ii2 Field Museum of Natural History — Anth., Vol. XII. 



about in the forest, and no one will molest the fowl, for should he do so 

 he is certain to become ill. 1 The mabalian has previously placed festoons 

 of leaves and vines at various points in the house and now she spreads 

 a mat on the floor. A jar of balaba, wine, stands at each corner, while 

 at one end is an agong, and a plate containing betel nut, leaf, and two 

 varieties of rattan; at the other end are several tambara. When all is 

 thus prepared the people place offerings of beautiful clothing, knives, 

 and other costly gifts on the mat. Two mabalian, a man and a woman 

 call upon the spirits, 2 urging them to look with favor on the offering 

 made by the people, to grant them a good year with health and plentiful 

 harvests, to let their journeys be without mishap, and to keep them all 

 under their constant care. The tambara are fastened in various parts 

 of the house, and the gifts are hung on or laid beside them. Later these 

 offerings may be removed by their former owners who now regard them 

 as being loaned to them by the spirits. 



Following the offering the magani go to a bamboo thicket and cut 

 two large poles, one nine sections long, the other eight. With each 

 stroke of the knife the men give their battle cry, then when the poles 

 are felled, all seize hold and carry them to the house of the datn. Here 

 they are decorated, first by being cut down for short distances, thus 

 leaving the lower part attached so that the shavings make a sort of 

 fringe, and then by attaching strips of palm or bamboo leaves and 

 cloth or palm leaf streamers. When complete these poles are known 

 as patan'nan and are then the property of the spirits Mandanagan and 

 Darago. The longer one is for the male spirit, while the one of eight 

 sections is for his wife. Under no circumstances may anyone not a 

 magani touch these poles. They are carried into the house and are 

 fastened near to the elevated platform at the end of the room where the 

 datu or leading magani stands ready to sacrifice a chicken. He allows 

 some of the blood from the offering to drip onto the poles, at the same 

 time begging the spirits not to let the people fight or quarrel during the 

 GtnEm, "for blood is now being offered." In at least two recent 

 offerings the datu urged the spirits to be content with this offering of a 

 fowl, since it was impossible for them to kill a man. At this time, 

 it is said, the skulls of enemies should be attached to the patan'nan. 

 As the leader finishes his offering, the men and boys gather about the 

 poles and yell lustily, then sit quietly down and amuse themselves by 

 chewing betel nut until the chicken, just killed, and the other food 



1 This offering is not made at Bansalan, neither has the mabalian any part in 

 the ceremonies of the first day. 



2 Those called at this time are Toglai, Togllbon, tigyma, and Kalayagan — 

 Eugpamolak Manobo. 



