Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

SA A'A / OF PERA A' 151
generally worn by all Sakai tribes who have not yet
adopted the Malay " sarong." ^
It varies from about 3 or 4 inches (7.5 cm. to 10
cm.) to about i inch (2.5 cm.) in width.
The fullest description of this girdle is that given
by De la Croix, who tells us that the dress of the
Sakai consists of a mere strip of tree - bark rolled
round them, which is passed between the legs and
carried round the waist, tucked through at the belt,
and then allowed to fall down in front in the shape
of a fan. This garment, which is called " selampit,"
measures from 3 to 4 metres in length, and is manu-
factured either from the bark of the Ipoh tree (Anti-
aris toxicaria) or from that of the wild bread-fruit
tree i^Artocarpus). It is prepared by spreading the
bark upon a tree-trunk and striking it with a wooden
mallet. The sap is thus driven out of it, but the cloth
has then to be washed and dried several times before
it attains the requisite suppleness."'
The best and finest cloth is that made from the
Ipoh tree.*
Both men and women wore this gfarment, which
De la Croix took to be " the national costume of the
Sakai." 5
The use of the black fungus girdle, which un-
doubtedly originated among the Semang, has also
been observed among the Perak Sakai," but not, so far
^ Cp. J. I. A. vol. iv. p. 429 (of * lb. See figure 136.
the Perak Sakai), anil also Hale, "^ Hale, I.e., describes this girdle as
p. 292 (of the same). made from "a hlack, leafless, aquatic
2 75-100 mm. by25 mm. Mr. Ridley creeper called ' akar batu' ('area battu")
tells me that the "chawats"' worn by found growing on stones under water
the Sakai of the " Balu Caves" (near in mountain streams." " Akar batu,"
Kuala Lumpur in Selangor) were cer- or more properly "urat batu" {i.e.
tainly not more than an inch in width, " Rock creeper "' or " Rock-veins"), is
and if anytliing a little less. the Malay name of this rhizomorph, for
^ De la Croix, p. 330. * //'. which ?•. p. 138, «//;