September, 19 13. Wild Tribes of Davao District — Cole. 57 



DRESS— PERSONAL ADORNMENT. 

 No wild tribe in the Islands gives more attention to dress than does 

 the Bagobo. By an intricate process hemp is colored and woven into 

 excellent garments, which, in turn, are decorated with embroidery, 

 applique, or designs in shell disks and beads. The men wear their 

 hair long and after twisting it around the head hold it in place with 

 kerchiefs, the edges of which are decorated with beads and tassels. 



A close fitting undershirt is often 

 worn, and above this is an elabor- 

 ately beaded or embroidered coat 

 which generally opens in front. The 

 hemp cloth trousers scarcelyreach to 

 the knee, and the bottom of each leg 

 is decorated with a beaded or em- 

 broidered band. Two belts are 

 worn, one to hold the trousers, the 

 other to support the fighting or 

 working knives which each man carries. In lieu of pockets he has 

 on his back an elaborately beaded hemp cloth bag bordered with tassels 

 and bells of native casting. Highly prized shell bracelets, worn as cuffs 

 by some men, are made of a large, conical sea-shell (Fig. 1) the base and 

 interior spirals of which have been cut away. Necklaces made of rattan 



Fig. 1. 

 Shell Bracelet. 



FIG. 2. 

 NECKLACE OF RATTAN OVERLAID WITH FERN AND ORCHID CUTICLE. 



strips decorated or overlaid with alternating layers of fern and orchid 

 cuticle (Fig. 2) are frequently seen, while many strands of beads and 

 carved seeds surround the necks of both men and women. Both sexes 

 also wear, above the calf of the leg, plaited or beaded leglets to some of 

 which magical properties are ascribed. 



The woman wears a jacket which is close fitting about the neck and 

 reaches to the skirt, so that no portion of the upper part of the body 

 is exposed. The cloth now used in this garment is generally secured 

 in trade, and in recent years decoration in applique has begun to 

 succeed the excellent embroidery seen on older garments. Frequently 

 the two types of decoration are seen on the same jacket, and to these 



