Through Central Borneo An Account Of Two Years' Travel In The Land Of The Head-Hunters Between The Years 1913 And 1917 By Carl Lumholtz
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Hens' Eggs May Also Be Proffered,
But Usually As Adjuncts To The Sacrifice Of An Animal.
If a child is ill
the Katingan makes a vow that he will give Antoh from three to seven eggs
or more if the child becomes well.
If it fails to recover the offering is
not made.
The blood is the more precious part, which the Bahau of the Mahakam, and
other tribes, offer plain as well as mixed with uncooked rice. The people
eat the meat themselves, but some of it is offered to the well-disposed
antoh and to the other one as well, for the Dayaks are determined to leave
no stone unturned in their purpose of defeating the latter. The Duhoi
(Ot-Danums) told me: "When fowl or babi are sacrificed we never forget to
throw the blood and rice mixture toward the sun, moon, and 'three of the
planets.'" With the Katingans the blian (priest-doctor) always drinks a
little of the blood when an animal is sacrificed.
Singing to the accompaniment of drums, gongs, or the blian's shield, and
dancing to the sound of drums or gongs, are further inducements brought to
bear on the friendly antohs, which are attracted thereby. According to the
belief which prevails in their primitive minds, the music and dancing also
have a deterrent effect upon the malicious ones. Both evil and good antohs
are believed to congregate on such occasions, but the dancing and music
have a terrifying effect on the former, while on the latter they act as an
incentive to come nearer and take possession of the performers or of the
beneficiary of the function by entering through the top of the head.
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