90 ANNALS NEW YORK. ACADEMY (>/•' SCIENCES 



c) Articles of real value, which are habitually laid before the 

 unseen beings on ceremonial occasions newly-woven textiles. 



beaded garments, embroidery, fine weapons, l '° rich ornaments. 

 Such offerings are hung- over a tambara or beside it (the smaller orna- 

 ments being laid in the bowls) for one eight only, and on the following 

 morning returned to their respective owners. Thus hallowed, they 

 must remain in the possession of the owner during his lifetime. "' 



Banging Altars. Tigyama. In some houses there is no tam- 

 bara, but in place of it there is said to be a hanging structure 

 called tigyama that functions as the family shrine. This form of 

 shrine I have not seen. According to the description given me, it 

 consists of a white plate or Large saucer, called pingan : suspended 

 by rattan from some point just above the line where the wall 

 meets the slope of the roof. m This altar belongs to Tigyama, 

 the spiritual protector of the family. When any member of the 

 household is sick, they put into the dish one areca-nut and one 

 betel-leaf, and say: "Where are you. Tigyama? I am preparing 

 this areca-nut for you.'" Offerings placed in the dish for Tigyama 

 may never be taken away. 



Balekdt. Another type of hanging altar in use in Bagobo house- 

 holds is the balekdt. This consists of one or more piles of cups 

 and saucers, 1 ™ of uniform size, suspended from the timbers of the 

 roof by strong hands of rattan which, meeting under the lowesi 

 dish, form a hammock-like brace for the entire set of sacred vessels. 

 Prom the structural aspect, the balekdt might appear like an en- 

 larged ami slightly modified tigyama. but functionally the balekdt 

 occupies a unique place in the religious life of the group, for it 

 is not onlv a familv shrine, hut a ceremonial altar of high ritual 



110 Then- seems to bo involved hero ao animistic principle exactly opposite to that 

 held by the Toradja ot* central Celebes, who, according to Sarasin, offer to the spirits 

 9pear-points, smith's tools, etc., modeled from white wood, fearing that it* the unseen 

 hongs should make ase ot' the iron implements, they would take away the soul of the 

 metal ami render it weak ami worthless." Of. Reisen in Celebes, vol. 1, p. 880. 



1T ' Unfortunately, 1 tailed to ascertain what disposition was made of such articles 

 after the death of the original owner. It would be an interesting point for investigation. 



'""The place for the tigyama plates is -aid to be "under the ffaso," that is to sa_\ . 

 below the strips of light bamboo that run crosswise "( the roof and form it< lightei 

 framework. 



1 ' ■ It i- probable that the dishes used in each of these types of altar are of Chinese 

 importation. The Chinese have been the ehief traders in the islands for a very long 

 period, and the ilishc- nsed at shrines in the ceremonial rites of the northern island- of 



the archipelago, from earl] times, are referable to the Chinese 



