A Kelantan invocation to the Earth Spirit
This short note by R. O. Winstedt (1925) presents a Kelantan invocation addressed to the Earth Spirit (Jin Hitam), transcribed from local usage and accompanied by a brief interpretive remark.
Summary
The note records a full Malay-language invocation to the Earth Genie, also called the Black Genie, who is said to dwell in the cracks of the earth and control earth-borne and water-borne diseases. The text calls upon the spirit by numerous epithets and summons his various attendants (puak) before offering a tribute of produce (p. 83). Winstedt identifies the figure as Shiva in his aspect of Kala, noting the description “eight-headed, with seven patches on his skin, the hairs of his body upside down, a smear on his forehead and skin-disease on his feet” (p. 83). He flags the text as linguistically difficult and invites a student of the Kelantan dialect to assist in resolving its difficulties.