knees as they sat cross-legged
on the floor and face to face. It was then that I selected one of
the folded papers, and placed it on the cover of the vessel. The
Chief read a page of the Korân, and as nothing happened he said that
was not the name of the guilty person, and I changed the paper for
another. This occurred four times, but at the fifth the reading had
scarcely commenced when the bowl began to slowly turn round from
left to right, the supporters letting their hands go round with it,
until it twisted itself out of their fingers and fell on the floor
with a considerable bang and a great spluttering of water through
the thin cover. 'That,' said the Chief, 'is the name of the thief.'
"It was the name of the person already mentioned by him.
"I did not, however, impart that piece of information to the company,
but went on to the end of my papers, nothing more happening.
"I said I should like to try the test again, and as the Chief at
once consented we began afresh, and this time I put the name of the
suspected person on first, and once more the vessel turned round and
twisted itself out of the hands of the holders till it fell on the
floor, and I was surprised it did not break. After trying a few more
I said I was satisfied, and the ordeal of the bowl was over. Then
the Chief asked me whose name had been on the vessel when it moved,
and I told him. It was a curious coincidence certainly. I wrote the
names in English, which no one could read; moreover, I was so placed
that no one could see what I wrote, and they none of them attempted
to do so. Then the papers were folded up so as to be all exactly
alike; they were shuffled together, and I did not know one from the
other till I looked inside myself. Each time I went from my corner
and placed a name on the vessel already held on the fingers of its
supporters. No one except I touched the papers, and no one but the
Chief ever spoke till the séance was over. I asked the men who held
the bowl why they made it turn round at that particular moment, but
they declared they had nothing to do with it, and that the vessel
twisted itself off their fingers against their inclination.
"The name disclosed by this experiment was certainly that of the
person whom there was most reason to suspect, but beyond that I
learnt nothing.
"Another plan for surprising the secret of the suspected person is
to get into the room where that person is sleeping, and after making
certain passes to question the slumberer, when he may truthfully
answer all the questions put to him. This is a favourite device of
the suspicious husband.
"Yet another plan is to place in the hand of a pâwang, magician,
or medium, a divining-rod formed of three lengths of rattan, tied
together at one end, and when he gets close to the person 'wanted,'
or to the place where anything stolen is concealed, the rod vibrates
in a remarkable manner." [749]
A somewhat analogous practice is the ordeal by diving, described by
the late Sir W. E. Maxwell as "a method of deciding a disputed point
which was occasionally resorted to in Perak in former times. I got
the following account of the manner of conducting the ordeal from
a Malay chief who saw it carried out once at Tanjong Sanendang near
Pasir Sala, in the reign of Sultan Abdullah Mohamed Shah, father of
the present Raja Muda Yusuf:--
"The ordeal by diving requires the sanction of the Sultan himself,
and must be conducted in the presence of the Orang Besar Ampat,
or Four Chiefs of the first rank. If two disputants in an important
question agree to settle their difference in this way they apply to
the Raja, who fixes a day (usually three days off) for the purpose,
and orders that a certain sum of money shall abide the event. This
appointment of time and place is the first stage in the proceedings,
and is called bertepat janji, and the laying of the bet or deposit
of stakes is called bertiban taroh. On the day appointed the parties
attend with their friends at the Raja's balei, [750] and there,
in the presence of the Court, a krani [751] writes down a solemn
declaration for each person, each maintaining the truth of his side
of the question. The first, invoking the name of God, the intercession
of the Prophet, and the tombs of the deceased Sultans of the country,
asserts the affirmative proposition, and his adversary with the same
solemnity records his denial. This is called bertangkap mangmang or
'taking up the challenge.' Each paper is then carefully rolled up by
the krani, and is placed by him in a separate bamboo tube; the ends
of both are then sealed up. When thus prepared the bamboo tubes are
exactly alike, and no one, not even the krani, can tell which contains
the assertion and which the denial. Two boys are then selected; one
of the bamboos is given to each, and they are led down to the river,
where the Raja and Chiefs take up their station, and the people flock
down in crowds. Two stakes have been driven into the bed of the river
in a pool previously selected, and the boys are placed beside them,
up to their necks in water. A pole is placed horizontally on their
heads, and on a given signal this is pressed downwards, and the boys
are made to sink at the same moment. Each holds on to his post under
water and remains below as long as he can. As soon as one gives in and
appears above water his bamboo tube is snatched from him and hurled
far out into the stream. The victor is led up in triumph to the balei,
and the crowd surges up to hear the result. His bamboo is then opened
and the winner declared.
"The Perak Malays believe this to be an infallible test of the truth
of a cause. The boy who holds the false declaration is half-drowned,
they say, as soon as his head is under the water, whereas the champion
of the truth is able to remain below until the bystanders drag the
post out of the river with the boy still clinging to it. Such is the
power of the truth backed by the sacred names and persons invoked!
"The loser is often fined in addition to suffering the loss of his
stakes (one-half of which goes to the Raja). He also has to pay the
customary fees, namely, $6.25 for the use of the balei, $12.50 to
the krani, and $5 to each of the boys.
"This ordeal is not peculiar to Perak. I find a short description of a
similar custom in Pegu in Hamilton's New Accounts of the East Indies
(1727). In Pegu, he says, the ordeal by water is managed 'by driving
a stake of wood into a river and making the accuser and accused take
hold of the stake and keep their heads and bodies under water, and
he who stays longest under water is the person to be credited.'" [752]
But by far the largest class of divinatory rites consists of
astrological calculations based on the supposed values of times and
seasons, or the properties of numbers. For the purposes of the native
astrologer, exhaustive tables of lucky and unlucky times and seasons
have been compiled, which are too long to be all examined here in
detail, but of which specimens will be found in the Appendix. Few of
them are likely to be original productions, most, if not all, being
undoubtedly translated from similar books in vogue either in India
or Arabia. Besides these tables, however, use is frequently made of
geometrical (and even of natural) diagrams, to the more important
parts of which certain numerical values are assigned. [753]
Perhaps the oldest and best known of the systems of lucky and unlucky
times is the one called Katika [754] Lima, or the Five Times. Under it
the day is divided into five parts, and five days form a cycle [755]:
to each of these divisions is assigned a name, the names being Maswara
(Maheswara), Kala, S'ri, Brahma, and Bisnu (Vishnu), which recur in
the order shown in the following table or diagram:--
Morning. Forenoon. Noon. Afternoon. Evening.
(pagi) (tengah (tengah (tengah (petang)
naik) hari) turun)
(1st day) Maswara Kala S'ri Brahma Bisnu
(2nd day) Bisnu Maswara Kala S'ri Brahma
(3rd day) Brahma Bisnu Maswara Kala S'ri
(4th day) S'ri Brahma Bisnu Maswara Kala
(5th day) Kala S'ri Brahma Bisnu Maswara
These names are the names of Hindu divinities, Maheswara being Shiva,
and constituting with Brahma and Vishnu the so-called Hindu Trinity,
while Kala is either another title of Shiva, or stands for Kali,
his wife, and S'ri is a general title of all Hindu gods [756]; but
it may be doubted whether this division of time is not of Javanese
or Malayan origin, although the importance of the number five is also
recognised by the Hindus. [757]
The same mystic notions of colour and the like are attached to these
divisions by the Malays as obtain in the case of the Javanese days
of the week: thus Maheswara's colour is yellow-white (puteh kuning):
if you go out you will meet a man of yellow-white complexion, or
wearing yellow-white clothes; it is a lucky time for asking a boon
from a Raja, or for doing any kind of work; good news then received
is true, bad news is false, and so on.
Kala's colour is a reddish black (hitam merah [758]); if you go
out you will meet a bad man or have a quarrel; it is an unlucky time
altogether: the good news one hears turns out untrue, and the bad true;
illness occurring at this time is due to a ghost (hantu orang), and
the remedy is a black fowl; in cock-fighting a black cock will beat
a white one at this time, but when setting him to fight you must not
face towards the west, etc.
Similarly S'ri's colour is white, Brahma's is red, Vishnu's is green,
and each division has its respective advantages or disadvantages. [759]
Another version of this system, known as the Five Moments (sa`at),
is based on a somewhat similar diagram, but has orthodox Muhammadan
names for its divisions, viz. Ahmad, Jibra'il (Gabriel), Ibrahim
(Abraham), Yusuf (Joseph), and `Azra'il (Azrael).
Its diagram, as will be seen, is not quite the same as that of the
Katika Lima, though the general scheme of the two systems corresponds
closely.
Sunrise. Forenoon. Noon. Afternoon. Sunset.
