Seventeen years among the Sea Dyaks of Borneo; a ... - Sabrizain.org

SONG AND MUSIC 229
what is the meaning of this great commotion. The Spirit
of the Wind answers that their presence is wanted in the
land of the living. They must go and fetch a certain
man and his belongings who wishes to come to Hades, but
does not know the way, and needs someone to guide him.
The dead rejoice at the summons. In a moment they
collect together, get into a long boat, and paddle hurriedly
through Limban, the Dyak Styx. When they arrive at
the landing-place, the dead make an eager rush for the
house, and enter the room of the dead man. The de-
parted soul cries out in anguish at being thus suddenly
and violently carried off, but long before the ghostly party
have reached their abode in Hades, he becomes reconciled
to his fate. Such in brief outline is the song of the wailer.
By her song she has helped to convey the soul to its new
home. Without her aid the soul would be lost, and
remain suspended in mid -air and find no rest.
The songs and incantations of the Dyaks are not set to
any particular melody. They are sung to a kind of chant,
and long sentences are often repeated on one note. But
they have several distinct settings for the different songs
and incantations, and these seem to suit the subject.
The song of mourning, for instance, sounds very sad and
pathetic
even to one who does not understand the
language .
The musical instruments of the Dyaks are of a more or
less primitive type, but when played together, the result is
not unpleasing. Those employed as an accompaniment
to the Sword Dance or the War Dance are brass gongs of
different sizes and a variety of drums. First there is the
deep-sounding brass taivak, the sound of which travels a
great distance, and which, when struck in a peculiar
manner, is the danger signal in times of war. Next in