ABSTRACT
The Malays often speak of the Orang Laut as possessing the most powerful ilmu hitam, more commonly referred to as ilmu, in the Malay World. This is believed to be a consequence of the Orang Laut’s
‘lack of religion.’ The supernatural power is dangerous and jahat and can be exercised to bewitch innocent people. The greatest anxiety of the Malays and non-Malays alike is that they might be bewitched to ikut (follow) the Orang Laut into their lifestyle.2 For the Malays, this would mean lapsing to the lowest rung of the Malay hierarchy. The Orang Laut claim to possess the knowledge and ability to capture, subjugate, and harm the inner essence of others. The Malays see such powers as a constant challenge and threat to subvert the power structure of the ideal Malay World. In this chapter, I discuss the process by which the Orang Laut acquire this ilmu, and the methods and materials they use for abducting and controlling inner essences. This is essential in understanding how a person’s inner essence can be merged with or embedded in things. As things can share a common identity with their owners, the meaning of a thing, its exchange, and the identity of the Orang Laut all come to be intertwined. The Orang Laut are also able to merge their being with spirits through practices of exchange and reciprocity.
