obmar
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Strange Finds from the Net: The PelsitArts of the Old.
Though far less elaborate, this rite is in some ways like that by which Kedah ladies seek to obtain possession of that strange little familiar the "pelsit," sc inimitably described in the fascinating pages of "In Court and Kampong." 1
"Polong and pelsit are but other names for bajang, the latter is chiefly used in the State of Kedah, where it is considered rather chic to have a pelsit. A Kedah lady on one occasion, eulogising the advantage of possessing a familiar spirit (she said that amongst other things it gave her absolute control over her husband and the power of annoying people who offended her), thus described the method of securing this useful ally:
"'You go out,' she said, 'on the night before the full moon and stand with your back to the moon and your face to an ant-hill, so that your shadow falls on the ant-hill. Then you recite certain jampi (incantations), and bending forward try to embrace your shadow. If you fail try again seven times, repeating more incantations. If not successful go the next night and make a further effort, and the night after if necessary--three nights in all. If you cannot then catch your shadow wait till the same day on the following month and renew the attempt. Sooner or later you will succeed, and as you stand there in the brilliance of the moonlight, you will see that you have drawn your shadow into yourself, and your body will never again cast a shade. Go home, and in the night, whether sleeping or waking, the form of a child will appear before you and put out its tongue; that seize, and it will remain while the rest of the child disappears. In a little while the tongue will turn into something that breathes, a small animal, reptile or insect, and when you see the creature has life put it in a bottle and the pelsit is yours."'
A still more gruesome recipe for securing this familiar is to "go to the graveyard at night and dig up the body of a first-born child whose mother was also first-born . . . carry it to an ant-hill in the open ground and there dandle it (di-timang). After a little while, when the child shrieks and lolls its tongue out (terjerlir lidah-nya) bite off its tongue and carry it home. Then obtain a coco-nut shell . . . carry it to a place where three roads meet, light a fire and heat the shell till oil exudes, dip the child's tongue in the oil and bury it in the heart of the three cross roads (hati sempang tiga). Leave it untouched for three nights, then dig it up and you will find that it has turned into a pelsit." 1
It is to propitiate the evil spirits which dwell beneath ant-hills that little huts are so often built above them, usually hung round with pieces of white cloth or other votive offerings.
God forbid.
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The Inquisitor
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That sounds quite gruesome, obmar. Are you sure this isn't some asiatic form of voodoo??
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obmar
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Mostly used to make sure husbands dont stray, and are vodooed.....
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The Inquisitor
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Wow.
Is that a very common practice today???
What happens if the husband strays anyway??
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obmar
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The better term is Queen Control.
The joke is like saying,
No, I am not afraid of the wife,
but the wife is not afraid of me at all.
No, very rare, now.
practised by the deviated.
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The Inquisitor
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Still,
That sounds downright dangerous. Remind me never to date anyone from the State of Kedah.
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obmar
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haha....
Most of the pelsit had migrated to USA
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