BAGOBOS OF DAVAO GULF. 135 



places mam' \'aluable ai'ticles of wearing apparel, weapons, and agongs. 

 These she offere to the spirits, beseeching them to permit an easy birth, 

 and to give good health to the mother and child. The articles offered at 

 this time may be nsed by their fonner o\^'ners, but as they now belong 

 to the spirits the}' can not be disposed of unless othere of equal value are 

 substituted. 



The mabalian cuts the umbilical cord and assists in the removal of the 

 afterbirth, which she places in a bamboo tube, covers with ashes and 

 then hangs to the side of the house, where it remains until it falls of its 

 own accord. The child must be placed at once on a soft piece of bark 

 for "its bones are soft and our hands are hard and will injure it," and 

 water is poured over it. The indbalian must then nib a mixture of clay 

 and medicine on its eyes, and on the eyes of all who witnessed the birth, 

 otherwise they would become blind. For her services she receives from 

 five to twenty pesos, according to the wealth of the family and the sex 

 of the child. Twins are accepted without question, but triplets are 

 killed at once by filling their mouths vn\h. ashes. "If this is not done the 

 parents will die, for the}' are like animals." 



Marriage among the Bagobos takes place much later than is common 

 among most Philippine tribes, the couple often being eighteen or twenty 

 years of age. As a rule the parents of the boy select the girl and 

 negotiate the match. Going to the house of the girl they casually broach 

 the subject, and if her parents are favorable a certain day is set to discuss 

 the details. This meeting is attended by the friends and relatives of 

 both families, and two headmen or datus must also be present to rep- 

 resent the contracting parties. The price the girl should bring varies 

 according to the wealth of the interested parties and the accomplishments 

 of the bride. Wiiatever the sum paid, the father of the girl must make 

 a return present equal to one-half the value of tlie marriage gift "so that 

 he does not sell his daughter like a slave." 



Usually marriage does not take place until a year or more after this 

 settlement, and during the interval the boy must sei-ve his father-in-law 

 to be. When the time for the final ceremony arrives tlie relatives and 

 friends assemble and for two or three days they feast and make meri^. 

 A mabalian spreads a mat on the floor, places on it many valuable 

 articles and then offers all to the spirits, in order that they may be 

 pleased to give the couple a long and prosperous life together. Finally, 

 she puts a dish of rice on the mat and after offering it to the spirits she 

 places it between the boy and girl as they sit on the floor. The girl 

 takes a handful of the rice and feeds it to the boy, who in turn feeds her, 

 and the ceremony is complete. The couple may then go to their new 

 home, but for several years the girl's family will exact a certain amount 

 of serrice from the groom. 



When a person is critically ill, he is removed from his own house to 

 another in order that he may be under the care of the good spirits 



