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



planted to rice for more than one season, after which the land is used 

 for corn, camotes, and the like, until the invasion of cogon grass makes 

 further cultivation impossible. 



As a result new land must be broken for each planting. When the 

 constellation layag "a sail," and balangay "a boat" appear in the month 

 of December, the people go to the desired plot, cut down the trees, and 

 when these are dry, fire them. 



Before the planting can be begun the seed rice must be carried to the 

 center of the field where a bamboo pole, talabtman, and a stalk of sugar- 

 cane have previously been placed, as an offering to the kalaloa who 

 guard the land. Again at harvest time an offering of food is taken to 

 this spot and the spirits of the dead are besought as follows: "Do not 

 take our rice, but let it last for a long time, for now we give a part to 

 you." A meal and dance follow the offering and then all who desire 

 may aid in cutting the new rice. 



FIG. 45. 

 Man's Knife and Sheath. 



No offerings are associated with the planting or harvesting of other 

 field crops, but the gathering of sago flour is attended by gifts to the 

 spirits of the dead and prayers for the health of the workers. The 

 method of obtaining and preparing the flour is the same as that already 

 described. Offerings are made before and after a hunt, and a man 

 never goes to fish without first placing a leg ring and some betel nut 

 on the sand close to the water, meanwhile saying, "You TimanEm 

 must give us some food, and you shall have your part." Upon his 

 return he places a small fish beside the first offering and is then free to 

 take his catch to the village. 



In addition to the pursuits already outlined, we find that some of the 

 men are expert workers in iron (Fig. 45), copper, and brass, while the 

 women are weavers. Their weaving does not differ from that pre- 

 viously described, but a peculiar type of decoration has been developed 



