September, 1913. Wild Tribes of Davao District — Cole. 87 



around the parobatnan, 1 and as the last grain is planted the mabalian 

 again starts her prayer, this time beginning with Taragomi. She 

 asks for good crops, and protec- 

 tion for the field from all animals, 

 blight and drought. Finally, she 

 begs Eugpamolak Manobo to con- 

 trol the sun and winds so that they 

 will always be favorable to the 

 growing grain. Having thus done 

 all in their power to secure the co- 

 operation of the superior beings the 

 men take their rice planters and real 

 work begins. 2 The planter (Fig. 29) 

 consists of a long shaft at one end 

 of which is a metal blade while at 

 the other is a bamboo clapper dec- 

 orated with feathers. When this 

 instrument is struck on the ground 

 it digs a shallow hole an inch or 



more in depth, the clapper mean- 

 while keeping up an incessant noise. 

 It is said by some that the rattle is 

 intended to please the guardian 

 spirit of the fields, but this does not 

 seem to be the prevalent idea. The 

 women follow the men, dropping 

 seeds into the holes and pushing 

 the soil over them with their feet. 



1 At Digos the mabalian does the plant- 

 ing and harvesting about the tambara, and 

 the rice grown there is reserved as seed for 

 the next season. 



2 Father Gisbert relates that it is the 

 custom to sacrifice a slave at this time, 

 but this is denied by the data consulted by 

 the writer. See letters of Father Gisbert 



R Bamboo AN C la pTIr »\ Blair and Robertson, The Philippine 

 attached to Top. Islands, Vol. XLIII, pp. 233-4. 



