Chapter VI: Magic Rites as Affecting the Life of Man (6)

Main chongkak, again, is a game played with a board (papan chongkak) consisting of a boat-shaped block.

In the top of this block (where the boat's deck would be) are sunk a double row of holes, the rows containing eight holes each, and two more holes are added, one at each end. Each of the eight holes (in both rows) is filled at starting with eight buah gorek (the buah gorek being the fruit of a common tree, also called kelichi in Malacca). There are usually two players who pick the buah gorek out of the holes in turn, and deposit them in the next hole according to certain fixed rules of numerical combination, a solitary buah gorek, wherever it is found, being put back and compelled to recommence its journey down the board.

A similar game is, I believe, known in many parts of the East, and was formerly much played even by Malay slaves, who used to make the double row of holes in the ground when no board was obtainable.

The Malay game of Draughts (main dam) is played, I believe, in exactly the same manner as the English game. Backgammon (main tabal), on the other hand, is played in two different ways.

The "Tiger" Game (main rimau), or "Tiger and Goat" Game (main rimau kambing), is a game which has a distinct resemblance to our own "fox and goose," there being usually four tigers to a dozen of the goats.

Cards

"Cards are called Kertas sakopong. The Malays are fond of card games, but few Europeans have taken the trouble to understand or describe them. The late Sir W. E. Maxwell contributed the following description of daun tiga 'lei to the Notes and Queries of the Journal of the Straits Asiatic Society. It refers to the game in question as played in Perak:--

"Hearts, Lekoh. King, Raja.
Diamonds, Retin. Queen, Bandahara
Clubs, Kalalawar. Knave, Pekah.
Spades, Sakopong. Ace, Sat.

To shuffle, Kiyat, mengiyat.
To deal, Membawa.
To cut, Kerat.
To sweep the board, make everyone pay, Mengelong.

"Three cards are dealt out to each player. The highest hand counting by pips is that which contains the greatest number of pips after the tens are deducted. Thus a knave, ten, and nine is a good hand.

"The best hand is three aces, Sat tiga.

"The next best is three court-cards, Kuda; naik kuda.

"The next is nine.

"The next is eight.

"All these four hands are known as terus. A hand of three threes is really a good hand, being nine, but it is considered a propitiation of good luck to throw it down (without exposing it), and announce that one is buta, in the hopes of getting good luck afterwards.

"Each player makes two stakes--kapala and ekor. They may be of equal value, or the ekor may be of greater value than the kapala.

"The kapala must not be of greater value than the ekor; that is called tual ka ujong (tual = berat).

"Or there may be a single stake only, which is called podul.

"Betting between players is called sorong, or tuwi, or sorong tuwi.

"A pool, tuwi tengah.

"The ekor stake is only paid to the dealer if he holds one of the hands called terus, and if a smaller hand is held by a player, then the dealer takes both kapala and ekor (mengelong).

"A player who holds thirty exactly (except when he has three court-cards, kuda) is said to be out (buta).

"Any one except the player on the right of the dealer may cut. The player who cuts looks at the bottom card of those that he lifts, and if he thinks it is a lucky cut he accepts it and puts down the card he has lifted (pengerat).

"The dealer then puts the rest of the pack on top of the cut, and in his turn lifts a portion of the pack (pengangkat), and looks at the bottom card.

"There are all sorts of names for different cards and combinations of cards of various degrees of luck, and these are quoted by the cutter and dealer, each declaring his confidence in the luck coming to him by reason of the cutting or lifting of a particular card.

Five of clubs, Tiang ampat Penghulu chelong.
Chukup dengan gambala-nia.
Nine of diamonds, Bunga kachang raja budiman.
Ten of clubs, Gagak sa-kawan raja di-hilir.
Singgah makan pedindang masak.
Masak pun lalu muda pun lalu.
Ace of diamonds if cut, Buntut kris Raja Bandahara.
Do. if the hands of the dealer, Anak yatim jalan sa'orang.
Satu pun tidak marabahaya.
Two of diamonds, Semut ginting Che Amat pelak.
Two of hearts, Batang jamban.
Six is an unlucky card, Daun anam jahanam.
Nine of hearts, Hari panas kubang ber-ayer.

"A player does not hastily look at his three cards and learn his fate at once, but he prolongs the excitement by holding his cards tight together, and looking alternately at the outside ones, and last of all at the middle one, sliding out the latter between the two others little by little. Thus it is left uncertain for some time whether a card is an eight or a seven, a nine or a ten.

"A man to whom a court-card, an eight, and an ace is dealt (if the eight is in the middle), on finding that he has eleven by the two outside ones, says, for instance, Handak kaki tiga, and then commences to slide out the middle card, hoping that it is going to be an eight, or at all events a seven (three pips on each side). This particular hand is called lang siput, because it is certain to carry off something.

"A man who has just held a winning hand will say, in expressing a hope of continued good luck, 'Teman handak pisang sarabu, sudah sa-batang sa-batang pula.' (The plantain called sarabu is one which puts out fruit from every stem of the perdu about the same time, or one immediately after another.)" [708]

The following account of card games as played in Selangor was compiled some years ago by the writer. The names of the cards used in Selangor are these:--

Hearts, Lekok or Pangkah.
Diamonds, Reten (retim), or Chiduk.
Clubs, K'lawer, or Kelalawer.
Spades, Dayong Kling, or Sakopong.
King, Raja.
Queen, Proh, or Nyonya.
Knave, Pekak, or Hamba.
Ace, Sat.
To shuffle, Banchoh, or Menggaul.
To deal, Membagi.
To cut, K'rat.
To sweep the board, Merelong, or Mengg'long.
To pay all round, Mendader chingkeh.
A picture or court card, Angkong, or Kuda.
A three, Jalor (e.g. two threes, dua jalor).
A card (ordinary), Daun.
A sequence, G'lik (Daun sa-g'lik).

