Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society/Volume 2/The Song of the Dyak Head-feast

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Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 2,
The Song of the Dyak Head-feast (1878)
by J. Perham

Malay Proverbs, Part II

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4306870Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 2,
The Song of the Dyak Head-feast1878J. Perham

MENGAP, THE SONG OF THE DYAK HEAD FEAST,

BY THE REV. J. PERHAM.

Read of a Meeting of the Society held on the 8th of July 1878.

The principal ceremonial feasts of Sea Dyaks are connected with three subjects; farming, head-taking, and the dead; and are called by them respectively, Gawè Batu or Gawè Benih, Gawè Pala or Burong, and Gawè Antu; the Stone or Seed feast, the Head or Bird feast, and the Spirit feast. The first inentioned are two distinct feasts and not two names of one; but both refer to the farm. It is with the Gawè Pala or Burong that this paper is concerned.

When a house has obtained a human head a grand feast must be made sooner or later to celebrate the acquisition; and this is by no means a mere matter of eating and drinking, although there is an excess of the latter, but is a matter of much ceremony, of offerings and of song. The song which is then recited is well-known to differ considerably in form from the ordinary language, and the European who may be able to understand and to speak colloquial Dyak may yet find the "Mengap" (as it is called in Saribus dialect) mostly unintelligible. But I believe the difference is only that between a poetical and prose language. Certain requirements of alliteration and of rythm and rhyme have to be fulfilled, which, together with native metaphor and most excessive verbosity, are quite sufficient to mystify an uninstructed hearer. Another reason for the difference lies in the fact that the language of the Mengap remains stationery, whilst the ordinary spoken language is continually changing and developing new forms. But the object of this paper is not to discourse about Dyak poetical language, I only attempt to give a sketch of the Mengap of the Head-feast, so that the reader may have some idea of the meaning of what has perhaps sounded to some a mere senseless rigmarole.

In Dyak life the sense of the invisible is constantly present and active. Spirits and goblins are to them as real as themselves. And this is specially true of these ceremonial feasts. In the feasts for the dead the spirits of Hades are invoked; in those connected with farming Pulang Gana, who is supposed to reside somewhere under the ground, is called upon; and in the Head-feast it is Singalang Burong who is invoked to be present. He may be described as the Mars of Sea Dyak mythology, and is put far away above the skies. But the invocation is not made by the human performer in the manner of a prayer direct to this great being; it takes the form of a story setting forth how the mythical hero Kling or Klieng made a Head-feast and fetched Singalang Burong to it. This Kling about whom there are many fables is a spirit, and is supposed to live somewhere or other not far from mankind, and to be able to confer benefits upon them. The Dyak performer or performers then, as they walk up and down the long verandah of the house singing the Mengap, in reality describe Kling's Gawè Pala, and how Singalang Burong was invited and came. In thought the Dyaks identify themselves with Kling, and the resultant signification is that the recitation of this story is an invocation to Singalang Burong, who is supposed to come not to Kling's house only, but to the actual Dyak house where the feast is celebrated; and he is received by a particular ceremony, and is offered food or sacrifice.

The performer begins by describing how the people in Kling's house contemplate the heavens in their various characters:

"They see to the end of heaven like a well-joined box."

"They see the speckled evening clouds like a menaga jar in fullness of beauty."

"They see the sun already descending to the twinkling expanse of ocean.'

They see the "threatening clouds like an expanse of black cloth;" "the brightly shining moon"; "the stars and milky way;" and then the house with its immates, the "crowned young men"; and "hiding women" in high glee, and grave old men sitting on the verandah-all preparing for high festival. The women are described decorating the house with native cloths; one is compared to a dove, another to an argus pheasant, another to a minah bird-all laughing with pleasure. All the ancient Dyak chiefs and Malay chiefs are called upon in the song to attend, and even the spirits in Hades; and last of all Singalang Burong. To him henceforward the song is almost entirely confined.

We must suppose the scene to be laid in Kling's house. Kumang, Kling's wife, the ideal of Dyak feminine beauty, comes out of the room and sits down on the verandah beside her husband, and complains that the festival preparations make slow progress. She declares she has no comfort either in standing, sitting or lying down on account of this slack- ness; and by way of rousing her spouse to activity, says the festival preparations had better be put a stop to altogether. But Kling will never have it said that he began but could not finish.

Indah keba aku nunggu,
Nda kala aku pulai lebu,
Makau benong tajau bujang.

Indah keba aku ngaiyau,
Nda kala aku pulai sabau,
Makau slabit ladong penyariang,

Indah keba aku meti,
Nda kala aku nda mai.
Bulih kalimpai babi blang.

