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A GROUP OF BONTOC IGOROT WOMEN IN TYPICAL DRESS 



Their one garment is a narrow skirt reaching from waist to knee and open up one side. 

 Upper garments are practically unknown except where they come much in contact with 

 the Filipinos (see page 896) 



killed by the people of the ward. In the 

 open court above referred to there may 

 be a tree growing, but if there is not a 

 live tree its place is usually taken by one 

 that has been cut off and stuck into the 

 ground. In either event some of the 

 branches which extend directly upward 

 are cut off, leaving sharp prongs, on 

 which may be impaled the heads brought 

 in by successful war parties. 



WELL-REGULATED WARFARE 



The Bontoc Igorots are perhaps more 

 courageous and manly in their fighting 

 than are the people of any other Philip- 

 pine hill tribe. They have regular cere- 

 monies for making peace and declaring 

 war. On occasion the people of one 

 town send word to the people of another 

 that they are going to attack on a given 

 day. At other times enemies meet by 

 appointment at designated places and 

 fight over fancied wrongs. 



Heads are removed with heavy head- 

 axes, which lack the graceful form of 

 the axes of the Kalingas, but are perhaps 

 more formidable, as their cutting edges 

 are considerably longer. The strong and 

 well fashioned, wickedly barbed steel 

 lances, which the Bontoc Igorots throw 

 with much force and skill, are very for- 

 midable weapons at short range. Their 

 shields are stout affairs of wood lashed 

 with rattan. They are fashioned in va- 

 rious more or less artistic shapes, which 

 show a distinct advantage over that of 

 the shields of the Ifugaos, but they are 

 inferior, in appearance at least, to those 

 of the Kalingas. 



When a successful war party returns 

 with heads there is great rejoicing. The 

 gory trophies are stuck up in the courts 

 of the wards where dwell the m^n who 

 took them, and there ensues a canao, ac- 

 companied by much drinking and feast- 