The three most important card games are--(1) main sakopong, (2) main chabut, (3) main tiga 'lei, or pakau.

1. In the game called sakopong all cards from two to six are cast out, and five cards are dealt out to each of the players (who may be from two to four in number); a player leads (turunkan) the card, and the next player has either to follow suit (turunkan daun sagaji) or throw down a card, turning it over (susupkan). If the next player is able to follow suit, whoever plays the highest card of the suit wins. If each player wins a trick it is declared drawn (s'ri), and in this case all stakes are returned.

2. Main chabut is a species of vingt-et-un, and is played with either twenty-one or thirty-one points. If twenty-one points only is the game, court-cards are not counted; but if the game is thirty-one points they are also added in. Two cards are dealt by the dealer (perdi) to each player, who draws (chabut) fresh cards from the bottom of the pack in his turn, and gets as near as possible to thirty-one. If he thinks he cannot safely draw another card (e.g. after twenty-six pips are in his hand) he "passes" (which is called b'lit kechil if he stops at twenty-six, twenty-seven, or twenty-eight, and b'lit besar if he stops at twenty-nine or thirty).

If he obtains exactly thirty-one pips he is said to "enter the points" (masok mata); but no player can draw more than seven cards, and if he has, after drawing to the full limit, still failed to obtain as many pips as he wants, he is said to "enter the pack" (masok daun). I may add that the first two cards are called lunas or "keels," and this may be of various kinds, e.g.:--

1. Lunas nikah, i.e. angkong dengan sat (a court-card and an ace). 2. Kachang di-rendang di-tugalkan, i.e. two aces; a very convenient hand, as the aces may be reckoned as either one or eleven, as occasion may require. 3. Lunas sa-glabat, or sagaji ampat-b'las, i.e. angkong dengan daun ampat (court-card and four). 4. Lunas dua jalor, two threes. 5. Ace and two, which is the best of all.

In playing chabut or "casting out," the tens should be thrown away (di-buang daun puloh). When two players have the same number of pips--e.g. nine and nine or eight and eight--the coincidence is described in the words, Jumpa di jalan, di-adu, kalah, di-chabut, mati. To be "bluffed" is called kena ranjau (wounded by a caltrop).

And again, when a player has obtained, let us say, twenty-six pips with six cards, and so has only one more chance, and is afraid to risk it, his position is ridiculed in the phrase, Sa-nepak Ulu Klang, a jest of obviously local coinage.

The phrase Tengah tiang (half mast), again, is applied to twenty-five pips held irrespective of the number of cards; and if more than thirty-one are obtained, the player is said to be out (mati, or masok piring).

3. Daun tiga 'lei or Pakau is played here as follows:--

Three cards are dealt by the dealer to each player, and the winner is he who holds the greatest number of pips, with certain exceptions.

Daun t'rus The best hand is three aces (tiga sat).
The next is three threes (tiga jalor).
The next is three tens (tiga puloh).
The next is three court-cards (tiga angkong or
tiga kuda).
Of other hands the best is a remainder of nine
pips left after deducting ten from a hand of
nineteen pips.
The next is a remainder of eight pips, and so
on.

A hand of three threes, it will be observed, is the second best hand in Selangor, whereas in Perak, according to Sir W. E. Maxwell, it is thrown away as the worst.

The stakes, which are deposited in two heaps by each player, are here called kapala or "head," and buntut (or ekor), the "tail," respectively; the kapala being generally, though perhaps not always, greater than the ekor in Selangor, instead of the reverse. The latter can only be lost when a player sweeps the board. A single stake, again, is podul (or occasionally tual), but bertuwi is applied to betting between players, and sorong or tokong means to put down a stake before your rival replies with a counter-stake (berteban or topah). A player who holds thirty exactly is not out here--e.g., he may hold a court-card and two tens. To look at the bottom card is menengo' angkatan.

Sir W. E. Maxwell gives a number of names and phrases applied to particular cards and combinations of cards, to which I may add--

Two nines and a two--China Keh mengandar ayer.
An eight and an ace (making nine) with a court-card, or a ten and
two nines--Sembilang bertelor.
Two court-cards and a nine--Parak hari 'nak siang.
The four of any suit--Tiang jamban Lebai `Ali.

The explanation of handak kaki tiga, as applied to an eight, appears to be that the eight has three pips on each side. It is also called berisi sa-b'lah. Minta' penoh (I ask for a full one) means I want a nine (?), and minta' tombak (I ask for a lance), I want two pips (or three, as the case may be).

Besides the above, there are miniature or bijou cards (cheki)--e.g. cheki dua-b'las, cheki lima-b'las and 'tan or beretan daun sambilan, etc., the daun cheki being distinguished by their borders, e.g. iyu kuching, iyu nyonya, iyu panjang, iyu merak besar, iyu kasut; and again gapet, gapet k'rang, gapet rintek, gapet lichin; babi, babi rintek, babi pusat, babi lichin; kau merah, kau bulat, kau lichin; layer, layer rintek, layer pitis, layer lichin. Six to seven people play these games. A sort of whist is also played from time to time under the name of main trup. At this game a trick is called sapudi; to sweep the board is pukol tani; and the players who get no tricks at all are said to be sold up (kena kot). [709]

Children's Games

I will now give some specimens of the games I have seen played by children:--

"Throwing the Flower across" (champak bunga sa-b'lah) is a game which I have seen thus played by boys.

A handkerchief was twisted up (like a rope) from corner to corner, folded in half, and then tied together at the ends.

Two couples stood facing one another at a few yards' distance, and at a given signal one of the boys in each couple took his companion up on to his shoulders. The two who were mounted threw the handkerchief across to each other, and back again by turns. When the one failed to catch it, both riders dismounted and offered backs to their late "mounts," who thus became riders, and threw the handkerchief in their turn. Each time, however, that a catch was made both parties crossed over. When three catches were made in unbroken succession (kelerik) the riders had the privilege of being carried across three times before recommencing play.

