HERITAGE
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Kong T'au and Pantang LarangPart IIIof Raymond Kwok's series onNyonya SuperstitionsIT WAS FOR THIS REASON that some Nyonyas fearfully guarded their personal possessions (namely photographs and inner garments) very well and avoided cutting their finger/toe nails at night. With such personal 'ingredients,' a terrible charm '- kong t?au - could be concocted by those with evil intent (the Mistress, for example), of course with the help of a. black sorcerer (kong t?au sian). The superstitious Nyonya usually fought shy of Western doctors and hospitals unless she couldn't help it. She would prefer to put her faith/life in the hands of her sin seh (Chinese physician), and his herbal prescriptions (eio tnua), her own concoctions, patent medicines and most importantly, her peng aun hoo (protective paper charm.). As a last resort (at the insistence of relatives and friends) and when bed-ridden, she would insist on being lifted out head first rather than feet first (as a corpse) into the car or ambulance to be taken to hospital. Protective marks for a sick lady
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Monkeys |
Visits
to the Botanical Gardens where monkeys roamed free was strictly taboo for
fear of ch?iong, resulting in a hairy or monkey-like baby!
The couple was also warned against any shifting of furniture, especially
the bed in the bridal chamber for fear of the expectant mother suddenly
suffering a miscarriage! Extra care was taken to ensure that the mother-to-be
should not accidentally step over any rope, especially one that was used
to tie up a cow or goat (for fear of a difficult child-birth).
When delivery time drew near, all drawers and doors of cabinets were flung wide open in the belief that the process of delivery would be faster, easier and less painful. Well, so much for the caring mother-in-law! After delivery, during the confinement period of 44 days, the baby's
mother was only allowed to take herbal baths followed by an oil massage.
She had to avoid foods that caused 'wind'. Steamed foods in black vinegar,
linseed oil, pepper and plenty of old ginger were more or less forced upon
the 'new' mother. Body aches and swel1ing of finger joints and feet bore
testimony that the Matriarch's advice had been ignored.
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To fool them |
Baby
boys, of course, were more precious than baby girls for only boys carried
on the family surname. However, it was common for the Nyonya to give a
girl's name (usually a nickname) to her baby son. He might even be made
to wear a single ear-ring or don a girl's dress to fool the evil spirits
into thinking that he was a girl . Even if the child was born handsome
and fair, the Nyonya might purposely select an ugly name for the
child, for example, Hitam, for a fair child.
Relatives and other well-wishes who turned up for the 'full-moon? (mua
goay) ceremony usually brought gifts wrapped in red paper or gave red
packets containing cash or jewellery for the child. They were advised to
refrain from praising the child for fear evil spirits lurked and might
take him away permanently! Often they would playfully criticise
the baby so as to confuse the demons. Baby boys born in the Year of the Dragon were greatly favoured for they
were believed to have been blessed with good health and good luck. After
the bridal chamber had been decorated and blessed, usually a small boy
(born in the Year of the Dragon) would be asked to roll over from one end
of the bridal bed to the other three times in the hope that the couple's
first born would be a boy!
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Hairy hands
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Living
testimonies of those dabbling in black sorcery and their consequences,
huan
tiok (collision with evil forces), k?an bong (communicating
with the dead through a medium) and supernatural powers (some unexplainable)
have been handed down to us till today. While many expectant mothers of
today might mock sarcastically or laugh in great disbelief over the so-called
'stupid' Nyonya superstitions and nonsensical beliefs, there are still
today 'survivors' who can testify that their physical imperfections (extraordinary
hairy hands, red/green birth-marks on their faces, hands and foreheads,
digital disfigurement etc.) were the result of their 'liberated mothers'
acts when they dared defy the Nyonya Matriarch's pantang larang (taboos)
and beliefs.
Quote:
Child-souls may find their gods in wood
and stone;
Bhagvad-Gita # (Concluded) |
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Phone
604 656 9550 email dkwok@tm.net.my
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The
Penang File Issue 13
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The
Nyonya as Matriarch would most likely fuss over her daughter-in-law who
was expecting her first child. The mother-to-be must be extra careful that
she should experience no rude shocks or be influenced by unpleasant things.
The Matriarch would dish out her pantang larang (taboos). No lifting
of heavy things, no sewing, mending, knitting or nailing of things for
fear that the child would have a cleft lip! No slaughtering of poultry
or chopping of crabs for fear of disfigurement. Green or red birth-marks
were often attributed to this 'cruel act').
