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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During incantations and dancing the blian throws
the rice in the direction of the country where the man wants to operate.
By the act of throwing the rice an antoh is called to assist and he causes
the intended victim to become stupid and forgetful, therefore easily
killed.
From two to seven days later a start is made on the expedition,
and when the head is cut the rice is sure to be found inside.
In earlier days the kampongs were ruled by hereditary rajas called bakas,
who held their people in firm subjection, and they are reported to have
fought much among themselves. According to the "onder" of the kampong, it
was not an unusual occurrence to murder a rich man and take his goods as
well as his head, and as murder could not be compensated with money, his
relatives having to avenge the deed, a vendetta ensued which might last
five or six years. A custom which required a debtor to become the slave of
his creditor, even in the case of brothers, has been abolished.
Formerly when an enemy approached a curious message was sent from kampong
to kampong. To the top of a spear was tied a tail feather of the
rhinoceros hornbill, symbolising rapid movement, and also a woman's skirt
of fibre with a bunch of odoriferous leaves attached. Women used to fasten
these to the skirt in addition to those placed in the hair.
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