The Ceremonies 349 



their waists they wear girdles and wreaths of alangtln, or wild grasses. 

 The host is handed a long knife, and is instructed to cut the throat 

 of the "pig. His wife takes a rice winnower and a stick, and going to 

 each window strikes the winnower five times, then drops it to the 

 floor, at the same time crying, "Wa-hui." Next, she strikes a jar of 

 liquor with the winnower, then shakes a coconut shell filled with rice 

 against her abdomen; when finished she is handed a live chicken and 

 again she approaches the jar. Soon she is joined by her husband, armed 

 with a spear and head-axe. As he passes the liquor, he stamps on the 

 ground, while his wife waves the fowl, and all this time the medium 

 continues to sprinkle them with a grass brush dipped in water. No 

 explanation is given for the individual acts, but the purpose of the 

 whole is to drive away sickness, "just as the rooster flaps his wings." 

 Ten dishes are placed on the spirit mat, and as the medium sings, she 

 touches each one in turn with a split bamboo ; after which she piles the 

 dishes up and has the host come and squat over them three times. 

 Another sprinkling with water follows this act, and then the medium 

 swings a bundle of rice and a lighted torch over the head of each 

 member of the family, while she assures them that all evil spirits will 

 now depart. 



The guests go down to the yard, where they are served with liquor, 

 and where they dance da-eng and tadek. On all former occasions, the 

 liquor has been served in shell cups, but on this night a sort of pan- 

 pipe, made of bamboo tubes, is filled with liquor. The guest drinks 

 from the lowest of the series, and as he does so, the liquor falls from 

 one to another, so that he really drinks from all at one time. Bamboo 

 tubes attached to poles by means of cords are likewise filled with basi 

 and served to the dancers. 



While the others are enjoying themselves, the mediums and the 

 hosts are attending strictly to the business in hand. Dressed in their 

 best garments, the husband and wife go to each one of the spirit houses, 

 and touch them with their feet, a circuit which has to be repeated ten 

 times. Each time as they pass the little porch-like addition, known as 

 sogayob, the mediums sprinkle them with water. When they have com- 

 pleted their task, the mediums spread a mat in front of the pig, which 

 lies below the sogayob, and on it they dance, pausing now and then to 

 give the animal a vicious kick or to throw broken rice over it. And so 

 the night is passed without sleep or rest for any of the principals in 

 the ceremony. 



The sixteenth day is Kadaklan, — "the greatest." Soon after day- 

 break, the people accompany the medium to the guardian stones near 