(k'luar (tengah (tengah (tengah (waktu
mata hari) naik) hari) turun) maghrib)
(1st day) Ahmad Jibra'il Ibrahim Yusuf `Azra'il
(2nd day) Jibra'il Ibrahim Yusuf `Azra'il Ahmad
(3rd day) Ibrahim Yusuf `Azra'il Ahmad Jibra'il
(4th day) Yusuf `Azra'il Ahmad Jibra'il Ibrahim
(5th day) `Azra'il Ahmad Jibra'il Ibrahim Yusuf [760]
So in Ahmad's division if you lose a buffalo or a bullock, it has
gone to the southward and will be recovered; good news then received
is true, bad news is false; the time is auspicious for any kind of
work, for going on a voyage, sailing, or planting, and very profitable
for trading; it is a lucky time for going to war, but you must wear
white clothes and face southwards by a little east, and pray to God
Almighty. Jibra'il's time is fairly lucky too, being good for planting
and profitable for trading, and if gold or silver is lost then,
it will be quickly found, but there may be some trouble in getting
it back; a lost buffalo or bullock has gone southwards, but will be
recovered after some slight trouble; if you go to war at this time you
must wear green, but must not face towards the south. Ibrahim's time
is most unlucky, and going out then is sure to involve bloodshed or
other misfortune; bad news is true, good is false; things lost then
will not be recovered; going to war is ruinous, and if you do go,
the only way of safety is to face to the north, but it is best to
stay at home altogether at this time.
Yusuf's time is lucky in some respects, but unlucky in others; in
warfare one must face towards the west, and wear yellow. `Azra'il's
time is most unlucky; to go to war then is most disastrous; any
business pending at this ill-omened time should be postponed to a
more favourable occasion. [761]
Besides these two there is a system in which each of the seven days
of the ordinary week is divided into five parts, each of which is
characterised by one of the words ampa, bangkei, rezki, and aral
(for `aradl), symbolical apparently of No Success, Death, Success,
and Unforeseen Obstacle. [762]
Another scheme (Katika Tujoh), based on the Seven Heavenly Bodies,
divides each day into seven parts, each of which is distinguished by
the Arabic name of one of the Heavenly Bodies.
The first day runs,--
(1) Shams (2) Zuhrah (3) `Utarid (4) Kamar
Sun Venus Mercury Moon
(5) Zuhal (6) Mushtari and (7) Mirrikh
Saturn Jupiter Mars
and the times are--early morning (pagi-pagi), morning (tengah naik),
just before noon (hampir tengah hari), noon (tengah hari), afternoon
(dlohr), late afternoon (`asr), and sunset (maghrib).
For the second day the series begins with the Moon, and goes on in
the above order to Mercury; and for the third day it begins with Mars;
so that each day of the week begins with its appropriate planet in the
usual order, which is best seen in the French names Mardi, Mercredi,
Jeudi, Vendredi, and the English Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Each of the seven divisions has its lucky or unlucky characteristics,
much as in the systems already described.
Besides these, each day of the week has its own appropriate
occupations, according to another system, at times ascertained by
measuring the length of one's shadow. Further, it would appear that
some days are unlucky altogether: one account gives seven unlucky
days in every month; another asserts that Thursday is unlucky in the
months Dhu-'l-hijjah, Muharram, and Safar; Tuesday in Rabi`-al-awal,
Rabi`-al-akhir, and Jumada-'l-awal; Saturday in Jumada-'l-akhir, Rejab
and Sha`ban; Sunday in Ramadhan, Shawal, and Dhu-'l-ka`idah; a third
specifies twelve other most inauspicious days in every year, viz. the
28th of Muharram, the 10th of Safar, the 14th of Rabi`-al-awal, and so
on, while for greater convenience a calendar has been drawn up, which
is far too long to be reproduced here, but which closely resembles
the weather chart illustrated on another page, and gives the whole
list of days of the Muhammadan year classified under the heads lucky
(baik), somewhat unlucky, very unlucky, and neutral.
Besides this, whole years are lucky or unlucky according as the first
of Muharram falls on a Sunday, Monday, etc.; and, moreover, years vary
in luck according to the letter they bear in the Cycle of Eight. [763]
Most of these systems of divination involve the construction of a
sort of calendar, and require some degree of astronomical knowledge;
but of astronomy properly so-called the Malays have scarcely even a
smattering, its place being taken by the, to them, far more important
science of astrology. "Their meagre ideas regarding the motions of
the heavenly bodies are derived, through the Arabs, from the Ptolemaic
system." [764]
The seven Heavenly Bodies (Bintang Tujoh), mentioned above, whose
motions they believe to be produced by the agency of angels, [765]
retain their Arabic names, [766] and are believed to rule the "seven
ominous moments" (Katika Tujoh), which are supposed to depend on the
influences of these several sidereal bodies. [767]
The signs of the Zodiac similarly bear Arabic appellations, the form
of divination in which they bear the principal part being called the
Twelve Constellations (Bintang Dua-b'las). [768]
This form of divination is not quite so common as are those of the Five
Ominous Times (5-square) and the Seven Heavenly Bodies (7-square), and
I have not been able to find out much about the methods of working it,
but a copy of one of the diagrams used for the purpose will be found
on another page.
According to one view, which is perhaps the prevalent one, every man's
luck is determined by one or other of the zodiacal constellations,
and in order to find out which one it is, the following direction
is given:--
"Reckon the numerical equivalent of the person's name and of the name
of his mother by the values of the letters according to the system of
the Abjad; add the two numerical equivalents together, and divide the
total by twelve; if the remainder is 1, his sign is the Ram, if 2,
the Bull, and so on."
Each constellation has a series of characteristics which are supposed
to influence the whole life of the person who is subject to it. [769]
Besides the above, a few of the other constellations are known to
possess Malay names, and wherever this is the case, the name given
appears usually to be quite original, having no connection with
the nomenclature obtaining among nations with which we are more
familiar. [770]
In addition to the above, the Malays possess a curious system
by which the lunar month is divided into a number of parts called
Rejang. According to Newbold, "the twenty-eight Rejangs resemble the
Nacshatras or lunar mansions of the Hindoos, rather than the Anwa
of the Arabs"; [771] and it is a priori very probable that they owe
their origin to this Hindu system. But by the Malays their application
has been generally misunderstood, and their number is usually raised
to thirty so as to fit the days of the lunar month. Each of these
divisions has its symbol, which is usually an animal, and the first
animal in the list is (in almost all versions) the horse. A horse's
head is also the figure of the first of the Hindu Nakshatras, but
there seems to be little trace of identity in the remaining figures,
which for the sake of comparison are given, side by side with the
Malay symbols, in the Appendix. The Malays have embodied this system
in a series of mnemonic verses (known as Sha`ir Rejang), of which
there are several versions, e.g. the Rejang of 'Che Busu, the Rejang
Sindiran Maiat, and others. [772]
The Rejangs are also dealt with at length in prose treatises: one of
these, which identifies the Rejangs with the days of the lunar month,
begins "on the first day of the month, whose rejang is a horse, God
Almighty created the prophet Adam; this day is good for planting,
travelling, and sailing, and trading on this day will be profitable;
it is also a good day for a wedding, and on this day it is lucky to
be attacked (i.e. in war), but rather unlucky to take the offensive;
... good news received (at this time) is true, bad news is false;
property lost (on this day) will soon be recovered; the man who stole
it is short of stature, with scanty hair, a round face, a slender
figure and a yellow complexion; the property has been placed in a
house, ... under the care of a dark man; ... if a child is born on
this day it will be extremely fortunate; if one is ill on this day,
one will quickly recover; the proper remedy for driving away the
evil (tolak bala), is to make a representation of a horse and throw
it away towards the (East?)" [773] In other respects this system of
divination seems to agree in its main features with those which have
already been described.
Having mentioned the divisions of the calendar which are chiefly
used in divination, it seems desirable, for the sake of completeness,
to allude briefly to those that remain.
"The better informed Malays acknowledge the solar year of 365 days,
which they term the toun (tahun) shemsiah, but in obedience to their
Mohammedan instructors, adopt the lunar year (toun kumriah) of 354
days." [774]
This remark is still true, no doubt, of the up-country Malays on the
West Coast, but in most districts, and to an extent commensurate with
European influence, the solar year is now being gradually introduced.
The same remark applies to the method of reckoning months, a dual
system being now in vogue in many places where there is most contact
with Europeans. Regarding the native methods the following quotation
is to the point:--
"There are three ways of reckoning the months. First, the Arabian,
computing thirty days to the first month, and twenty-nine to the
second month, and so on alternately to the end of the year.
