Living Together: Spirit Guardians And People in Singkawang.

‘Before religion, there was tradition’ (sebelum ada agama, adat sudah wujud) is an expression commonly heard among traditional medical practitioners in Singkawang, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. This saying hinges on the belief in penunggu (spirit guardians). Locals from different ethnicities—Chinese, Dayak, and Malay—all believe in the presence of penunggu in their surroundings. If these beings are disturbed, they will cause sickness or discomfort. To appease them and cure illness, people rely on the help of tatung (spirit mediums). Mediums, by means of spirit possession, can effect cures and negotiate ways to bring about peaceful relations between penunggu and people. This study finds that the people of Singkawang set aside their ethnic and religious differences to reconcile with the local spirit world in a harmonious manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]