236 ANNALS NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



some such grouping as the following: (a) The ceremonial tabu, a 

 tabu connected with objects sacred to the gods, or having a cere- 

 monial significance; (b) The mythical tabu, a tabu whose coercive 

 effect depends upon association with some tradition, myth, or su- 

 pernatural mandate, including omens ; (c) The class tabu, a tabu 

 on privileges reserved for certain social classes; (d) The a'sthetie 

 tabu, a tabu which derives its force from the juxtaposition of in- 

 congruous mental images. 



Ceremonial Tabu 



The ceremonial tabus are connected particularly with ceremonies 

 whose efficacy would be spoiled by the infringement of the tabu, 

 of chief importance among which prohibitions are the following. 



It is tabu to sell, or to give away, any article which has been 

 placed upon an altar as an offering. In certain cases, such offerings 

 must be left permanently upon the shrine; while in other eases 

 the objects are returned to the owners at the conclusion of a cere- 

 mony, or after one night has passed while these gifts have been 

 lying on the shrine. In any case, one must never part with an 

 object thus offered to a god. 



It is tabu to sell a weapon, or an ornament, which by reason 

 of its age is called an ikut, a term used of certain classes of articles 

 when they become old, and are hence ready to be put upon an 

 altar. The following objects are called ikut after they have been 

 worn or carried for a period of not less than two years and one 

 month. The pangidu, a long-handled spear, of which there are 

 some thirty or more types; the kanvpilan : a valuable one-edged 

 sword that is carried in a decorative scabbard; the sundong, a long, 

 two-edged sword of ftforo manufacture, that is obtained by the 

 Bagobo in trade; the Jcalasag : a war shield made of fine-grained 

 wood jiml often elaborately carved; the sinkali, a chain girdle 

 of fine brass links worn by wealthy Bagobo women; the pan his, 



a general term for several types of brass bracelet; the /tmiiurnii'/. 

 ear-plugs worn by women and made of hard wood inlaid with 

 \<tv fine brass wire; the gading, Large ivory ear-plugs worn by 

 men. While exceptions may occur, the tendency is to limit the 



3,7 The armlet cast from a wax mold and forming a complete circlet is preferably 

 the ikut. 