I should add that a coin was tossed up at the outset of the game to decide who were to start as the riders, and who were to be the ridden.

Main Sesel (or Kachau kueh) bears a strong family resemblance to our own "Hen and chickens." When I witnessed it, a big boy played the "Paterfamilias" with a string of children at his back, each of whom was holding on to the one in front of him. Presently a "Cakeseller" presented himself, and the following conversation ensued:--

Paterfamilias: Ada kueh? (Have you any cake?)

Cakeseller: Ada. (I have.)

P.F.: Buleh aku b'li? (Can I buy some?)

C.: Buleh. (Yes.)

Here the Cakeseller hands a ball of earth to Paterfamilias, who passes it down the line of children to the youngest child at the end of the row. The conversation then recommenced--

Cakeseller: Aku minta' duit. (I want my money.)

P.F.: Duit t'ada, anak kunchi tinggal di jamban. (I have got no
money, I have mislaid the key.) Kalau mahu ambil budak, ambil
yang di-b'lakang. (If you wish to take one of my children, take
the last.)

Here a desperate effort was made by the poor Cakeseller to dodge past Paterfamilias and get at the boy, whom he eventually succeeded in carrying off.

Main Tul is a game somewhat resembling our own "Puss in the corner," but with only one "home." The "home" consisted of a stake planted upright, and the first "Puss" (orang tul) was selected by a species of divination depending upon repetition of the same formula as is used to select the blind man in Blind Man's Buff (Main China Buta). There was (as I have said) only one home in this game, from which the players sallied forth to taunt the orang tul, and which they were obliged to touch in order to save themselves when closely pursued.

Main Seladang (Wild Bull game) is an excellent game for children with the shoeless feet of the East. A "wild bull" having been selected by repetition of the Ping hilang formula, went upon all fours, and entered into the following conversation between himself and one of the other players specially selected for the purpose. The latter opened negotiations with the clearly non-committal, if not very lucid remark, "Tam tam kul" to which the "Bull" replied, "Buat apa guna bakul" (What are you going to do with your basket?)

Boy: Mengisi arang. (To hold charcoal.)

Bull: Buat apa guna arang? (What will you do with the charcoal?)

Boy: Menempa (or masak) lembing. (I shall forge a spear.)

Bull: Buat apa guna lembing? (What use will you make of the spear?)

Boy: Menikam seladang. (To stab a bull with.)

Bull (who is getting excited): Buat apa guna di-tikam? (What use will it be to stab him?)

Boy: Mengambil hati-nya. (To get his heart.)

Bull (who is now fairly savage): Buat apa guna hati-nya? (What use will you make of his heart?)

Boy: Buat santap Raja Muda. (Get the Crown Prince to partake (of it).)

The Bull at the end of this baiting was ready to "charge" anybody and everything, and did accordingly run at the rest of the players, kicking out with all his might at anybody who came near. As he had to move on all fours he could not go very fast, and the other players took advantage of this to bait him still further by slapping him on the back and jumping over him. Whenever they came near enough he lashed out with his heels, and when he succeeded in kicking another player below the knee, the latter became a Bull in his turn. Much agility is displayed in this game, which is thoroughly enjoyed by the players.

"Blind Man's Buff" (Main China Buta, or "Blind Chinaman") is played in exactly the same manner as our own Blind Man's Buff; one of the party, with bandaged eyes, being required to catch any one who comes near him.

The first blind man--at the commencement of the game--is chosen as follows: the intending players sit down together in a close circle, each of them putting down the tips of their forefingers in the centre of the circle; then somebody who is not playing taps each of them on the head in turn, repeating at each tap a word of the following formula:--

1 2 3 4
ping hilang patah paku
plate (=piring?) disappear break nail

5 6 7 8
dalam biling chhari aku
within chamber (=bilek?) search for me

9 10 11 12
ping 'dah 'ning 'dah
got clear(?) got

13
hilang.
disappear.

The meaning of this formula (as is the case with so many "nursery" rhymes) is very obscure, several words being unintelligible or at least doubtful. It is, however, the regular formula used for such games and is quite common. [710]

Chan chan siku rembat is a game which I saw played in Selangor as follows:--

The intending players stood in a row, looking straight in front of them, but with their hands behind their backs, whilst another boy, who had a piece of wood in his hand, walked down the line touching their hands and counting as he went the words of the following refrain:--

1 2 3 4
chan chan siku rembat

5 6 7 8
buah lalu di- b'lakang
the fruit (or ball) is passing behind (you)

9 10 11 12
mata pejam tangan lihat
your eyes (are) closed (but your) hand sees!

13 14 15 16
siapa chepat dia melompat
whoever (is) nimble (let) him take the leap.

The "fruit" (or piece of wood, as the case may be) was left in the palm of one of the boys, and as soon as the reciter came to the end of the rhyme the boy with the token had to jump out of the ranks before he was stopped by the boys on each side of him, each of whom suddenly stretched out his legs for the purpose of tripping up the runaway. When they touched him he lost his turn, but if he succeeded in getting clear without being touched he obtained the privilege of going to the other end of the ground and calling any boy he chose out of the ranks to carry him back again, at the invitation of the late spokesman. On his return he was stopped in front of the ranks with the challenge:--

Q. Datang de'mana? (Whence do you come?)
A. Datang de' Bali. (I come from Bali.)
Q. Apa di-bawa? (What do you bring?)
A. Bawa kuali. (I bring a cooking-pot.)
Q. Siapa nakhoda? (Who is the master (of the vessel)?)
A. Nakhoda 'Che `Ali. ('Che `Ali is the master.)
Q. Mana sampan tunda? (Where is the boat you were towing?)
A. Putus tali. (Parted from the rope.)
Q. Mana pas? (Where is your pass?)

