Malay Magic _ Being an introduction to the - Walter William Skeat

(Perpustakaan Sri Jauhari) #1

scaffolding for the ceremony called ‘Bathing in State.’ And upon that same
evening took place the Great Henna-staining, and the guests assembled in
exceeding great numbers, both men and women, and filled the house above and
below to overflowing. And when the henna-staining was completed, all the men
who were present chanted (bacha maulud) until daybreak.


“And upon the 7th day of the month, being Saturday, the bride being adorned,
the bridegroom seated in a buggy was drawn in procession at about 5 o’clock
from the house of his renowned Highness Tungku Dia-Uddin, accompanied by
the Government Band and all kinds of music, to the house of the Datoh
Pĕnghulu, where he was met and sprinkled with saffron-rice and rose-water.
Afterwards, being seated on the marriage throne side by side, both husband and
wife, they offered each other in turn the mouthfuls of saffron-rice which were
presented by the ladies and gentlemen and His Highness Tungku Dia-Uddin.


“And afterwards the elder relatives on the side of both husband and bride
presented the rice, and Inche Mohamad Kassim presented red eggs (tĕlor
bĕrjoran) to all the ladies and gentlemen, and the bridegroom led the bride with
him into the bridal chamber by the finger, walking upon cloth of purple and
gold. And afterwards all the ladies and gentlemen were invited to eat and drink,
and the band played, fireworks and artificial fires were burned, and great was the
brightness thereof, and all the young people danced and sang at their pleasure


until the evening was spent.”^101


The marriage customs hitherto described have been only such as are based on a
peaceful understanding between the parents of the contracting parties. An
account of Malay marriage customs would not, however, be complete without
some mention of the customs which regulate, strange as it may seem, even the
forcible abduction of a wife. Of these customs Sir W. E. Maxwell says:—


“The word panjat in Malay means literally ‘to climb,’ but it is used in Pêrak, and
perhaps in other Malay States, to signify a forcible entry into a house for the
purpose of securing as a wife a woman whom her relations have already refused
to the intruder. This high-handed proceeding is recognised by Malay custom,
and is regulated by certain well-known rules.


“Panjat is of two kinds—panjat angkara and panjat ’adat—entry by violence
and entry by custom. In the first case, the man makes his way into the house

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