X. PROPITIATING THE SPIRITS OF A 
DISTRICT (mé&njamu négéeri). 
By R. O. WINSTEDT. 
The account of this ceremony was taken down at 
Temengor in Upper Perak. 
When the rice in the fields is beginning to swell to grain, 
the medicine-man (pawang) or village headman consults his 
dependants as to the desirability of propitiating the spirits of 
the district. If they agree, he collects subscriptions (méripat) 
and orders everyone to bring a bushel of rice (bévas sa-chupak) 
and two cocoanuts (ktlapa sa-talt) on the appointed day and 
at the place chosen. The choice of day and place rests with 
the medicine-man : generally he selects a Friday. 
A pink buffalo is bought. It must not have a maimed 
tail or torn ear or any blemish whatsoever. Its horns must 
be in length the span of a man’s closed fist (sa-génggam 
panjang). 
On the Friday morning the whole country-side assembles, 
Candles are lit. Incense is burnt, the medicine-man ae 
an invocation, ‘‘Ho incense! I know your origin. 
the brain of our Prophet came your smoke, the breath of his 
spiritual life. Go tell the medicine-men of creeks and pools, 
Pawang Muhammad, Pawang Zainal and our ancestor whose 
tomb we revere, that Iam giving a feast of the meat of a pink 
buffalo with horns the span of a man’s closed fist in length.’’ 
(“Hat kéményan! Aku tahu asal-mu jadi; pada ctak Muhammad 
asap-mu jadi, nyawa ruhani-nya! Tolong mtnyampaikan ka- 
pada To’Pawang Kuala, Pawang Kolam, Paw ang Muhammad, 
Pawang Zainal dan To’ Nek yang kéramat aku héndak ménjamu 
kérbau puteh sa génggam tandok.’’) 
Next he invokes the spirits of earth and water to preserve 
all from harm :— “ Allah’s peace be on ye, spirits and gnomes 
of earth and water! Here I slaughter a pink buffalo, with 
horns in length the span of a closed fist to invite the country- 
side to festival. I trust in your aid to prevent all danger 
and go » «© 4’s-salam alatkum, hai stgala datok, jin dan 
jémbalang yang mémégang tanah ayer dt-sini! Ada-lah aku 
ményémbéleh kérbau puteh, sa-génggam tandok int, héndak 
ménjamu négéri. Harap-lah aku, supaya éngkau peliharakan 
Biss sakalian mara dan bahaya stita chachat chéa-n 
n the buffalo is slaughtered and its blood SSHEDE | ina 
bamboo. The medicine-man removes and sets aside nose, 
eyes, ears, mouth, hooves, legs and shoulders, tongue, tail, 
heart ana pane of ‘the beast, after which the carcase is 
Seven kinds of food are prepared :— gulai, réndang, baba. 
