The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

I70 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap.
busying themselves in preparing boats and weapons.
The chief, or some deputy, then performs the rites
before the altar-post of the war-god that stands
before the house in the way described in Chap. XV.
The omens given by the hawks on this occasion
are guarantees for the safety of the house and those
left in it, and against accidents and sickness
incidental to the journey ; they have no reference
to the actual fighting.^ All the men of the warparty
then proceed in their war-boats to the spot
where the war - omens have been observed, and
camp round about it in roughly built huts. Here
they will remain at least two days, establishing
their connection with the favourable omen -birds.
From this encampment they may not return to the
house, and, if they are expecting a party of allies^
they may await them here. By this time the warfever
is raging among them, and rumours of the
preparations of the enemy are circulating. Spies
or scouts may be sent out to seek information
about the enemy ;
but usually such information is
sought from the liver
ceremony. A sharp
of a pig with the customary
ridge on the liver dividing
their own region from that of the enemy is
unfavourable, a low soft ridge is favourable.
From the moment of leaving the village the men
of the war-party must observe many tabus until
their return home. They may not eat the head of
a fish ;
they must use only their home-made earthen
^ There is no reason to suppose that the Kayan augurs have not complete
faith in the significance of the omens, and in the reality of the protection
afforded by the favourable omen-birds, which they speak of as upholding
them. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that the strong faith of the people
in the omen-birds, and the awe inspired by them, is very favourable to the
maintenance of discipline and obedience to the chiefs, and that this fact is
appreciated by the chiefs. The cult of the omen-birds, which hampers the
undertakings of these peoples at almost every turn, and which might seem to
be wholly foolish and detrimental, thus brings two great practical advantages :
namely, it inspires confidence, and it promotes discipline and a strong sense
of collective unity and responsibility. It is not improbable, then, that the
advantages of this seemingly senseless cult outweigh its drawbacks, which in
the shape of endless delays and changes of plans are by no means small.