We had tea here, and then proceeded on our journey. About six we reached the elongated house of the Orang Bukit at Long Linai. The Orang Bukits are a branch of the Kadayans, but, unlike the Kadayans of the coast, they are not Mohammedans. The Lucille, the Government river steamer for the Baram district, was waiting for us here.
After dinner we witnessed a most interesting Berantu ceremony, a magical ritual, which was employed in this instance to cure a sick woman.
PLATE XXVI
ASCENDING A RAPID
HOUSE OF THE ORANG BUKITS AT LONG LINAI, TUTAU RIVER
Towards one end of the long verandah the floor was covered with mats, in the centre of which and depending from a rafter was a streamer (lare) of the frayed leaves of the areca palm; beneath, and partially covered by the ends of the lare, was a brass Brunei salver, on which were placed various folded cloths and garments. Around the salver were distributed the spathe of the blossoms of the areca palm containing the flower spikes, some leaves of the serimbangung and daunlong (a caladium), a wooden image of a woman (anak jilama), an empty whisky bottle, two small Chinese saucers, and a maligai, or house for the spirit.
To one side was a row of eight or nine gongs, suspended from a long horizontal pole raised three or four feet from the floor, and close by were several drums and a set of geling tamgan, or hand gongs, which were beaten with two sticks, one in each hand of the performer. At one end of the cleared space was a torch (lutong) of dammar supported in a ratan framework, and at the other end was a small lamp.
Fig. 31. Berantu Ceremony on the Orang Bukit