Marriage cleansing ceremony shows power of customary laws

 

A Murut bobolian carrying out the sogit ceremony involving the sacrifice of chickens, pigs and a buffalo.

KOTA KINABALU: A rarely-held ceremony in Sabah’s interior Keningau district is a reminder that age-old native customary laws and practices are still part of daily life among the state’s indigenous communities.

The sogit ceremony held recently at a village in Tulid, some 60km from Keningau town, was carried out by the Murut community. The term sogit among Sabah’s indigenous groups is loosely translated as compensation and atonement for going against the customs of the ethnic groups.

A sogit ceremony is necessary if a couple who are about to marry are found to be first cousins or closely related, such as an uncle and a niece, for example,” said Keningau indigenous community elder Amir Arif.

Amir said native customary laws are severe on any relationship deemed as incestous.

“There have been stories where in the olden days if siblings were found to be involved in an incestous relationship, they would be speared and their bodies would be left to float down the river.”

The bobolian watches as villagers assist the couple in submerging themselves in the river.

He said the sogit ceremony in Tulid in early October was held after a couple was found to be closely related to one another.

A video clip of that ceremony showed a bobolian or shaman striking the ground several times with a stick while chanting. Strung up on a pole nearby were two chickens and two pigs while a tied-up buffalo was laid on the ground.

After the bobolian finished chanting, the animals were slaughtered and drops of their blood were splattered onto the couple who were then ritually immersed in a nearby stream.

The Keningau native chief said the sogit ceremony was held to prevent any misfortune befalling the community, and served as a declaration that the family ties between the couple had been severed.

Sogit is usually imposed by the Native Courts in the respective districts, presided by chiefs such as Amir.

Penalties can be imposed on those found breaching the customary laws, such as trespassing on another person’s land, or hunting illegally, as well as issues such as calling off an engagement or even adultery. - FMT