PLATE 8.—BETROTHAL GIFTS.Bird-shaped receptacles, formerly used for containing rice for presentation purposes during
betrothal, the bird at the bottom representing a peacock (mĕrak). Round its neck are hung two
smaller receptacles also for rice.Page 365.Bearing these presents with them, the youth’s representatives proceed to the
house of the girl’s parents, where they are invited to enter and partake of the
betel-leaf provided for them. A meal is then served, Malay cakes (kueh-kueh)
brought forward, and the company again partake of betel.
The two parties now sit down in a “family circle,” and one of the youth’s
representatives pushes forward (di-sorongkan) the betel which they had brought
with them, and offers it to the people of the house, saying, “This is a pledge of
your daughter’s betrothal.” The girl’s father replies, “Be it so, I accept it,” or
words to that effect, and inquires how long the engagement is to last, the answer
being “six months” or “a year” as the case may be. Both parties then appeal to
the witnesses to “hear what is said,” and the youth’s relatives return to their