Note 42 — Chapter VI · Magic Rites as affecting the Life of Man

The ceremony now commences: the tooth-filer (Pawang gigi) first scatters the three sorts of rice and sprinkles the tĕpong tawar upon his instruments, etc., repeating the proper charm42 at the same time; the patient meanwhile, and throughout the operation, reclining upon his back on the floor with his head resting on a pillow. Next the Pawang, sitting beside the patient, “touches” the patient’s teeth, first with each of the three rings of precious metal and then with the egg, throwing each of these objects away as he does so, and repeating each time a charm (Hu, kata Allah, d. s. b.), which is given in the Appendix. Next he props open (di-sĕngkang) the patient’s mouth by means of a dried areca-nut, and repeats another charm (Hei, Bismi) in order to destroy the “venom” of the steel, laying the file upon the teeth,43 and drawing it thrice across them at the end of the charm. He then cuts off (di-k’rat) the crowns of the teeth (with one of the files), smooths their edges (di-papar) with one of the whetstones, and polishes them (mĕlechek). During the whole of this part of the performance, which is a trying ordeal to witness, although it is borne with the utmost fortitude on the part of the sufferer, the latter holds a small mirror in front of his mouth in order to be assured that the operation is progressing to his satisfaction. When the actual filing is over, the areca-nut is extracted, and a piece of cocoa-nut husk or small block of pulai wood inserted in its stead, in order to facilitate the proper polishing of the now mutilated teeth. This latter part of the operation is accomplished by means of the file, a small piece of folded white cloth protecting the lips from injury.