In reply to this last question the pass (i.e. the fruit or piece of wood) was shown and both boys rejoined the ranks, whereupon the game recommenced da capo.

Hantu Musang or "The Pole-cat Fiend," is a game in which a boy sits down (between two others) with a cloth thrown over his head, the ends of which are twisted up (like rope ends) by the two boys on each side of him; the cloth fits his head like a cap, with a long end at the back and in front. First the boy in front pulls his end of the cloth and then the boy at the back pulls his end, thus causing the boy between them to rock to and fro. This treatment is continued for some time while they repeat the following rhyme:--

Chok gelechok ....
Gali-gali ubi. A-digging tapioca
Mana kayu bongkok Wherever (there is) knotted timber
Disitu musang jadi. There the pole-cat breeds.
Chang gulichang ....
Serak bunga lada Scatter (?) pepper-blossom.
Datang hantu musang The pole-cat fiend has arrived
Ayam sa'ekor t'ada. And not a fowl is left.

As soon as this rhyme is finished the two outside boys make off as fast as they can, pursued by the "pole-cat," who is allowed to give a really good bite (in the arm) to the first person he overtakes.

Main Tunggul.--This game I saw played with four boys a side. A boy was selected to represent the tunggul or stump, and took up his position at a little distance (about half-way between the two parties as they stood facing each other a few yards apart). Up to the stump (tunggul) a boy from each of the sides alternately ran and whispered the name of a boy belonging to the opposite party. This whispering was continued until the names of the two boys selected happened to agree, the tunggul then making a gesture, at which the boys of one of the sides crossed over and carried back on their shoulders the boys belonging to the opposite side.

Kuching (the Cat Game) was a mere guessing game. The "guesser," or witness (saksi), stood at a little distance with his face turned away whilst another boy was selected to play "puss," and yet another boy was permitted to twitch him on the ear or wherever else he might prefer. Then the "witness" was told to turn round, and going up to the "cat" he made his guess.

Sorok-sorok is merely the Malay equivalent of our hide-and-seek, with the exception that whereas hide-and-seek may be played by day as well as by night, the game of sorok-sorok should properly be played at night alone.

Main Galah Panjang.--A square of ground is marked out into four quarters by a cross (as in the accompanying figure), and on it a game not unlike our own "Tom Tiddler's Ground" is played (by three players on each side). The name means the "Long Pole" game.

Another child's game is called Sanebang, and is played as follows:--

Two players sit down on the floor facing each other and chant the following rhyme, one of them lightly touching the other's left arm in time to the music:--

Sanebang sanebu Sanebang! sanebu!
Kuala Sambau At the mouth of the (river) Sambau
Ujan bunut In the drizzling rain
Mandi katong Bathes the Katong, [711]
Sentak pelok Twitch and embrace
Tangan Tuan Putri The Princess's hand.

The well-known game called Sapu-sapu 'Ringin I have seen played as follows:--

Two players sit down on the floor opposite each other, with their legs stretched out straight in front of them and their hands in their laps, and join in singing these lines:--

Sapu-sapu beringin, Brush, brush the banyan-tree,
Katimbun dayong-dayong, A pile of oars lies stacked;
Datang 'Che Aji Lebai Here comes 'Che Aji Lebai
Bawa buaya kudong. Bringing a maimed crocodile:
Kudong kaki, kudong tangan, Maimed in foot and maimed in hand,
Tiada buleh berpulangan. It can't go home again.

Here both players double up one leg under them as they sit; then they repeat the lines just quoted, doubling up the left leg at the end of the recital; then they close the fists and pile them one on each other, the lowest resting on one of the player's knees, and say--

Pong along-along ......
Kerinting riang-riang, Crick-crick (?) (sing) the crickets (?)
Ketapong kebalok ......
Minyak `Arab, minyak sapi, Arabian oil and ghee; [712]
Pechah telor sa-biji. Here's one egg broken.

Here the lowest fist is flattened out. In the same way each of the four eggs (i.e. fists) is broken till the top is reached, when the four hands are moved up and down on the left knee of one of the players as the chant recommences--

P'ram p'ram pisang ... the plantain,
Masak sa-biji di-gonggong bari-bari The fruit-bat seizes a ripe
one,
Bawa lari, And takes it away
Terbang-lah dia! As off he flies!

Here both players raise their hands above their heads; then one player commences to rock to and fro (with arms now folded), the other holding him (or her) by the arms and crying--

Goyang-goyang Pah Ponggor Swing, swing, Father Ponggor;
Pah Ponggor mati akar! Father Ponggor, the climbing rattan is
dead!
Si `Ali ka padang Si `Ali's gone to the plain,
[Di-]tudongkan daun Sheltered by the leaves,
Sa-hari ta' makan, With nothing to eat for a day,
Ta' makan sa-tahun. Nothing to eat for a year.

Here they hook their little fingers together, and rock their bodies to and fro, singing--

Angkei-angkei p'riok ... the cooking-pot,
P'riok deri Jawa The cooking-pot from Java;
Datang 'Wa' Si Bagok Here comes Uncle Bagok
Bawa ketam sa'ekor: Bringing a crab.
Chepong masok ayer, A dish (?) to put water in,
Chepong masok api, A dish (?) to put fire in,
O nenek, O nenek, O granny, O granny,
Rumah kita 'nak runtoh! Our house is tumbling down.
Reh! Reh! Rum! . . . . . .

Finally they sit still with hands clasped on knees, and sing--

Nuria! Nuria! . . . . . .
Tali timba 'ku The rope of my bucket,
'Nak 'nimba lubok dalam, To draw water from a deep hole,
Dalam sama tengah, Right in the middle of it,
Saput awan tolih mega. Veiled by the clouds, looking up at (?)
the welkin. [713]

Of minor children's games the following may be mentioned:--

(1) Tuju (not tujoh, [714]) lobang, which appears to be identifiable with "Koba," and which is played by throwing coins as near as possible to a hole (or holes?) in the ground.

