72 GEORGE D-S-DUNBAR ON 



In cases of sickness, Boki and Bogo, who seem to be beneficent deities inclined 

 to counteract the malevolences of Epom and Nipong, are also propitiated. A shrine 

 is made of sacred bamboo l (tabo) and sticks of cane (tagur) as shewn in the figure 

 on page 73. 



A white cock is killed and suspended between the two tabo sticks, its head to the sky, 

 and one egg in a small basket is placed on each stick. This rite is in honour of both 

 Boki and Bogo and is carried out when appeal is being specially made to these spirits. 

 After the ceremony is over the mirii receives his fees in moni, which the unmarried 

 girls of the village throw over his head. The mir.il then chants the names of the spirits 

 in invocation , and the girls and small boys take up the chorus and dance. This dancing 

 continues for three days at the place where the rites were performed. No musical in- 

 struments are used. After these three days the mirii and his attendant chorus visit 

 those houses in the village whose young girls have given the strings of moni, and sing 

 and dance for two more days. I gathered that this rite is only performed when the 

 mirii lives in the same village as the sick man. If the sick man lives in another village 

 sacrifice is made as already described to Epom and Nipong at the sick man's home, 

 where the mirii goes with his train. When the sacrifice is made the mirii gives his 

 share of flesh and apong to the girls who gave him the strings of moni and accom- 

 panied him from his village. 



Altho' no spirit is supposed to live in the trier ang, this metal ornament is held, in 

 some way, to influence bowel troubles; and such illness is believed to be cured by 

 making an imitation bamboo merang, on which a sacrifice, in the shape of a fowl, is 

 placed and the entire offering covered with earth. 



The most powerful Galong deity is Yule who is believed to cause illness and 

 take away life. So when any one, man, woman or child, falls sick this spirit is 

 propitiated. There does not appear to be amongst the Galong clans the definite 

 setting apart of certain animals, and even fowls of different colours, as the proper 

 sacrifice to the various spirits, that has been observed amongst the Abors. Conse- 

 quently the taking of omens to determine the nature of the offering that will be 

 acceptable plays a prominent part in the Galong ceremonial. The mirii fimbriates 

 one end of a length of bamboo and fastens to it the feather of a fowl or the fur of a 

 sacrificial animal. Holding the wand in his hand he asks Yule if this is the form of 

 sacrifice that will find favour with him, and if he will in return for the offering cure him 

 that is sick. The mirii then announces that the offering is, or is not, pleasing to the 

 spirit. It may be observed that the theory of sacrifice prevalent throughout the 

 hills does not appear to be the desire of the spirits for the blood or the flesh of 

 bulls and of goats, but the belief that the soul of every animal sent down the silent 

 pathway to the unseen world of spirits, joins the ghostly flocks and herds of the deity 

 to whom it is dedicated. This strong belief in the future life of animals is a very 

 remarkable feature of their religion. 



1 Tabo is said to mean " sacred bamboo." It is suggested that it might perhaps be the same word as tai-o cane. 

 Tagur is very possibly the same as tagir which Lorraine defines as " the thing with which 'one divines." 



