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Of Medicine,Mysticism And Shamanism

  The usage of plants as natural medicines has existed since prehistoric times, at least in the case of Sabah or North Borneo. There is no documentation of this generation to another

  About the usage of certain plants. The knowledge of herbs is told from parents to children, and they will tell their children and so on and so forth.Most elders in a community will know what herbs to use for certain illness as well as taboos. They are like keepers of the knowledge akin to an encyclopedia. They are the ones that are consulted if the patient’s illness is puzzling or beyond the ken of the household elder.

   The knowledge of medicine and taboos, as well as the prohibition of certain actions, words or lifestyle during the treatment are also known to the shamans. And these are applied when deemed appropriate. The physical treatment for illness and maladies with herbs and related concoctions are usually accompanied by incantations.

   Be that as it may, in the kadazandusun community shamans have existed since time immemorial. They are one of two elders looked up on in the community. He is on par with the Chieftain or Village head. In the Dusun dialect, they are called Bobolian. In the kadazandusun community there are more female shamans then men, and they are entrusted by knowledge of herbs and other traditional medicines handed down from generation to generation.

   This is not easy task, as besides memorizing which plants can be used as medicine, they also have to know which part of  the plant to pick, how to pick to pick them and when to pick them. Picking the herbs also require certain procedures. The picker have to chant an invocation to the spirit owner of the plants, asking permission to pick them.

   After all that, they will also have to know how to prepare the herbs, and how to consume them. A tedious job it is for a shaman and tedious still if he has to mediate between the ethereal and the real.. a Shaman from Kota Belud’s Dusun-Tindal tribe Amman sirom Simbuna’ 52 says.

   Such feats require rigorous training and many years of patient practice. “My mother was bobolian’ one of the most well known in her time. I started to learn the ways, of the bobolian when I was 12 years old. I watched her and learnt traditional(shamanic) instruction from that early age.”

   I went with her everywhere and watch her carry out her work. I watched her descend into a state of unconsciousness. During such time, she was in contact with the ethereal world and therefore I heard her speak words from the ‘others,” he shares.

   Learning from her came naturally, especially where herbs were concerned. I went with her to pick them and as I was naturally curious, I always took the opportunity to ask. The incantations and invocations came later. Yes, I learned them all, for these words are essential in our aspect of Shamanism.

   He concurs with the idea that the authentic shaman’s sense of calling is no which or fancy, but can be dangerous vocation as they deal with the ‘unseen’. “there are times when ‘others are strong and if will take all our strength to combat these forces,” he stresses. On medicinal knowledge, he says herbal medicine has existed for a long time and that this knowledge has been descended to his mother from her mother and from generations before that.

   The normal illness, which basically means minor physical illness like sores, swelling and lack of appetite require herbs that are quite simple to prepare. Herbs may be drank or eaten. Swelling for instance need herbal poultice. These maladies are quite common in our community,” he says adding that the shamans help is usually required to get the right herbs.

    Personally, in my community, we are taught the usage of various plants, for examples flatulence can be treated by grounded betel nut on the stomach and blood from shallow cuts can be stemmed with poultice made from young hibiscus leaves. But of course we do no need incantations to learn those, for they are natural medicine.

 “Incantations are usually chanted when the illness is caused by supernatural beings. If it is illness induced by these spirits, it will be different matter all together. There are two types of spirit. One is the spirit that adheres to the command of a master and one is the spirit of nature….for nature like the forest, the waterfalls…are dwelling places of spirits.”

 “Usually when the illness is done by a spirit familiar of another person, we will usually try to treat the illness and cleanse the victims. If the illness is caused by spirits which was disturbed by the humans (unintentionally, of course), we will ‘express regret’ and try to treat the victim”

  Not everyone who comes can be helped thought,” he stress adding that at times some victim are already too far gone and cannot be helped. “I usually ‘go under’ to took at his condition and if I see that I cannot help him. I will tell to seek assistance from some other shamans. He may come back to me later and then I will make another reading and at times he can be helped the second time round”

  He says treating a person with such maladies is not easy and it needs extreme concentration. Ammon says, he also performs ceremonial work like the appeasing of spirits and ensuring that no malignant spirits and ensuring that no malignant spirits and ensuring that no malignant spirits mar on event.

  He was at the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) headquarters during the recent cultural rendezvous where he and four of his compatriots guarded the Kadazandusun Paramount Leader Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan during his (Pairin) visit.

  “We want to make sure that thought out the celebrations there will be no one can see malicious spirits but it can manifest in various ways, quarrels, fights, dissatisfaction and many others. I wanted to know how his belief and practices figures in the modern world.

  “Shamanism is not a religion, it is an ancient way of life that we the babalians try to held on to and to practice so that it will not lade into oblivion. It is the oldest practice our people, our relationship to spirits or nature. it is also an accumulations of knowledge, skills and practice by the ancients and descended to us through the bobolians,” he says adding there is no religious barrier in this world.

  People who came to him for a cure are free to practice their religion. “Sometimes I just tell them which to use and before they pick the plants, I ask them to ‘berniat’ (pray for) Healing according to their belief,” I also wanted to know how he and his novices’ figures in the Tourism Industry as they are always seen in celebrations like the State Level Harvest Festival Celebrations and Nuruk Ragang Annual Visits among others.

  He says , we are there because we have a duty. We may be in the background, but we play our part in ensuring that everything goes well in the both world. We see and know what a ‘normal’ person does not. Since we are always attired in our full traditional costumes during such occasions, we look colorful and attractive, so if guests think of us a just one other attraction in such festivals, we don’t mind at all. They do not interfere in our spiritual well being or our work. Actually we will only be too happy to oblige if they want to take photographs of or with us.

  During such functions, one should look out if Amman and his friends are carrying one chicken and ritual paraphernalia  with them. If they are, then they are on duty and Amman is in ‘contact’ with his mystical half.  It has been said that animism is disappearing and with it shamanism. It may be true, so scholars may have to hurry up and get people like Amman and to share their knowledge, for the next generation will no longer rely on their memories, they need books.

 Meanwhile, Amman and his group of novice will go on with their belief and practice quietly for to them their knowledge, skills and practice matter very much. They want to perpetuate this way of life.

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