Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

1 RACE-CHARACTERS OF SAKAI 63
neighbourhood, from the branches of which the Sakai can swing himself up into
the branches of the larger ones. The Sakai, however, always knows how to
cut notches in the bark for the purpose of climbing.
At the present day they practise every method of climbing which they can
learn from their neighbours.
Access to the high-raised huts of the Tembeh (Temia) is afforded by a treetrunk
placed diagonally, similar to the shorter tree-trunk utilised by the Sakai
(Blandas) of Kuantan, who are much mixed with Tembeh (Temia) blood. They
allege that as their huts have no doors, the dogs and fowls which are wandering
about everywhere might otherwise get into the huts and do mischief there when
the men were away.
Among the Tembeh (Temia) the object is solely to keep intruders out,
especially the black panther and the python. For this reason a smooth and
slippery bamboo is carefully freed from all projections at the nodes, with the
exception of a few thin twigs, by which the feet may be supported in climbing,
and set up in a sloping position. No special grip of the toes is used in climbing
them, and the toes of the Tembeh (Temia), especially the great toe, are not more
strongly developed for gripping than the toes of other Sakai. Very small
children are often left for hours in those airy huts, on account of their safety, as
they are here safe from the great cats and snakes, and prevented from falling
down by the low parapet.^
Swimming.
The Sakai (Blandas) swim but little, in fact they only do so when they are
obliged to cross a river, or when they are bathing. They then swim like dogs.
They throw out their arms forwards in a swinging, circular stroke, while the
body turns towards the side away from the stroke. Both the breast-stroke and
side-stroke, as well as swimming on the back, are unknown to them.
Among the Sakai (Blandas) the Central tribes (Senoi) are always considered
the best swimmers ; this is probably due to the fact that the big Pahang
river has afforded them more practice.
The Tembeh (Temia) cannot swim at all.-
Sleeping."^
The Sakai (Blandas) women do not, as a rule, sleep on the side, but on the
back, and try to raise the head a little by some sort of pillow. They give as
their reason for this that, if they lie on the side, the hip has to bear the weight
of the body, in which case they would get " latah,'"* and suffer from cramp in
their sleep !
The Sakai (Blandas) men often sleep on the back, at the same time drawing
the legs up towards the body, so that the sole of the foot rests flat upon the
ground. But the side-long position is also not unfrequently adopted by the men
when they first lie down, in fact sometimes one side and sometimes the other
is chosen indifferently. Sakai (Blandas) men told Vaughan-.Stevens that when
they lay upon their side such vermin as ants, scorpions, and centipedes would
crawl over the sleeping-mats and enter their eyes, nostrils, and mouth, whereas
by lying on the back they could feel their approach. Others, however, declare
that by sleeping on the back they can hear a noise or alarm-signal better.
Among the Sakai (Blandas), as among the .Semang (I'angan), the bachelors
inhabited the verandah (when there was one) or else the external portion of the
^ Z.f. E. xxix. 200. 2 jf) p igg 4 j\ strange hysterical affection
2 Z.f. E. xxix. 186-198. common among Malays.