VENTURELLO} MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF TAGBANUAS 529 
MANNER OF SEEKING A WIFE 
When the father of a family sees that his son has arrived at a 
marriageable age he will call the son to him and tell him that he 
desires him to marry and asks whether there may be anyone whom 
he favors. If the son accedes to his father’s wishes and designates 
a woman he desires, the entire family, including the relatives, unani- 
mously begin to decide upon a day when they will visit the house 
of the intended bride to ask of her parents her hand in marriage. 
The day having been fixed, the family, according to its circum- 
stances, will send to the family of the chosen one a ring of gold, 
silver, or copper, an unmistakable sign that that family begs the 
hand of the woman. The family betake themselves to the home of 
the sweetheart and there form a committee known as “al-log.” 
The father of the man being accompanied by some old men of the 
rancheria will open the discussion; he will use endearing expressions 
that may find favor among those present. He will tell the reason 
that obliged them to come to the house. This object being already 
known, the question will then be discussed or the petition refused. 
In the first case they will unanimously decide the conditions of the 
wedding and the quantity of the “bandi” which the family of the 
bride desires, and finally the day of the celebration is chosen. In 
the second case they are obliged to give an explanation of the motive 
for the refusal, although this happens very seldom, yet if the father 
or family of the woman do not wish to accept the proposition of the 
aspirant, they can not keep possession of the ring which had been 
sent beforehand. ; 
When the wedding day has arrived the family of the bridegroom 
and all the old people of the rancheria meet in the house of the 
bride, taking hither all the necessary articles for the celebration of 
the wedding such as pangasi, boiled rice, fish, delicacies, etc., etc. 
When all is ready the babailan will officiate. If, however, there be 
no babailan among them, an old man of the rancheria who pos- 
sesses the friendship and confidence of the two families will act as 
a substitute. The officiating one having previously placed in a cup 
or small hole in the ground a certain amount of cocoanut oil, will 
turn his eyes to the heavens in a supplicating manner and will 
pronounce the following words of the ceremony in Tagbanua: 
“Way ini ytao nga magasaua ‘ Darait’ ipagpanauag canimo ay pa 
buegayan mo naga sira et magayen nga pag asaua at maruay nga 
panulos et mas que uno unong caquenan nira.” 
Being translated: ‘Here are those who are married ‘ Darait’ 
‘ 
