534 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



inheritance, conveyance and contract. Thus the political life of the 

 Igorot, although exceedingly weak on the side of federation or agree- 

 ment between the independent towns, is centuries of development ahead 

 of the almost institutionless communities of the Ilongot. 



The Ilongot appears to be usually a monogamist and the wife is 

 purchased, or at least a dowry called " piyat " is paid in weapons, 

 utensils, liquor, wire, etc. Her position is not at all that of a bought 

 piece of property, but, like the woman in Malayan society generally, she 

 is the companion and almost the equal in influence and independence 

 of the man. 



While the machinery for righting injuries or settling grievances is 

 almost non-existent, the Ilongot has a strong sense of injury and of 

 wrongful acts. He will say with the strongest feeling and disgust that 

 certain actions are " forbidden " (ma kxil). 



I once asked an Ilongot what he would do if a man of a neighboring 

 community, with which relations were peaceful, should come and steal 

 his pig. He thereupon detailed the steps open to him. He might take 

 his weapons and go within hallooing distance of the aggressor's home 

 and demand a double fine or restitution ("baiyad"). If the demand 

 did not avail he would make a solemn warning (" tongtongan ") and 

 then, if satisfaction did not follow, there was no recourse but retaliation. 

 I believe, however, that compensation, even for such offenses as murder, 

 is frequently arranged through the anxiety of all members of the family 

 to escape retaliation. Feud, that inevitably arises under such social 

 conditions as these, pursues generation after generation and the obliga- 

 tion that descends to posterity and relations to take vengeance is 

 spoken of as the " debt of life " (utang nu biay). 



Apart from the taking of heads as an act of vengeance, murder 

 with the winning of the gruesome trophy is obligatory on" the other occa- 

 sions as well. An Ilongot once said to me "A man may during his 

 life take three, four or even five heads, but he must take one, and that 

 before he marries. This head he carries to the relations of his intended 

 wife to prove that his heart and body are strong to defend her." Fur- 

 thermore, after the palay harvest each year the bundles of unthreshed 

 rice or palay are neatly piled into a stack about a tall stake which is set 

 up in the " kaingin." Then, for some ungodly reason, a human head 

 is very desirable to place on top of this pole. So raids are made, 

 usually on the Christian settlements below. Several questions may be 

 asked regarding these practises, but I can offer nothing by way of 

 answer. To whom is the "debt of life" owed? To the spirit of the 

 dead person? To the customary Malayan spirits of the forest? Only 

 a Ion? acquaintance would enable one to get to the bottom of the motive 

 of such customs as these. 



The primitive Malayan is full of beliefs and dreads of the malignant 

 spirits which throng his environment. These are the spirits of forest, 



