144 THE MANOBOS OF MINDANAO— GARVAN 



travels more to visit friendly neighboring chiefs, who always receive him as a guest of honor and 

 feast him when they have the wherewithal. 



Various grades of chiefs are occasionally reported, such as Jcuydno, 13 masikdmpo u and ddtu 

 but such grades do not exist. These names have probably been conferred by mercenary Bisayas 

 for commercial reasons and are not assumed by Manobos even for purposes of ostentation. 



The warrior chief is in almost every case the person of greatest influence and authority, both 

 by reason of his position in the family and because of the prestige of his valor. In a country 

 where the bolo and lance are final arbiters when all else has fai'ed the warrior must of necessity 

 be chief or be a person of very marked influence. If he is not recognized as such, he generally 

 removes himself with as many as will or must follow to another locality, and there he becomes 

 chief. 



Nothing said here is intended to apply to the political organization of the Christianized 

 Manobos, or conquistas into settlements under the special government of the Agiisan Province. 

 My remarks are confined exclusively to the pagan people. 



THE WARRIOR CHIEF AS PRIEST AND MEDICINE MAN 



The reader is referred to the second part of Chapter XXIV, Part IV, for a detailed account 

 of the functions and prerogatives of the warrior chief in his capacity as priest. For the present 

 we will pass on to consider him in his role of medicine man, summarizing briefly his magic 

 methods for the cure of various ailments ascribed to supernatural agency. 



As to the warrior's knowledge and powers in both capacities, I have always found the many 

 warrior chiefs with whom I have come in contact very reticent and have accordingly been unable 

 to secure detailed information on this subject. It is beyond a doubt, however, that great powers 

 are attributed to them both in causing and curing certain ailments. 



It may be said that any disease attributed to the displeasure of the blood spirits falls within 

 their jurisdiction as priests and may be cured by a sacrifice or by other ceremonial methods. 

 As a general rule they are supposed to have a knowledge of various magic and medicinal herbs. 

 They are always the possessors of necklaces, 15 to which are attributed such powers as those of 

 imparting invisibility and invulnerability. These peculiar charms, as well as numerous herbs, 

 roots, and other things possessing magic power for good and for evil, are often bound up in the 

 charm collars and can not be seen. Nothing will prevail upon the owner to declare even their 

 names. After opening the breast of the slain enemies they dip these mystic collars in the blood 

 and thereby, through the instrumentality of their blood spirits, impart to the collars greater 

 potency. 



Hemorrhages and all wounds or other troubles in which a flux of blood appears are thought 

 to emanate from the desire of the familiars of the warrior priests for blood. Hence he is called 

 upon to make intercession and to propitiate 16 these bloodthirsty spirits with the sacrifice 

 of a pig or fowl. After the pig has been killed, a little of the blood is caught in a split bamboo 

 receptacle, 17 which is then hung up in the house with the blood left in it for the regalement of 

 these insatiate spirits. 



Besides curative means the warrior medicine man is said to have secret means of causing 

 bodily harm to those against whom he feels a grievance. These means are called kometdn 

 and have been described in Chapter XV. It is true that others are reputed to have these 

 secret magic means, but none except the warrior priest will make open confession of their 

 reputed powers. 



1 3 Kulano, a title applied, I think, to Moros of the Rio Grande of Mindanao, and used, I have heard, by the Banuaons. 



» Maatre it Campo — i. e., field marshal— was a title given by the Spaniards to faithful Buklduou chiefs. 



'« Ta-U-h&n. 



» Di-vo to tag-biuau. 



a Bin-u-ki, 





