ii4 Field Museum of Natural History — Anth., Vol. XII. 



Mr. Gohn, a planter of Santa Cruz who lias witnessed a number of 

 these ceremonies, says that with the Bagobo of that place it was cus- 

 tomary for the datu to baptize the women prior to the day of GinEm. 

 On the second day, a mabalian provided a long palm leaf, and a number 

 of betel nut buds which, she said, represented streams, rivers, tribes, 

 and individuals. Taking up a bud she swung the palm leaf above it, 

 chanting meanwhile, and, as she finished, handed it to the datu who 

 opened it and read the signs sent by the spirits. At the conclusion of 

 this act, all the women went to the river to bathe. 



In the writings of the early missionary fathers stationed among the 

 Bagobo are found many references to human sacrifices. Since American 

 occupation several articles have appeared describing this custom, and 

 following the sacrifice held in Talun in 1907, this practice became the 

 subject of official communication between the Governor of the District 

 and his superiors. While these descriptions agree, in the main, there 

 are so many minor variations that it seems best to first relate the account 

 given to the writer by Datu Tongkaling and ten of his magani, after 

 which we shall take up some of the earlier accounts, and the official 

 correspondence of 1907. 



Datu Tongkaling is a magani. He claims to have killed more than 

 thirty of his enemies in fair fight and to have assisted in, or to have 

 witnessed, an even greater number of sacrifices. Prior to his elevation 

 to the office of datu he had aided in several of the yearly offerings. At 

 the time he became datu he entertained all his people for seven days 

 and on the morning of the last day, in the presence of his subjects, he 

 alone sacrificed a decrepit Bila-an slave for whom he had paid three 

 agougs. Hence, probably, no man in the tribe is better fitted to describe 

 this event than he. 



According to him, a sacrifice should be held each year following the 

 appearance in the sky of a constellation of seven stars known as Balatik 

 ("pig trap"). 1 The stars are placed there by the spirits for two pur- 

 poses : — first, to inform the people that it is time to prepare for the 

 clearing of new fields; second, to remind them that they should offer 

 a slave to Mandarangan, Darago, and Balakat as payment for the 

 good year they have enjoyed, and to secure their good will for the 

 coming season. A great epidemic or continued calamaties might also 

 be signs that the spirits were in need of another offering, and this could 

 take place at any time. Upon the death of an adult it becomes the 

 duty of the family to make a sacrifice, but, unless the deceased is of 



1 This is the constellation Orion which appears early in December. 



