KUBU

seminomadic forest dwellers found primarily in swampy areas near watercourses in southeastern Sumatra, Indonesia. The people appear to be a mixture of an early Veddoid stock and Negrito. Contact of the Kubu with their neighbours had traditionally been primarily through silent trade; i.e., goods for barter were put where traders could look them over. They, in turn, placed nearby what they were willing to give in exchange and retired to a distance. If the deal was satisfactory, the Kubu took what was offered and vanished into the bush. Shortly before World War II the Dutch forced some of these people into villages near the Malays and started them in agriculture, but these settlements were frequently deserted. Nevertheless, the contacts thus made, as well as those brought about by oil exploration in their territory, have broken down their isolation. Traditional settlements normally consist of 20 to 30 persons living in frail houses made of bamboo and leaves. An older person serves as headman, but he has little authority. Jungle produce and small game provide most of the food, for in such a group there are no domestic animals other than an occasional dog or chicken. Dress consists of a bark loincloth and a headband to hold back the tangled hair. Little is known about their beliefs beyond the fact that they have mediums, or shamans, and that they make offerings to the spirits.