BENEDICT, BAGOBO CEREMONIAL, MAGIC AND MYTH 245 



OMENS AND DREAMS 



Omens 



Closely related to the entire subject of tabu is the belief in 

 omens, signs and dream portents, some of which phenomena indicate 

 a line of behavior to be followed out, while others foretell un- 

 avoidable disaster, or simply serve to announce an event that has 

 already occurred. The greater number of omens noted by the 

 Bagobo as significant are believed in pretty generally by other 

 tribes in the Philippines, and are of a nature that requires no par- 

 ticular consideration. Many of the signs and portents that are here 

 briefly listed together have already been mentioned in our previous 

 discussion, in association with the various subjects which they concern. 

 A number of conditions observable in natural phenomena are inter- 

 preted as omens. 



When the western sky has a lurid or reddish aspect on a cloudy 

 afternoon, it is a sign of misfortune for the world, and it especially 

 foretells the appearance of the sickness called pamalii. There is a 

 saying among the Bagobo, "When the sky is red, trouble will come." 



"Maluto langit, mad at e bamui." 

 Red sky, bad is world. 



It is said that at rare intervals the sun at noon seems to 

 have the shape of an umbrella, and that this timolud sun is an 

 omen of terrible import. It foretells the calamity of an incestuous 

 union between a brother and sister in some family, followed by 

 the death of the guilty individuals. 



An eclipse of the moon is a sign that the mammoth bird Mino- 

 kowa has swallowed her, and that the sun and all the people on 

 the earth will be swallowed by the same bird, unless the Minokawa 

 can be induced to open its mouth and disgorge the moon — a 

 result which is regularly brought about by the shouting and 

 screaming of men, and the beating of agongs. 



The so-called spots on the moon are actually a white monkey 

 sitting on a tree; but to distinguish the form of the monkey is a 

 portent of death to him that sees it. 



Crashing peals of thunder augur sickness and death, for the zoo- 

 morphic thunder demon is emitting growls and roars, a sign that 

 he will immediately drop down upon earth and devour somebody, 

 unless spells be performed with lemons cut up in water. 



