Such drawings are also presented to the good
antoh, Sangiang, as a reward for his assistance in making the feast
successful, thus enabling him to fly home.
UPPER AND LOWER KATINGANS
(Southwestern Borneo)
Of the Dayaks living about the headwaters of the Katingan River Controleur
Michielsen, in his report quoted before, says: "I cannot omit here to
mention that the Dayaks of these regions in language and habits show the
closest agreement with the Alfurs in Central Celebes, whom I visited in
1869, and that most of the words of the Alfur language (which I at once
understood because it resembles the low Java language) also here in the
Dayak language were observed by me. This circumstance affords convincing
testimony in favour of the early existence of a Polynesian language stock
and for a common origin of the oldest inhabitants of the archipelago."
There appears to be much similarity in regulations regarding marriage,
birth, death, and other adats as observed by the Katingans, Duhoi, and
Mehalats. The latter, who live on the Senamang, a tributary to the
Katingan River near its headwater, may be a Duhoi subtribe, but very
little is known about them; the custom of drinking tuak from human skulls
is credited to them, and they are looked upon with contempt by the
Katingans for eating dogs.
