Unique Funeral Ritual in Malaysia

FUNERAL

Compilation of unique funeral rituals
in Malaysia

FOUNDATION STUDIES IN MANAGEMENT
FIRST SEMESTER 2021/2022 (AP211)
AL0012:ENGLISH FOR BASIC CONVERSATION
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PREPARED FOR :
MUHAMMAD FADHLI BIN MOHD DIAH


PREPARED BY :
NUR AMYLIANA SYAFIKA BINTI MOHD ZAKI (F01648)
ALISYA MAZNI BINTI MAZLAN (F01642)
NUR AFIFAH BINTI JAMILKHAIRI (F01678)
DHIA SYARAFANA BINTI SHAIFUN NAIM (F01621)
NURUL AFIQAH CHE YUSOFF (F01758)
NUR AISYA AFIQAH BINTI ROKHIR (F01628)






DATE OF SUBMISSION: 18 NOVEMBER 2021

CONT 16 SUNGAI
ENTS
PEOPLE
01 MURUT
PEOPLE The Orang Sungai are
a group of indigenous
indigenous ethnic people native to the
group that can be state of Sabah,
found mainly in Malaysia.
Sabah, Malaysia
including in Sarawak,
Malaysia.

05 MALAYSIAN 22 BATEQ

INDIANS PEOPLE

Malaysian citizens of The Bateq people are
Indian or South Asian an indigenous Orang
ancestry, they form the Asli people who live in
third largest group in the rainforest of
Malaysia after the peninsular Malaysia
Malays and the
Chinese.

11 JAH HUT 26 MELANAU

PEOPLE PEOPLE

One of Orang Asli tribes Ethnic group
in Pahang, Malaysia indigenous to
Sarawak, Malaysia.

MURUT
PEOPLE

SABAH

INDIGENOUS ETHNIC GROUP THAT
CAN BE FOUND MAINLY IN SABAH,
MALAYSIA INCLUDING IN
SARAWAK, MALAYSIA.

MURUT'S BACKGROUND

The Murut tribe is the third largest
race in Sabah who live in the interior
and southeastern regions of Sabah.
They usually live in tenom, Pensiangan
and Keningau areas. The Muruts are
also divided into Murut Tahol or Tagol,
Tidung, Timugon, Sembakung, Paluan,
Bookan, Kalabakan, and Murut
Serundung. The Muruts are one of
Sabah's ethnic groups that are rich in
customs and culture. The Murut tribes
are also known through the culture
and arts that they have inherited from
generations. Every society or race in
the world has its own unique customs
that are practiced from generation to
generation. In Murut society, they will
perform a funeral depending on the
cause of one's death. In order to avoid
any misfortune or disaster they will
carry out the burial in an orderly and
orderly manner according to the
customs inherited. In the Murut
community, there are three funeral
processes namely, during death, burial
and after burial.

MURUT'S FUNERAL
TRADITION PROCESS

Family members of the deceased
will beat the gong to tell the
villagers there is a death in their
family. All should stop from doing
their activities during the beating
gong in honor of the deceased
and his family. Anyone who does
not quit their job or activities
when the gong is sounded will be
fined and punished by giving a
pig to the family of the deceased.
The bodies will be bathed and
worn dressed and beautifully
decorated. For two days the
bodies will be kept in the house
before being put in the Tajau
which is the Murut's store.

After inserting it into the
Tajau, the Tajau will be
covered with wooden
boards and will be lit a
small lamp on it intended to
scare off ghosts or demons
who are trying to disturb. At
12.00 midnight the Tajau
will be removed and at that
time all family members will
have to cry while circling
the Tajau. The next day, the
men will go to the cemetery
to repair the cemetery if
there is any damage.

Example of Tajau

MURUT'S FUNERAL
TRADITION PROCESS

As a sign of respect for the last
night the deceased was at
home, the family of the
deceased will have a great
time. The next day, the corpses
will be transported using
wooden peels to the cemetery.
At this time, the family
members of the deceased's
female will cry because they
believe the deceased's spirit
will be safe in heaven and aim
to say good-bye.

