acujemt of sciences] GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF MANOBO RELIGION 193 



They are said to reside on the highest and most inaccessible mountains 16 in the vicinity 

 of their favorite priests but are ready to fly "on the wings of the wind" to any part of the world 

 in answer to a call for help. 



On these lofty heights they ordinarily lead a peaceful life. They are blessed with wives 

 and children and have attendant spirits 16 to do their bidding. They have slaves, too, in their 

 households, black ill-visaged demons captured in some great raid. They have few material 

 wants, for betel nut is said to be their food but still they love to join in the feasts of mortals and 

 to be regaled with all the good things of this world. They do not consume mortal offerings in a 

 material way, for the offerings remain intact except for some slight fingerings that have been 

 found at times on the surface of the rice and other offerings. It is only the "soul," or, as is 

 held by others, the redolence of the viands that is partaken of. An exception, however, must 

 be made in the case of the blood of victims, for this is actually consumed by the deities. 



So great is their desire for the savory things of life that they are said to plague their mortal 

 friends into providing them. Thus Mandait, the soul spirit, makes the babe restless, and even 

 indisposed, with no other intention than to induce the people to provide a fatted fowl. It is 

 believed too that Manaug, the special patron of the sick, causes many a bodily ailment in order 

 that his idol may be set up and that he may be treated to the various delicacies that he is fond 

 of. And the bloodthirsty war lords, Tagbiisau, must have their blood libation periodically, 

 whether it comes from a human being or from an animal victim. It is true that this blood 

 offering is to all appearance taken by the warrior chief or by the priest, for they ravenously suck 

 it from the gory wound, or gulp it down from the vessel in which it has been caught. But it is 

 believed that neither the priest nor the warrior chief drinks it, but the familiar spirits of the 

 former, or the gods of the latter, who at the moment of sacrifice have taken possession of them, 

 and produce in them violent tremblings and other manifestations of preternatural possession. 

 I could get no satisfactory explanation of the manner of this possession. It is said to be effected 

 by a mysterious corporal transformation of the divinity such as even the demons are capable 

 of when they desire to ply their malice on humankind. 



It is during this period of ecstatic seizure that the priest reveals to the assembled tribes- 

 men the directions and desires of his deities. Breaking forth with loud voice and great belching 

 into a wild strain, he announces to the people the recovery of the sick one, or a plentiful harvest, 

 but it is not the priest that utters these prophecies and instructions, but the diudta that speaks 

 through him. 



THE GODS OF GORE, AND KINDRED SPIRITS 



These warlike beings are an order of divinities under whose special protection the priest 

 warrior chief performs his feats of valor, and for whose special veneration he makes sacrifices 

 and other offerings. 



The prevailing idea with regard to them is that they are a class of deities whose sole delight 

 is the blood of the human race. This is said to be their choice food, though they are willing, 

 on nearly all occasions, to accept as a substitute that of a pig or of a fowl. 



They are said to dwell in high, rocky places on far-away mountains. In order to be supplied 

 with the delicacies of which they are so fond, they select certain individuals for their favorites 

 and servants, and accord to them an immunity from personal danger. 



It is seldom that they leave their rocky dwelling places, but when they do it is because 

 they consider themselves neglected by their servants or when they experience an inordinate 

 craving for blood. In such cases they hasten to plague their favorites in divers ways into 

 watchfulness and compliance, and thereby keep themselves supplied with the viands so acceptable 

 to them. 



>* We find several mountains and promontories in eastern Mindanao named after these gods, notably Mount Magdiuata to the southwest, and 

 the Magdiuata range to the northwest, of the town of Lianga. Point Diuata also, to the west of Butuan, is reported as being the dwelling place of 

 Manobo divinities. 



>• These retainers are called Iim-b6-tung, 



