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The Philippine Journal of Science 



1914 



capital of Lepanto. In 1883, Luis Sarela 81 became the chief 

 official. "He took great interest in the people and in their future 

 welfare; he ordered the planting of potatoes, cabbages, beans, 

 cacao, coffee, mangos, and other fruits." The people, however, 

 paid little attention to the order, and a penalty of imprisonment 

 or whipping was imposed for neglect. In 1883, the capital was 

 transferred to Cervantes, as Cayan lacked good building sites. 

 The first friar missionary entered Cayan in 1881, and the first 

 teacher was appointed in 1885. Lists of the officials of the va- 

 rious barrios are given. The following customs are described: 



CUSTOMS OF THE PEOPLE 



The cafiao that is celebrated by the whole town is called begnas w which 

 is celebrated twice a year, before the rice planting and the rice cutting 

 time; this is the biggest cafiao that is held by the whole town; it lasts 

 from two to three days, during which the people dance, play ganzas, and 

 sing. This cahao is held to ascertain whether the rice crop will be a 

 good one or not; they tell it by the gall of the hogs that are killed for this 

 cafiao; if the galls are big and full it is a sign that there will be a good 

 crop, but if they are small and empty it is a sign that the crop will be 

 small ; " during the time that the hogs are killed no one from the town is 

 allowed to go out anywhere, nor is anyone from another town permitted 

 to come into the town. 



The cafiaos that were handed down to us from one generation to another 

 by our forefathers are called bayas, baquid, obaya, and palis." 



Bayas is a cafiao in which 4 to 6 hogs are killed, also carabaos, cattle, 

 and horses; that is, if the people are rich. They sing, play on their 

 ganzas, and dance. The persons that celebrate this cafiao cannot leave 

 their houses for nine days and they cannot go to another town for three 

 months. (This cafiao is held by married people, and is celebrated only 

 three times by the same persons.) 85 



Baquid is somewhat like the bayas cahao, but in this cahao ganzas are 

 not played, nor do they sing or dance; it is only held once a year. (This 

 cafiao is held for the dead.) 



Obaya is a cafiao in which a hog is killed; no ganzas are played in this 

 cafiao; the old men come together and eat; after a while they all go back 

 home again. (This cafiao is for the purpose of finding out anything 

 that happened in the town, such as the discovery of a thief, etc.)* 8 



81 Luis Sarela y Figueroa became comandante politico militar of Le- 

 panto in February, 1879, and governed the district until August, 1883. 

 Besides moving the capital, he encouraged education and built a trail 

 from Cervantes to the boundary of the district. See Perez, Igorrotes, 58, 59. 



"See footnote 16. 



" See footnote 31. 



M Compare this account with that on page 489. 



" See footnote 44. The ceremony here described is similar to the Ifugao 

 bumaiyah . — Beyer. 



" This ceremony is the same as the Ifugao ubctya. — Beyer. 



