Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

454 DECORATIVE ART part ii
" Jelabo'," whose function it is to keep the souls of
wicked Semang from entering heaven.^
Next again on the left (Fig. 22) is a beast called
" Kangkeng," which keeps out the souls of snakes and
scorpions.
-
In the sixth row follow Figs. 23 and 25, the last
of which has been unavoidably cut in two in obtaining
the illustration. Fig. 23 is a dark-complexioned
gigantic spirit "Champa'" called "Abang" (Mai. for
"elder brother"). No. 25 represents his brother
" Chalog," who is called " Adik " (Mai. for " younger
brother "). The latter is placed under the former's
authority, and both are the joint guardians of Tuhan's
heaven, Tasig.
Figs. 24, 26, 27 represent the bamboo spears of
these two brothers. The zigzag figures between 26
and 27 are the lightning - carrying flowers, which
belong to Kari, and whose custodians are the two
gigantic spirits just mentioned.
The last row, or " name "-row, which is called
" chor " ( = name ?), is always placed at the end of the
bamboo, and is covered with a uniform pattern. Its
decoration varies according to the other patterns on
the bamboo, but its real significance could not be
explained. Vaughan-Stevens regards it merely as a
sort of finishing touch to the rest of the figures.^
Bamboo {'' Gtc ") No. 2. Height 41 an}
Here, too, the order of the figures is fixed, but
no definite explanation is forthcoming of the slant-
ing line in the topmost panel.
' The nearest Semang animal-name ^ Vaughan-Stevens, iii. 122.
known to me is that of " lelabas " (?= ^ Ibid. p. 124.
dial. " telabah "), the Malayan sun-bear. * Jbid. pp. 124, 125.