ABSTRACT
The Senoi Temiars of Malaysia regularly perform rituals for the maintenance of health as well as the curing of physical, social and supernatural manifestations of ill-health. Their preventive and curative seances are stimulated by, and enacted through, dreams, dance, music, drama and trance media, imbued with complementary themes of the erotic and ascetic, and an underlying aesthetic sense of creative performance. The roots of play and expressive behaviour emerge in infants after a few days. Before an infant can walk it can move and make sounds rhythmically, make marks and respond mimetically to the facial expression of another. Children are also encouraged to talk about their dreams, and dreams are seen as a valuable and creative activity. The concept of play carries over into Temiar adult life with the activities of music, dance, enactment and trance in what are termed play-seances.
