Haji Dolhan, Abdillah Sarawak Melanau culture: traditional Melanau healing ritual: Bebayuh. The Sarawakiana Series - Culture & Heritage . Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Kuching, Sarawak. ISBN 978-983-9205-08-4 (2002)
Abstract
'Bebayuh' in Melanau means exorcism. It is a traditional medical method practiced as part of the Melanau culture. Ritually, it depicts the curing of a patient who had gone through an emotional or spiritual imbalance caused by what is believed to be spiritual elements like the evil spirit, the Satan or sometimes presumed to be the works of black magic done by other people out of jealousy or just a sheer show of evil power. Bebayuh is carried out in a simplistic ritual. It is done by a shaman or locally known as dukun or bomoh or the medicine man. The shaman will invoke a good spirit and will be possessed by it to drive out the evil spirit or disease from the patient. The ritual could only be done after the evening prayer and it takes about one hour to complete. The main items used among the paraphernalia are the mayang pinang (inflorescence of Areca catechu), kemenyan (exudate from a certain tree especially from the species of dipterocarpaceae), limau nipis or lemon (Citrus aurantifolia), daun jerangau (Acorus gramineus), kelapa muda [Young coconut (Cocos nucifera)], beras kuning [Yellow rice (Oryza sativa) coloured with tumeric), and bunga cempaka (Michelia champaca). The crowd or the audience present at the ritual are totally prohibited from laughing and smiling. Complete seriouness is essential. The funny side of this ritual is that if anyone from the crowd farts the shaman will collapse or faint. When she comes back to her senses she will chase after the person who had just farted. The aura of silence and the flickering of candles provides an eerie experience for the audience. After the ritual the patient will come back to his/her normal self. That marks the end of bebayuh. The shaman will be paid a nominal sum according to one's willingness for there is no specific charge for the service done.
| Item Type: | Book |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Melanau, Culture, Heritage, Social life, Customs, Healing Ritual |
| Taxonomy: | By Niche > Ethnology > Melanau (Malaysian People) > Rites and Ceremonies By Niche > Ethnology > Melanau (Malaysian People) > Social Life and Customs |
| Local Content Hub: | Niche > Melanau |
| Depositing User: | Normah Sadaiee |
| Date Deposited: | 28 Mar 2023 06:53 |
| Last Modified: | 28 Mar 2023 06:53 |
| Related URLs: |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |