September, 1913. Wild Tribes of Davao District — Coee. 139 



departs, and the patient dies. The sick person is kept in the spirit 

 house for a day and is then returned to his home. 



Little structures known as bolofi are erected for other spirits who 

 may be trying to injure the almogol or attempting to persuade it to leave 

 its owner. 



Certain ceremonies and offerings occur after a death, at the birth 

 of a child, at planting and harvest times, and when the warriors are 

 about to start on a raid ; all of which will be spoken of in a later para- 

 graph. When approaching a place known to be owned by certain 

 spirits, it is thought wise to make a small offering. On the trail to 

 Ma-al is a large rock which marks the divide between the mountains' 

 and the open cogon lands. As the writer's party approached this 

 stone one of the men removed some of his leg bands and placed them 

 beside the rock, at the same time praying the busau to "take the present 

 and do not let any of our party fall sick or be injured on the journey." 

 It is also customary for a man who wishes to buy anything or to make 

 a trade, first to make an offering of betel-nut to the spirit of some rich 

 man, and to ask his help in the venture. 



Some new clearings are cut in the jungle each year, after the con- 

 stellation Balatik has risen out of the sea. The spirits place this sign 

 in the heavens to notify all that the land should be cleared, but it does 

 not call for a sacrifice as in the case of the people we have previously 

 described. At that time the men cut the trees and underbrush, and 

 after allowing them to dry, fire them. They also make the holes into 

 which the women drop seed rice. 



When the land is ready for planting, a little house called botabwE is 

 built in the center of the field, and beside it is placed a platform or 

 table, sina-al, on which is an offering of food. Early in the morning, 

 while the others sleep, the owner and his wife carry the seed rice to the 

 field and place it on the botabwE. After a time they eat some of the 

 food which has previously been offered and then begin to plant, be- 

 ginning close to the spirit house. Soon they are joined by other workers 

 who aid them in the planting. These assistants do not receive payment 

 for their services other than food while working and like help when in 

 need. At this time a bamboo pole, with one end split and spread open 

 like a cup, 1 is placed in front of the elevated platform of the family 

 dwelling and the guardian spirit of the fields is promised that after the 

 harvest he will receive the new seed rice. While the rice is growing 

 the men attend to the fences and the women keep down weeds or 



1 This pole which is here known as sabak is the same as the tambara of the Bagobo. 

 See p. 66 and fig. 12. 