The next process, which is during
the burial, will be sent to the burial
site and the gong will be rung along
the road that passes as without
respect. The Tajau will be
decorated with a wide tint of beads
and nailed with carved wood. At
this point, they will also hold a feast
and have fun.

The final process in the Murut
burial process is that after the
burial, three pieces of coal will be
placed by the family members of the
deceased after four days of burial.
Nevertheless, this ember will not be
lit and will be controlled by the
family of the deceased, so that the
souls of the deceased cannot blow
fire. According to their belief that if
the deceased can blow fire to the
point of burning, the house
inhabited by the family of the
deceased will be deterred by
disaster. The custom of rejecting
misfortune will be held to signify
the customary taboo of death is
completed.

MALAYSIAN
INDIANS

Malaysian citizens of Indian or South
Asian ancestry, they form the third
largest group in Malaysia after the Malays

and the Chinese.

INDIAN DEATH CEREMONY

The period following an Indian's death or passing away

is highly valued. According to Hindu Holy Scripture such

as the Bhagwat Gita, the soul of the recently deceased

person is on its way to the next level of existence at

this time. As a result, Indians practise a plethora of

death rites and rituals in order to assist the departed

soul in a peaceful transition to the next level of

existence.

TAKING CARE OF

THE CORPSE

THE BODY WILL BE
POSITIONED IN THE
LIVING ROOM WITH ITS
HEAD FACING SOUTH.
THE OIL LAMPS, KNOWN
AS KAMATCHI AMMAN
VILAKKU, WERE LIT.

A half-split coconut and a betel nut were placed near
the corpse. Incense and chalk have just been sucked up
as peace-of-mind symbols. Before the prayer ceremony,
holy powder, or tiruniiru, is rubbed on the deceased's

forehead.
The corpse must be properly cared for while in the morgue.

The thumbs of both hands and feet are wrapped in
white cloth and placed on the chest. The eyes are
tightly closed and then wrapped in a cloth after being
rubbed with turmeric to kill germs. A pounded betel
nut is inserted into the mouth and wrapped in a cloth,
while the nostrils are stuffed with cotton.

VAAIKKARISI CEREMONY

Corpses are
bathed and
beautifully
decorated before
being placed in
coffins with new
chalk to prevent
them from
smelling. As a
final act of giving,
a small amount of
rice is placed in
the deceased's
mouth.

Coins are placed on the brow, and rose water is sprinkled on the
corpse, which is then infused with incense and burned so that

the corpse does not smell. To express the family's grief, the hung
pictures were reversed, and the jewellery in the living room was

taken out.

KOLLIC CATTI

Kollic catti is a fire-containing
clay pot. The pot is lifted with a
three-piece coconut frond at the
end and tied to a pot carried by
the deceased's family members,
whether child or father. The
person who brought it must
accompany the body. Sacred
songs are played all the way to
the burning site.

BURNING

A stretcher is used to transport coffins to the burning site. Once
there, the stretcher bearers must pay money to the maintainers as

a form of payment for providing a place to burn. The coffin is
moved several times near the burning area, beginning with
changing the position of a part of the foot and then a part of the
head. This is believed to allow the deceased to enter the Earth
Goddess's bowels. The cremation site was filled with firewood, and
corpses were placed on top, which was then covered with more

firewood, dried cow dung, and infused oil.

As a sign of permission for the corpse to be burned, coins
were placed in the dhoti or sari then the prayer begun.
The catti colllic carrier circles the corpse three times in a
clockwise direction. They were kneeling in front of the
corpse but not facing it in the third round. Three lit logs
were poked to the ground. This ceremony is intended to
ease the bereavement of the deceased's family.

AFTER THE FUNERAL

As soon as the body is taken
to the grave, the house

should be cleaned. After the
funeral, the oil lamp will be
lit in the location where the
corpse was previously placed,
and the family members will

need to take a shower to
clean themselves. Family
members of the deceased will
be served foods from non-

bloodless animals and
vegetables. A bucket of water
will be placed in front of the

house, and the oil lamp will
be kept lit at all times with
the hoy dust and salt. Then,
before entering the house,
family members are required
to touch salt and sweep on
the forehead. The water in
the bucket is used to wash

the feet, and the funeral
ceremony ends.

