THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 



In weaving, the Bagobo woman has attained high skill in 

 technique and continues to produce patterns which she has 

 learned from her mother or from her grandmother. Their 

 clothing is usually woven from hemp fiber. In the collec- 

 tion are excellent examples of their weaving art, including 

 those having complex figures made by tying the warp be- 

 fore the weaving. In this instance the fiber is stretched on 

 a long frame of bamboo, and to make a pattern the woman 

 picks out a cluster of strands at varying intervals, binding 

 each into knots with short lengths of hemp. So tightly are 

 these clusters bound that when the whole warp is afterward 

 dyed, no color can penetrate to the parts thus tied. 



The Bagobo are fond of music, and many kinds of musi- 

 cal instruments are shown in the collections. Firm in their 

 friendships, they are quick to resent an injury or wrong. 

 They are fierce in warfare and frequently decapitate their 

 enemies. 



As a decorative feature of the hall, but one which also 

 tends to give unity and meaning to the exhibit, there is in- 

 stalled a wainscoting of native woods, which constitutes 

 one of the largest and most authoritative collections in the 

 world. 



Other features are the examples of pottery and basketry 

 upon the tops of the cases, and the framed mats, many of 

 which are of beautiful design, arranged as a frieze. 



Owing to lack of exhibition space, it is impossible to dis- 

 play the large collections (now in storage) from the Chris- 

 tian tribes inhabiting the islands. 



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