The Bukats whom I met were beautifully tatued. The kapala whom I saw at
Long Kai had the mark of a ripe durian on each shoulder in front and an
immature one above each nipple. On the lower part of the upper arm was a
tatu of an edible root, in Penihing called rayong. Over the back of his
right hand, toward the knuckles, he had a zigzag mark representing the
excrescences of the durian fruit. In regard to the presence of spirits,
number of souls, blians, disease, and its cure, restrictions for pregnant
women, the child's cradle - the ideas of the Bukats are identical with
those of the Penihings, and possibly are derived from them.
PENIHINGS
(Notes from the Mahakam River)
The Penihings get their supply of ipoh, the poison for the sumpitan darts,
from Punans who live at the sources of the rivers of the Western Division.
According to native report the trees which furnish the juice do not grow
along the Mahakam and the nearest country where they are found is to the
south of Tamaloe. As is the case with the Punans and Bukats, cutting the
teeth is optional.
Restrictions imposed during pregnancy do not differ from those of other
tribes described. At childbirth no man is permitted to be present. For
three days the mother eats boiled rice, red pepper, and barks of certain
trees, and she may work on the third day. Twins are known to occur. As
soon as the navel is healed a name is given to the child. Both Penihing
and Saputan, if asked, are allowed to give their own names. Marriages are
contracted while the woman is still a child. There are no marriage
ceremonies and divorces are easily obtained. If a married woman is at
fault with another man the two must pay the injured husband one gong, as
well as one gong for each child. In case the husband is at fault, the same
payment is exacted by the injured wife.
The Penihings have a game called ot-tjin which I also observed in other
Bornean tribes, and which to some extent is practised by the Malays. This
game, generally known among scientific men by the name mancala, is of the
widest distribution. Every country that the Arabs have touched has it, and
it is found practically in every African tribe. It is very common in the
coffee houses of Jerusalem and Damascus. A comprehensive account of the
game mancala is given by Mr. Stewart Culin, the eminent authority on
games, in the Report of the U.S. National Museum for 1894, pages 595-607.
