The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-12-05
THE MINE SORCERER.
MALAY FAKlRS WHO WORK THE IG-
NoRANT AND SUPERSTITlOUS.

They Are Not So Potent as They Were
Some Years Ago-Ceremonfes Observed
by the Pawang In Invoking the Hantu,
or Tutelary Spirit, of the Mine.
Miners in all countries have been noted
for their superstitious beliefs as to va
rious matters affecting their good or i'll
luck. Soothsayers, sorcerers, or at least
lode finders, were in past ages trusted to
secure the satisfactory results which are
now nowadays more reasonably hoped
for on the report of the mining expert
and engineer. The latest survival of
belief in the occult powers of the "med-
icine man" or sorcerer is probably to be
found in the Malay peninsula, which
contains the most important tin work
ings yet known to exist. The individ-
ual who thus guides his employers to
fortune, or the reverse, is known as
pawang.
Until the practical termination Of In
dependent Malay rule throughout the
major portion of the peninsula, about 10
years ago, the pawang was a recognized
member of every mining staff, and recog
nized not only by the mine owners but
by the petty chiefs, who alternately en-
couraged OF INSTRUCTED mining enter
prise.
So potent was he that he could foretell
the prospects of mine, levy fines (which
went into his own pocket, direct the
Offering up of animal sacrifices and en-
force rules respecting the workings of
mine which but for him would have
been simply ridiculed by the miners. AL
though in many districts his pretensions
are now discredited, he still fingers on,
superstition with the existing generation
of miners having yet firm hold in the
more remote districts.
The pawang may or may not be the
hereditary successor of a predecessor.
In some cases he is self made, and at
tains his position by few lucky fore
casts as to the value of projected mine.
In a territory where, as is sometimes
said, eff you dig up the highway, you
are sure to find tin" the systematically
gifted prospector has a tolerably easy
task. Not that tin is always found when
a hole is sunk. But moderate ac-
quaintance with the usual indications is
quite sufficient. Chinese of limited
means do not often trouble pawang in
the initiatory stages. But when the
mine-"stream tin, or tin sand, with an
overburden of 10 or 20 feet earth and
gravel-is fairly started, the pawang
suggests that he alone knows how to
keep good luck in sight. Sometimes he
is politely informed that his services are
not wanted, and he leaves in wrath, pre-
dieting all sorts of disaster to the unbe-
heving towkay or manager. Upon the
whole, however, he manages to get his
way.
A fine physical appearance is indis-
pensable. When engaged in any duty,
such as invoking spirits or offering sacri-
fees, he is allowed to assume only one
Of two positiops-with his hands resting
on his hips or with them clasped behind
his back. He alone is allowed to wear
black coat in the mine. AS in the case of
camphor hunters in Formosa and gutta
percha hunters in Malaga, he uses a
peculiar vocabulary. Thus cats, ele-
plants, tigers, buffaloes, ETC., must not
be mentioned by their usual designation,
nor are such animals tigers unfortu
nately sometimes prove unpleasant ex-
ceptions) ever allowed upon a mine.
Perhaps the oldest article in the pa
wang's ''index expurgatorius" is the
lime fruit or lemon, which under no cir
cumstances may be brought to mine,
and should the juice be thrown into the
mine water dire results are dreaded.
Raw cotton, glass and earthenware or
an unsheathed spear or kris are equally
anathema, all the articles mentioned be-
ing offensive to the hantu or spirits
which haunt the mine.
Assuming that the pawang is engaged
by mine owner at fee varying from
G15 to $50, his first business is to erect
platform or altar, constructed of spe-
cial kind of wood. The four branches,
which serve as supports, have the bark
peeled off for about Al feet from the
ground to where the twigs begin. The
leaves on the latter are not removed.
A square platform, measuring 10 inches
each way, of peeled sticks is fixed to
these supports at about three feet from
the ground. A foot above this comes
railing round three sides of the plat
form, while rallied ladder with four
rungs reaches from the open side of the
platform to the ground. Fringes of CO..
coanut ornament the railing, and the
whole construction is bound together
with creepers, rattan, however, being
forbidden. Upon it offerings are laid,
and the pawang invokes the hantu or
tutelary spirit of the mine to bless it
with good fortune. A bag Of tin sand
from the first washing is the fee paid for
this service.
Sometimes a cheaper kind of altar is
made by placing in the ground single
peeled stick with it's upper end split in
four, upon which is placed the little
platform above described. The next
process is to hang an ancha, or square
frame, about IS inches each way in the
smelling house just under the caves OF
the roof. This serves as an interior
altar, upon which the miners place their
offerings to the hantu. The accurate
hanging up of the ancha is matter Of
special care.
These preliminaries accomplished, the
mine is considered sure of luck.-Pan
Mall Gazette.