(2) Chimplek, which is a sort of "heads and tails" game; "heads" being called chaping, and "tails" sim.

(3) Porok, which consists in kicking (with the side of the foot) a small cocoa-nut shell, with the object of hitting a similar shell a few yards off.

This game appears to be identical with what is called main gayau in Selangor, in which, however, a fruit or seed called buah gandu is substituted for the cocoa-nut shell and propelled by the big toe of the player's foot.

(4) Main seremban, which is played with cockle-shells by two girls at a time, each player taking twenty cockle-shells (kulit k'rang) into her lap. Each player in turn has to toss up one of the cockle-shells and catch, simultaneously snatching a fresh shell from the heap. If the girl who is playing fails in either task, she loses to her opponent.

10. THEATRICAL EXHIBITIONS

The Malay Drama, taking the word in its widest sense as comprising every kind of theatrical exhibition, includes performances of several different types, which derive their origin from various distinct sources. Most of them bear some traces of their foreign extraction, and though they have been much modified by the Malays, and are now quite "naturalised" in the Peninsula, it is pretty clear that the greater part have been borrowed from India, Siam, China, and possibly other countries. It is noteworthy that many, perhaps most, of the plots represented in these performances owe their origin to the old classical Indian Epics, and especially to the story of the Ramayana, which has been handed down traditionally, much modified by local colouring, in Java and Siam as well as in the Malay Peninsula.

It is not within the scope of this work to give anything like a full description of these different kinds of dramatic representations, but it is desirable to give some account of the ritual which accompanies them, and the ideas and superstitions which they seem to involve.

The most important of the ceremonies which relate to the Malay theatre is that of inaugurating or "opening" (as it is called) a site for the performance. The following is an account (by Mr. Hugh Clifford) of the performance of this ceremony:--

"When one of these companies arrives at a place where it intends to 'open,' it erects a small, square shed, open at all four sides, but carefully roofed in, and with a hand-rail running round it about two feet from the ground. This shed is called a Bangsal, and the space which its sides enclose is termed Panggong. Before the play begins, the ceremony called Bûka Panggong, which has for its object the invocation and propitiation of certain spirits, is gone through....

"The ceremony, which is a curious one, is performed in the following manner: The company having entered the shed and taken their seats, a brazier is placed in front of the Pâwang, or Medicine-Man, who is also the head of the theatrical troop. In this brazier precious woods and spices are burned, and while the incense ascends, the Pâwang intones the following incantation, the other members of the troop repeating each sentence in chorus as he concludes it.

"'Peace be unto Thee, whose mother is from the earth, and whose father has ascended to the Heavens! Smite not the male and female actors, and the old and young buffoons with Thy cruelty, nor yet with the curse of poverty! Oh, do not threaten with punishment the members of this company, for I come not hither to vie with Thee in wisdom or skill or talent: not such is my desire in coming hither. If I come unto this place, I do so placing my faith in all the people, [715] my masters who own this village. Therefore suffer not any one to oppress, or envy, or do a mischief unto all the body of male and female actors, together with the young and old buffoons, and the minstrels and bridegroom, [716] together with Sri Gemûroh, Sri Berdengong. [717] Oh, suffer them not to be hurt or destroyed, injured, or maimed; let not the male or female actors be contused or battered, and let them not be injured or maimed; let them not be afflicted with headache, nor with undue physical heat, nor yet with throbbing pains or with shooting aches. Oh, let them not be injured by collisions like unto ships, the bows of which are telescoped, [718] nor afflicted with excessive voiding. Suffer them not to vomit freely, nor to be overcome by heavy weariness or fatigue or weakness. I ask that Thou wilt suffer them to be as they have been accustomed to be in former times, and to feel cool and fresh like unto the snake, the chinta-mâni. [719]

"'Peace be unto Thee, O Black Awang, [720] who art King of the Earth! Be not startled nor deranged, and be not offended, for Thou art wont to wander in the veins of the ground, and to take Thy rest in the portals of the Earth. [721] I come not hither to vie with Thee in wisdom, for I only place my trust in Thee, and would surrender myself wholly into thy hands; and I beg Thee to retire but three paces from the four corners of our shed, and that Thou shalt refrain from wandering hither and thither, for under Thy care I place the male and female actors, and all the buffoons, both young and old, together with all the musicians and the bridegrooms. I place them under Thy care, and do not oppress or envy them, neither suffer evil to befall them, do not strike against them as Thou passest by. I place them under Thy charge, together with the actors and actresses, the musicians and bridegrooms, the buffoons, both young and old, also the spectators and the owners of this house and compound; suffer them not to be afflicted with headaches, throbbing pains, nor yet with shooting pains, nor yet with toothache, nor with itchings and skin irritations, nor with burning sensations; for I pray that they may be suffered to get cool and refreshed like unto the snake, the chinta-mâni.'

"The Pâwang here scatters parched rice stained with saffron in every direction, and chants the following incantation the while: `Peace be unto thee! I am about to move from within this enclosure four paces in each direction of the four corners of the universe. O ye Holy Ones who are present in this place, within the space of these four paces towards the four extremities of the universe, be not startled nor deranged, do not remove to a distance, and be not angry or wrathful, for thy servant cometh not hither to vie with ye in wisdom within this thy territory and village. Your servant cometh to satisfy the desires of all the people who own this place, and your servant desires to abandon himself unto ye, his guardians, the Holy Ones of this place, and thus presuming he asks pardon of ye, and would commend to your care himself, and the actors and actresses, O Grandsires, ye Holy Ones of this place; and in like manner would he commend unto ye the musicians and the bridegrooms, the buffoons, both old and young; and he prays ye not to show envy towards them, nor yet to oppress them, nor do them any injury; suffer them not to be destroyed or injured; and he entreats thee, his Grandsires, and all your many imps, to refrain from striking against them as ye pass by them, neither to address them, nor to pinch or nip them, and let not your youths, O Grandsires, remove our means of livelihood; and your servant prays ye to refrain from destroying or damaging, injuring or hurting the whole company of the ma'iong, and suffer them to be cool and refreshed like unto the snake, the chinta-mâni.

