352 The Tinguian 



is decorated with wreathes of leaves and vines ; a leaf containing the 

 pig's tail and some of the flesh is placed on her head, and a spear is 

 put in her left hand. As her husband completes his task, she goes to 

 the mortar, where she finds one dish full of blood and rice and the 

 empty coconut shells. The rice and blood represent the lives of the 

 family, and following the instructions of the medium, she takes these 

 lives and places them little by little on the shells, but before all is gone, 

 the medium bids her return them to the big dish. In a like manner 

 the spirits may take a part of the life of the family, but will return 

 it again. This act is repeated ten times. Next she takes a piece of 

 woven bamboo, shaped like two triangles set end on end l , and goes 

 to the batog, where her daughter sits under a fish-net holding a similar 

 "shield." They press these together, and the mother returns to the 

 mortar eight times. The mediums who have gathered beneath the 

 sogayob begin to sing, while one of them beats time with a split bamboo 

 stick. At the conclusion of the song, one of them offers basi to the 

 spirits and guests, and then placing a bundle of green leaves on the 

 ground, she pours water over it, while the host and his wife are made 

 to tramp in the mud. The man is now carrying the spear, while the 

 woman holds a cock in one hand, and an empty dish in the other. As 

 they are stamping on the damp leaves, old women stand near by show- 

 ering them with rice and water. 



Since early morning a dog has been tied at the end of the house. 

 It is now brought up to the bundle of leaves, and is knocked on the 

 head with a club, its throat is cut, and some of its blood is applied 

 with a head-axe to the backs of the man and woman. More water is 

 poured on the bundle, again they tramp in the mud, and again they are 

 showered with rice and water. The man goes to one side of the balaua, 

 and throws a bundle of rice over it to his wife, who returns it eight 

 times. 



A strange procession now forms and winds its way to the stream. 

 In the lead is the host armed with spear, shield, and head-axe; next 

 comes the medium carrying the bamboo rack — talapitap — like a shield, 

 and the split bamboo — dakidak — as a spear ; next is an old woman with 

 a coconut shell dish, then another with a bundle of burning rice straw ; 

 behind her is the wife followed by a man who drags the dead dog. 

 They stop outside of the village, while the medium hides the rack 

 and split bamboo near the trail. Soon the man with the dog leaves 

 the line and drags the animal to a distant tree, where he ties it in the 



1 This is the same form as the "shield," which hangs above the newborn 

 infant (p. 312). 



