GLOSSARY OF DYAK WORDS AND PHRASES WHICH OCCUR IN THE FOREGOING PAGES

A

Achar, a spoon-bait.

Akal plandok, the cunning of the plandok or mouse-deer.

Anggat, a term of endearment used in addressing a boy.

Antu, a spirit; the dead.

Ari ni nuan? “From whence are you (come)?” A form of greeting.

Attap, a leaf roof made from the leaves of the nipa palm.

B

Baiya, goods put aside upon the owner’s death and placed upon or within his grave.

Banghong, a Dyak boat.

Baru, a tree with fibrous bark.

Batu, a stone.

Batu bintang, “star stone.”

Batu ilau, “stone of light.”

Batu krang jiranau, the petrified section of jiranau (Zingeberad?).

Batu krat ikan sembilan, the petrified section of the sembilan fish.

Batu kudi, “stones of wrath.”

Batu lintar, thunderbolt.

Batu nitar, thunderbolt.

Bebaju besi, “wearing an iron coat.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Bebandong api, “displaying fire.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Bebayak, making a bayak or iguana. Name of a manang ceremony.

Beburong raia, “making or acting the adjutant bird.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Begiling lantai, “rolled up in the flooring.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Bekliti, opening. One of the ceremonies of initiation of a manang, or witch-doctor.

Belelang, to wander about; to visit a far country.

Benih, seed.

Bepancha, “making a pancha, or swing.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Beremaung, “acting the tiger.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Berencha, “making an assault.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Berua, “swinging.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Besi, iron.

Besudi, “feeling or touching.” One of the ceremonies of initiation of manang, or witch-doctor.

Betanam pentik, “planting a pentik, or wooden representation of a man.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Betepas, “sweeping.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Betiang garong, “making a post for souls.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Betiti tendai, “walking on the tendai, or bar on which cotton is placed in weaving.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Betukup rarong, “to split open the coffin.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Bilian, iron-wood; the only wood which the white ants do not attack.

Bilik, a room.

Bliong, a Dyak tool, which can be used both as an adze and an axe.

Bubong, a cage.

C

Chanang, a brass gong, smaller than the tawak.

D

Dandong, a shawl; a sarong, or long skirt.

Duku, a chopper; a sword.

Durian, a fruit very much liked by the Dyaks.

E

Embuas, name of an omen bird.

Endun, a term of endearment applied to girls.

Engkratong, a musical instrument resembling a guitar.

Engkrumong, a set of eight small brass gongs, each sounding a different note, arranged in a frame.

Engkrurai, a musical instrument made of bamboo tubes fixed in a gourd.

Ensera, a fairy tale.

Ensuling, a flageolet.

G

Galanggang, a game, not unlike prisoner’s base, played by the Dyaks.

Gawai Antu, the “Spirit Feast”; feast in honour of the dead.

Gawai Batu, the “Stone Feast,” held before farming operations begin.

Gawai Benih, the “Seed Feast,” held just before sowing the seed.

Gawai Burong, the “Bird Feast,” held in honour of human heads taken in war.

Gawai Gajah, the “Elephant Feast”; the greatest of all feasts connected with head-hunting.

Gawai Ijok, the “Ijok Feast.” The ijok is the gamuti palm from which a native drink (tuak) is obtained. This feast is connected with head-hunting.

Gawai Mandi Rumah, a feast given when a new house is built; the house-warming.

Gawai Nyimpan Padi, the “Feast of Storing the Paddy,” held after the reaping and winnowing are over, when the paddy is ready to be stored.

Gawai Pala, “the Head Feast.” Another name for Gawai Burong.

Gawai Tenyalang, “the Horn-bill Feast.” Another name for Gawai Burong.

Ginselan, a sacrifice in which some animal is slain and the blood used.

Gusi, the name of an old jar of great value, and looked upon as sacred.

I

Igat, a term of endearment applied to boys.

Ilang, a curiously carved sword.

Ipoh, a tree (Antiaris toxicaria) the sap of which is poisonous, and used to poison the darts of the blow-pipe.

J

Jadi rumah? “Is the house free from taboo?”—i.e., May we walk up into the house? The usual question asked before entering a Dyak house.

Jala, a casting-net.

K

Kabayah, a long jacket worn by Malay women.

Kadjang, a covering made of the young leaves of the nipa palm, etc., sewn together with split cane. This is used as awnings for boats, or for the roof of temporary huts.

Kain, a woman’s petticoat.

Kana, a fairy tale set to verse and sung.

Kapu, lime.

Kasih ka imbok enda kasih ka manok, “To show kindness to the wild pigeon, but not to the domestic fowl” (Dyak proverb).

Kati, 1¼ pounds.

Katupong, an omen bird.

Kini ka nuan? “Where are you going?” A form of greeting.

Klambi, a sleeveless jacket; a coat.

Kutok, an omen bird.

L

Labong, a headkerchief.

Langan, waves in tidal rivers which are caused at flood-tide by the strong current rushing over the shallows.

Lantai, bamboo, or palms, etc., split into laths, and tied together for the flooring of a house, or to sit upon in boats.