"'Peace be unto Thee! I am about to remove from thee my Grandsire who art styled Petera Gûru, the original teacher, who art from the beginning, and who art incarnate from thy birth. Teacher who dwellest as a hermit in the recesses of the Moon, and who practisest thy magic arts in the womb of the Sun; teacher of mine whose coat is wrought of green beads, whose blood is white, who hast stumps for bones, the hairs of whose body are turned the wrong way, and the veins of whose body are adamant, whose neck is black, whose tongue is fluent, whose spittle is brine! [722] Oh, because thou, my Grandsire, art a man of magic, whose prayers are answered, whose desires come to pass, do not, O Grandsire, show cruelty, or afflict with poverty or with punishment any of the actors or actresses, the musicians and bridegrooms, and the buffoons both young and old! And I pray thee, O Grandsire, to stretch forth thy feet--the feet at which I prostrate myself; and thy hands--the hands which I take in salutation. And I beg from thee, O Grandsire, the white charm (antidote), the medong ber-sîla; cause to descend upon me three drops thereof together with thy magic, O Grandsire; I wish to sprinkle therewith all the actors and actresses, the buffoons both young and old, together with all the musicians and bridegrooms, and suffer them not to be destroyed or injured, and let them not be laid open or exposed to any evil influence; I pray thee not to suffer them to be injured, maimed, or battered. And now I will arouse all the actors and actresses from within the seven Chambers of the seven Palaces, the seven Pavilions--the Palaces which are on high, the Palaces which were from the beginning, which in the beginning came into being in their entirety. [723] I am about to open the portals of the seven Chambers of the seven Palaces; I am about to open the closed doors from the exterior even unto the inner portals of the seven chambers of the seven Palaces. Let them be opened together with the Gates of Lusts and Passion, together with the Gate of Desire and Faith, together with the Gates of Longing and Supreme Desire. The Longing which lasts from Dawn unto Dawn, which causes food to cease to satisfy, and renders sleep uneasy, which remembering causes to remember unceasingly, hearing to hear, seeing to see! I will awake all from the exterior even unto the inner Chambers of the seven Apartments of the seven Palaces! remain not plunged in slumber, but awake! One and all awake and hear my tidings and my words! Awake and hearken unto my words, for they vanish not, neither are my senses slumbering, nor is my memory a blank! Awake, O actors and actresses, and await one upon another! Awake, O buffoons, together awake! Awake, ye drummers, together awake! Awake, ye gong-smiters, together awake! Awake, ye bridegrooms, together awake! Be not removed far from your means of livelihood, nor destroyed or injured! Oh, suffer them not to be hurt or damaged--all this company of actors and actresses, all this company of players who sit within this shed!'

"When this incantation is finished the player, whose turn it is to begin the performance, prostrates himself before the Herbab, or large Malay fiddle, washes his face in some imaginary essence which the gong is supposed to contain, and then arises and begins to act his part." [724]

A similar ceremony was witnessed in 1897 by Mr. Everard Fielding and the present writer at the back of the Bungalow at Jugra (in Selangor). The object of the ceremony was to drive away evil spirits from the spot where the performance was to take place, and the performers were a little band of players from Penang who had settled in the neighbourhood and had planted their holdings with Liberian coffee.

The Pawang or magician in this instance was a Malay named 'Che Hussein, who acted as clown, and subsequently wrote out at my request rough transcripts of more than a dozen of the plays acted by his company.

A big mat or mats having been laid upon the ground in a spot carefully selected for the purpose, four corner posts were planted and a big awning or ceiling-cloth (langit-langit) stretched between them. The square space between the posts was then fenced off by carrying a couple of cords round it horizontally from post to post, one at the height of two, and the other about five feet above the ground. From these cords were suspended various ornamental objects made of plaited strips of cocoa-nut leaf, fashioned into rough resemblances of animals, birds, fruit and flowers, a few bananas being added at intervals, these latter serving as light refreshments for the players whenever they felt so minded. Stems of banana trees with their leaves fastened at each post made the structure complete, and the general effect, enhanced by the bright costumes of the performers, was extremely picturesque, and, as it was intended to be, extremely rural. [725]

A tray with the usual brazier of incense and small bowls of rice variously prepared was then brought in, and all the instruments, though not necessarily the players, being in their places, the ceremony commenced as follows:--

First came the Lagu Pemanggil, or Invocation, a peculiar air performed on the instruments and accompanied by the Pawang. The latter heaped incense on a brazier in front of him, and "waved" in the incense first the fiddle (rebab) and then the masks, wooden daggers, and other "properties" of the company, until they were well fumigated. He next lighted three tapers, which he charmed and took between the closed palms of his hands (held in front of him), with the fingers straight and the thumbs crossed. He then proceeded to "wave" these tapers, pointing them first to the right, then in front of him, and finally to the left, and then distributed the tapers, putting the first on the rebab, and the second on the big gong, and the third on the edge of a brazen ring in front of the place where he is sitting. He now reached for the betel-leaf box (which should be close by), and dipping the tip of his finger into the moist lime which it contained, smeared the metal all round with it, and made the sign of the cross inside the ring. Next he shrouded his head with a black cloth, and taking a handful of rice in his closed fist held it in the incense, sprinkled some of it over the brazier and "charmed" it, holding it close to his mouth. Then he suddenly scattered it first to the right, then in front, and lastly to the left, the scattering being in each case accompanied by a single boom of the big gong.

