Untitled - Sabrizain.org

398
FUNERALS
texture, of no recognised colour, but richly interwoven
with gold thread, while the body is laid upon a mat-
tress, which in turn rests upon a new mat t pandanus
leaf; finally, all but the very poorest display the hangings
used on great occasions. At the head of the
corpse are then piled five or six new pillows, with two
more on the right and left side of the body resting
against the ribs, while just below the folded hands are
laid a pair of betel-nut scissors
(kackip best], and on
the matting at either side a bowl for burning incense is
placed. Some say that the origin of laying the betel-
nut scissors on the breast is that once upon a time a
cat brushed against the body of a dead person, thereby
causing the evil influence (badi) which resides in cats
to enter the body, so that it rose and stood upon its
feet. The "contact with iron" 1
prevents
the dead
body from rising again should it happen by any mischance
that a cat (which is generally the only animal
kept in the house, and which should be driven out of
the house before the funeral ceremonies commence)
should enter unawares and brush against it. From
this moment until the body is laid in the grave the
" wake " must be religiously observed, and the body be
watched both by day and night to see that nothing
which is forbidden (pantang] may come near
2
it.
1 The explanation usually given by It is still the custom to keep both
Malays is that the betel -nut scissors the hearth-fire (api dapor) and lamps
symbolise iron. Short weapons are (palita) burning not only for so long
sometimes substituted.
2 Tradition says that formerly the
as the corpse may be in the house, but
for seven days and nights after occurcorpse
was watched for three days be- rence of the death. It is also the
fore burial, and that sometimes it was custom to open the sick person's mos-
kept for a week or even a longer period. quito-curtain when death is approach-
One Raja S'nei is reported to have been ing, and in some cases, at all events,
kept 40 days in her coffin above ground ! the dying are taken out of their beds
It is also stated that before the intro- and laid upon the floor. I may add
duction of Muhammadanism the dead that the material for fumigation (pfrawere
burned. btm) is placed upon the hearth-fire after