SPIRITUAL EXISTENCES 



The Gods 



The Kayans recognise a number of gods that 

 preside over great departments of their lives and 

 interests. The more important of these are the 

 god of war, Toh Bulu ; three gods of life, Laki Ju 

 Urip, Laki Makatan Urip, and Laki Kalisai Urip, 

 of whom the first is the most important ; the god of 

 thunder and storms, Laki Balari and his wife Obeng 

 Doh ; the god of fire, Laki Pesong ; gods of the 

 harvest, Anyi Lawang and Laki Ivong ; a god of the 

 lakes and rivers, Urai Uka ; Balanan, the god of 

 madness ; Toh Kiho, the god of fear ; Laki Katira 

 Murei and Lakijup Urip, who conduct the souls of 

 the dead to Hades. 



Beside or above all these is Laki Tenangan, 

 a god more powerful than all the rest, to whom 

 are assigned no special or departmental functions. 

 He seems to preside or rule over the company 

 of lesser gods, much as Zeus and Jupiter ruled 

 over the lesser gods of the ancient Greeks and 

 Romans. 



The Kayans seem to have no very clear and 

 generally accepted dogmas about these gods. Some 

 assert that they dwell in the skies, but others regard 

 them as dwelling below the surface of the earth. 

 The former opinion is in harmony with the practice 

 of erecting a tree before the house with its branches 

 buried in the ground and the root upturned when 

 prayers are made on behalf of the whole house ; for 

 the tree seems to be regarded as in some sense 

 forming a ladder or path of communication with the 

 superior powers. The same opinion seems to be 

 expressed in the importance attached to fire and 

 smoke in prayer and ritual. Fire, if only in the 

 form of a lighted cigarette, is always made when 

 prayers are offered ; it seems to be felt that the 



