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The fast is faithfully observed by many and publicly transgressed by none. Every one is aware that heavy opiumsmokers cannot abstain. Others who find the abstinence too severe, surreptitiously consume cakes, fruits, sugarcane etc., but would be ashamed to have cooked food prepared for them. They also partake unblushingly of the breakfast at sunset and of the sawō-meal. They dare not chew sirih in the daytime, since that leaves traces which cannot be all at once obliterated.
In Acheh, as in Java[1], there are many bad observers of the fast, who to ease their consciences fast on the first and last, and sometimes also on the middle day of the month.
The liberal view that prevails in parts of Java, that the smoking of tobacco does not affect the fast, finds no serious supporters in Acheh. Many Achehnese, however, make endurance easier by occasionally rubbing their teeth (and perhaps their tongue too by accident!) with tobacco. In defence of this practical they point to the fact that the religious law strongly recommends the cleansing of the teeth by rubbing them with the end of a stick of some soft sort of wood[2]. It differs then but little, they say, whether tobacco or some other plant be employed for this purpose.
The meunasah in the fasting month.The second meal is generally taken at home, but during the fasting month almost all the people of the gampōng are wont to assemble at the meunasah to await the sunset. At the appointed time they partake of a meal prepared from general contributions under the supervision of the teungku, and share in the seumayang mugrèb or at least remain as spectators during its performance. Even notorious opiumsmokers contribute their share and do not fail in attendance, though they do not even make a pretence of sharing in the meal through fear of being laughed at. They choose a place in the balè near the meunasah, or at least refrain from entering the latter.
The customary dish for this preliminary breakfast is a porridge (kanji) made from rice and various leaves pounded fine. It is cooked by some poor old man of the gampōng, who gets from the teungku a share of the pitrah for his pains. The assembled villagers have each
- ↑ In Java this method of keeping the fast is jestingly called tutup kěndang = "the closing of the drum," the allusion being to the empty space enclosed between the two skin coverings at either end of a drum.
- ↑ This method of cleaning the teeth is called sugòë (Mal. sugi). So the Achehnese say in the month of Puasa "sugòë bakōng hana peuë" = "rubbing (the teeth) with tobacco does not signify."
