252 VILLAVERDE. 



DRUNKENNESS AMONG THE IFL'GAOS. 



.Since they believe that the happiness and prosperity of their gods 

 and ancestors consists in filling their bellies with the abstract and spiri- 

 tual substance of the fowls, the hogs, and the old buffaloes whose flesh 

 they themselves eat, and believing also that an important part of the 

 happiness of the same beings consists in drinking to excess the same 

 abstract principle of a vino which they call huhud, it is plain that they 

 will be very diligent and fervid in drinking the concrete article until 

 they get drunk, if possible, in honor of those whom they venei-ate as 

 drunkards and gluttons of the first order. It is, therefore, easily seen 

 that far from regarding drunkenness as a vice, they regard it, on the 

 contrary, as a virtue, and an efficacious means of appeasing their pre- 

 tended divinities, and in their vanity they regard it as a great honor 

 to appear drunk even when they are not so. Thus, for example, to 

 free themselves from the danger of being struck by lightning they have 

 no better means than that of offering it the abstract vino, which they, 

 of course, drink in its natural state ; because they say that the lightning 

 enjoys it greatly and after drinking huhud will not eat man. 



This vino, or huhud, which is such a delicacy among the Ifugaos and 

 their gods, they make in the following way: First they add to a small 

 quantity of rice flour a very acrid and strong juice which they extract 

 from a creeping plant. When this is made and dried in the sun, they 

 have what may be called yeast, which they preserve very carefully. 

 "When they wish to make vino they coolc a considerable quantity of rice 

 with water alone, making the ordinary boiled rice. After drying this 

 in the sun also, they mix it with some of the above-described yeast and 

 introduce it into an earthen jar of suitable dimensions, which they 

 cover perfectly tight, leaving it so eight or more days. Meanwhile 

 it ferments, changing into a liquid of a very disagreeable taste, both 

 acid and biting, which is called huhud, which serves them for food and 

 drink; for, as they say, "it has food and it has drink." This licjuid 

 does not cause drunkenness, properly speaking, but rather a rabid fury 

 which nothing will placate.' They make it and use it whenever they 

 can, in all of their sacrifices, but especially and without fail in the 

 following cases : 



First, when they begin their work in the fields, at which time each 

 one kills and eats as many hogs and carabaos as is possible for him, and 

 as conforms to his estate. 



Second, in the cases of severe infirmity and its cure, as has been 

 explained. 



Third, when they commit some murder, in which case they have 



' M.y own observations do not confirm this statement as to the effect of huhud. 

 (Dean C. Worcester.) 



