336 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



about half a metre long, and this and similar models 

 seem to be quite an institution in the southern parts of 

 Borneo. The Duhoi and the Katingans use the con- 

 trivance for curing disease, though not in the way we 

 should expect, by carrying away the disorder, but by 

 making a present of the prahu to a good antoh to facili- 

 tate his journey. 



The name of the flying prahu is menama, in Katingan, 

 melambong. The more or less wavy carvings of the 

 edge represent the beach. On board are several wooden 

 images : The great hornbill which carries the prahu along 

 and steers it; the tiger-cat, which guards it; the gong and 

 two blanga (valuable urns), to which are added a mod- 

 ernism in the shape of a rifle — all are there ready to 

 drive away the bad antoh which caused the illness. To 

 a pole — or rather a combination of two poles — are tied 

 two rudely made wooden figures, one above the other, 

 representing, the one below, the djuragan or skipper 

 (tihang); the one above, the master of the "sails" (unda). 



When a Duhoi is very ill and able to pay the blian five 

 florins, he promises a good antoh to give him a menama 

 if he will make him well. The contrivance is then made 

 and the necessary ceremonies performed to the end that 

 its purpose shall be fulfilled. In the presence of many 

 persons, the afflicted man lying on his mat, the blian 

 dances in the room holding the prahu on his hands, the 

 left at the bow, and swerving it to left and to right; he 

 sings at the same time but there is no other music. On 

 three consecutive nights this performance is continued 

 for about an hour, near the door, with an eye to the ship's 



