The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao | Page 8

Fay-Cooper Cole
slaves. In return for these favors they demand, at
certain times, the sacrifice of a slave. Dissentions[sic], disasters, and
death will be sure to visit the people should they fail to make the
offering. Each year in the month of December the people are reminded
of their obligation by the appearance in the sky of a constellation
known as Balatik,[1] and soon thereafter a human sacrifice doubtless
takes place in some one or more of the Bagobo settlements.
[1] Orion.
A man to come under the protection of these two deities must first have
taken at least two human lives. He is then entitled to wear a peculiar
chocolate-colored kerchief with white patterns in it. When he has killed
four he may wear blood-red trousers, and when his score has reached
six he may don a full blood-red suit and carry a sack of the same color.
Such a man is known as magani and his clothing marks him as a person
of distinction and power in his village. He is one of the leaders in a war
party; he is chosen by the datu to inflict the death penalty when it has
been decreed; and he is one of the assistants in the yearly sacrifice. It is
not necessary that those he kills, in order to gain the right to wear a red
suit, be warriors. On the contrary he may kill women and children from
ambush and still receive credit for the achievement, provided his
victims are from a hostile village. He may count those of his
townspeople whom he has killed in fair fight, and the murder of an
unfaithful wife and her admirer is credited to him as a meritorious deed.
The workers in iron and brass, the weavers of hemp cloth, and the
mediums or shamans--known as mabalian--are under the protection of
special deities for whom they make ceremonies at certain times of the
year.

The mabalian just mentioned are people--generally women past middle
life--who, through sufficient knowledge of the spirits and their desires,
are able to converse with them, and to make ceremonies and offerings
which will attract their attention, secure their good will, or appease
their wrath. They may have a crude knowledge of medicine plants, and,
in some cases, act as exorcists. The ceremonies which art performed at
the critical periods of life are conducted by these mabalian, and they
also direct the offerings associated with planting and harvesting. They
are generally the ones who erect the little shrines seen along the trails
or in the forests, and it is they who put offerings in the "spirit boxes" in
the houses. Although they, better than all others, know how to read the
signs and warnings sent by the spirits, yet, all of the people know the
meaning of certain omens sent through the medium of birds and the
like. The call of the limokon[1] is recognized as an encouragement or a
warning and its message will be heeded without fail. In brief, every
natural phenomenon and every living thing is caused by or is subject to
the will of unseen beings, who in turn can be influenced by the acts of
individuals. As a result everything of importance is undertaken with
reference to these superior powers.
[l] A dove (Calcophops indica). Similar beliefs held by the Tagalog
were mentioned by Juan de Plasencia in 1589. See BLAIR and
ROBERTSON, Vol. VII, p. 189.
DWELLINGS--HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS.
The houses found in the coast villages line well marked streets and
differ in few respects from those built by the Christianized natives
throughout the Islands. Even in the more isolated districts the effect of
this outside influence is marked. However, we can state with
confidence that village life is a new idea to the Bagobo. He has, from
time immemorial, built his home near to his fields, and there he and his
family reside, except during festivals or when extreme danger threatens.
At such times all go to the house of the local ruler and there unite in the
festivities or the common defense.
The smaller dwellings have but one room, the floor of which is raised
several feet above the ground and supported by many piles. A part of

the latter extend five of[sic] six feet above the floor and form supports
for the side and cross-beams. From the center of the room lighter poles
project eight or ten feet above the cross-beams and form the main
supports for the ridge timber. From beams at the end and sides of the
room similar pieces run to this central ridge; below this they are joined
together, at intervals, by means of horizontal poles and cross-beams. To
this framework are lashed strips of palma brava, supports for a
covering of closely laid runo, on which rests the final topping
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