The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 - Volume 40 of 55, 1690-1691: Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 - Volume 40 of 55, 1690-1691: Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
[69] The Baganis, who dress in the manner described by the author,
generally count the number of their victims, by placing on the edge of
the shield as many locks of hair as the assassinations that they have
committed. One Macusang gave Father Pastells his shield as a present,
as a sign that he would kill no more Christians; and that shield held
one hundred and eight locks of hair. (Pastells and Retana's Combés,
col. 659.)
[70] Now called bido. They dress like women; and some think them
hermaphrodites. (Pastells and Retana's Combés, col. 659.)
Henry Ling Roth, in his Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo
(London, 1896), i, pp. 270, 271, describes these men in women's attire
as found in Borneo, where they are called Manang bali. Before such
assume women's dress they are unsexed; and thenceforth they endevour
to imitate as nearly as possible the women in everything, he who
can best do so being regarded as the most successful. Their services
are in great demand and they generally grow wealthy, when in order
the better to act their assumed character as women, the manang bali
takes a husband. The latter is despised by the women and disliked by
the men of the tribe, and is completely under his so-called "wife's"
domination. Men are not brought up in this office as a profession, but
one becomes a manang bali from pure choice, or by sudden inclination,
at a mature age. He is always a person of great consequence in the
village, and may become the chief. He has many cares, and acts often
as a peacemaker, in which he excels, all little differences being
brought to him. His wealth is often at the service of his followers,
and he is ready to help in times of trouble and distress. When the
manang bali marries, he generally adopts some children; and if he
has had children before he becomes a manang bali, he must give them
their portions and start in that career unencumbered.
Cf. the "berdashes" among the North American Indians; see Jesuit
Relations (Cleveland reissue), lix, pp. 309, 310.
[71] Retana (Pastells and Retana's Combés, col. 786) derives "labia"
from "labi" and "a" "he who advantages the others." "Tuto" is said by
Retana (ut supra, col. 790) to be equivalent to "tuud-tuud" meaning
"in real truth."
[72] Either the eleventh or twelfth of November. The first date is
the day of St. Martin, the blessed confessor; and the second that of
St. Martin, pope and martyr, who was martyred in 655.
[73] The island of Pañgutarang, of the Sulu group. It is about
11 × 9 miles in extent, and is low, but is densely inhabited and
has considerable trade with Joló. It has some settlements of the
Sámals, the descendants of the Sámal Laút or "sea gypsies." See
U. S. Philippine Gazetteer, and Census of the Philippine Islands, i,
p. 464.
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