BENEDICT, BAGOBO CEREMONIAL, MAGIC AND MYTH 155 



recalled that at the last-mentioned place bamboo stands functioned 

 merely as accessories to the agong rite, both in association with 

 the altar itself, and as shrines on which the gifts that had pre- 

 viously been offered on the agongs might be hung. At Tubison, 

 on the contrary, separate ritual recitations were uttered by the elder 

 brother of Datu Imbal, while standing before two of the four tam- 

 bara that occupied the corners of the house, and these devotions 

 were accompanied by some display of dramatic action which cannot 

 at the present time be discussed. 



One of the distinguishing characteristics of this festival at Tubison 

 was the notable part taken by women, particularly in the singing. 

 \Yhile the chanting of gindaya was, as usual, reserved for young 

 men alone — indeed, the women told me that the daughters of 

 Datu Imbal did not know the words of the gindaya — yet many 

 other vocal performances were given by girls and women. M y 

 notes, taken during the night, mention thirteen of these songs and 

 chants, six of which were performed by a chorus of adult women, 

 three by young girls assisted by a few young men, three were rec- 

 itatives by single female voices, and one was a duet between Imbal's 

 sister and his brother's son, the same nephew who carried the 

 burden of the gindaya. Alternating with the songs of the women, 

 or sometimes massed in consecutive numbers, came choruses by 

 male voices, including the war song (dura), while ever and anon 

 rose the chanting of gindaya by Iti, Umpa and Imba, sons of Datu 

 Imbal, and by Ume, son of Imbal's brother. Some of the women's 

 songs were given in a high key and with an explosive utterance 

 that approached a shriek ; others were softly chanted at a low pitch. 



One, at least, of the women's choruses was led by Siat, the wife 

 of Datu Imbal, a middle-aged woman of remarkably impelling per- 

 sonality, who took a prominent part in directing the schedule of 

 the entire night, acting, indeed, as a co-master of ceremonies with 

 Imbal himself. There was something very impressive in the execu- 



the house"). It was before the two last-named shrines that the ritual recitations above 

 referred to were made. Above these two altars, and covering the intervening space, were 

 draped a great number of the ceremonial, dark red kerchiefs called tankulu which were 

 hung from the bamboos, and spread from joist to joist, so as to form an almost con- 

 tinuous canopy at this end of the house — the same end where the agong-altar rites 

 were said. The family of Imbal had a wealth of tankulu, in a wide variety of figured 

 patterns, and they formed the festive decoration of the house. There were no long lines 

 of textiles displayed, as at Talun. 



