Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

'
SAKAI OF PERAK
decorated with cross -lines, which have oblique lines running between them,
whilst a longitudinal stripe, interrupted only by the cross-lines, runs from end to
end of the body of the receptacle on either side. As in other cases, the
outlines are distinguished by black and white dots."]
Should the mother die during confinement, and the child be either still-born
or die immediately afterwards, they are both wrapped in one shroud and laid in
one grave together,
downwards.
the child being placed on the mother's breast, with its face
For the five or six days following her confinement the patient is only permitted
to eat Caladim/is or yams,^ rice, and bananas. Chillies and hot highly-
spiced broth are very strictly forbidden.
The mother, after delivery, is usually able to move freely about the house
again within five or six hours. After three days she is fit to go out again as usual."
The Sakai (Blandas) mothers often pluck out the wing and tail-feathers of
young hornbills which the men have procured, and give their infants the quillends
to suck. This not only entertains and quiets the children, but in some
undefined way is believed to bring them good luck.'*
For travelling short distances the children are carried astride the mother's
hip.^ The Sakai sling up their small children on the hut-wall (in a basket or
hammock made of bast ^) for two or three hours together, so long as there is no
fear of tigers.^
For sleeping the mother lays her infant across her breast, taking care, how-
ever, to make the position as comfortable as possible for the child.*
Of the fruitfulness of Sakai women, Vaughan-Stevens remarks that it appeared
to be a general rule that out of about six children one would be still-born, and
two of the remainder would die within the first three years.
Those women who have only one or two children, especially if one of the
latter is born after a long interval, are, however, as a rule, successful with them.
The largest number of children (in one family), to take a single example, was
sixteen, out of which twelve died before they reached maturity, and of these
seven died before they were a year old. Five of them were boys and eleven girls.
Child-bearing generally continues up to the age of about forty-two years,
' Z. f. E. xxviii. 196. [It is not Sakai ceremony described by Vaughan-
quite clear whether this refers to the Stevens as following birth is the
Sakai or to some other tribe.] fumigation of the child by swinging it
2 Vaughan-Stevens here has " kadi," through the smoke of a large fire. See
a mistake for " k'ladi," a kind of Vaughan-Stevens, iii. 107.
yam. ^ Z.f. E. xxviii. 200.
^ Z. f. E. xxviii. 197. ^ For a description of a Sakai ham-
Bartels here adds that, as Vaughan- mock - cradle, see Vaughan - Stevens
Stevenshas already told us that the Sakai in Z. f. E. xxix. 190. Vaughanwonien
remain out of sight for fourteen Stevens attaches, however, a quite
days after delivery, he may be speak- exaggerated importance to the fact
ing here of some former custom. It that the pole from which the cradle
may, however, I think, be safely said was slung was not made fast, but
that there rarely is a fourteen days' oscillated to and fro on the top of the
limit amongst any of these savage partition walls. This arrangement is
tribes. The husband's difficulties are, found in many parts of the Peninsula,
in his wife's absence, so much in- and, so far from being at all extra-
creased, that he would certainly not ordinary, is simply due to the exercise
permit so unnecessarily protracted a of common sense, there being no reason
seclusion, even if the woman herself whatever why the pole should be made
desired it, which she would certainly fast,
not do. ^ Z.f. E. xxviii. 201.
Z.f. E. xxviii. 201. Another * Ibid. p. 202.