§2 Journal of the F.M.S. Museums. [VoL. IX, 
fourth rice-paste (t#pong tawar), the fifth yellow turmeric rice 
(nast kunyit), the sixth earth from a grave and the seventh 
sand from the sea. Into each of these plates the child’s 
feet are pressed, before he is allowed to tread the earth 
(pijak tanah), Then he is carried up a seven-tiered stand and 
bathed. After the lustration, the stand is thrown, with the 
spirits attaching to it, into the sea. Wilkinson has described 
a Perak custom on introducing an infant to the water for the 
first time (‘‘ Incidents of Malay Life,” pp. 4, 5). On return 
from that ceremony the midwife puts the infant’s feet into 
trays containing cakes and 50 cents in each tray: that 
constitutes the Perak ceremony of pijak tanah, after which 
the child is put into a swinging cot for the first time. 
(7) Feeding the child with rice about the sixth 
month. I know of no corresponding Malay ceremony. 
(8) Tonsure of the hair except one lock in the third 
‘year :—a practice observed by Malays. On this occasion the 
Brahman clips the hair with seven strokes of the scissors: 
the Malay cuts seven locks (Skeat, ‘‘Malay Magic,’ 
PP- 353-4)- 
.  (g) Investiture with the sacred cord, when the boy is 
delivered to his guru or religious instructor with elaborate 
ritual. The Malay also hands his son over to the Koran 
teacher with considerable ceremony (Wilkinson, pp. 12-13). 
(10) Cutting off the hair at puberty. This is done by 
Malays with great ceremony before circumcision (#). pp. 17-18). 
In Perak during the hair-cutting, a mimic battle with bundles 
of rice is waged. Sometimes before circumcision the boys 
light procession goes seven times round the house of the 
chief where the LURES Io is to be performed; walls are 
removed and the procession perambulates the house without 
descending to the ground. Circumambulation is practised in 
all Brahmanical ritual. 
(11) Solemn return home on completion of religious 
studies. This also is always observed by Malays (ib., p. 17), 
often with details that are not Moslem. Indian Moslems also 
hold a festival on these occasions. 
(12) Marriage which is full of Brahmanical ritual. 
In some parts of India, the boring of the ears alsois part 
of the Brahmanical ritual. When a Malay girl has her ears 
bored, the thread used is of divers colours (pancha warna), 
having at the ends turmeric cut in the shape of a flower of 
mace: two of these flowerets adorn the thread left in each ear. 
It is true that Islam came to Malaya from India, but 
long before the coming of Islam India had left an ineffaceable 
influence on Malay life and thought. 
I am indebted to Mr. T.S. Adams for accounts of the 
Kelantan customs here described. 
