136 ANNALS NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



into the house two long rods of the slender, brittle-stemmed variety 

 of bamboo called bah'hnjo. These were to serve as an additional 

 frame on which to hang fine textiles and other garments for the 

 ceremonial exhibit. They were very long, from one-half to two- 

 thirds the length of the entire house, and they were lifted to their 

 place between the two rods of lava that ran lengthwise of the house 

 and parallel to them. The usual bindings of rattan fastened the 

 balekayo to the heavy cross-timbers of the house. Immediately 

 afterwards, a number of long-shafted spears were brought to the 

 ceremonial bamboos, and tied to them. At the moment of attaching 

 the spears, Datu Oleng said a few ritual words, which I was unable 

 to record. The spears stood with their points up, in the usual 

 position of a spear at rest, when it is customary to thrust into the 

 earth the sharp-pointed cone with which the handle is tipped. 



While the rite with the spears was in progress, the women and 

 uirls were gathering together all the new hemp textiles that, with 

 tireless industry, they had dyed, woven, washed and polished, and 

 with the textiles they piled up many women's waists, men's trouser>. 

 salugboy (scarfs), fresh cotton textiles and various other articles. 

 All these they now brought forward and hang en the balekayo 

 rods and on the long poles of the frame of lava wood that had 

 been put up, primarily, for the agongs. The function of the three 

 crossbars of this frame now became apparent, for so large a number 

 of garments and stuffs were displayed that they covered every inch 

 of the lava and balekayo, lengthwise and crosswise, thus making a 

 sort of rectangular super-enclosure within which the ceremonies 

 preceded. This is the annual occasion when the highly artistic work 

 of the women is spread out to view, when all the guests may see. 

 ;is in a picture gallery, the decorative designs done in glistening 

 hemp, the rich embroidery, the figured patterns formed by tiny 

 discs of mother of pearl. Ordinarily, the Bagobo keep all their 

 treasures packed away in tight yellow wood hexes or in baskets, 

 leaving the room, even in wealthy families, bare of all furnishings 

 except the loom, the altar and the hearth. Even at the Ginum, 

 the exhibition appeared to lie purely a ceremonial affair. The girls 

 spread their beautiful tilings over the frames with a serious and 

 quiet mien, as if they thought only of the gods, for whose pleasure 

 the offerings were made, and who alone were to enjoy the spirit, 

 or essence, of the material objects. 



Immediately after this, the sugar cane Liquor was brought in. Jt 



