Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-10-18
VILLAGE OF .MADMEN.
THE ONLY VILLAGE WHERE ALL
ARE INSANE.
This Awful Place Is In Indo-China
and It's Inhabitants Are Called "Pipops"
A "Pipop" Is Supposed to BE Pos
sessed." ....r. ..r |4-

Indo-China has the only village of
madmen in the world. This village,
which is called Ban-Keune, is compos-
ed of some 800 families, is highly Or
ganized as a community, is industri-
ously prosperous and pays yearly a
goodly tribute to France. Yet 1t has
not single sane inhabitant.
Admission to Ban-Keune is, it must
be confessed, trying affair. No mere
victims of melancholia or shattered
nerves" or hypochondria or any Of the
similar ailments so fashionable In the
opposite quarter of the world are
granted a dwelling place in this most
exclusive of towns.
To enter 1t one must be downright
mad-or. as the natives call 1t "pi.
pop" The conception Of insanity pre-
vailing In this part of the world is not
that of disease. but of a posses
sion' Therefore, IL an inhabitant OF
this region, as is frequently the case,
displays hallucinations or conducts
himself in fashion not consistent
with Indo-C Chinese etiquette his neigh
bors take 1t upon themselves to deter
mine whether any malign spirit pos
sess HMM other words, whether he
is "pipop." This is the way 1t is
done:
The unfortunate person, whether 1t
be man, woman or child. who has fall
en- under suspicion OF possession" Is
made the subject of ceremony on the
banks of the River Namngume, par
ticipated in by hundreds OF persons
gathered from all the country for
miles about. The victims hands and
feet are first bound by the native
priest, who Is master OF ceremo-
MES. ~
Absolutely helpless from this time
on, the supposed maniac, In spite of
his cries and struggles, Is cast into the
river. 1t is firmly believed by the ma
tives that supernatural agencies then
reveal the victims true state. IL he Is
genuinely "pipop" he sinks to the bot
tom of the river and stays there until
he is rescued, revived and formally
committed to the famous village Of
madmen. On the other hand. II he Is
not possessed" he rises again like an
ordinary drowning person to the top
Of the river, where he Is more easily
rescued and then set free.
Probably no secret society In the
world has so severe and dangerous
initiation as this. Yet SO conscien-
uously Is 1t performed and so care
fully are the half-drowned victims
watched and rescued that the INNER
sion, 1t is said, never proves fatal. Nor
has the justice OF the performance
ever been questioned.
So generally topsy-turvy are the
conditions in the Laos, that portions
of Indo-China through which the
Namngume river flows, that only ac-
knowledged maniacs live In any sort
of social relation with each other.
The majority of the people lead soli-
tary life, living at most in groups of
twos and threes.
Ban-Keune. with its 800 families, is
therefore, the most densely populated
spot In the country. It's Inhabitants
cultivate to their hearts delight the
idiosyncrasies which have served TO
commit them. They not only live
peaceably, but fall In love. marry and
have children, who in most cases, are
even more eccentric than their par
ents. Nobody ever RECEIVERS or Is "dis-
charged" They remain 'pipop" to
the end OF their days.--Philadelphia
Times.