"Second, the Persian mode, viz. thirty days to each month; and,
thirdly, that of Rum, i.e. thirty-one days to the month. The first is
in general use. Some few, with greater accuracy, calculate their year
at 354 days eight hours, intercalating every three years twenty-four
hours, or one day to make up the deficiency, and thirty-three days
for the difference between the solar and lunar years.
"But the majority of the lower classes estimate their year by
the fruit seasons and by their crops of rice only. Many, however,
obstinately adhere to the lunar months, and plant their paddy at the
annual return of the lunar month."
"The Malay months have been divided into weeks of seven days, marked by
the return of the Mohammedan Sabbath. Natives who have had intercourse
with Europeans divide the day and night into twenty-four parts, but
the majority measure the day by the sun's apparent progress through
the heavens, the crow of the cock, etc. The religious day commences
at sunset, like that of the Arabs and Hebrews."
"There are two cycles borrowed from the Arabs, and known only to
a few, viz. one of 120 years, the dour [775] besar, and the other
of eight, dour kechil. The latter is sometimes seen in dates of
letters, and resembles the mode adopted by us of distinguishing
by letters the different days of the week, substituting eight
years for the seven days. The order of the letters is as follows:
Alif-ha-jim-za-dal-ba-wau-dal-Ahajazdabuda. The present year (1251)
is the year Toun-za.
"In a Malay MS. history of Patani, in my possession, I find the Siamese
mode of designating the different years of the cycle by the names of
animals adopted." [776]
Most if not all these systems of reckoning seem to have been treated
by the Malays from the astrological point of view as forming a basis
for divination, and these crude notions of the lucky or unlucky nature
of certain times and seasons are to some extent systematised by or in
some degree mixed up with the idea of the mystic influence of numbers
and geometrical figures.
Of the mystic figures used in divination, the first in importance is,
no doubt, what has been called the "magic square," a term applied to
"a set of numbers arranged in a square in such a manner that the
vertical, horizontal, and diagonal columns shall give the same sums."
The ordinary form of magic square, which was formerly in use in Europe,
is the following; it is occasionally found even among the Malays.
Magic Square of 3.
8 1 6
3 5 7
4 9 2
Magic Square of 5.
17 24 1 8 15
23 5 7 14 16
4 6 13 20 22
10 12 19 21 3
11 18 25 2 9
Magic Square of 7.
30 39 48 1 10 19 28
38 47 7 9 18 27 29
46 6 8 17 26 35 37
5 14 16 25 34 36 45
13 15 24 33 42 44 4
21 23 32 41 43 3 12
22 31 40 49 2 11 20
But the form of magic square generally used by the Malays is the same
figure reversed.
Magic Square of 3. [777]
6 1 8
7 5 3
2 9 4
Magic Square of 5.[777]
15 8 1 24 17
16 14 7 5 23
22 20 13 6 4
3 21 19 12 10
9 2 25 18 11
Magic Square of 7.[777]
28 19 10 1 48 39 30
29 27 18 9 7 47 38
37 35 26 17 8 6 46
45 36 34 25 16 14 5
4 44 42 33 24 15 13
12 3 43 41 32 23 21
20 11 2 49 40 31 22
The ordinary Malay astrologer most likely understands very little
of the peculiar properties of a magic square, and consequently he
not unfrequently makes mistakes in the arrangement of the figures. I
believe, also, that in using the squares for purposes of divination he
now usually begins at one corner and counts straight on, the beginning
place being almost always distinguished by a small solitary crescent
or crescent and star just over the square. [778] When coloured squares
are introduced, as is the case with several of the 5-squares, the sum
of 25 squares is subdivided into five sets or groups of five squares
each, a different colour being assigned to each group. These colours
would no doubt retain the comparative values usually assigned to them
by Malay astrologers. Thus white would be the best of all; yellow,
as the royal colour, little, if at all inferior to white; brown,
blue, or red would be medium colours; black would be bad, and so on.
Sometimes, again, the names of the five Hindu deities already
mentioned will be found similarly arranged, in which case they appear
to refer to the divisions of the day, described above under the name
of Katika Lima. Besides this class of magic squares, however, there
are other kinds which present irregularities, and are not so easily
explainable. Some of these violate the fundamental rule of the magic
square, which insists that each square shall have an equal number
of small squares running each way, and that this number shall be an
odd one.
Others exhibit the right number of small squares (3 × 3 or 5 × 5 or
7 × 7), but instead of a subdivision into sub-groups, have merely an
arrangement of alternative emblems, such as a bud and a full-blown
flower, or the like.
An analysis of the squares whose figures are given in the illustrations
shows that the order of the colours, deities, and planets is by no
means always the same.
Thus, in the matter of the order of the five colours, we have:--
In Plate 26, Fig. 1,
1-5 brown (? red).
6-10 yellow.
11-15 white.
16-20 black.
21-25 white.
and in another figure,
1-5 white.
6-10 black (red is substituted by mistake in No. 9).
11-15 red.
16-20 blue (17 is made black by mistake).
21-25 yellow.
And in the matter of the order of the Five Deities we find:--
In Plate 26, and in another figure,
Fig. 1,
1-5 Brahma (Brahma). 1-5 Besri (S'ri).
6-10 Bisnu (Vishnu). 6-10 Kala.
11-15 Maswara (Maheswara). 11-16 Maswara
16-20 S'ri (17 is called Kala by (Maheswara).
mistake). [779] 16-20 Bisnu (Vishnu).
21-25 Kala (23 and 24 are called
S'ri by mistake). 21-25 Brahma.
And yet another 5-square containing the names of Deities (Pl. 26,
Fig. 2) is composed as follows:--
1-5 Bisnu (Vishnu).
6-10 Brahma.
11-15 Maswara (Maheswara).
16-20 [a diagonal cross].
21-25 [a small circle].
From Pl. 26, Fig. 2, it would appear that this form of the 5-square
is used to ascertain the best time of day to commence an operation,
e.g. to start on a journey.
In a 7-square we find the following:--
1-7 Shams (Sun); Sunday (1).
8-14 Mirrikh (Mars); Tuesday (2).
15-21 Mushtari (Jupiter); Thursday (3).
22-28 Zuhal (Saturn); Saturday (4).
29-35 Kamar (Moon); Monday (5).
36-42 Ketab [780] (Mercury); Wednesday (6).
43-49 Zahari [781] (Venus); Friday (7).
This 7-square is based on a heptacle in which every alternate day is
skipped, thus:--
[FIGURE]
This form of square is evidently used to ascertain the best day of
the week to commence any operation.
Next in importance to the methods of divination by the use of magic
squares, come those which depend upon "aspect," and involve the use
of diagrams which I propose to call "aspect-compasses." Of these the
commonest form is a drawing, in which the places usually occupied by
the points of the compass are occupied by the names of certain things
(usually animals or birds) which are supposed to be naturally opposed
to each other. Thus in one of these compass-like figures we find
(vide Pl. 25, Fig. 2):--
The Bird [sic] (N.) opposed to the Fowl (S.)
The Crocodile (N.E.) opposed to the Fish (S.W.)
The Rat (E.) opposed to the Cat (W.)
The Tiger (S.E.) opposed to the Stag (N.W.)
Another has:--
The Kite (N.) opposed to the Fowl (S.)
The Crocodile (N.E.) opposed to the Fish (S.W.)
The Rat (E.) opposed to the Cat (W.)
The Tiger (S.E.) opposed to the Stag (N.W.)
And a third:--
The New Moon (N.) opposed to the Kite (S.)
The Cat (N.E.) opposed to the Rat (S.W.)
The Crocodile (E.) opposed to the Fish (W.)
The Stag (S.E.) opposed to the Tiger (N.W.)
whilst a fourth has alternately cape and bay.
The way in which these figures were used for divination is very
clearly shown by Pl. 25, Fig. 1, which is copied from a figure in
one of my (Selangor) charm-books, which had the days of the month,
from the 1st to the 30th, written round it in blue ink. Starting from
the north aspect, you count round to the left until (allowing one day
to each aspect) you arrive at the aspect corresponding to the number
of the day of the month upon which you wish to start your journey. If
it coincides with an aspect assigned to one of the weaker influences,
it will be most imprudent to start on that day. Start on a day assigned
to one of the stronger influences, and you will be all right. If the
first aspect-compass which you consult is not accommodating enough
for your requirements, go on consulting others until you find one
which is satisfactory.
Other forms of the compass-figure are used for divining whether if
he starts on a certain day the man will get the better of his enemy,
or meet with a person (e.g. a slave or a thief) who has run away. In
the former case a double circle of human figures is used, the figures
of the inner circle representing the person who seeks the information,
and those of the outer circle his enemy. The counting is carried out
in precisely the same manner as before, and the headless figure in
each case represents the man who will lose. In the case of a drawn
battle neither party, of course, loses his head.
