Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

70 MARRIAGE CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS part in
As regards marriage itself, the existence of a dis-
tinctive law is perhaps more than might be expected
of this unsophisticated race, yet it not only exists but
is recognised as binding, and is, moreover, pretty
strictly observed, and it is noticeable that there are in
the Besisi dialect special terms for both "husband"
and " wife."
A remarkable fact is that the Besisi commonly
have a regular carnival (at the end of the />adz or rice
harvest) when (as they say) they are " allowed to
exchange " their wives, a practice which recalls the
wedding law of ancient Peru, by which there was
established one universal wedding - day annually
throughout the land.
The marriage settlements brought by the man
consist of such objects as are best calculated to con-
tribute to the satisfaction of the bride and her parents,
as, for instance, a string of beads, four cubits
("hasta") of white cloth, a plate and a drinking-
cup, and in some cases a ring ; but at the same time
the husband is expected to provide a hut, cooking-
pots, and other necessary articles such as will suffice
to enable house-keeping to be started with reasonable
comfort.
The usual ceremony (as now practised by the
Besisi) is of a very simple description, and is usually
performed by the Batin, who is a priestly chief, and,
as a Besisi man once put it, " who takes the place of
an Imam " (the Malay Mohammedan priest).^
' "The marriage ceremony is per- exchani^c of " sirih " (betel-leaf chewed
formed either by the Batin or the with areca-nut) they are pronounced
Jinang. The contracting parties stand man and wife. A feast is afterwards
on each side of him, the girl on his held, to which all the members of the
left and the man on his -right. He tribe are invited."— Bellamy, p. 227.
then joins their hands, and after an Cp. _/. /. .4. iii. 490.