Friday, May 6, 2011

Prayer of Kaul ( Doa Kaul)

5:56 AM





Before starting the feast of Kaul, a Serahang must be prepared. Serahang is a flat round offering basket raised on a 7 feet bamboo pole. It is made of bulok tedieng, semat, nypa leaves, daun iseng and daun tigoh. Serahang means " to offer" or "to surrender" and serves as offering basket for Ipok ( Spirits). The offerings are:


The Offerings : All Photos by Eduine Kusai


Bertih ( Rice pops)



Pulut Kunieng ( Yellow glutinous rice)


 Penyaram ( Sweet snack made of rice flour)


Papit ( packed rice in woven nypa leaf pouch)


Rukok Kirai ( Cigarettes with Nypa Wrappers)


Belen ( Betel and areca nuts)





The Father of Kaul will start the ceremony. He sings prayer to all "Ipok" (Spirits) while holding a bowl of Beraih Kunieng ( Uncooked yellow Rice). The Prayer goes:

Oi kelou Ipok
Ipok Alud
Ipok Daya
Ipok Wab 
Ipok La-an
Ipok Bau 
Ipok Dibak
Ipok Jakak 
Ipok Pegak
Ipok Tanak
Ipok Sungai 
Ipok Li-éak
Ipok Telouk 
Ipok Lidouk
Ipok Jalan 
Ipok Takan


Ipok Ipok
Keang sigeang mata linga kelou Ipok


Itoulah melou sou aneak
Menibah kelou sama-sama
Bak Keman
Bak Pamen
O ye Ipok
Ipok of the sea
Ipok of the land
Ipok of the west
Ipok of the east
Ipok in high above
Ipok at down under
Ipok of docks
Ipok of river bed
Ipok of the earth
Ipok of the river
Ipok of forest puddle
Ipok of the Gulf
Ipok of river rill
Ipok of the road
Ipok of places


Ipok Ipok
Open your eyes, Lend us your ears O Ipok


Here we are your children
Welcoming You
for Festivity
for Feasting


Then the Father of Kaul would scatter the yellow uncooked rice towards the villagers. In the same time he would continue the Prayer:

Melou menyabek diak gak kelou Ipok Bless us O Ipok
Bak umur selamet sou aneak nou Bless us with longevitiy
Menyabek rejeki murak gak melou aneak nou Grant us, your children a bountiful life
Neh Muneh in days to come
Inou ji wak meseang wak kureang nejaga Protect us from hindrance and shortcoming
Wak jaet wéak Deliver us from evil
Tuluong nou menyusuh jauk Banish it far away
Kemanlah telou sama-sama Telou gitou lau itou Let us feast together with you here today

After that the Father of Kaul would ask permission from the A-Metahei ( Aristrocrats) to begin the feast. After the feast the Serahang is placed on a riverbank while the Bapa Kaul( Father of Kaul ) would sing mantras to invoke the spirits and pours water over the offerings. The Serahang will be placed on the right side of the river mouth or on a sacred place which is called "Mesin" in melanau.




Photo: OneMukah


Source: Sarawak Museum Journal No. 61

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1 comments:

  1. Good job, keep it up on next Kaul's Festival.

    ReplyDelete

 

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