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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The
Contrivance Is Then Made And The Necessary Ceremonies Performed To The End
That Its Purpose Shall Be Fulfilled.
In the presence of many persons, the
afflicted man lying on his mat, the blian dances in the room holding the
prahu on his hands, the left at the bow, and swerving it to left and to
right; he sings at the same time but there is no other music.
On three
consecutive nights this performance is continued for about an hour, near
the door, with an eye to the ship's departure, and although it does not
disappear it is believed to have accomplished its mission.
The Duhoi are polygamous, as are the Kahayans. According to a rough
estimate, one-third of the people have one wife, one-third two, and
one-third three. If a girl declines the suitor on whose behalf the father
acts, she is not forced and the matter is closed. Should she agree, then
the price must first be determined, and is paid in goods, gongs, cattle,
domestic pigs, water-buffaloes, etc. Really poor people are not found
here, and the least amount a man pays for his wife is two gongs, which are
procured from the Malay trader.
About sunset people gather for the marriage ceremony. The couple sit on
one gong. A water-buffalo, pig, or fowl having been sacrificed, the blian
sings and smears blood on navel, chest, and forehead of the pair. On
rising to go to their room the bridegroom beats seven times upon the gong
on which they were sitting, and before he enters the door he strikes the
upper lintel three times, shouting loudly with each blow.
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