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Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

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154 UHESS I'ART u<br />

made must, like <strong>of</strong>ficinal plants, be pulled up, and not<br />

cut or dug up.^<br />

Selangop Sakai.—The foregoing remarks as to <strong>the</strong><br />

dress <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Perak Sakai apply equally to <strong>the</strong> Sakai<br />

<strong>of</strong> Selangor, amongst whom, however, copper, brass,<br />

and even iron arm -rings (spiral or o<strong>the</strong>rwise) and<br />

bracelets are perhaps ra<strong>the</strong>r more commonly worn, as<br />

most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se Selangor tribes live somewhere in <strong>the</strong><br />

neighbourhood <strong>of</strong> <strong>Malay</strong> civilisation.<br />

The same is true <strong>of</strong> finger-rings, which are still<br />

occasionally manufactured from various products <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> jungle (bone, horn, tortoiseshell, <strong>the</strong> crest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Rkinoplax, etc.), though metal rings are much pre-<br />

ferred, and are usually obtainable.<br />

The Hmd-di'-ess.<br />

Perak Sakai.—The method <strong>of</strong> wearing <strong>the</strong> hair is<br />

for <strong>the</strong> men (whose hair is long and wavy) to wear it<br />

just down to <strong>the</strong> shoulders in a wild and unkempt<br />

condition ; and<br />

<strong>the</strong> women are also said, among <strong>the</strong><br />

wilder tribes, to wear it in a mop, which " stands<br />

out all round from <strong>the</strong> head." When, however, <strong>the</strong>y<br />

have intercourse with <strong>the</strong> <strong>Malay</strong>s <strong>the</strong>y tie it back in a<br />

knot like <strong>the</strong> latter."<br />

According to Bartels, Vaughan - Stevens heard<br />

(among <strong>the</strong> Sakai) that iron may not be used for<br />

cutting ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> hair or finger-nails, this being <strong>the</strong><br />

reason why <strong>the</strong> wilder tribes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m (Orang Liar)<br />

1 Vaughan - Stevens, ii. 144, 145. sion <strong>of</strong> "batuampat" ("four boulders")<br />

Vaughan - Stevens' account contains with " batu ampar" ("outcrop <strong>of</strong><br />

several errors (due to his ignorance <strong>of</strong> rock "), and his building up <strong>of</strong> a pretty<br />

<strong>Malay</strong>), which have here been corrected. little <strong>the</strong>orj' on <strong>the</strong> mistaken version.<br />

The worst <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se is perhaps his confu- ' Hale, p. 293.<br />

I

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