The distribution of the rice being completed, he took four "chews" of betel and handed one to each of the two drummers (juru-gendang); the third he threw on to the top of the ceiling-cloth (or roof in the case of a shed, bumbong bangsal), and the fourth he buried underneath the bottom mat. [726] With his head still shrouded he now placed the tip of his right thumb within the metal ring, in the very centre of the cross, called the Heart of the Earth (pusat bumi or hati tanah), and pressing downwards with it, worked it round to the left and back again repeatedly whilst he recited the necessary charm. After this he leaned in turn on the upper end of each of the drums, which he inclined over the brazier and "charmed," concluding in each case with three loud taps on the drum which he was "charming," each tap being accompanied by similar taps on the other two drums. Finally, the Pawang put the flageolet (serunei) to his lips, and the other instruments accompanied him in the performance of the tune called taboh. [727]

As has already been observed, the performances at these theatrical exhibitions are of several distinct kinds, and vary considerably in different places. The Joget, a kind of dramatic and symbolical dance, has been described under the head of Dances. The Ma'yong is a theatrical performance which includes both dancing (or posturing as Europeans would be tempted to call it) and singing. It is generally performed by travelling companies of professional actors and actresses, who go on tour and perform either at the houses of Rajas or other persons of some social standing, or before the general public in some public place. [728] Just as the dances of the Joget are supposed to be symbolical of different actions and ideas, and are accompanied by appropriate music, so in the Ma'yong there is quite a long list of tunes, each of which is considered to be appropriate to a particular action, or to some one or more of the dramatis personæ. In fact, one may almost say that we have here, in principle, the rude germ of the Wagnerian Leitmotif. Thus when one of the performers is supposed to be sent to sleep, the Lagu Legor Radin is the one used; in the representation of a death, the Lagu Merayu; when a character is supposed to be entering the jungle, the Lagu Samsam; when any one sits down, the Lagu Patani Tuah. Similarly the Lagu Puyuh, the Lagu Dang Dondang Lanjut Kedah, and the Lagu Sendayong Dualapis Putri are appropriated to the Princess (Putri), one of the stock characters of this species of play, while other tunes can be used only by the Princess and the Raja or principal male character (Pa'yong); and others, again, are employed indifferently to accompany any of the parts, whether prince, princess, clown (P'ran), or maid (Inang).

The costumes of the performers in the various kinds of dramatic exhibitions vary, of course, with the subject-matter of the representation. The clown's masks and the forest demon (hantu hutan), of which illustrations are given, will serve as specimens to indicate the nature of some of the accessories in use. A fairly full list of their Malay names will be found in the classification given below.

The Ma'yong is perhaps the most typical form of Malay theatrical representations, but another very characteristic performance is the Shadow-Play, properly termed Wayang, a name that has been loosely extended to cover theatrical exhibitions in general.

"The show is called Wayang Kulit, or leather puppets. It is exhibited in a rough shed, which has a flooring raised about three feet from the ground; the building is usually twenty feet square and enclosed on three sides, the front alone being open; across this opening a white sheet is stretched on which the shadows of the puppets are thrown and seen through by the audience; the latter sit or stand in the open air.

"The show seems to be of Hindu origin, if we may judge from the strong resemblance the figures bear to the representations of gods and goddesses worshipped by the Hindus of India; it is probably obtained from Java.

"The figures are made of buffalo hide, and the arms alone are movable; they are moved by slips of wood attached to them, which are very clumsily contrived, and as their shadows are seen with the puppets the effect is very much destroyed. Various scenes of a domestic nature are exhibited, and they take the shape of a play, but with no definite plot running through or connecting the different scenes.

"The following is a specimen:--

"An old man appears weeping for a long-lost son, and moves to and fro for some time bewailing his loss; the showman speaks each figure's part, and alters the tone of his voice to suit the age of the speaker; a second figure comes on, representing a young man armed with a kris, who endeavours to pick a quarrel with the first comer, and the conversation is witty and characteristic, eliciting roars of laughter from the lookers-on; a fight ensues, and the old man is wounded; he falls and cries out that were he a young man, or if his lost son were present, his adversary should not thus triumph over him. In his conversation he happens to mention his son's name; the young man intimates that his name is the same, an explanation ensues, and it ends by the old man discovering in his late adversary his long-lost son. The old fellow weeps and laughs alternately, caresses his son frequently, and declares they shall never part again; the scene ends by the youth shedding tears over his late inhuman conduct, and he finally walks off with the old gentleman on his back.

"The conversation is carried on solely in the Malayan dialect. Warlike scenes please most: a warrior comes on the stage and challenges his invisible enemy to mortal combat; suddenly another figure comes on at the opposite side and a desperate fight ensues, which lasts for a very long time, and ends in one of the combatants being killed. Occasionally a battle in which ten or twelve figures join takes place, and for hours will the Malays look on at such scenes.

"The show concludes with an exhibition of various animals--deer, horses, tigers, crocodiles, etc., also birds and fishes. The figures are perforated to represent the eyes, shape of the dress, etc.

"At the back of the shed, concealed by the sheet, sit the musicians, who keep up an incessant din on drums and cymbals." [729]

The puppets for these shadow-plays are usually cut out of deer-skin (not buffalo hide) and it is worth remarking that they are all considered to be more or less animated; a stringent propitiatory ceremony has to be performed in their honour, incense being burnt and rice scattered about, just as in the Ma'yong ceremony already described.

The present writer, while in Selangor, bought from a Kelantan Malay named 'Che `Abas, a performer of shadow-plays, his entire stock-in-trade, including not only his musical instruments (amongst which were some curious drums called gedu and gedombak), but also his candle (with its shade), the rice used for the ceremony, and his entire stock of shadow-pictures, all of which are now in the Cambridge Museum.

