DAYAK CURE OF DISEASE 123 



Among most if not all native races certain persons oc- 

 cupy themselves with religious services and at the same 

 time cure disease. In Borneo, as far as my experience 

 goes, these priest-doctors, whether male or female, are 

 generally recognised by the name blian, or balian. Al- 

 though some tribes have their own and different designa- 

 tions, for the sake of convenience I shall call them all 

 blians. 



While there are both male and female blians, the 

 service of women is regarded as more valuable, therefore 

 commands higher remuneration than that received by 

 men. A Dayak explained to me: As there are two sexes 

 among the antohs, so there are also male and female 

 blians. He or she on occasion pretends to be possessed of 

 helpful antohs, in some parts of Borneo called sangiangs. 

 Besides assisting the blians in their work they enable 

 them to give advice in regard to the future, illness, or the 

 affairs of daily life. A blian may be possessed by as many 

 as fifty good antohs, which do not remain long at a time. 

 Although in the remote past men sometimes saw good or 

 evil spirits, at present nobody is able to do so except 

 blians, who also sing in a language that only they and the 

 antohs understand. 



The blian does not know how to take omens from 

 birds and read the liver of the pig. There may be one 

 expert along this line in the kampong and there may be 

 none. The blians of the tribes visited by me can neither 

 make rain nor aftiict people with illness. Among the 

 Long-Glats I saw them directing the great triennial feast 

 tasa, at which they were the chief performers. The con- 