One of Orang Asli tribes in
Pahang, Malaysia

JAH HUT
people

THE FUNERAL
OF JAH HUT
PEOPLE

This process takes
about six days to
complete and it is
important for the
family members to
make sure all steps
were handled
carefully as what
their ancestors
have done before.
The whole process
requires all family
members to
participate as a
form of respect to
the ancestors and
the deceased.

01 The family members stay
together in one place to take a

look at the deceased. The
deceased is located near the
wooden stove. Normally, it
only takes one day for this step
to make sure the condition of
the deceased is still good.

The family members 02
will bury the body the
next day. After that,
they will take their turn
to wash their hand on

the grave.

03 On the second day until the
sixth day of the death, the
family members will bring
food to the grave and put it
at the head part on the grave.
Then, they will take their turn
again to wash their hands on

the grave.

04

On the fourth day of the death, the family members will
assemble to build 'Galang'. 'Galang' is a wooden statue
built on the grave. 'Galang' consists of 16 woods around

the grave and no nails will be used to build it. It is
forbidden to build 'Galang' before any death occurs. The

normal carves on the 'Galang' are 'Kambing berlaga',
'Gunung berangkat', 'Sekapir sireh' and 'Pucuk paku'.

05

On the sixth day of the death, a shaman
will sit in front of a fire to talk with the
spirit that the family members will no
longer send food. The fire is built on six
firewoods as it means the sixth day.
After this ritual is complete, it means

that the family members have
completed their responsibilities
towards the deceased and the

ancestors.

SABAH

SUNgai PEOPLE

Funeral
tradition
of Sungai
People

Log Coffin
Kinabatangan




This tradition synonymous with the Sungai people
community is also the only archaeological remains
that can still be clearly seen at several burial sites on
the east coast of Sabah, especially in Kinabatangan,

Lahad Datu and Semporna.



What surprises this funeral settlement area is usually
on a steep slope area and seems difficult to climb if
you take into account the completeness that was
owned centuries ago such as Agop Dimunduk

The outside of the wooden coffin
cover "balak", there are various
types of carving motifs either in

the sculptural image or in the
form of figurines. All of these
motives have their own meaning
either to the individual or to his

community.



One theory that says the purpose
of wooden coffins is placed on a
high and steep hill area is as one

of the clues to the social
hierarchy of the most common
individuals in society such as the

nobility and village leaders.







The proof, five complete coffins found
in Agop Sawat along with fragments

consisting of 41 parts of the cover,
body and other fragments of the
coffin. Also found a long purchase of
wood that has been marked and
believed to be a marker to list the
number of people or coffins buried in
Agop Sawat or the entire Tulug Stone

Limestone Cave complex.

Techniques or ways of burial of log wood, generally there are two
types namely berpangkin and without pangkin and the first way is the
most popular and mostwidely found way.

There are two ways of preparing log wood coffin pangkin in Tulug
Stone Cave, by using four poles. The coffin was placed on a bar
mounted on all four pillars and sometimes the empty space at the
bottom of the pangkin was also filled with coffin. Such a thing is often
done on the floor of a large cave. The second way is to use only two
pillars. The mounted bars will be supported by the walls of the cave
and on it the coffin is placed. Often this way is done against the saddle
on the edges of the cave walls.

MOTIF ON

THE COFFIN

On the outside of the wooden
coffin cover, various types of

carved motifs can be seen
either in the form of sculptures

or in the form of figures. All
these motives have their own

meaning either to the


individual or to society. The
researcher has made a study
on all the ancient wooden
coffins found in Sabah
whether they are still in at the
burial site or the coffins that
have been removed and
stored at the Sabah Museum
and Agop Batu Tulug
Information Center in
Kinabatangan.

