|
| |
RICE CULTURE In about three months the grain makes its appearance; then the rice is said to be pregnant, and just as women with child long for sour foods, the offerings made then include sour fruits, as well as eggs and flowers. A stylized figure of a woman (tjili), made of palm-leaf, provided for this occasion with male sex organs, is presented with the following speech repeated three times: " Pst, pst, look at the woman with testicles (Psu, psu, djero, m'baleh loh mabutoh) ." Somehow this is supposed to help with the pregnancy of the rice. The three-month feast day is celebrated with another feast called mebidjukung. By this time the grain has spread all over the field, and the water is drained off so that the rice may ripen quickly. The menace of birds and mice then makes its appearance. To scare the birds away, the whole sawa is covered by an intricate network of strings hung with palm-leaves and all sorts of dangling objects (cloth barred) , set in motion by a single rope operated by a boy who watches the field constantly from a high platform built for the purpose. Life-size scarecrows are erected, but soon the birds become familiar with them and will not be frightened away. Then watchmen circulate among the fields beating bamboo drums and cracking loud bamboo slapsticks. Should the sawa become infested with mice, a campaign is conducted against them; large numbers are caught and killed, but a pair is set aside and later released to atone for the killings. Then a ceremonial cremation in miniature disposes of the dead ones. Should it happen that rice is stolen, the sawa-owner takes food to the ricefield and leaves it there, saying: " Whoever stole my rice, let him return and be content with this food. I ask that my rice may multiply so that I shall get mine back." When the grain is ripe, the subak members prepare for ng'usaba nini, the great harvest festival. Cockfights are h again in the rice temple and the following day is declared nyepi for ricefields: a day of absolute stillness, requiring the suspens of all activity, when no one may enter a field under penalty c fine. Two days before cutting the rice, small offerings are me to the irrigation inlet, and boughs of the dapdap tree, decora with little faces of palm-leaf, are stuck at the four corners of field to keep evil influences away. The nest step is the mak of the Rice 'Mother (nini pantun) , two sheaves of rice, one m the other female, the Rice Husband and wife.2 he two sheaves are fastened together and tied to a branch, which is stuck in ground near the main irrigation inlet. Then the cutting of rice may proceed. |