78 ANNALS NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



sit close to the right and to the left of him. each one ready to 

 help, to advise, to correct, because it is we'll understood that even 

 a minor omission, or a slight misstep, might result in weary months 

 of illness, or tempt the attack of a mortal disease. For this reason, 

 those responsible for the ceremony hold their attention at strain to 

 secure a perfect ritual. 



The dominant motive in all ceremonial is to drive sickness from 

 the body and to prevent the approach of disease and death. This 

 underlying intention is ever present, whatever the rite, and it is 

 this which gives unity and coherence to many a series of ritual 

 acts that, at first glance, appear to be strangely ill-assorted. 



Fundamental Elements <>/' Ceremonial 



The type of behavior that characterizes Bagobo ceremonial is 

 made up of a number of ritual elements, many of which are common 

 to several of the ceremonies, and a few of which appear in practi- 

 cally all of them. It is only at the ceremony of Grinum that every 

 one of these ritual elements may be observed. 



Human Sacrifice. The ceremonial putting to death of a human 

 victim is called paghuaga, and is demanded by Bagobo custom on 

 specific occasions, chief among which are the following: 



At the festival of Grinum, the ottering of a human sacrifice was 

 anciently an integral part of the ceremony, though at present it is 

 possible to substitute a fowl as the victim. 



After the death of a chieftain or other notable individual of the 

 tribe, slaves are killed to provide attendants for the deceased in the 

 country of the dead. The husband sacrifices for a dead wife, a 

 wife for her husband. For a chief, many victims may be ottered 

 but sometimes the number is small. Two slaves were killed for 

 Datu Ayo at his death several years ago. as related by an eve- 

 witness of my acquaintance. 



A paghuaga forms an important feature at the installation of ;i 

 datu. and is occasionally an element of the marriage ceremony. 



At special crises - - during an epidemic, when crops fail, when 

 drought lasts for a long period, or when other misfortune overtakes 

 the tribe it is thought proper to find a suitable sacrifice to appease 

 the anger of the gods, and there is some evidence to show that 

 petitions to the datu to arrange for paghuaga may he proffered by 

 any individual on the plea that his life activities are being inter- 