The following classification of the more important kinds of theatrical performances, which was drawn up for the present writer by 'Che Hussein of Penang, the actor of whom mention has already been made, may be of interest, and will serve to indicate briefly their several characteristic features, though it does not profess to be absolutely exhaustive:--

Classification of Theatrical Performances known to Malays of the Peninsula

Name of Instruments. Dress. No. of Place of Names of Stories
Performance Performers. Performance, Represented.
and Reputed etc.
Place of
Origin

1 Lekun or Gendang besar, Head-dress: 100 to 200 Indoors, with S'ri Rama, Dewa
Lakun (Kedah gong, gambang kechobong, chawat (in choruses) proper scenery Matahari, Sendrong,
and Siam). dua-b'las, kromong (sayap all females, and dresses Prak Jusin.
(or mong-mong), layang-lay-ang), except the (masks).
anak ayam, sabok, bimpau, sap musicians.
breng-breng, suang, g'lang,
serunei, cherek. g'lang kana (=
kena), changgei,
saluar.
2 Mendura Gedombak, gedu, Same as in the About 10 to Out doors; no S'ri Rama, Lak
(Siam). serunei, cherek, Lekun. 15 good scenery. Kenawan, Timun Muda,
mong, breng-breng performers; Iprat, Prak Jusin,
anak ayam; but not all male, Pran Bun, Sendrong,
gendang, rebab, or including the Dewa Matahari.
gong. Princess.
3 Ma'yong Rebab (yang Head-dress: tanjak 10 to 20 (15 Out doors; no Dewa Sri Rama, Dewa
(Siam). betuah), gendang (sapu tangan), g'rak is the scenery, which Muda, Dewa Pechi,
(2), gong (2), gempa, sabok, bimpau average), is, however, Gambar Lilin, Batak
gedombak (2), g'lang, changgei, both male and described by the Puteh, Siamang Gila,
gedu-gedu (1), saluar, sarong, female. performers. Raja Gondang, Gajah
b'reng-b'reng (1); baju, topeng (pran). Panggong and Dang Daru, Bijak
mong-mong (2), langit-langit Laksana, Raja Muda
serunei (1), anak are all that is sama Puyuh, Pran
ayam (2), cherek required. Bun, Timun Muda, Lak
(10-20). Kenawan, Iprat,
Putri Duab'las, Dewa
Bisnu, Solong Sakti,
Putri Bongsu, Megat
Gembang Sultan
Kechil Bongsu
di`Alam, Bongsu
Kechil S'ri`Alam,
Bujang Lempawi.
4 Wayang Kun Gong, gendang, Same as in the 30 to 40, Indoors; no Same as in the
(Siam). kromong, anak ayam, Lekun, except that both male and scenery. Lekun.
b'reng-b'reng, the kechobong is not female.
gambang dua-b'las, used, but a sort of
serunei; but not ornamental sampul or
cherek or rebab. songko' with
artificial flowers,
Different airs g'rak gempa. Females
(lagu) from those wear jambangan, a
used in the Lekun. made-up head-dress,
also sambok, sap
suang, chawat,
saluar; but not
g'lang or changgei.
5 Mek Mulong Same as in the Same as in the 8 to 15, Out doors; a Malim Bongsu, Awang
(Siam?) Ma'yong, but the Ma'yong. males and panggong, as in Salamat.
rebana is used females. the Ma'yong.
instead of the
rebab, gendang, and
b'reng-b'reng.
6 Bangsawan Biola, kechapi, Persian in 30 to 50, all Indoors; Lela Majnun, Sap
Parsi Indra gendang (dul), character. males except sevenfold langit Jafri, Raja Gelepam,
Sabor gong, etc., as in 2 or 3 langit, and etc.
(Persia?) the Mendu. females. tabir; wires are
used in some
performances to
enable
performers
impersonating
Dewas, etc. to
fly.
7 Mendu Gendang (dul), Same as in the 20 to 50 Indoors; the Saifu-'l-Yazan, Siti
(Pontianak). gong, Wayang China, i.e. Malays acting same rough Zubeidah, Ken
b'reng-b'reng, Chinese in Malay scenery as in Tabohan, `Abdul
biola, kechapi, character: a baju stories, but Chinese Muluk, Bestamam,
piano (or argin, teratei, a small in Chinese theatres; there Mara Karma,
i.e. concertina), jacket without dress; both are small Bidasari, Dewa Mendu
sam dyen (Chinese), sleeves; head-dress: male and theatres for the di Negri Langkadura,
resembling the mahkota (bulu female. Mendu at etc., most, if not
rebab; chên-chên kuang), beard and Singapore, all, being war-like
(cymbals), and whiskers. Pahla-wans Penang, and themes.
gendang singa. are distinguished by Malacca.
a koh sah
(decoration on the
fore-head); socks
are worn.
8 Wayang Makau The same as in the Chinese in 20 to 50, Indoors. Siti Zubeidah, and
(China). Mendu. character. male and also Chinese
female. subjects.
9 Wayang Kulit Various. According to the -- Indoors. Chekil Wanam Pati,
(Java) [but nationality Jarang K'lena, Misa
the stories represented. Perbu Jaya, Misa
are Kiamang, Lalat
Javanese, Hijau, Kalang
Malay, Bongkang, Panji
Siamese and Samerang, K'ra Amas,
Chinese]. Iran Kasuma, etc.

11. WAR AND WEAPONS

Such charms as might be used in time of war, or in case of danger from wild beasts or other enemies, are partly what may be called "defensive" and partly "offensive" in character.

The Malays who use them pray, on the one hand, for a supernatural appearance wherewith to scare their enemies and protect themselves, and on the other for supernatural powers to assist in the destruction of their foes.

Thus, one of their charms runs:--