Indah keba aku manjok,
Nda kala aku pulai inchok,
Bulih sa-langgai ruai lalang,

Kitè bisi tegar nda besampiar untuk tulang.
Kitè bisi laju ari peluru leka bangkong,
Kitè bisi lasit ari sumpit betibong punggang,
Sampurè nya kitè asoh betuboh ngambi ngabang.

"When I have gone to fine people,
"Never did I return empty handed
"Bringing jars with me.

"When I have gone on the war-path,
"Never did I return unsuccessful
"Bringing a basketful of beads.

"When I have gone to lay pig-traps,
"Never did I return without
"Obtaining a boar's tusk.

" When I have set hind snares.
"Never did I return unfruitful
"Getting an argus pheasant.

"We have a strong one, the marrow of whose bones never wastes.
"We have one swifter than a bullet of molten lead.
"We have one more piercing than the sumpitan with ringed endings.
"Sampurè we will order to gather companions and fetch the guests to the feast."

So Sampurè is ordered to fetch Singalang Burong who lives on the top of a hill called "Sandong Tenyalang," But Sampurè begs to be excused on account of illness; upon which Kasulai (the moth) and Laiang (the swallow) offer themselves for the work, with much boasting of their activity and swiftness. With one bound they can clear the space between the earth and the clouds crossing the skies." So they speed on their way. Midway to the skies they come to the house of "Ini Manang," (Grandmother Doctor) who asks the meaning of their hurried arrival covered with dirt and perspiration. "Who is sick of the fever? Who is at the point of death? I have no time to go down to doctor them."

Agi lelak aku nehu
Baru pulai ari tuchong langgong Sanyandang
Di-injau Unang
Betebang batang pisang raia.

"I am still weary, O grandchild,
"Am just come back from plain-topped Sanyandang,
"Having been borrowed by Umang
"To cut down the grand plantain tree."^[1]

They answer that they are not come to ask her to exercise her medical skill, but simply to inquire how far it is to the country of Salulut Antu Ribut, (the spirit of the winds.) Ini Manang joking gives them this mystifying direction. "If you start early in the dark morning you will be a night on the way. If you start this evening you will get there at once." Whether this reply helped them or not they get to their destination at last; and the Wind Spirit accosts them.

Nama siduai agi bepetang, agi malam?
Bangat bepagi belam-lam?
Dini bala bisi ngunja menoa?
Dini antu ti begugu nda jena baka?

"Why come you while it is still dark, still night?
"So very early in the dawn of morning?
"Where is there a hostile army invading the country?
"Where are there thundering spirits in countless numbers?

They assure her they bring no evil tidings; and they tell her they have been sent to fetch Singalang Burong, and desire lier assistance in the matter. Here I may give a specimen of the verbosity of these recitations. Kasulai and Laiang wish to borrow Antu Ribut to,

Nyingkau Lang Tabunau
Ka Turau baroh remang.
Nempalong Singalang Burong
Di tuchong Sandong Tenyalang.
Nyern aki Menaul Jugu
Ka munggu Nempurong Balang
Nauya ka Aki Lang Rimba
Ka Lembaba langit Lemengang,
Mesan ka aki Lang Buban
Di dan Kara Kijang.

"Reach up to Lang Tahunan
"At Turan below the clouds.
"Strike out to Singalang Burong.
"On the top of Sandong Tenyalang,
"Call to grandfather Menaul Jugu
"On Nempurong Balang hill.
"Ask for grandfather Lang Rimba
"At Lembaba in the mysterious heavens.
"Send for grandfather Lang Buban
"On the branch of the Kara Kijang."

These, five beings described as living at five different places all refer to Singalang Burong, who is thus called by many names in order to magnify his greatness, to lengthen the story and fill up time. This is a general feature of all "Mengap." But to go on with the story: Kasulai and Laiang desire Antu Ribut to take the message on because they would not be able to get through "pintu langit" (the door of heaven), whereas she, being wind, would have no difficulty. She could get through the smallest of cracks. At first she objects on the plea of being busy. She is busy blowing through the steep valleys cut out like boats, blowing the leaves and scattering the dust." However at length they prevail upon her, they return and she goes forward: but first she goes up a high tree where she changes her form, drops her personality as a spirit, and becomes natural wind. Upon this everywhere throughout the jungle there arises the sound of mighty rushing wind "like the thunder of a moon-mad waterfall." Everywhere is the sound of driving wind and of falling leaves. She blows in all quarters,

Muput ka langit ngilah bulan
Muput ka ili ugilah Santan.
Muput ka dalam ai ngilah karangan,

↑ This refers to a particular performance of the Dyak Manangs, i.e. Medicine men.

[1] This refers to a particular performance of the Dyak Manangs, i.e. Medicine men.

[1]