288 The Tinguian 



a chamber almost impossible, while the dread of leaving the corpses 

 thus exposed to hostile spirits and the raids of enemies in search of 

 heads would also argue against such a practice. His description of 

 the mummifying or drying of the corpse by means of fires built around 

 it 1 is likewise denied by the old men of Manabo, who insist that they 

 never had such a custom. It certainly does not exist to-day. In a 

 culture, in which the influence of custom is as strong as it is here, 

 it would seem that the care of the corpse, which is intimately related 

 to the condition of the spirit in its final abode, would be one of the 

 last things to change, while the proceedings following a death are to- 

 day so uniform throughout the Tinguian belt, that they argue for a 

 considerable antiquity. 



When the grave is ready, the fact is announced in the dwelling, 

 and is the signal for renewed lamentation. The wife and near rel- 

 atives throw themselves on the corpse, caressing it and crying wildly. 

 Whatever there may have been of duty or respect in the wailing of 

 the first two days, this parting burst of sorrow is genuine. Tears 

 stand in the eyes of many, while others cease their wailing and sob 

 convulsively. After a time an old woman brings in some oldot seeds, 

 each strung on a thread, and fastens one on the wrist of each per- 

 son, as a protection against the evil spirit Akop, who, having been 

 defeated in his designs against the widow, may seek to vent his 

 anger on others. 



When this has been done, a medium seats herself in front of the 

 body ; and, covering her face with her hands, begins to chant and wail, 

 bidding the spirit to enter her body. Suddenly she falls back in a 

 faint, while suppressed excitement is manifested by all the onlookers. 

 After a moment or two, fire and water are placed at her head and 

 feet, "in order to frighten the spirit away," and then the medium gives 

 the last message of the dead man to his family. This is, except for 

 very rare exceptions, the only time that the spirits of the deceased 

 communicate with mortals; and it is, so far as the writer has been 

 able to learn, the only occasion when the medium repeats messages 

 given to her. At other times she is possessed by natural spirits, 2 who 

 then talk directly with mortals. 



As a last preparation for the grave, a small hole is burned in each 

 garment worn by the dead person, for otherwise the spirit Ibwa will 

 envy him his clothing and attempt to steal them. The corpse is then 



1 Op. cit., p. 121. 



J As distinguished from those of the dead. 



