ABSTRACT
Some representations arouse actual sorrow or terror–sorrow for actual people they remind people of, terror of horrors they think they might actually face–or an objectless mood of anxiety, and it would appear that they sometimes seek and enjoy these experiences. Music and dancing can lead into vigorous trancing with much flailing and collapsing. It is at these performances that older people often curb the exuberance of the young people if it gets out of control. It would appear that on some occasions a seance is arranged in response to a level of anxiety or tension in village. For example, there would be anxiety after visits from outside officials, especially from government departments, or an army patrol looking for communist guerillas. The Temiars long for the trance experience; they say they cannot exist without it for long, which is why they often get very impatient with the taboo on seances during mourning period.
