ABSTRACT
The shaman, according to the Bateg Negritos of Jeransang, Pahang, performs in the dark and holds a sprout of the salak-palm in his hands. The oldest and “best” of the shamans receive a special form of “burial”, the body being deposited in a rude tree-shelter built among the branches, together with a modicum of food and water, a jungle knife. Skeat obtained a good deal of information about the shaman who can become a wer-tiger from a Negrito named Pandak of Ulu Aring, Kelantan. He found out that Pandak himself was credited with being able to change himself into a tiger only after the man had left. A tuju with a nick in it is far more deadly than one without, the Negritos said, round its victim’s heart-strings. Jeanne Cuisinier and recorded in her Danses Magiques de Kelantan, this being with regard to two shamanistic dances that were said to be derived from the Negritos, although Malayized.
