Melenggang Perut Rite (Malaysia)

This traditional rite held in the seventh month of a woman‘s pregnancy. This rite aims to place a baby in a normal position, its head at the top of cervix, and to help a mother easily during the process of giving birth.    

The word “Melenggang Perut” is merely known in southern Malaysia, while the people of northern Malaysia called it “Kirim Perut”, and in both western and eastern Malaysia, the data of such rite are not found. This portal explores the rite by using the terminology “Melenggang Perut” as used broadly in the southern Malaysia.

1. Equipments

Some equipment/s prepared for performing the rite are:

• Seven cloths which have different colors
• Gantang (measure of capacity; one gantang is equal to 3, 125 kgs) of rice
• One coconut that has been taken its skin off
• A roll of thread
• A piece of damar wood
• Coconut oil
• Several candles
• A box of sirih with its implement
• Money (Five suku that is equal to $ 1.25) as pengeras put on sirih box  

2. The Way of Performing the Rite

Melenggang Perut rite is performed in several phases explained below:

1. Seven different colors of the cloths are spread out as a plaited mat where the pregnant wife is lying. The wife‘s stomach is then massaged smoothly with the prepared coconut oil.
2. The coconut that has been taken its skin off is rolled slowly on her stomach for seven times. In the end of rolling, the coconut is let falling and rolling over by itself until it stops. The midwife looks at its last position. If the coconut‘s top located at an upper position, the pregnant woman will have a son baby, and vice versa.
3. Both of the midwife‘s hands then hold the top of the cloth laid on the woman‘s head, and raises it in order to swing her stomach. Afterward, the midwife takes all the cloths carefully one by one, and the last cloth besides the coconut, the rice, the piece of dammar wood, sirih box, and the money are taken and brought by the midwife.

During the rite, kenduri (feast especially on religious occasion) is also conducted in a simple form, and attended by parents and relatives. In such opportunity, the wife should wear a new cloth to looks more beautiful.

3. Prayers

This sub title is still in the process of colleting data.

4. Cultural Value

This part is also still in the process of collecting data

Sources:

1. http://www.ashtech.com.my/adat
2. http://www.malaysiana.pnm.my
3. Syed Alwi bin Sheikh Al-Hadi, Adat Resam Melayu dan Adat Istiadat, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Kepementerian Pelajaran Persekutuan tanah Melayu Kuala Lumpur, 1960.

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