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beside the dwelling-house[1], in. which the unhusked rice (padé) is kept[2].
Husked rice (breuëh = Mal. bras) is kept inside the house in a sack (eumpang), but only enough for 3 or 4 days' use is so stored. When the rice is scooped out of the bag with the cocoanut-shell used as a measure (kay), a little is always left in the shell and poured back each time so that the eumpang may never be entirely empty. This is the only one of all the numerous superstitions connected with the store of rice[3] observed by the people of Java, of which any trace can be found in Acheh.
When the supply of breuëh is exhausted, the fresh padi required is taken from the storehouse (krōng or brandang). It is first dried in the sun (adèë) and then thrown into the rice mortar (leusōng)[4], a hollowed block of wood, in which stands the pestle (alèë), from which projects a horizontal lever (jeungki). The husks are pounded off by setting this lever in motion at its further end so as to make the pestle rise and fall in the mortar. The husked rice is then sifted by means of the winnowing basket (jeuʾèë)[5] the light husks falling out as it is toosed[6].
For making flour a smaller leusōng is used, with a hand pestle (alèë), and the fine flour is sifted through a sieve (ayaʾ).
In Pidië and some of the dependencies of Acheh, especially it would seem in districts where irrigation canals had been constructed at the behest of the rulers in ancient times, a rice tax (wasè padé) was formerly levied for the Sultan. This tax consisted of an amount of padi equal
- ↑ See ante p. 36.
- ↑ The Malay custom is the same as the Achehnese in this respect. Their padi-stores are miniature houses raised on short posts, the walls being made of neatly woven bertam. Such storehouses are called jelumpang. (Translator).
- ↑ Such as the rules prescribing fixed days for taking the rice out of the lumbung, and the persons by whom it may be taken out. Women who do this for instance must wear their lower garment only, and must not do so during menstruction. There are also certain definite formulas to be repeated during the act, etc. etc.
- ↑ The Malays use a similar mortar and pestle (lěsong and alu) with a see-saw lever (the jeungki mentioned above, Mal. gandar) worked with the foot, the fulcrum being nearer to the far end of the lever so as to give greater force to the blow. Over the far end of the lever is placed a frame-work consisting of two uprights and a cross piece. By this the worker steadies himself while he alternately steps on and off the lever, causing it to rise and fall. The Chinese in the Straits have universally adopted this method of cleaning rice. (Translator).
- ↑ This is the winnowing-basket to which the Achehnese compare the shape of the three sagis of Acheh (see p. 2 above).
- ↑ The winnowing is done by alternately shaking the basket up and down and to and fro.
