Cult of the Sacred Jar

The Dusuns of Tuaran , Papar , and of some other places commonly worship
certain jars , which are regarded as being sacred . Various kinds of old
jars of foreign manufacture ,most, if not all , of which are of Chinese
origin , are regarded as being valuable property by many of the pagan
peoples of Borneo , but the Dusuns think that certain varieties of them
are tenanted by in-dwelling spirits , and are hence worthy of reverence .
It is to a kind called 'gusi ' in particular that sacrifice and prayer are
made at Tuaran ; and families vie with one another to obtain a specimen
from two or three thousands dollars being no uncommon price to pay for one.
Each member of a family has often a small share in such a jar , and owing
to the frequent and complicated lawsuits which formerly arose in
consequence , it became necessary that such cases should be stopped ; a
notification therefore was issued by the then Governor of British North
Borneo ,which prohibited legal proceedings with regard to 'gusi' , except
with a view to enforcing the rights of the 'waris' [members of the fmailies
of owners] as define in the notification. The 'gusi' is a pot-bellied jar
of a greenish-brown color and has often a cracked skin , but whether this
crackle is due to age or was produced in manufacture are not certain . It
appears to be of Chinese make,and specimens may vary considerably in size.
"Gusi' are often kept in a railed-off enclosure in of the inner rooms of a
Dusun house , and annual sacrifices are made to them at a festival called
'mengahau'. 'Mengahau' is a festival in connection with the sacred jars,
which is performed annually and may take place a few days.