VENTURELLO] MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF TAGBANUAS 527 
There is another feast more general and solemn, which is cele- 
brated annually, and known as sagda. This feast occurs in January 
or February on any day of the moon not otherwise observed. 
The day previous to that of the feast, all the families of the tribe 
without distinction of rank, previously notified by the chief of 
the rancheria who usually is babailan or the minister of Diwata 
and who officiates in this ceremony, prepare their food, each per- 
son of both sexes in proportion to his ability preparing a small 
quantity of rice. When all things are ready, the chief of the 
rancheria or officiating babailan will give the order to begin the 
departure to the place designated in which to celebrate the feast. 
This usually takes place in some beautiful part of the beach where 
the feast is held annually. If this feast takes place upon the beach 
it is known as “sagda,” if on the contrary it is celebrated in the 
woods or near the seed fields it is called langbay. 
“Langbay” is similar to “sagda”; but its celebration occurs in 
April or May after the palay has been planted. 
When the people have come to the chosen place, the minister of 
Diwata performs the religious ceremonies with great attention on 
the part of the people. He will begin by giving thanks to Diwata 
Mangindusa for having preserved their lives, giving unto them a 
good harvest (if this has been so) and freeing them from contagious 
infirmities during the year which has just ended; afterwards he will. 
ask that during the year just commencing Diwata Mangindusa 
may continue to dispense equal favors and benefits, that this year 
shall produce an abundance of bees, that it may be a happy one for 
the tribe, and that there may be a good harvest of palay and little 
sickness. These religious ceremonies of the Babailan being ended, 
he will then make a small raft of cafia bujo which is adorned with 
streamers of the leaves of bori or balas bas, a species of palm. In 
each of the four corners of the raft a candle of wax is placed and 
lighted. The raft is taken to the water and upon it is placed 
a chicken, buyo, tobacco, cigarettes, each of every kind of dainties 
prepared by the women, and last of all each person, regardless of 
sex, places upon the raft a small quantity of rice, the poor giving 
a lapatan or one fourth of a chupa, the nobles and rich a greater 
quantity. 
The small raft being laden with these articles the babailan will 
invoke the sacred name of Diwata Magindusa, and will pronounce 
in their dialect the following words: 
“Turona balza at Diwata tabanen at idulong mo cay Mangindusa 