In the case of an absconder, a single circle of figures is used, the
figures pointing towards the centre signifying that the absconding
party will return or be caught, and those pointing away from the
centre signifying the opposite. In one case (Pl. 25, Fig. 2) there
are fourteen human figures arranged in two opposing rows of seven,
every alternate figure being headless. In this case you start the
counting at the right-hand figure of the bottom row, and count towards
the left. Yet another form of divination in which the human figure
is made use of, is shown in Pl. 25, Fig. 1; a number of small red
circles (which should be alternately dark and light) are drawn at the
salient points of the figure, and counted down to the left in order,
beginning at the head. All I have yet been able to discover about the
villainous-looking individual here portrayed is the fact that he is
said to represent one "Unggas Telang," who was described to me as an
"old war-chief" (hulubalang tua) of the Sea-gypsies (Orang Laut)
and the Malay pirates.
Figures of dragons (naga) and scorpions (kala) are sometimes used
in a similar manner; and there is also an aspect-compass known as
the Rajal-al-ghaib or Jinazah Sayidna `Ali ibn Abu Talib (the body
or bier of Our Lord `Ali, the son of Abu Talib), which, according to
this notion, "is continually being carried by angels [782] towards the
different quarters of the heavens, and must not be faced; for if one
faces towards it, one is sure to be defeated in battle or fight." The
aspect to be avoided varies from day to day, turning towards each of
the eight points of the ordinary Malay compass three or four times
in the lunar month.
The subject of omens in general has been shortly dealt with at
the beginning of this section, and also incidentally mentioned in
connection with various departments of nature and human life. It would
hardly be possible to make a complete or systematic list of the things
from which omens are taken. Apart from those depending merely on Times,
Seasons, Numbers, and Aspect, which have been already dealt with at
quite sufficient length, it may be noted that omens are drawn from
earthquakes, thunder, "house-lizards, rats, and other four-footed
things," according to the times at which they are observed, from
the colour, smell, and nature of soil (in choosing building-sites),
from birds, and, in fact, from a very large variety of matters which
cannot be classified under any general head. The lines of the hand
are, of course, interpreted among the Malays, as elsewhere, as signs
of good and evil fortune. It has not been possible to collect much
information on the subject of Malay chiromancy, but for the benefit
of European adepts in "palmistry" (as it seems to be usually styled
nowadays) it may be worth while mentioning that the Malays attach
importance, as an indication of long life (`alamat panjang `umor),
[783] to the intersection of the line round the base of the thumb [784]
with the one which runs round the wrist (simpeian `Ali), while a broken
line across the palm (retak putus) is believed by them to be a sign
of invulnerability (tanda penggetas, ta' buleh di-tikam). Upright
lines running up the lower joints of the fingers, in the same line
as the fingers themselves, are a sign of prospective wealth (`alamat
'nak di-panjat de' duit, tanda orang kaya), and a whorl of circular
lines on the fingers (pusat belanak) is a sign of a craftsman (`alamat
orang tukang).
More important, perhaps, are the omens believed to be derived
from dreams, of which there seem to be several different methods
of interpretation. According to one system the initial letter of
the thing dreamt of determines the luck: thus to dream of a thing
beginning with T is very lucky indeed, to dream of a thing beginning
with H means that a visitor from a distance is to be expected; N
indicates sorrow, L is a hint to give alms to the poor and needy,
and so forth. According to another system, a purely arbitrary
meaning is put upon the subject-matter of the dream, or, at most,
some slight analogy is the basis of the interpretation. Thus to
dream of a gale of wind in the early morning is an omen of sorrow,
to dream of hail means acquisition of property, to dream of bathing
in a heavy shower of rain indicates escape from a very great danger,
a dream about mosquitoes, flies, and the like, means that an enemy
is coming to the village, to dream about eating jack-fruit (nangka)
or plantain (pisang) is an indication of great trouble impending,
and so on; an extract from a treatise on this subject is given in
the Appendix, and it is impossible to dwell at greater length upon it
here. Among Malay gamblers special importance is attached to dreams
as an indication of luck in gambling (mimpi paksa or dapat paksa). If
the gambler dreams of "sweeping out the gambling farm" (menyapu pajak),
i.e. "breaking the bank," or of running amok in it (mengamok pajak), or
of bailing out the ocean (menimba lautan), or of the ocean running dry
(lautan k'ring), or even of his breeding maggots on his person (badan
berulat), he is confident of great good fortune in the near future.
As a specimen of the importance traditionally ascribed to dreams,
it seems worth while to give the following popular legend, which also
illustrates the type of folk-tales in which hidden treasure plays a
great part:--
"Che Puteh Jambai and his wife were very poor people, who lived many
generations ago at Pulo Kambiri on the Perak river. They had so few
clothes between them that when one went out the other had to stay at
home. Nothing seemed to prosper with them, so leaving Pulo Kambiri,
where their poverty made them ashamed to meet their neighbours, they
moved up the river to the spot since called Jambai. Shortly after
they had settled here Che Puteh was troubled by a portent which has
disturbed the slumbers of many great men from the time of Pharaoh
downwards. He dreamed a dream. And in his dream he was warned by a
supernatural visitant to slay his wife, this being, he was assured, the
only means by which he could hope to better his miserable condition.
"Sorely disturbed in mind, but never doubting that the proper course
was to obey, Che Puteh confided to his wife the commands which he
had received, and desired her to prepare for death. The unhappy lady
acquiesced with that conjugal submissiveness which in Malay legends,
as in the Arabian Nights, is so characteristic of the Oriental
female when landed in some terrible predicament. But she craved and
obtained permission to first go down to the river and wash herself
with lime juice. So taking a handful of limes she went forth, and,
standing on the rock called Batu Pembunoh, she proceeded to perform
her ablutions after the Malay fashion. The prospect of approaching
death, we may presume, unnerved her, for in dividing the limes with
a knife she managed to cut her own hand and the blood dripped down
on the rocks and into the river; as each drop was borne away by the
current, a large jar immediately rose to the surface and floated,
in defiance of all natural laws, up-stream to the spot whence the
blood came. As each jar floated up Che Puteh's wife tapped it with
her knife and pulled it in to the edge of the rocks. On opening
them she found them all full of gold. She then went in search of
her husband and told him of the treasure of which she had suddenly
become possessed. He spared her life, and they lived together in
the enjoyment of great wealth and prosperity for many years. Their
old age was clouded, it is believed, by the anxiety attending the
possession of a beautiful daughter, who was born to them after they
became rich. She grew up to the perfection of loveliness, and all the
Rajas and Chiefs of the neighbouring countries were her suitors. The
multitude of rival claims so bewildered the unhappy parents that,
after concealing a great part of their riches in various places,
they disappeared and have never since been seen. Their property was
never found by their children, though, in obedience to instructions
received in dreams, they braved sea-voyages and went to seek for it
in the distant lands of Kachapuri and Jamulepor.
