Note 107 — Chapter VI · Magic Rites as affecting the Life of Man

The next operation is to wash the corpse, which is carried for this purpose into the front or outer room. If there are four people to be found who are willing to undertake this disagreeable duty, they are told to sit upon the floor in a row, all looking the same way, and with their legs stretched out (bĕlunjor kaki), the body being then laid across their laps (riba). Several men are then told off to fetch water in jars, scoop it out of the jars and pour it on the body in small quantities by means of the “scoop” (pĕnchĕdok ayer), which is usually a small bowl, saucer, or cocoa-nut shell (tĕmpurong). It frequently happens, however, that this unpleasant task finds no volunteers, in which case five banana stems are turned into improvised “rollers” (galang), on which the body is raised from the floor during the process of washing (mĕruang). When the body is ready for washing, a chief washer (orang mĕruang) is engaged for a fee of about a dollar; this is usually the Bilal or Imām, who “shampoos” the body whilst the rest are pouring water on it. The body then undergoes a second washing, this time with the cosmetic called ayer bĕdak which is prepared by taking a handful of rice (sa-gĕnggam b’ras), two or three “dips” of lime (cholek kapur),and a pinch of gambier (gambir sa-chubit)—the last three being the usual concomitants of a single “chew” of the betel-leaf—and pounding them up together with the rice. When pounded they are mixed with water (di-banchor107) in a large bowl holding about two gallons, the water at the top being poured off into a vessel of similar capacity, and scooped up and sprinkled as before on the corpse. The next washing is with juice of limes. Four or five limes (limau nipis) are taken, the ends cut off, and each lime slashed crosswise on the top without completely severing the parts. These limes are then squeezed (di-ramaskan) into another large bowl containing water, and the washing repeated. The final washing, or “Nine Waters” (ayer sambilan, so called from the water being scooped up, and poured thrice to the right, thrice to the left, and thrice over the front of the corpse from head to foot) is performed with fresh water as at first, and the whole ceremony when completed is called bĕdara. The washing completed, the orifices—e.g. ears, nostrils, eyes—are generally stopped with cotton, and the body is carried back to its mattress, and laid in a shroud of white cotton cloth, which should be about seven feet long by four feet in width (salabuh), so that the edges meet over the breast. After this the last kiss is given by the nearest relatives, who must not, however, disturb the corpse by letting their tears fall upon its features. The shroud is usually of three thicknesses in the case of poor people, but wealthier families use five, and even seven-fold shrouds. In Selangor, however, each shroud is usually a separate piece of cloth. The dead body of a child is sometimes covered in addition with a fine sort of white powder (abok tanah or tayamam), which is sprinkled over the face and arms. Five knots are used in fastening the shroud, the ends being drawn up and tied (kochong) by means of the unravelled hem or selvage of the shroud torn into tape-like strips,108 which are bound thrice round the body at the breast, the knees, and the hips respectively, as well as above the head and below the feet. The corpse is then laid on the mattress or mat again, this time with its head to the north, and on its right side looking towards the west (Mecca), which is the position it is to occupy in the grave. Prayers are then offered by four or five “praying-men” (orang mĕnyĕmbahyang), who know the burial service by heart, the Bilal or Imām joining in the service, and all turning towards the west in the usual way. One “praying-man” is sufficient, if no more are to be had, his fee ranging from 50 cents to a dollar in the case of the poorer classes, and among the rich often amounting to $5 or $6. This service is held about 1 P.M. so as to give plenty of time to carry the body to the grave and return before nightfall.