adminDamat — Borneo tribal shamans chanted age-old prayers on Saturday in a ceremony in Malaysia aimed at soothing spirits and bringing an end to disturbing aftershocks from an earthquake that killed 18 people. About 100 members of the Kadazan Dusun, the largest tribal group in the Malaysian state of Sabah, held the ritual in the state’s Tamparuli district after a 5.1-magnitude aftershock shook the area on Saturday
Villagers, still rattled after the original 6.0-magnitude quake on June 5 that was centred near the popular climbing peak of Mount Kinabalu, ran from their homes during the aftershock.
It was one of several to hit Sabah on Saturday and dozens since the original tremor.
A chief priestess of the tribe, Singkaban Kowii, said they would try to get a mountain spirit to possess one of its shamans to better understand why the quakes were continuing. Many in Sabah have blamed the earthquakes on a group of Western tourists who stripped on 4,095m Mount Kinabalu — considered a sacred place — a week before the original earthquake.
Some say the act angered the spirits who are believed to dwell on the mountain, which is about 34km from the Tamparuli district.
“This is the first time we’re doing this kind of special prayer, just for Mount Kinabalu,” said the 75-year-old priestess, dressed in a colourful blue sarong and carrying a traditional dagger and amulet.
“We’ll communicate with the spirit and find out what’s needed from us to stop the aftershocks and take care of the mountain.” — AFP
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