"Several places near Jambai connected with the legend of Che Puteh
are still pointed out; at Bukit Bunyian the treasure was buried and
still lies concealed. A deep gorge leading down to the river is the
ghaut down which Che Puteh's vast flocks of buffaloes used to go to
the river. Its size is evidence of the great number of the animals,
and therefore of the wealth of their owner. Two deep pools, called
respectively Lubuk Gong and Lubuk Sarunai, contain a golden gong
and a golden flute which were sunk here by Che Puteh Jambai. The
flute may sometimes be seen lying on one of the surrounding rocks,
but always disappears into the depths of the pool before any mortal
can approach it. The treasures of Lubuk Gong might before now have
passed into human possession, had it not been for the covetousness of
the individual selected as their recipient. A Malay of Ulu Perak was
told in a dream to go and fish in the pool of the gong and to take a
pair of betel-nut scissors (kachip) with him. He was to use the kachip
immediately on being told to do so. Next morning he was at the pool
early, and at his first cast hooked something heavy and commenced to
draw it up. When the hook appeared above water there was a gold chain
attached to it. The lucky fisherman then commenced to pull up the chain
into his canoe, and hauled up fathoms of it, hand over hand, until the
boat could hardly hold any more. Just then a little bird alighted on
a branch close by and piped out a couple of notes, which sounded for
all the world like kachip. The man heard, but he wanted a little more,
and he went on hauling. 'Kachip,' said the bird again. 'Just a very
little more,' thought the fisherman, and he still continued dragging
up the chain. Again and again the warning note sounded, but in vain,
and suddenly a strong pull from the bottom of the pool dragged back the
chain, and before the Malay had time to divide it with his tweezers,
the last link of it had disappeared beneath the water." [785]
Charms, Talismans, and Witchcraft
While by divination and by inferences from omens and dreams, Malays
attempt to ascertain the course of fate, so by charms of the nature
of amulets and talismans they sometimes endeavour to influence its
direction or modify its force. Charms of the nature of invocations
have been dealt with already under different headings in connection
with a variety of matters, and it will only be necessary to refer here
to a few miscellaneous ones of a less elaborate character. It should
be observed that some charms are directly effective or protective,
like amulets or talismans, while others are supposed to work only by
influencing the volition of another mind. Under the latter head come
the great mass of love-charms, charms for securing conjugal fidelity,
or for compelling the revelation by another person of his or her secret
thoughts, and the like, of which Malay books of magic are full; while
under the former come sundry recipes of a more or less medicinal nature
for the purpose of curing various diseases, of increasing physical
power or virility, or of protecting the person against evil influences,
natural or supernatural. In most of these cases the modus operandi is
of the simplest character; the charm consists usually of a short Arabic
prayer or a few letters and figures, sometimes quite meaningless and
conventional, sometimes making up one or more of the sacred names
(Allah, Muhammad, `Ali, etc.). These charms are written on paper
or cloth and worn on the person; sometimes they are written on the
body itself, especially on the part to be affected; occasionally they
are written on a cup which is then used for drinking purposes. Such
prescriptions are infinite in number, and are to be found in Malay
charm-books, wedged in amongst matter of a more strictly medical kind;
in fact, it would be quite correct to say that letter-charms (rajah,
`azimat) and sacred names have their place in the Malay Pharmacopoeia
side by side with spices, herbs, roots, and the like. But such charms
are also used for many other purposes: "to ward off demons (sheitan),
to make children feed at the breast properly, to prevent them from
crying and from going into convulsions, to prevent the rice-crops
from being devoured by pigs, rats, and maggots," are consecutive
instances of the charms contained in a page of one of the numerous
Malay treatises on these matters. It would, from the nature of the
case, be utterly impossible to exhaust this endless subject, and it
is not necessary to dwell upon it at greater length, as the details
of the charms used (of which a few are quoted in the Appendix) do
not as a rule offer any features of general interest. [786]
Far more interesting is that form of the Black Art which attempts to
"abduct," or in some way "get at" another person's soul, whether (as
in the case of the ordinary love-charm), in order to influence it in
the operator's favour, or, on the other hand, with a view to doing
the victim some harm, which may take the form of madness, disease,
or even death.
These results can be arrived at by a variety of methods: in some of
them the influence works entirely without contact, in others there is
some sort of contact between the victim and the receptacle into which
his soul is to be enticed. A few specimens of the methods employed
will conclude this part of the subject; they are necessarily somewhat
of a miscellaneous character; but it will be seen that they are really
only different applications of the same general principle, the nature
of which has already been indicated in the section on the Soul. [787]
The following is an instance of direct contact between the soul
receptacle and its owner's body--
"Take soil from the centre of the footprint (hati-hati tapak) of
the person you wish to charm, and 'treat it ceremonially' (di-puja)
for about three days.
"The 'ceremonial treatment' consists in wrapping it up in pieces of
red, black, and yellow cloth [788] (the yellow being outside), and
hanging it from the centre of your mosquito-curtain with parti-coloured
thread (penggantong-nya benang pancharona). It will then become (the
domicile of) your victim's soul (jadi semangat). You must, however,
to complete the ceremony, switch it with a birch of seven leaf-ribs
taken from a 'green' cocoa-nut (penyembat-nya lidi niyor hijau tujoh
'lei) seven times at sundown, seven times at midnight, and seven times
at sunrise, continuing this for three days, and saying as you do so:--
"'It is not earth that I switch,
But the heart of So-and-so.'
(Bukan-nya aku menyembat tanah,
Aku menyembat hati Si Anu).
"Then bury it in the middle of a path where your victim is sure to
step over it (supaya buleh di-langkah-nya), and he will certainly
become distraught. The only taboo in connection with it is that you
should let no one share your sleeping-mat." The soul-receptacle in
this case is the lump of earth taken from the centre of the victim's
footprint. It is said to actually "become (the victim's) soul," but
no doubt this is merely figurative, though it completely proves the
identification of the soul with its receptacle in the Malay mind. The
object of the birching is not self-evident, but may be intended to
dispel evil influences, and so purify it for the incoming soul.
Another way of obtaining the required result is to scrape off some of
the wood of the floor from the place where your intended victim has
been sitting. Having secured this, take some of the soil from his or
her footprint and mix them both together with wax from a deserted bees'
comb, moulding the figure into his or her likeness. Fumigate it with
incense, and "beckon" to the soul by waving a cloth (lambei semangat)
every night for three nights successively, reciting this charm:--
"'OM!' shout it again and again!
Stupid and dazed
Be the heart of Somebody,
Thinking of me.
If you do not think of me,
The forty-four angels shall curse you."
Another method is as follows:--
Take parings of nails, hair, eyebrows, saliva, etc. of your intended
victim (sufficient to represent every part of his person), and make
them up into his likeness with wax from a deserted bees' comb. Scorch
the figure slowly by holding it over a lamp every night for seven
nights, and say:--
"It is not wax that I am scorching,
It is the liver, heart, and spleen of So-and-so that I scorch."
After the seventh time burn the figure, and your victim will die.
The description of the next ceremony is taken word for word from a
charm-book which I obtained from a Langat Malay (named 'Che Indut),
and which is still in my possession. As it illustrates several new
points about these wax figures, and as such charms are exceedingly
rare and all but impossible to obtain, I here give a word for word
translation of the whole text, the original Malay version of which
will be found in the Appendix: [789]--
"This refers to making images to harm people. You make an image to
resemble a corpse out of wax from an empty bees' comb, [790] and of
the length of a footstep. If you want to cause sickness, you pierce
the eye and blindness results; or you pierce the waist and the stomach
(lit. the waist) gets sick, or you pierce the head and the head gets
sick, or you pierce the breast and the breast gets sick. If you want
to cause death, you transfix it from the head right through to the
buttocks, the 'transfixer' being a gomuti-palm [791] twig; then you
enshroud the image as you would a corpse, and you pray over it as if
you were praying over the dead; then you bury it in the middle of the
path (which goes to) the place of the person whom you wish to charm,
so that he may step across it. This refers to when you want to bury
the image--
"Peace be to you! Ho, Prophet 'Tap, in whose charge the earth is,
Lo, I am burying the corpse of Somebody,
I am bidden (to do so) by the Prophet Muhammad,
Because he (the corpse) was a rebel to God.
Do you assist in killing him or making him sick:
If you do not make him sick, if you do not kill him,
You shall be a rebel against God,
A rebel against Muhammad.
It is not I who am burying him,
It is Gabriel who is burying him.
Do you too grant my prayer and petition, this very day that
has appeared,
Grant it by the grace of my petition within the fold of the Creed
La ilaha," etc.
There are, as I have said, several new points to be got from this
charm. You must make the image resemble a corpse; you must make it of
the length of the footstep (doubtless that of the intended victim);
you must pierce the part which you want to affect; if you want to kill
your man, you must transfix him from the head downwards with the twig
of a gomuti-palm (that is to say, with one of the black splinters used
as pens by the Malays [792]); you must wrap the image in a shroud,
and read the burial service over it; and, finally, in order to absolve
yourself from blood-guiltiness, you shift the burden of your crime
on to the shoulders of the Archangel Gabriel!!!
There are, of course, many slight variations of the actual
ceremony. Sometimes the wizard, during the insertion of the pins into
the image, exclaims:--
"It is not wax that I slay [793]
But the liver, heart, and spleen of So-and-so."
And then, after "waving" the figure in the smoke of the incense,
and depositing it in the centre of a sacrificial tray (anchak),
he invites the spirits to banquet upon his victim's body:--
"I do not banquet you upon anything else, [794]
But on the liver, heart, and spleen of So-and-so."
When the ceremony is over the image is buried in the usual way in
front of the victim's door-step.
Another method is described as follows:--
"Make the wax figure in the usual way and with the usual
ingredients. At sundown take parched rice, with white, black, green,
and yellow (saffron) rice, a "chew" of betel-leaf, a wax taper and an
egg--this latter as the representative of a fowl (`isharat ayam). Burn
incense, and recite this charm:--
"Peace be with you, O Earth Genie,
Bull-shaped Earth-spirit, Earth-demon, Bull-shaped World-spirit.
Come hither, come down, I pray you, and accept the banquet I offer.
I have a something that I want you for,
I want to give you an order,
I want to get you to aid me
sickness
And assist me in causing the or madness (as the case may be),
or death
of Somebody.
