BOMOH NOMBOR EKOR: A CASE STUDY IN PASIR MAS KELANTAN

The article explains the mystical activities by the local shamans in foretelling probable lottery numbers in the district of Pasir Mas, Kelantan. The process will take place in a special ritual by a bomoh (a traditional Malay shaman) that would also involve a keris (a Malay traditional dagger), and a supernatural entity that acts as a medium. By using the keris and special incantations, the bomoh will call for aide from the supernatural entities, who then provide the desirable numbers to the bomoh during the ritual. Surprisingly, the numbers that were obtained from these rituals were often accurate and most who sought for these services from the local bomohs won the lottery without fail. The ability to gain the numbers’ accuracy is somehow related to the skill levels owned by these bomohs in getting assistance from the supernatural world. This article will further reveal on the practice of gambling through buying lottery tickets that are still prevalent in today’s Malay society especially in the focused place. For the sole purpose of this study, the data was collected through interview sessions with the local bomohs, ritual observations and extensive readings for detailed information. This article intends to highlight that the practice of foretelling lottery numbers is uncommon especially in getting quick cash among the locals of Pasir Mas.