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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Among The Penihings This Shield Is Specially Made For The Blian's
Use, And Unless It Be New And Unused He Will Not Sell It, Because The
Blood Of Sacrificial Animals Has Been Smeared On Its Surface And The
Patient Would Die.
The only way I could secure one was by having it made
for me, which a blian is quite willing to do.
This man paid little attention to my suggestion of buying, but suddenly,
of his own accord, he seized the shield and played on it to show me how it
was done. While he sings he keeps his head down behind the shield, which
is held in upright position, and he strikes either with right or left
hand. He had scarcely performed a minute when a change came over him. He
stamped one foot violently upon the floor, ceased playing, and seemed to
be in a kind of trance, but recovered himself quickly. A good antoh, one
of several who possessed him, had returned to him after an absence and had
entered through the top of his head. So strong is the force of
auto-suggestion.
It was a matter of considerable interest to me to meet here
representatives of two nomadic tribes of Borneo who had formed small
settlements in this remote region. I had already made the acquaintance of
the Punans in the Bulungan, but as they are very shy I welcomed the
opportunity of meeting them on more familiar terms. For more than a
generation a small number has been settled at Serrata, six hours walking
distance from Long Kai.
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