IMMORTALISING LIARS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1686, 22 June 1904, Page 37 (Supplement)

IMMORTALISING LIARS

The Dyaks of Borneo (says the “Sarawak Gazette”) erect a tugong bula (or pile of branches) fay the wayside to the memory of every man who told a big lie. The persons originally deceived start the tugong bula in some conspicuous spot. Every passer-by contributes to it! and at the same time curses the man in memory of whom it is. The Dyaks consider adding to any tugong bula they may pass a sacred duty, the omission of which will meet with supernatural punishment, and so, however pressed for time a Dyak may be, he stops to throw on some branches or twigs. This custom dates from very ancient times. It has often been remarked by Dyaks that any other punishment would, if a man had nis choice, be much preferred to having <?, tugong bula put up in his memory. Other punishments are soon forgotten, but a tugong bula remains as a testi-i mony to a man’s untruthfulness for succeeding generations to witness, and is a standing disgrace to his children’s children.