﻿ix. d, 2 Christie: Irrigation in Ilocos Norte 111 



which may extend from only one night to several days, to 

 see whether or not any unfavorable omen appears to any of 

 the members of the society, or a sangkabagi or other spirit 

 appears to warn against the proposed undertaking. If an 

 unfavorable omen or vision occurs, the place where it is proposed 

 to start the canal is abandoned; unless the spirit, if there is 

 one in the place, can be appeased by an offering. If a spirit 

 warns against beginning the work, an attempt is made to 

 learn what sort of propitiation it wants. In case a sacrifice 

 is requested, a chicken, for example, the society must learn 

 whether the animal is to be set free at the spot or is to be killed 

 and cooked. In a society with numerous members there is 

 usually at least one who is supposed to know more about spirits, 

 omens, etc. than the other members, and his observations and 

 advice are acted on. Various unfavorable omens are watched 

 for, perhaps the commonest being the falling down or removal 

 of the cross. If nothing occurs during the wait to contraindicate 

 the digging of the ditch, the work is begun, offerings being first 

 put on the platform or altar. These offerings ordinarily consist 

 of rice cooked with coconut, chicken, betel-nut for chewing, 

 tobacco, and basi. When the canal has been made, another 

 ceremony is commonly performed, especially if some difficulty 

 is met with in getting the water to run in the ditch. This 

 rite consists in killing an animal at the edge of the canal and 

 saying the words given below. The animal is usually a pig, 

 but I know of cases in which an ox has been sacrificed. The 

 animal is killed in such a position that the blood spurts into 

 the ditch, while the master of ceremonies recites the following : 



Ditch, this blood is spurted into you in order that your current may be as 

 strong as the current of this blood. 8 



The body of the animal is then dragged along the bed of the 

 canal up to the land to be irrigated. 



It is also a very common practice to sprinkle the route of 

 the canal with blood before starting to dig. The throat of 

 a pig or chicken is cut, and the animal is dragged along the 

 line of route for this purpose. 



I know of an authentic case which occurred near Laoag, 

 Ilocos Norte, where a dog's blood was used for sprinkling a 

 piece of ground which was to be leveled to make a rice field, 

 the dog being eaten afterward. But in this case the workers 

 were not Ilocanos but Tingians working for an Ilocano. Whether 



s Kali naisuyat kenka daitoi a dara tapno iti peggesna nga agwayawai 

 padaen kuma ti danummo iti pigsana nga agayus. 