If you do not accept the banquet I offer
You shall be a rebel to God," etc.
This is a charm for sowing dissension between husband and wife
(pembenchi):--
Make two of the wax figures in the ordinary way, but taking care
that one resembles the husband and the other the wife. Sit down with
your legs stretched out before you, and hold the figures face to face
while you repeat the charm thrice, and at the end of each repetition
breathe upon their heads. Then lay the man upon the ground on your
right side close to your thigh, but looking away from it; and the
woman at the side of the left thigh in a similar position, so that
they both look away from each other. Then burn incense and recite
the same charm twenty-two times over the man and twenty-two times
over the woman. Now put them back to back, and wrap them up in seven
thicknesses of the leaves of tukas, [795] and tie them round with
thread of seven colours wrapped seven times round them, repeat the
charm and bury them. Dig them up after seven days and see if they are
still there. If you find them the charm has failed, but if not, it will
work, and they will assuredly be divorced. The charm runs as follows:--
"'Ndit marangan 'ndit!
Angkau Fatimah kambing,
Si Muhammad harimau Allah;
Kalau Fatimah tentangkan Muhammad,
Saperti kambing tentang harimau.
Muhammad sabenar-benar hulubalang,
Harimau Allah di-atas dunia.
Dengan berkat" d. s. b.
Which, so far as it is intelligible, appears to mean:--
. . . . . . . . . .
"Thou, Fatimah, art a goat;
Muhammad is God's tiger.
If Fatimah is face to face with Muhammad,
She will be as a goat facing a tiger.
Muhammad in very truth is the Chief,
The Tiger of God upon earth.
By the grace of," etc.
The following is a clear example of soul abduction without contact:--
The simplest way, perhaps, of abducting another person's soul is
to go out, when the sun clears (matahari mencharak, at sunrise?),
or when the newly-risen moon looks red, and standing with the big
toe of the right foot resting on the big toe of the left, to make a
trumpet of your right hand and recite the appropriate charm through
this improvised speaking-trumpet thrice. At the end of each recital
you blow through the hollowed fist. The charm runs as follows:--
"'OM.' I loose my shaft, I loose it and the moon clouds over,
I loose it, and the sun is extinguished,
I loose it, and the stars burn dim.
But it is not the sun, moon, and stars that I shoot at,
It is the stalk of the heart of that child of the congregation,
So-and-so.
Cluck! cluck! soul of So-and-so, come and walk with me,
Come and sit with me,
Come and sleep and share my pillow.
Cluck! cluck! soul," etc.
A second method is to beat your own shadow, [796] ceremonially;
according to this method you take a cane (of rattan or rotan sega),
in length as long as your body, fumigate it with incense and recite
a charm over it seven times, striking your own shadow with the cane
once after each recital. Repeat this at sundown, midnight, and early
morning, and sleep under a coverlet made of five cubits of white cloth,
and the soul you wish for will assuredly come to you. The following
is the charm, a very curious one:--
"Ho! Irupi, Shadowy One,
Let the Queen come to me.
Do you, if Somebody is awake,
Stir her and shake her, and make her rise,
And take her breath and her soul and bring them here,
And deposit them in my left side.
But if she sleep,
Do you take hold of the great toe of her right foot
Until you can make her get up,
And use your utmost endeavours to bring them to me.
If you do not, you shall be a rebel to God," etc.
Another method of abducting another person's soul is as follows:--
"Take a lime branch which has seven limes on a single stalk, and
suspend it from the top of your mosquito-curtain on three successive
nights. When you suspend it recite the charm already given [797]
(beginning 'Om! shout it again and again!')."
The following ceremony is one in which the soul of another person
is abducted without any direct contact between the soul-receptacle,
which in this case is a head-cloth, and the soul-owner. The directions
are as follows:--
"Go out on the fourteenth night of the lunar month (full moon) and
two successive nights; seat yourself on a male ant-hill (busut jantan)
facing the moon, burn incense, and repeat the charm:--
"I bring you a (betel-) leaf to chew,
Dab the lime on to it, Prince Ferocious,
For Somebody, Prince Distraction's daughter, to chew.
Somebody at sunrise be distraught for love of me,
Somebody at sunset be distraught for love of me.
As you remember your parents, remember me,
As you remember your house and house-ladder, remember me.
When thunder rumbles, remember me,
When wind whistles, remember me,
When the heavens rain, remember me,
When cocks crow, remember me,
When the dial-bird tells its tales, remember me,
When you look up at the sun, remember me,
When you look up at the moon, remember me,
For in that self-same moon I am there.
Cluck! cluck! soul of Somebody come hither to me,
I do not mean to let you have my soul,
Let your soul come hither to mine."
Here wave the end of your head-cloth (puncha detar) in the direction
of the moon seven times every night for three successive nights. Then
take the turban (detar) home and place it under your pillow (for the
three nights). If you want to use it by day, burn incense, and say:--
"It is not a turban that I carry in my girdle but the soul of
Somebody." [798]
At sundown, when the sun is hovering on the brink of the horizon
(matahari ayun termayun), chew betel, and spit out (semborkan) the
chewed leaf thrice. Then stand opposite the door, looking if possible
towards the west, burn incense, and repeat this charm:--
"Nur Mani is your name,
Si Pancha Awalis my name;
By the grace of my using the prayer called 'Kundang Maya Chinta
Berahi'
Concentrate your thoughts on me,
Be enamoured of me,
Be distraught for love of me,
Distraught both by day and by night,
Distraught seven times in the day,
And distraught seven times in the night.
Come back to your home,
Come back to your palace."
Although this looks at first sight not unlike a love-charm, the last
two lines show that it is really intended to induce a wandering soul
(semangat riang) to return to its owner. In fact, the wizard who gave
me this charm told me that it was taboo to let any one pass during
the whole evening, when this charm was used, between the light and
the patient.
It seems possible, however, that it might be used on occasion, and
mutatis mutandis, as a love charm as well.
The following ceremony is professedly a species of divination (tilek
or penilek), but as it is clearly only another form of soul-abduction
I give it here. The instructions are as follows:--
"First take some wax from a deserted bees' comb and make a wax taper
out of it as well as you can; stick it upon the rim of a white cup,
and repeat this charm, when you will be able to see the person you
wish to affect in the taper's flame (buleh di-tengo' orang-nya didalam
puchok api). The charm runs as follows:--
"I know the origin from which you sprang,
From the glitter of the White Blood.
Come down then to your mother,
Stemming both ebb and flood tides,
Cluck! cluck! souls of Somebody,
Come all of you together unto me.
Whither would ye go?
Come down to this house and house-ladder of yours.
This solitary taper is your house and house-ladder,
Since already the liver, stomach, heart, spleen, and great maw
Of all of you have been given into my care,
So much the more have the body and life
Of all of you been given into my care.
Grant this by the grace of my use
Of the prayer called divination by (secret) cognizance (tilek
ma`rifat) of Somebody.
"Next you take a fathom's length of thread, with seven strands, and
seven colours running through the strands (benang tujoh urat, tujoh
warna melintang benang), and a pen made of a splinter of the sugar-palm
(puchok kabong), and draw a portrait of the person you wish to charm
(menulis gambar orang itu). When the portrait is finished you suspend
it from the end of a pole by means of the parti-coloured thread,
and make fast the lower end of the pole to the branch of a tree,
fixing it at an angle, so that the portrait may hang free and be
blown to and fro without ceasing by every breath of wind. This will
cause her heart to love you."
It will be noticed that a general similarity underlies these several
methods of soul-abduction in spite of their apparent variety, and
the diversity of the objects in view in the different cases. On this
point it is impossible to enlarge here: the purpose of this book has
been primarily to collect authentic specimens of the various magic
practices in vogue among the Malays of the Malay Peninsula, and to
indicate the nature of the beliefs on which these practices are based,
leaving it for others to draw from them such inferences and to make
such comparisons as may throw further light on the subject. It has not
been deemed desirable to anticipate such inferences and comparisons
here; but, without trespassing beyond the scope of the present work, it
may be noticed that there is a special appropriateness in concluding it
with the above account of the various methods of soul-abduction. From
them, taken together with what has already been said on the subject,
[799] a fairly complete idea can be gathered of the Malay conception
of the Soul; and it is hardly too much to say that this conception is
the central feature of the whole system of Malay magic and folklore,
from which all the different branches with their various applications
appear to spring.
The root-idea seems to be an all-pervading Animism, involving a
certain common vital principle (semangat) in Man and Nature, which,
for want of a more suitable word, has been here called the Soul. The
application of this general theory of the universe to the requirements
of the individual man constitutes the Magic Art, which, as conceived by
the Malays, may be said to consist of the methods by which this Soul,
whether in gods, men, animals, vegetables, minerals, or what not,
may be influenced, captured, subdued, or in some way made subject to
the will of the magician.
