No. 26. — 1883.] PADDY CULTIVATION CUSTOMS. 



4 O 



(3.) 

 Tabu. 



This tabu resembles the custom of "Pomali" practised by the 

 Dyaks of Borneo, the Alfuros of Celebes and Timor, and the 

 Mentamei Islanders. 



" The only outward indication that Pomali is being resorted 

 to is a bundle of maize leaves stuck into the ground, or bushels 

 of rice suspended from a bamboo post, either in a rice field or 

 under the house of a person who is ill. AH strangers are for- 

 bidden to cross the threshold of a house where the signal is 

 placed. 



"Mr. Hugh Low, in his 4 Sarawak,' also mentions three kinds 

 of Pomali, or, as he calls it, Pamali. 



"The Pamali omar, or tabu on the farms, occurs immediately 

 after the whole of the seed is sown. It lasts four days, and during 

 that period no person of the tribe enters any of the plantations on 

 any account ; a pig and feast are according to their practice also 

 necessary." — Carl Bock, " Head Hunters of Borneo," p. 230. 



The Oraons and Mundaris (hill tribes of India) observe similar 

 precautions to propitiate Desauli and Jahir Barhi for a blessing on 

 the crops in their " Hero-Bouga" and " Bah-Towli-Bouga" sacri- 

 fices, to which the " Karam" of the Kol villagers is nearly allied. 

 "Each cultivator sacrifices a fowl, and after some mysterious 

 rites a wing is stripped off and inserted in a cleft of bamboo and 

 stuck up in the rice field. If this is omitted, it is supposed that 

 the rice will not come to maturity." 



(*■) 



Kem, or Charms. 

 (I.) Against Getapanuvd (Grubs). 



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