HARVEST FEAST OF THE KIANGAN IFUGAO. • 93 



by phrases similar to tliose used in calling the gods in the foregoing 

 ceremony. A bowl containing chicken grease is passed about by a 

 feaster, possessed by Tayaban, son of Mongahid, who dances and chants 

 as he goes. As he passes each head, he dips his finger in the grease 

 and anoints the head of each person who is taking part. The feasters 

 shout : 



We put oil on our heads, in order to put oil on the heads of the harvesters 

 of the rice, in order to make the rice increase.^- 



The people can not explain this custom of anointing, nor the chant 

 that accompanies it. They only say, "That is the right way to perform 

 a harvest feast." The following explanation is favored by cei-tain evi- 

 dence, and presented to the reader for what it may be worth. It is to 

 be noted that all these spirits are place-spirits, and that their residence, 

 Binuyuk, iSTagadaaigan, iSTantogan, etc., are all places in the East, which, 

 according to the Kiangan Ifiigaos, is the cradle of their tribe. ISTow 

 when an Ifugao makes a new rice-field, , he always performs a ceremonial 

 feast called langalang, killing some chickens to appease the spirit who 

 resides in the locality. OtherAvise, the place-spirit would make all sick 

 who disputed dominion with him and disturbed his peace by working 

 his land. He would cause the field to be washed away, the rats to eat 

 the young rice-plants ; in short, he would make the field an utter failure. 

 It may be that in times past this ceremony was performed annually, 

 whenever the land was worked or whenever the crop was harvested; that 

 the workers marked themselves with fat of the sacrificed chickens in 

 order that the place-spirit might know those who had made the proper 

 sacrifice; that the custom still survives in the harvest feast; and that 

 the feasters, as they say, anoint themselves "in order to put oil on the 

 heads of the harvesters." The custom^ so explained, has points in com- 

 mon with the Hebrew Passover. Like the angel of the Lord, these 

 terrible spirits "pass over-" those who present evidence of having complied 

 with the requirements.'*'^ These faithful ones the spirits do not make 

 sick nor punish by stealing the life of the rice. If, as the Ejangan Ifugao 

 says, these spirits come from the Bast, it is to be noted that they still 

 pay homage to the place-spirits of their former habitat ; and, 'hallowed by 

 time, they now rank little lower than gods. 



^' Monbelabela-knmi ta monhelahela di monagamid di page, 



We-put-oil-on-our-heads in-order-to put-oil-on-the-heads of-the harvesters of the rice 



ta gumikud 

 in-order-to-make-the-rice-inerease. 



" The meaning of white chicken feathers worn in tlie hair, now purely orna- 

 mental, at first may have been a demonstration to the spirits that the wearer 

 had made the proper sacrifice. 



