The Tinguian: Social, Religious, and Economic Life of a Philippine TribeCole, Fay-Cooper
Religion
The Tinguian: Social, Religious, and Economic Life of a Philippine Tribe
Cole, Fay-Cooper
Tinguian (Philippine people)
Several spirits follow, and as the morning wears on, the medium becomes
more and more intense. The muscles of her neck and the veins of her
forehead stand out like cords, while perspiration streams from her
bod. Taking a shield and head-axe in her hand, she does a sort of
muscle dance, then goes to each member of the family, and strikes the
weapons together over their heads; from them she goes to the doors
and windows, and strikes at them with the axe. Finally she returns to
the mat, balances a cup of _basi_ on the weapon, and causes the host
to drink. Another attack on the doors follows, and then in exhaustion
she sinks beside the mat. After a short rest, she dips beads in oil,
and with them touches the heads of the family. The musicians strike
up a lively tattoo at this point, and again seizing her weapons,
the medium dances in front of the spirit shield. Going to the rooster
on the mat, she cuts off a part of its comb, and presses the bloody
fowl against the back or leg of each person in the room. The spirit
drinks and disappears.
The next visitor dances with the host, and then wrestles with him, but
upon getting the worst of the match takes leave. As in the _Tangpap_,
large number of minor beings call for a moment or two and pass on. One
spirit places the family beneath a blanket, cuts a coconut in two
above their heads, and first allows the water to run over them; then
finally the halves are allowed to drop. She waves burning rice-straw
above them, and removes the blanket. It is explained that the water
washes all evil away, and that as the shells fall from the family,
so will sickness leave them. Evil spirits are afraid of the fire,
and leave when the burning rice-straw is waved about the blanket.
As a final act the members of the family are instructed to hold,
in their hands the head-axe, chicken feathers, agate beads, and
other articles, and then to mount the rice-mortar in the yard. Soon
one or more of the mediums is possessed by spirits, who rush toward
the mortar, and strive to seize the prized objects. Before they can
accomplish their design, they are met by old men and women, who fight
them off. At last they abandon the attempt and, together with the
host and his wife, go to the edge of the town, where they pick sweet
smelling leaves and vines. These they carry back to the village to
give to the guests, and to place in the house and spirit dwellings.
As a final act _basi_ is served to all, and _tadek_ is danced until
the guests are ready to return to their homes.
In San Juan they make the spirit raft--_taltalabong_--as in _Tangpap_,
and set it afloat at sunset.
The mediums are paid off in rice, a portion of the slaughtered animals,
beads, one or two blankets, and perhaps a weapon or piece of money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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