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banūkal
A decorative dancing aid, used by the sponsor of a headhunting ritual, bahbah, in performing a ritual dance.
The dancing aid is carved of wood, roughly in the shape of a fleur-de-lis, about 35 cm. long by 25 cm. wide, with a loop cord at the base to be attached to the wrist. It is decorated with leaves of the ti plant, dongla, and bolwang tree, and braided leaves, ginultu, of a Job's tears plant, ata''uy. The dancing aid is smeared with blood from a sacrificed chicken, and the ritual sponsor is required to perform a ritual dance, holding this carving in his left hand. One who thus dances with a dancing aid may not eat shellfish from a pond field for three months, vegetables for two months, and sweet potatoes for one month.
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