Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/355

 his mother) attended by a number of women from their gampōng, are now admitted, but not till after the bridegroom has entered the jurèë. They are, however, received in the back verandah (sramòë likōt), the proper abode of the women.

There they receive a formal greeting, but without pantōns, so that the reception is over in a moment, especially as they are offered no sirih. They then go straightway into the jurèë, where their presence somewhat strengthens the bridegroom's courage.

The bride now gives the first token of wifely obedience in the form of a long obeisance (seumbah) at the knees of her spouse, a token of homage which he accepts with a gracious gesture (sambōt). At this point the adat prescribes his presenting her with a sum of money (say 10 dollars), which one of the peunganjōs receives and puts in its proper place.

Meantime food is placed before the guests, and on such occasions the idangs must be very complete. The adat lays down fixed rules for the arrangement of these idangs, especially in connection with wedding feasts. The same rules hold good for the idangs of the Feast of the Birthday of Mohammad, and for what are called „guest-meals", i. e. feasts offered to specially honoured guests . These, however, are not in any sense of religious character, nor are they, like kanduris, marked by the recitation of selections from the Quran or litanies with final prayer.

On ordinary occasions an idang consists of two dalōngs or presentation trays, of which one contains the rice, and the other 4 or 5 bowls of meat or fish together with gulè (called sayur in Java) and sambay (Mal. sambal). Such an idang is intended for 4 or 5 persons.

The feast-idangs just mentioned are formed in a more complex manner. In the one dalōng there are first placed a number of bowls with meat and vegetables in their gravy (gulè). This lower layer is covered with pisang-leaves, on which are set a large number of small dishes (chipé chut) of fish, meat, eggs etc., and sambay. These layers are piled up to as many as nine deep, each being separated from the next by