It would, however, probably be a mistake to push this analysis too far;
for side by side with the theory of a universe animated by souls,
which by the use of the appropriate words and forms can be cajoled
or threatened, there are the ideas of Luck and Ill-luck, and the
notion, strong in Muhammadans all over the world, of a preordained
course of events. Sometimes, presumably in extreme cases, there is
no escape from this destiny: if a man is fated to die at a certain
time, die he must, whatever he may do. But to a great extent ill-luck
can be avoided if one knows how; though we cannot stop it, we need
not expose ourselves to its influence. Thus a particular hour may be
unlucky for the doing of a certain act; but if we know that it is so,
we need not incur the danger.
There are, therefore, for a Malay three alternatives, it would seem:
viz. Charms, for occasions where moral pressure can be brought
to bear; Divination, to assist in detecting dangers which in the
ordinary course must come but can be avoided; and, finally, Islam
(Resignation), when he has to meet the inevitable, whether it be
regarded as the course of Fate or the eternal purpose of God.
APPENDIX
NATURE
Creation of the World
[i] Introduction to Pawang's Book [800] [Chap. i. p. 2.
Bahwa ini fasal pada menyatakan surat pawang yang pertama-tama
katurunan deripada Nabi Allah Adam, dengan berkat mu`jizat Nabi kita
Muhammad Rasul Allah sall' Allahu `aleihi al-salam dengan berkat Dato'
Kathi Rabun Jalil, yang diam di Medinah yang sembahyang di Ka`bat
Allah dengan berkat Toh Sheikh A`alim Puteh yang bersandar di tiang
`arash, yang tahu 'kan Lokh Mahpar yang menyuratkan dua kali mahshadat
yang mengedap di pintu Ka`bah serta dengan berkat Toh Saih Panjang
Janggut yang diam di Beringin Sonsang serta dengan berkat Toh Kuning
Ma`alim Jaya yang berdiam di Gunong Ledang dengan berkat Toh Puteh
Sabun Mata yang diam di Gunong Berapi serta dengan berkat Toh Ma`alim
Karimun yang berdiam di Pulau Karimun, serta dengan berkat Toh Lambang
Lebar Daun yang diam di hulu Palembang di lembah Patawalau di bukit
Saguntang-guntang tempat pinang beribut, dengan berkat Dang Pok Dang
Leni, dengan berkat sakalian Wali Allah, dengan berkat Ibu serta Bapa,
dengan berkat mu`jizat Bulan dan Matahari, dengan berkat Daulat Sultan
Manikam yang diam di Puncha `Arash, yang memegang sakalian benih anak
Adam ia itulah ada-nya.
Tatkala Klam di-kandong Kabut, Kabut lagi di-kandong Klam, lagi
didalam rahim hewanan Tuhan diam-diam aldiaman, Bumi belum bernama
Bumi, Langit pun belum bernama Langit, Allah pun belum bernama Allah,
Muhammad pun belum bernama Muhammad, `Arash pun belum, Krusi pun
belum, Samad awang-awang pun belum ada, maka sedia terjali dengan
sendiri, yang jadikan sakalian `alamini, maka Ia-lah Pawang yang Tuha
ada-nya. Maka jadikan Bumi itu sa-lebar dulang Langit sa-lebar payong,
maka ia-itu `alam-nya Pawang ada-nya, maka datang-lah ia berahi sedia
itu dengan sendiri-nya, maka terpanchar-lah sri manikam-nya itu di
hati bumi sa-tapak [k]adam [801]itu, tersunjam tujoh petala Bumi,
tersondak tujoh petala Langit, maka bergetoh-lah [802] tiang `arash,
maka ia-itulah kuderat Pawang ada-nya.
Shahadan adalah asal-nya Pawang itu terlebeh dahulu deripada dahulu,
ia-itulah Allah serta di-thahirkan-nya dengan chahia bulan dan
matahari, maka ia-itu kanyata'an-nya pawang yang sabenar-benar-nya
pawang ada-nya.
Menyatakan sri mana manikam itu menjadikan pusat Bumi tiang Ka`bah,
maka tumboh-lah ia di-`ibaratkan sa-pohun kayu, di-namai kayu itu
Kayu Rampak, Kayu Sinang, Kayu Langkah Langkapuri, kayu tumboh di
halaman Allah maka ia-itulah tumboh-nya; dan ampat chawang kayu itu,
dan sa-chawang bernama Sajeratul Mentahar, dan sa-chawang bernama
Taubi, dan sa-chawang nama Khaldi, dan sa-chawang bernama Nasrun
`Alam, sa-chawang ka [dak]sina, sa-chawang ka pa'sina, dan sa-chawang
ka mashrik, dan sa-chawang ka maghrib, maka bharu-lah bernama ampat
penjuru `alam.
Maka pusat Bumi itulah yang bernama Ular Sakatimuna, ia-lah yang
memblit Bumi sa-tapak Nabi itu. [803]
Maka firman Allah ta`ala didalam rahsia-nya kapada Jibrail "Palukan-lah
aku Ular Sakatimuna itu, ambil uleh-mu besi tongkat Kalimah yang
terjuntei di pintu Langit itu," maka di ambil-lah besi itu serta
di palukan-nya kapada ular itu maka putus dua ular itu, sa-k'rat
kapala-nya ka-atas Langit menyentak naik, ekor-nya ka-bawah Bumi pun
menyentak turun.
Dan kapala-nya itu menjadi Jin Sri `Alam, lidah-nya itu menjadi
Jin Sakti, dan benih yang didalam mata-nya itu menjadi Jin Puteh;
dan ruang-ruang mata-nya itu jadi Dato' Mentala Guru, dan chahia
mata-nya itu jadi sakalian Jin, Jin Hitam, Jin Hijau, Jin Biru,
Jin Kuning, dan nyawa-nya itu jadi Si Raja Jin. Dan hati-nya itu
jadi Lembaga Nyawa dan buah mata-nya itu menjadi limau dan tahi
mata-nya itu menjadi kem'nyan; dan salupat mata-nya itu jadi kapas;
dan hujut-nya itu jadi Jin Si Putar `Alam.
Dan prut-nya itu jadi Jin Si Lengkar `Alam dan jantong-nya itu jadi Jin
Bentara `Alam, dan chahia manikam-nya itu menjadi Jin Gentar `Alam,
dan suara-nya itu menjadi Halilintar `Alam, dan chahia pedang-nya
jadi kilat. Dan hawa pedang itu menjadi tuju Si Raja Wana.
Dan pedang-nya itu menjadi plangi, dan hulu pedang jadi tunggul-nya,
dan sengkang hulu pedang-nya itu menjadi bantal-nya; dan darah-nya
itu jadi Mambang Kuning dan chahia darah-nya itu menjadi Mambang Sina;
dan haba darah-nya itu jadi api.
Dan ruh-nya itu menjadi angin, dan jamjam-nya itu menjadi ayer. Dan
mani-nya itu jadi bumi, dan sirmani-nya itu menjadi besi, dan bulu
roma-nya itu menjadi rumput, dan rambut-nya itu menjadi kayu, dan
ayer mata-nya itu menjadi hujan, dan ploh-nya itu menjadi ambun;
dan sri mani-nya itu jadi padi, dan dirmani-nya itu menjadi ikan,
dan darah pusat-nya itu jadi upas; dan penyakit datang deripada sir,
penawar-nya datang deripada nur.
Maka inilah fasal yang ka-atas (langit).
Fasal ekor-nya yang ka-bawah itu menjadi tanah lembaga Adam, yang
bharu, maka di-namai uri, tembuni, pusat, tentuban. Maka yang ampat
inilah menjadi sakalian penyakit yang di-bawah. Dan darah-nya itu
jatoh ka bumi menjadi Hantu Jembalang Puaka. Dan semangat uri tembuni
pusat tentuban-nya itu jadi Polong Penanggal.
Dan bulu mata-nya itu menjadi Jin Bala Saribu. Waktu-nya saperti kilat
manikam itu, ia-lah menjadi Mambang dan Dewa, dudok-nya didalam bulan
dan matahari: maka sebab di-katakan dewa dan mambang ia-itu tiada mati,
dan Toh Mambang Puteh itu dudok-nya dalam matahari, dan Toh Mambang
Hitam dudok-nya dalam bulan. Dan jikalau ka laut di-katakan Mambang
Tali Harus didalam-nya itu. Jikalau ka darat di-namakan ia Toh Jin
Puteh Gemala `Alam, yang diam didalam matahari, maka Toh Jin Hitam
Lembaga Adam, yang diam didalam bulan, maka dem'kian-lah aton-nya [804]
Pawang sakalian-nya itu terhimpun kapada kalimah la ilaha, d. s. b.
