PART III. GENERAL SOCIOLOGICAL CULTURE 

 CHAPTER XIII 



DOMESTIC LIFE AND MARITAL RELATIONS 



ARRANGING THE MARRIAGE 



Manobo marriages, in general, may be said to be unions of convenience sought with a 

 view to extending the circle of relatives in such directions as may result in an increase of power, 

 prestige, protection, and sundry other material advantages. An instance passed under my 

 notice in 1909 in which the daughter of a Mangguangan warrior chief was captured in marriage 

 for the purpose of securing his aid against the captor's enemies. The captor was a Manobo- 

 Mafigguafigan of the upper Agiisan. 



SELECTION OP THE BRIDE 



In the selection of his future wife, the Manobo consults his own tastes as far as he can, but 

 he is influenced to a great extent by the opinion of his parents and near relatives, all of whom 

 ordinarily look to the advantages to be derived from connection with powerful members of 

 the tribe. Hence rank and birth are nearly always a determining factor, and where the wishes 

 of the man's elders are in opposition to his own natural choice, he yields and is contented to 

 take the helpmate chosen for him. 



COURTSHIP AND ANTENUPTIAL RELATIONS 



Sometimes the young man is bidden to take up his residence in the girl's house, observe 

 her general character and especially her diligence, find out if she has been bespoken, gain the 

 good will of her father and relatives, and report to his people. 



No communication of any kind takes place between him and his prospective wife. When 

 the subject is broached to the girl, she simply bids him see her relatives. I have known of 

 cases among the upper Agtisan Manobos where improper suggestions to the girl were at once 

 reported by her to her parents, and the author of them was at once brought to order with a 

 fine, the equivalent of ?15 or f*30. One white man is reported to have met his death at the 

 hand of a Manobo for a mistake of this kind many years ago. In deepest Manoboland, 

 when the offense passes, however slightly, the boundaries of suggestion, it becomes the source of 

 many a deadly feud. Happily, however, such cases are extremely rare. 



BEGGING FOR THE HAND OF THE GIRL 



Three, four, or five of the nearest male relatives of the man, after procuring a little beverage, 

 repair early some evening to the house of the nearest relative of the girl. After they have 

 partaken of the inevitable betel-nut quid, and have offered a drink of sugarcane brew or other 

 beverage to the household, and have discussed a few topics of daily fife — it may be about the 

 last wild boar killed, or the capture of a polecat in the snares ' — the prologue begins. This 

 lasts from one to two days, including often the better part of the nights. Each of the visitors 

 comes in his turn and rattles off, with many a significant haw and cough, in good Manobo style 

 a series of periphrastic platitudes and examples that apparently give no clue to the object of 

 their visit. The owner of the house and father, let us say, of the girl quickly understands the 

 situation and then assumes a most indifferent air. The visitor who has taken up the discourse 



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