W T °' 8cntNCI81 MALEFICENT SPIRITS 197 



responding offering of meat, rice, and other things was set out for the evil demons that were 

 supposed to be responsible for the sickness. Their offerings were not placed in the house but 

 outside, on a log or on the ground, and were not touched again, nor eaten by anyone, for the 

 spirit of evil might, have rendered them baneful. 10 



After the various supplications have been made by the priests to the good deities, the evil 

 ones are called upon but not in the same way, for they are not allowed within the precincts 

 of the house, where various objects, like sd sd and lemon branches, have been placed to prevent 

 their entrance. They are addressed from the opening around the house as if they were at a 

 considerable distance, and no very endearing terms are used. During cases of sickness and 

 especially during epidemics the custom of making a ceremonial raft is very common. I have 

 heard numerous accounts both as to the uniformity of this practice and the reason for it. 



Sickness of an unusual kind and especially of a contagious nature is supposed to be due 

 to the agency of some very powerful epidemic spirits, who ascend the river, spreading the 

 infection, and eluding at the same time, the diudta in pursuit. When the priests decide that 

 all efforts to secure aid of the good deities are unavailing, they determine to propitiate the evil 

 epidemic spirits in the following manner: A small raft of bamboo, 1 meter by 5 meters in the 

 instance I witnessed, is constructed. On this is securely bound a victim, such as a pig. Fowl 

 also may be offered on similar occasions and more or less elaborate ceremonies may be per- 

 formed, like the blood-unction and the fowl-waving rite. In the ceremony which I witnessed 

 the demons in question were formally requested to accept the pig, not to molest the settlement 

 further, and to take themselves and their pig "down the river." The sickness was then addressed 

 and requested to transfer itself to the body of the pig. After this the raft was freed and in its 

 seaward course floated into the hands of persons who had less fear of demons than their Manobo 

 friends. 11 



THE "TAGBANUA" OR LOCAL FOREST SPIRITS 



THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND METHOD OF LIVING 



The tagbdnua 12 or lords of the mountains and the valleys, are a class of local deities, each 

 one of whom reigns over a certain district. To them is assigned the ownership of the mountains 

 and the deep forest and all lonely patches and uncommon places that give an impression of 

 mystery and solitude. 



The tagbdnua are thought to be neither kindly nor unkindly spirits, and without guile, 

 provided a proper deference is shown them when we trespass upon their domains. 



A tagbdnua with his family selects a particular place for his habitation, sometimes a lonely 

 mountain, sometimes a solitary glade or some high cliff or gloomy cavern. On one of my trips 

 from Esperanza to the headwaters of the Tago River, I saw the dwelling place of a tagbdnua. 

 It was a huge bowlder, called Bubiisan, that stood at the junction of the two torrents that form 

 the Abaga River, a tributary of the Tago. 



A favorite haunt of the tagbdnua is a natural open place in the center of the forest. Here 

 he builds a house, or more often makes his domicile in a balete tree. I have heard it said that 

 he may at times select the laudn or any other lofty tree but that his choice is usually the balete. 

 Here he dwells with his family and is said to lead a quiet, peaceful life. Day by day he wanders 

 through his realm and provides himself with the necessaries of life. Uncommon varieties of 

 plants, such as ferns and ricelike growths, furnish him with the vegetable part of his meal, 

 while venison and pork are obtained from the abundance of wild boars and deer. He and his 

 family return home toward sunset and begin to prepare supper by pounding their rice. Many 

 Manobos have heard with their own ears, they assured me, not only the sound of the rice mortar 

 but all the sounds that are customarily heard in any Man6bo home. 



11 Compare with the customs in vogue in the case of offerings made to the diuita. 

 >> I know that the pig in question was taken and consumed in a less religious way by a Bisaya trader. 



u Tag a prefix denoting ownership, and bi-n-u-a, "uninhabited place," ths open uninhabited country as distinguished from the territory in 

 the Immediate vicinity of the main rivers or of settled regions. 



