442 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



early existence of a Polynesian language stock and for a 

 common origin of the oldest inhabitants of the archi- 

 pelago/' 



There appears to be much similarity in regulations 

 regarding marriage, birth, death, and other adats as ob- 

 served by the Katingans, Duhoi, and Mehalats. The 

 latter, who live on the Senamang, a tributary to the 

 Katingan River near its headwater, may be a Duhoi 

 subtribe, but very little is known about them; the cus- 

 tom of drinking tuak from human skulls is credited to 

 them, and they are looked upon with contempt by the 

 Katingans for eating dogs. 



With the Katingans it is the custom for the blian to 

 deposit in a cup containing uncooked rice the objects 

 withdrawn from a patient. Having danced and spoken 

 to the cereal he throws it away and with it the articles, 

 the rice advising the antoh that the small stones, or what- 

 ever was eliminated, which he placed in the patient, are 

 now returned to him. 



These Katingans begin their year in June and July, 

 when they cut the jungle in order to make ladangs, 

 months being designated by numbers. At the beginning 

 of the year all the families sacrifice fowls, eat the meat, 

 and give the blood to antoh in accordance with their 

 custom. After the harvest there is a similar function at 

 which the same kind of dancing is performed as at the 

 tiwah feast. On both occasions a game is engaged in 

 which also is found among the Bahau and other tribes, 

 wherein a woman jumps dexterously between heavy 

 pestles that, held horizontally, are lifted up and brought 



