3. Planting paddi.......................... during 2 months
4. New paddi............................... in 3 months
5. Harvesting.............................. during 1 or 2 months
6. Waiting................................. during 3 months
In order to ascertain the auspicious date for planting paddi these Dayaks
employ an astronomical device founded on the obvious fact that in their
country there comes a period when a rod placed in an upright position
casts no shadow. That is the time for planting. In addition to this method
of determination they consult a constellation of three stars which "rise"
in the east and "set" in the west during half a year, and are invisible
during the following six months. When the three stars appear
perpendicularly above the rod in the early morning, before sunrise, then
the time to plant is at hand; when they are in the zenith in the late
afternoon before sunset, the season for making ladang has come.
For these observations, however, a single rod is not used, but an
arrangement of rods called togallan, seven in number, which are planted in
the ground, the middle one upright, the rest diverging on either side like
a fan. Beginning on the left side, six months are indicated, but the
togallan does not remain standing more than three; in fact as soon as the
planting is finished it is removed. Although the most propitious time is
when the sun is at zenith, it is also considered favourable for half the
distance from the middle rod toward 3 and toward 5. If paddi is planted in
the second month the crop will be injured; if in the fifth month, the
plant will be damaged.
[Illustration: INDICATION BY THE TOGALLAN OF THE FAVORABLE TIME FOR
PLANTING RICE.]
Formerly heavy spears made of ironwood were employed not only as weapons,
but for agricultural purposes as well, both when making the holes into
which the seed grains are dropped and as material in erecting the
astronomical device. Each of the seven rods is called ton-dang, as is the
pointed stick with which at present the ground is prepared for planting
paddi.
MISCELLANEOUS
With the Kenyahs and many other tribes it is the custom to give boiled
rice that has stood overnight to the dogs, pigs, and hens; it is not
considered fit for human food.
Regarding the number of souls: The Murung says that each person has seven
souls, called brua, six being distributed as follows: one at the top of
the head, one in each eye and knee, and one in the navel. The Duhoi
(Ot-Danum) has also seven brua, one at the top of the head and one in each
eye, knee, and wrist.
Other tribes speak of three souls. The Kenyahs, according to Dr. J.M.
Elshout, have only one brua, located at times in the head, at times in the
heart; and the tiger-cat and the orang-utan have stronger brua than man.
The Katingans likewise recognise but one, called liao in life, and after
death.
