The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary

Value pə-ñabit

Language:
Malay
Parameter:
reaper; fig., stealer of heads for propitiating the earth-spirits when a great public work is undertaken, there being public scares (known as ‘seasons of headless fish’) when it is believed that heads are wanted for this purpose [99016f9b59e4b12232249fa9b20788ee]
References
Wilkinson 1959