September, 19 13. Wild Tribes of Davao District — Cole. 157 



but receiving a return gift from her parents; the couple feed one another 

 with rice and are thereby legally married; and finally we learn that a 

 child is kept with them until they have had intercourse. It is custo- 

 mary for the youth to serve his father-in-law-to-be for two or three 

 years preceding the wedding, after which he is released from such service. 



As is the case with the neighboring tribes, polygamy is practiced, the 

 only bar to marriage being blood relationship. Upon the death of the 

 head of the family one-half of his property goes to his wife and half 

 to the children. If there are two or more wives, the first wife still 

 retains half, while all the children share equally in the balance of the 

 estate, thus leaving the second and succeeding wives without a portion. 



Sickness may be caused by evil spirits, or it may be due to a desire 

 on the part of the kalalSa to leave its present abode. In either case the 

 man becomes ill and it behooves him to take immediate steps to placate 

 the evil spirits or to convince his kalalSa to remain with him. This 

 last can best be accomplished by bathing the sick person with water which 

 has been heated in a good agong. A fine dish would do equally well, 

 but should the hot water cause it to break the spirit would depart at 

 once. In extreme cases the lokEs will gather certain roots and brew 

 them into a drink which she gives to the sick person. At each tree or 

 shrub visited in her search for medicines she leaves an offering- of betel 

 nuts and leg rings, and when the drink has been prepared she makes a 

 further gift, meanwhile begging TimanEm to aid her in effecting a cure . 

 If all efforts fail and the spirit leaves, the corpse is placed in the center 

 of the house, where it is kept from two to nine days according to the 

 wealth and prominence of the deceased. During this time no one should 

 sleep in the dwelling, for the spirit might be resentful and turn the face 

 of the sleeper black. 



Usually, the body is buried in the ground at a distance from the 

 house. The coffin is made out of a split log, in which weapons, jars, 

 and the like are placed for the use of the spirit. If the dead man has 

 been a warrior he is dressed in the clothing distinctive of his rank, and 

 his grave is covered with red flowers. At times the coffins are shaped 

 to resemble small boats and are then placed on high poles near to the 

 beach. 



For a month following a funeral the relatives refrain from all merry- 

 making. At the expiration of this period all go to a near-by river and 

 with their knives, cut to pieces a braided cord, which has been made 

 since the burial, and as they destroy it they shout "This is a man we 

 are killing. This is a man we are killing." Finally, the pieces are 

 thrown into the river and the period of taboo is past. 