Ampat Kuderat Pawang
(1) Sri `Alam: kanyata'an kapada ruang-ruang mata
kita.
(2) Si Gentar `Alam: kanyata'an kapada nafar kita.
(3) Si Putar `Alam: kanyata'an kapada jantong kita.
(4) Bentara `Alam: kanyata'an kapada kalimah itulah
nyawa Pawang.
(Pawang itulah Toh Kathi
Rabun Jalil.)
Asal Jin Hantu, d. s. b.
(1) Asal Jin deripada pancharan manikam.
(2) Asal Sheitan deripada brahi Adam, tatkala belum bertemu dengan
Hawa.
(3) Asal Jembalang Puaka deripada uri, tembuni, pusat, tentuban
(menjadi nyawa kapada tanah, diam di gaung guntong, busut, kayu,
batu, tras).
[ii] Asal Kayangan
Inilah risik Semar Hitam:--
Al-salam `aleikum, hei Jin Hitam,
Jembalang Tunggal, Jin Kuning,
Hei Jin Ishma [805] Allah Tunggal.
Tahu'kan asal-mu kaluar deripada bayang Allah mu yang bernama
Isma Allah nama yang awal lagi yang dahulu; tatkala ashikkan [806]
diri-mu bernama Jin Salenggang Bumi Tunggal rupa 'kan diri-mu maka
ashikkan diri-mu bernama Raja Jin Sahabak mu tinggal rupa akan diri-mu
ashikkan diri-mu di pintu langit yang pertama bernama nenek Berumbung
Sakti bertekak hitam berdarah puteh bertulang tunggal beroma songsang
hulubalang yang asal maka tinggal rupa 'kan diri-mu masa maka jatoh
deri atas pohun narun-narun [807] bernamakan Dewana maka datang uleh
Suri Peri yang baik rupa-nya maka terpandang atipak uleh Dewana maka
berchita si kaluar mani satitek maka cherah gilang gemilang maka
terpandang uleh Suri Peri maka di-ambil uleh Suri Peri maka memiling
[808] maka kaluar-lah anak ampat orang sa-hulu-hulu, sa-hilir-hilir
akan Dewana tinggal rupa 'kan diri-nya maka mengashik akan diri-mu
kamana jatoh ura-masa maka kembali-lah angkau rupa-mu bersipat dengan
sipat yang kahar rupa angkau-mu sedia kala maka bernama Isma Allah
tatkala sujud [kapada] Tuhan maka sakian lama minta menjadi negri
kayang-kayangan, antara langit tudongan [809] bumi maka di-benar
uleh Tuhan maka memohun kapada Tuhan maka hilang akan diri-nya dia
ka-mana jatoh ura-masa, maka jatoh kapada awan yang kuning maka bernama
Dewa Asal Yang Tunggal maka berikat tapa `umor dua-b'las tahun maka
tinggal rupa [810] akan dirimu-nya, maka di-bangkitkan Aji Pesuna,
maka tutup lambongan kiri, tutup lambongan kanan, tujoh-tujoh ekhlas;
maka pandang sa-b'lah awun t'rus sa-b'lah awun, pandang sa-b'lah
wetan t'rus sa-b'lah wetan, maka pandang sa-b'lah pipiran t'rus
sa-b'lah pipiran, pandang sa-b'lah pagalan t'rus sa-b'lah pagalan
pandang turun tujoh petala bumi t'rus tujoh petala bumi, pandang
naik tujoh petala langit, t'rus tujoh petala langit maka di-jadikan
satu hikmat maka di-jadikan satu negri kakayangan tujoh maka masokkan
[811] diri-mu kamana jatoh ura masa jatoh didalam negri kakayangan,
didalam negri ratna gading petah tinggi mutu manikam maka di-jadikan
Dewa Bentara `Umar di-tilek uleh Dewa Bentara `Umar aku sa-orang-orang
diri maka di-jadikan Dewa Bentara Guru, maka di-tilek uleh Bentara
Guru aku-lah Dewa Asa yang tunggal, Jin yang dahulu, Dewa yang asal,
aku-lah mengakukan diri aku-lah sa-orang-orang Dewa asal yang tunggal
cherah gilang gemilang, terlalu baik rupa-nya bersemayam terlalu
malu akan Dewa yang katiga, maka sujud, maka lalu berpesan tinggal
jikalau rosak didalam negri kakayangan di-sebut akan nama aku Isma
Allah nama aku yang asal lagi dahulu, maka masokkan diri-mu kamana
jatoh ura masa maka jatoh didalam awan yang hitam maka bernama Jin
Sagebang Langit, sa-b'lah hidong mengidukan langit, sa-b'lah hidong
mengidukan bumi, maka tinggal rupa akan diri-mu mengashik tatkala
mutu-mutu 'kan `alam dunia maka bernama Jin Hitam Sa-halilintar,
maka tinggal akan rupa diri-mu maka mengashik jadi mengambor naik ka
kayangan tujoh maka di-tilek ampat penjuru `alam maka mengambor turun
berikat tapa di-bawah baloh matahari jatoh bernamakan Ajai Biku Puteh
maka di-tinggal rupa-mu mengashikkan diri-mu bernama Anak Jin Sakti
`Alam tunggal maka berdiri di pintu langit sa-b'lah kaki berdiri di
pintu bumi sa-b'lah kaki jatoh ka tanah Jawa maka bernama Alan Semar.
CHAPTER II
MAN AND HIS PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE
(a) Creation of Man
[iii] Asal Pawang [Chap. i. p. 4. [Chap. ii. p. 19.
"Kun" kata Allah, payah [812] "kun" kata Muhammad:
Menjadi benih, benih jadi urat,
Urat jadi batang, batang jadi daun;
"Kun" kata Allah, payah[1] "kun" kata Muhammad:
Tanah sa-tapak pembahagian Tuhan,
Tanah sa-tapak didalam Tuhan;
Ada Bumi, ada Langit,
Kechil Bumi sagelang dulang,
Kechil Langit sagelang payong.
Bertitah Allah ta`ala:
"Jangan angkau engkar Jibrail,
Pergi ambil hati Bumi."
Ta' dapat ambil hati Bumi:
"Aku ta' kasih" kata Bumi.
Pergi mendapat Nabi Israfil,
Ta' dapat juga ambil hati Bumi.
Pergi mendapat `Ijrail, [813]
Tiada juga dapat hati Bumi.
Pergi mendapat `Ijrail, [814]
Bharu-lah dapat hati Bumi.
Sudah dapat hati Bumi bergunchang `arash dengan krusi
Dengan sagala `alam.
Dapat hati Bumi di-buat-nya lembaga Adam,
Menjadi kras pula hati Bumi itu.
Ayer pula masok lampau lembut pula,
Masok api, bharu di-tempa lembaga Adam.
Sudah-lah bangkit lembaga Adam,
Minta nyawa kapada Allah ta`ala.
Bri-nya nyawa Allah ta`ala, bersin-lah
Allah ta`ala, redam-lah lembaga Adam.
Balik membuat lembaga Adam;
Menyuroh Allah ta`ala ambil besi Khersani,
Di-lantakkan di blakang, menjadi tiga puloh tiga tulang,
Di-atas besi yang tua, yang muda di-bawah.
Besi yang tua tersundak ka langit,
Besi muda tertunjam ka bumi.
Sudah bernyawa lembaga Adam
Tinggal didalam shurga,
Di-tengok-nya merak chantek bukan kapalang,
Tiba malaikat Jibrail:
"Ya malaikat Jibrail, aku sa'orang diri,
Murah lagi berdua, aku minta bini."
Bertitah Allah ta`ala, "Suroh-lah Adam
Sembahyang suboh dua raka`at,"
Sembahyang-lah Adam, turun-lah
Baba Hawa, di-tangkap-nya Nabi Adam
Belum chukup sembahyang, di-ambil balik.
Maka sembahyang hajat dua raka`at,
Habis di-dapat-lah Baba Hawa:
Sudah nikah, sakali beranak
Berdua, sampei ampat puloh ampat anak.
Maka anak pun kahwin, chantek sama chantek,
Burok sama burok.
Uri anak yang sulong Dato' Petala Guru
Jadi bijeh:
Darah-nya jadi amas nur Allah.
Maka anak-nya Dato' Gemalakim [815] tinggal di langit,
Itulah Pawang yang Tua,
Yang ka'ampat kita.
[iv]