Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org

202 Journal of the F.M.S. Museums. [Vol. VII,
made from lour small pieces oi board intersecting at rightangles
so as to enclo a square, and having then ends
projecting ;. two types of head-dress {chunghiie bulang and
chengkul lepang) made of haves; two Halak's switches, one
mad'-' of lebak-lezves (s'lak selebok), the other of leaves of the
he-it. mi s'lak bertop) : and hands of tree-bark {tempok luat) with
rough patterns drawn on them in yellow or black.
The Halak's balai (a circular frame of rattans with a thick
fringe of finely shredded leaves depending from it), within
which he chants his spells, was also hung from one of the
beams of the " medicine "-house. This balai was in all essentials
similar to that which I have already described and figured
in a former paper on the Sakai of the Ulu Sungkai. 1
-
Katil told me that among his people the Halaks performed
by torch-light, while the Slim Valley Senoi held their performances
in total darkness.
He also said that the seances, which had taken place
before our arrival, had been kept up for six consecutive nights,
and that ceremonial bathing from the decorated water-bamboos
(kenas) took place after the performances were finished, and
shortly before daylight.
With regard to Sakai beliefs that Halaks become tigers,
Katil told me that a Halak's ghost rose, usually on the fourteenth
day after burial, and assumed that shape.
Burial and Existence after Dkath.
While living with the Senoi I had an opportunity of
inspecting several graves, which were situated in the jungle
at a little distance from the settlement, and at the base of a
hill. None of these, winch were close together, were very
recent— the newest was, I believe, at least a couple of years
old, probably more. Their sites were marked by narrow
mounds, about as long as the bodies of those buried below.
In two cases these mounds had undressed upright stones
set up at the head and foot of thenu, one being covered,
in addition, with water-worn stones from the river. Another
grave had small Sungkai-irees planted round it, while in a
fourth the mound had partly fallen into the burial-chamber
below. Katil told me that slight huts of the lean-to type are
erected over new graves, and that articles, such as adzes and
blow-pipes, which must be either bent or broken, are placed
within the hut. No remains of huts or offerings were, however,
to be seen on the graves that he showed me, and he
explained that they had rotted away.
i "Journal of the F.M.S. Museums,'" vol VI, p. 98 & pi xxviii
= I have noted in the paper referred to above that the Sungkai people covered
up a lamp that I took with me into th, hut in which th
to perform
Prob a t> I \ 01