98 Field Museum of Naturae History — Anth., Voe. XII. 



to be under the protection of Baitpandi, 1 and is permitted to wear 

 garments made of red cloth, the same as the magani. 



The workers in the various crafts are under the guidance and pro- 

 tection of special spirits, but there is no bar against other members of 

 the tribe entering those professions. 



Apparently then, Bagobo society is divided into several classes or 

 divisions, but with the exception of a few individuals in the slave class, 

 there is a possibility or an opportunity for each member of the tribe to 

 enter any class open to his or her sex. Even a slave woman may become 

 the wife of a datu, and her son may assume the leadership of the tribe. 



LAWS. PROPERTY AND INHERITANCE. 



The laws of the people are those imposed by custom and religion, and 

 are equally binding on all classes. Public opinion is sufficient to prevent 

 most crimes; the fear of offending the spirits is a further deterrent; 

 while the final bar is the drastic punishment meted out by the datu. 

 Theft is punished by the levying of a fine if the culprit is able to pay, 

 or by a term of servitude if he has no property. If a husband finds that 

 his wife has been unfaithful, he should kill both her and her admirer, 

 but the spear with which he avenges his wrongs should be left in the 

 body of one of the victims, as a sign that the murder was provoked by 

 the fault. When this is done the husband cannot be held accountable 

 either to the datu or to the dead person's relatives. If, however, he 

 withdraws the weapon, the brothers or other male relatives of the 

 deceased have a right and a duty to avenge the deaths. A man who has 

 killed his wife and her lover is allowed to count both on his score towards 

 becoming a magani — a further incentive for him to avenge his wrongs. 

 Cases are known where the husband accepted payment for his wife's 

 affections, but it was considered a sign of weakness, or cowardice, and 

 the man lost caste. Unprovoked murder of one from the same or a 

 friendly village is punished by death. 



A man having illicit relations with a slave woman, not his own, is 

 subjected to a heavy fine or a term of servitude. Incest should be 

 punished by the death of the culprits for should such a crime go un- 

 punished the spirits would cause the sea to rise and cover the land. 

 Datu Tongkaling claims that on two occasions, since he became ruler, 

 he has put such offenders to death. In the first case he had the couple 

 bound and thrown into the sea, while in the second instance, they 

 were tied to trees in the forest and sacrificed in the presence of all the 

 people of the village. 



1 The patron spirit of the weavers. 



