250 A NATUBALI8T IN CELEBES cn.x 



mountain that was formerly the way from the earth to the 

 heavenly village Kasendukan. ' In olden times, there was no 

 rice in Minahassa, but a certain man, Tuleng by name, heard 

 a rumour that this cereal was grown in Kasendukan, so he 

 paid the gods a visit to see if he could persuade them to 

 sell him a few seeds. After several fruitless attempts to 

 buy them, he at last decided to steal some. He succeeded 

 in doing this, and brought the stolen grains to earth. When, 

 afterwards, the dwellers in Kasendukan heard of the theft, 

 they determined to kill Tuleng ; but before they had started 

 for this purpose, Sumangi, the brother of Tuleng, succeeded 

 in cutting off the top of the Klabat and thus effectually 

 frustrated the immortals in the execution of their fell de- 

 sign.' 



It must not, however, be supposed that all the empungs 

 dwell in the heavenly vUlages. Thus, the Makawalang 

 dwells in the under-world, Saputan dwells in the volcano of 

 that name, Eumengan dwells in the Mahawu, and Pinou- 

 toan up the Lokon. 



Other gods of considerable importance were : Muntuuntu, 

 in some places recognised as the chief of the gods. He 

 seems also to have been the guardian of the gate of the 

 heavenly village Kasendukan. Lembej was the distributor 

 of riches. The empung Totokai was the patron of the 

 head-hunters. Tingkulengdeng, the herald of the will of 

 the gods, and Mualongan, the empung who combated the 

 evil spirits or sakits (16). 



One of the most important of the gods was Mandej 

 (22), the first-born of the Makaruwa sijow. He dwelt at 

 Lamperan in Tomohon, and had the control of agriculture. 

 He was born at Tuiir-in-tanah, literally the " tree of the 

 earth,' and had one true wife Eawembene, by whom he begat 

 five children, Eeko, Menso, Euntulumingkan, Eunturu- 

 mosok, Porong nimiles. 



