282 The Tinguian 



Nowadays the couple goes to the home, prepared by the groom 

 and his parents, as soon as it is ready, but the tales indicate 1 that in 

 former times they lived for a time with the boy's parents. They are 

 accompanied by the groom's mother, and go very early in the morn- 

 ing, as they are then less apt to receive bad signs from the birds. 

 The girl carries her sleeping mat and two pillows ; but before she 

 has deposited these in her new dwelling, she seats herself on the 

 bamboo floor with her legs stretched out in front. It then becomes 

 necessary for the groom to present her with a string of agate beads 

 equal in length to the combined width of the bamboo slats which 

 she covers. Before she can eat of her husband's rice, he must give 

 her a string of beads, or she will become ill; she may not open his 

 granary until a like present has been given, or the resident spirit will 

 make her blind; neither may she take food from the pots or water 

 from the jars, until other beads have been presented to her. 



If the girl comes from another village, it is customary to make 

 a payment to her parents for each stream crossed on the journey to 

 the new home; another is demanded before she goes up the house 

 ladder, and still others when she enters the house, and her belongings 

 are brought in. 2 



A common occurrence in Ba-ak and the San Juan district is for 

 the parents of the girl to spread rows of baskets, Chinese plates or 

 jars on the floor and to offer them to the groom. Before he can ac- 

 cept them, he must make a return gift of money, beads, and the like 

 for each one. It is explained by the elders that, when the young 

 people see all the gifts spread out on the floor, they will appreciate the 

 expense involved, and will be less likely to separate. 



If at any time the relatives of the girl have reason to doubt the 

 husband's affection, they go to his home, and hold a gathering known 

 as nagkakalo-nan. They place a pig, a jar, and a number of baskets 

 on the floor ; and the husband is obliged to exchange money and other 

 gifts for them, if he desires to convince the people of his continued 

 love. After the pig has been served as food, the old men deliberate ; 

 and should they decide that the relatives have erred, they assess the 



1 See Traditions of the Tinguian, this volume, No. 1, p. 12. 



2 Here again the Tinguian ceremony closely resembles the ancient custom 

 described by Loarca. In his account, the bride was carried to the house of 

 the groom. At the foot of the stairway she was given a present to induce 

 her to proceed ; when she had mounted the steps, she received another, as 

 she looked in upon the guests, another. Before she could be induced to set 

 down, to eat and drink, she was likewise given some prized object. Loarca, 

 Relacion de las Yslas Filipinas, Chap. X; also Blair and Robertson, op. cit., 

 Vol. V, p. 157 



