40 Traditions of the Tinguian 



I will pay the marriage price, because I marry you," 1 said Ini-init to her. 

 Soon the month arrived in which they said they would build balaua, and 

 they summoned the old woman Alokotan, to start the balaua. Not 

 long after they sent to get bolo and lono 2 with which to make the dakidak 

 and talapitap. 3 When it became afternoon the old woman Alokotan 

 began to sing da-eng 4 and the next night they sang da-eng again. Not 

 long after they commanded to pound rice, and Aponlbolinayen used 

 magic so that many women went to pound with them. 6 And Ini-init 

 practiced magic so that they had many neighbors, and many who went 

 to pound rice with them. 



Soon they commanded to get the timbers for the balaua, and they 

 prepared everything which they needed. When it became morning they 

 built balaua, and not long after they went to get the prepared betel-nut, 

 which is covered with gold, which they sent to invite their relatives. 6 



When they arrived — those prepared betel-nuts which were covered 

 with gold — they oiled them at the beginning of the night, and sent them 

 to invite. Aponlbolinayen said, " I will use magic, so that you, betel-nut, 

 may reach the town of our relatives so that you invite all of them. When 

 there is one who will not come, you grow on their knees, as long as they 

 do not come." Not long after they made Libon 7 in the beginning of the 

 night. 



Those betel-nuts, whom they sent to invite, arrived, those which 

 they sent to invite their relatives. They did not wish to go to make 

 balaua. The betel-nuts who went to invite them said, "If you do not 

 wish to come, I will grow on your knee." Pagatipanan said, "You 

 grow," and the betel-nut grew on his knee, and it became high and he 

 was in pain. "Ala! you get off my knee, and you go on my pig," he 

 said, and the betel-nut went truly on his pig and it squealed. "You 

 get off my pig, and we will come," he said, and the betel-nut truly got 

 off the pig. "Ala! you who live in the same town, you go and wash your 

 hair and bathe, and wash your clothes so that we can go to make Sayang 8 

 with the stone and Aponlbolinayen. Here is a betel-nut covered with 

 gold which they send," said Pagatipanan. And the people who lived in 



1 See p. 1 1 ff. 



1 Certain varieties of bamboo and reeds. 



* See p. 13. 



4 See p. 13, note 1. 



6 The rice used in this ceremony is pounded in a certain manner, by many women 

 who sing as they work. 



« See p. 18. 



7 See p. 13, note 2. 



• See p. 12. 



