1916.] I. H. N. Evans: Sakai of the Korbu River. 81 



that they had pity on animals which they had brought up 

 themselves. Double bananas are no1 eaten by the women, 

 since they think that to do so would cause them to have twins. 

 Twins do not seem to be welcomed, the reason being, the 

 Sakai said, that one of them always died. 



Peppers may not be eaten with the flesh of birds or 

 animals, as, if this is done, traps set in the jungle will catch no 

 game. This prohibition does not, however, apply to fish. 



Among the Kinta Sakai it is tabu for the usual names of 

 certain animals to be mentioned while their flesh is being 

 eaten. Curiously enough, it is not forbidden to mention their 

 names while out hunting them. Below I give the English, 

 ordinary Sakai. and Sakai tabu names of some of these :— 



Ordinary 

 Sakai Name. 



English Name. 



Tabu Name. 



If a man, in cutting up the flesh of an animal, which has 

 a tabu name, wounds his hand, he must not leave the house 

 for four days, or he will be eaten by a tiger. 



The Ulu Kinta Sakai, as do the Temengoh people, believe 

 in the bad luck which will pursue anyone who goes out with 

 an unsatisfied craving of any kind, and they also apply to this 

 belief tlie wind shelentap 01 shalantap, which is difficult to trans- 

 late, but is seemingly equivalent to the Malay kempuiian. One 

 Sakai with whom I had been talking about this mailer, having 

 been given a couple of biscuits shortly afterwards, went round 

 among his companions, who were squatting near my tent, and, 

 chiefly, I think, with the idea of giving me a practical 



