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)
_Inapapáyag_: Two-forked saplings or four reeds are arranged so as to
support a shield or a cloth "roof" (Plate XVIII). During _Sayang_ and
some other ceremonies, it stands in the yard, or near to the town gate;
and on it food and drink are placed for visiting spirits. During the
celebration of _Layog_ (cf. p. 290), it is built near to the dancing
space, and contains offerings for the spirit of the dead. A spear
with a colored clout is stuck into the ground close by; and usually
an inverted rice mortar also stands here, and supports a dish of
_basi_. In the mountain village of Likuan it is built alone as a cure
for sickness. A pig is killed and the mediums summon the spirits as
in _Dawak_ (cf. p. 316).
_Kalang_: A wooden box, the sides of which are cut to resemble the
head and horns of a carabao. The spirits are not thought to reside
here, but do come to partake of the food and drink placed in it. It is
attached to the roof of the dwelling or in the _balaua_ or _kalangan._
New offerings are placed in the _kalang_, before the men go to fight,
or when the _Sayang_ ceremony is held. It also holds the head-bands
worn by the mediums, when making _Dawak_ (Fig. 4, No. 2).
_Kalangan_: the place of the _kalang_. This is similar to the _balaua_,
but is smaller and, as a rule, has only four supporting timbers
(Plate XXIII).
_Pala-an_: Four long poles, usually three of bamboo, and one of a
resinous tree known as _anteng_ (_Canarium villosum_ Bl.) are set
in a square and support, near the top, a platform of bamboo (Plate
XXIV). Offerings are made both on and below the _Pala-an_ during the
ceremony of that name, and in the more important rites.
_Pangkew_: Three bamboo poles are planted in the ground in a triangle,
but they lean away from each other at such an angle, as to admit of
a small platform midway of their length. A roofing of cogon grass
completes the structure. It is built during _Sayang_, and contains a
small jar of _basi_. The roof is always adorned with coconut blossoms
(Plate XX).
_Sagang_: Sharpened bamboo poles about eight feet in length on which
the skulls of enemies were formerly exhibited. The pointed end was
pushed through the _foramen magnum_, and the pole was then planted
near the gate of the town.
_Saloko_, also called _Salokang_ and _Sabut_: This is a bamboo pole
about ten feet long, one end of which is split into several strips;
these are forced apart, and are interwoven with other strips, thus
forming a sort of basket. When such a pole is erected near to a house,
or at the gate of the town, it is generally in connection with a
ceremony made to cure headache. It is also used in the fields as a
dwelling place for the spirit Kaiba-an (Plate XXV).
The _Saloko_ ceremony and the _diam_, which accompanies it, seem to
indicate that this pole originated in connection with head-hunting;
and its presence in the fields gives a hint that in former times a
head-hunt may have been a necessary preliminary to the rice-planting.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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