Lari ka ribut nemu ujan, lari ka sungkup nemu pendam, “Running from the hurricane, he encounters the rain; running from a tombstone, he finds himself in a graveyard” (Dyak proverb).

Lesong, a wooden mortar used for pounding rice, etc.

Limban, the Dyak Styx; the river in Hades.

Lobon-lobon, the words shouted by those watching a diving ordeal. The meaning is uncertain.

Lumpang, a piece of bamboo in which rice has been cooked; used at the feast for the dead as a boat to fetch the spirits from Hades.

Lunas, the keel of a boat.

Lupong, a Dyak medicine-chest.

M

Maias, the orang-utan (Simia satyrus).

Makai di ruai, literally “eating in the public hall of a Dyak house.” Name of a social feast.

Makai rami, literally “eating joyfully in large numbers.” Name of a social feast.

Mali, forbidden; tabooed.

Manang, a witch-doctor.

Manang bali, a witch-doctor who has changed his sex and become a woman.

Manang bangun, a witch-doctor who has been “waved upon”—i.e., who has been through the “waving upon” ceremony.

Manang enjun, a witch-doctor who has been “trodden upon”—i.e., who has been through the “trodden upon” ceremony.

Manang mansau, literally “a ripe manang”—i.e., one who is a fully qualified manang.

Manang matak, literally “an unripe manang”—i.e., one who has not been fully initiated into the mysteries of the manang’s profession.

Manjong, to shout all together.

Mencha, the Sword Dance.

Mlah pinang, literally “to split the betel-nut.” To perform the marriage ceremony by splitting the betel-nut.

N

Naga, a dragon. A valuable old jar with the figure of a dragon on it.

Nampok, to spend the night at a solitary place in order to obtain some charms from the spirits.

Nemuai ka Sabayan, “making a journey to Hades.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Nendak, an omen bird.

Ngelembayan, “taking a long sight.” Name of a manang ceremony.

Nibong, a thorny palm (Oncosperma tigillaria).

Nipa, a palm which grows by the sea and at the mouths of rivers (Nipa fructicans).

O

Orang-utan, the maias (Simia satyrus).

P

Padi, rice in the husk.

Pagar api, literally “a fence of fire.” A spear fixed blade upwards, with leaves tied to it, round which the manangs walk when taking part in their ceremonies.

Pana, an offering of food given to the dead by the friends of those who are in mourning.

Pandong, a kind of altar erected in different parts of the veranda of the Dyak house during the Bird Feast.

Papau, an omen bird.

Para piring, the altar of sacrifice.

Pelampong, a wooden float, generally cut in the form of a duck, to which baited hooks are fastened.

Pelandai, a love-song.

Pelian, a manang ceremony to restore the health of a sick person.

Pendam, a burial-ground.

Pendok, a tree with fibrous bark.

Pengap, an incantation.

Pengaroh, a charm.

Petara, gods.

Peti, a spring trap set to kill wild pig.

Pinang, the betel-nut; the areca-nut.

Piring, an offering of food.

Plandok, the mouse-deer.

Puni, a peculiar Dyak superstition that, if food is offered to a man and he goes away without at least touching it, some misfortune is sure to befall him. It is said that he is sure to be attacked by a crocodile, or bitten by a snake, or suffer from the attack of some other animal.

R

Rawai, a Dyak woman’s corset, made of tiny brass rings strung close together on hoops of cane.

Rarong, a coffin.

Remaung di rumah rawong di tanah, “A tiger in the house, but a frog in the field” (Dyak proverb).

Rotan, cane; rattan.

Ruai, the public veranda of a Dyak house.

Rusa, a deer. A valuable old jar with the figure of a deer on it.

S

Sabayan, Hades.

Sadau, the loft of a Dyak house.

Sakit Rajah, “the disease caused by the King (of evil spirits)”—smallpox.

Sarong, a long petticoat worn by Malay men and women.

Saut, the name of a manang ceremony.

Serumai, a one-stringed fiddle.

Sirat, a waist-cloth; the usual male attire of the Dyak.

Sireh, a vine of the pepper tribe; its leaves are chewed with lime, gambier, and betel-nut.

Sumping, a Dyak observance held after the death of relatives.

Sumpit, a blow-pipe.

T

Tabak, a brass dish.

Tajau, a valuable jar.

Tanju, the uncovered veranda of a Dyak house, where paddy and other things are put out to dry in the sun.

Tawak, a large brass gong.

Tendai, the bar on which cotton is placed in weaving.

Tenyalang, the rhinoceros hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros).

Tikai buret, a seat-mat.

Timang, to sing to in a monotonous manner.

Tuai rumah, the headman or chief of a Dyak house.

Tuak, native spirit.

Tuan, gentleman; master; sir. The term of respect usually applied to Englishmen.

Tuba, the name applied to a poison from the root of a shrub (Derris alleptica), or of a creeper. The poisonous bark of a tree. There are several kinds of tuba used for tuba-fishing.

Tugong bula, “the liar’s mound.” A pile of branches and twigs heaped up in memory of a man who has told a great lie.

U

Ulit, mourning.