Myth and mistery
related to the wood coffin

Among the stories that are Samuel (The cave guard) said, since
stored neatly in the hearts of taking care of Agop Batu Tulug cave,

every Orang Sungai ethnic he went through several strange
community in Kinabatangan is incidents including a female student
being possessed while following a
about the myth of Raja Tua school group to visit the coffin in the
Baturong.

cave.
"A student was 'reprimanded'
According to the myth, the cave (possessed) as soon as she came out
is inhabited by a king, Raja Tua of the cave. I was called to see the
Baturong with a queen named student and that's when she stared
Permaisuri Si Kunang-Kunang sharply at me and asked me to tell the

and their four children, Raja others not to disturb her.
Kuning, Raja Hitam, Raja Merah "There have also been cases where a
pair of sick lovers are believed to have
and Puteri Gurai-Gurai. been reprimanded after trying to do
According to the Sungai people indecent things in the cave," he said.
belief, this family is the guardian
.
and they protected the cave .

The Bateq people are an B
indigenous Orang Asli A
people who live in the T
rainforest of peninsular E
Malaysia Q
P
E
O
P
L
E

BATEQ
FUNERAL

RITUAL

HANGING Bateq people
CORPSE believe the
ON A spirits of
TREE corpses will
more easily
ascend to
heaven when
placed on trees.

THE
CHRONOLOGY

When one of their tribes is ill,
the bateq people will walk
together into the middle of the
forest. They only stop walking
when the sicked people is
completely unable to walk
any
more.

when this situation occurs,

other family me
mbers will

build small hut on trees using
forest timbers.
They would place sick family
members in the hut covered
with swaying mats.

THE
CHRONOLOGY

They will wait for the sick
member of the tribe to die,
then they will bathe the corpse
and wrap the corpse with batik
cloth.items belonging to the
deceased will also be left
tog
ether

They will recit
e
incantations obtained from
their ancestors as far as 20
meters from the tree to
fence the body.

Ethnic group indigenous to
Sarawak, Malaysia.

MELANAU
PEOPLE

Picture of When the Melanau culture was still
Jerunai Pole pagan or animist, Jerunai was a funeral
pillar intended for the nobles or
Funerals in aristocracy. Now that the majority of
Jerunai are only them have converted to Islam or
Christianity, it is no longer practised.
for the
aristocrats
among the
Melanau.

Melanau
people's
ancient funeral

ritual

Melanau's Background

Melanau, also known as A-Likou,
which means river people, Melanau is
an ethnic group indigenous to
Sarawak, Malaysia. They are among
the earliest settlers of Sarawak. They
speak in the Melanau language, which
is a part of the North Bornean branch
of the Malayo-Polynesian languages.

Melanau's
traditional funeral

A Jerunai is a round pole that can reach 12–15 metres in
height. Jerunai is usually made using diamond wood.
Diamond wood was chosen because it can withstand
extreme heat and rain for an extended period of time.
These poles are generally constructed along riverbanks.

Coffin According to history, before the
introduction of Islam hundreds of years
ago, the Melanau nobility's dead were not
buried in the ground. Instead, their
bodies are stored in coffins until they
naturally decompose, leaving only bones.

The deceased's bones are then
transferred to a crock and placed in
Jerunai's middle hole.

The next step in the funeral process
is to make a request from the
aristocracy who believe they will die
soon while still alive. People will
begin seeking for wood to construct
the Jerunai later. The wood will next
be shaped into a round and tall
shape. The Jerunai pole will then be
drilled with a hole.

On the outside of the poles, animal
patterns such as dragons, tigers,
snakes and so on will be carved to
highlight the rank and status of the
aristocrat. The carving pattern with
natural flora and fruit motifs
symbolizes the owner is a female
aristocrat.

It is time to uphold Jerunai in the prescribed location when death occurs.
Then, to ask the spirits to bless their work, a traditional singing ceremony
will be performed. After that, a 2-meter-deep pit will be dug. The slaves who
had been chosen by the deceased while they were alive to accompany them

would be put into the Jerunai's hole before the pole was raised.
Through out this process, the cemetery will be filled with cries from the
deceased's family and servants as a symbol of the deceased's natural
circulation and a reminder so that the departed does not disturb those who

are still alive.

Function of the hole
in Jerunai

A hole in the
bottom is used to

place the
deceased's
valuables while
they were alive

A crock is placed in the middle hole. The corpse will be
placed in this middle section.

A hole at the top is used to place a slave. The slave will
be bound and left without eating and drinking until the
slave dies. The purpose of this servant sacrifice was to

accompany the aristocrat into the realm of death