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)
When all was complete, three men played on the _tongátong_
(cf. p. 314), until one of the mediums took her place beside the
mat. Raising a plate above her head, she struck it repeatedly with
a small head-axe, to call attention of the spirits. [129] Then she
began to chant and wail calling the spirits to enter her body. After
two or three moments of song, she was possessed by a spirit, who
announced that his name was Ibalinsogwan. He placed a rooster at one
end of a spear, and a bundle of rice at the other, did a short dance,
and departed. The mediums then seated themselves on opposite sides
of the jar of _basi_; each drank of the liquor, and the chant began
again. Spirit after spirit took possession of one of the mediums,
who then conversed with the other, asked questions concerning the
patient, or other matters, and occasionally offered advice. Before
his departure, each spirit would drink of the _basi_.
The members of the family were present during most of the day; friends
came, and went as they pleased, stopped to listen to or talk with
the spirits, drank _basi_, and then went about their work.
Early the second morning, the mediums went to a bound pig in the house,
and after placing betel-nut on its back, they poured water into its
ear. This caused the animal to shake its head; and, as the water was
thrown out, one of the mediums caught it in her hand, and applied it to
the sick woman, at the same time chanting, "Go away sickness, be thrown
out like this water; let this person be well, for she is now following
the custom." As soon as she had finished, two men carried the animal to
the river bank, where they killed and singed it. Upon their return to
the house, they removed and carefully examined its liver; for, by the
markings on it, the people were assured that the spirits were pleased
with the manner in which the ceremony was being conducted, and hence
the prospects for the patient's recovery were very bright. _Gipas_,
the dividing, followed. An old man divided the pig with the medium,
but by sly manipulation managed to get a little more than she did. A
betel-nut, beeswax, and a lead net-sinker were tied together with
a string, and were divided, but again the old man received a little
more than his share. Betel-nut was offered to the pair. Apparently
each piece was the same, but only one was supplied with lime, and
the mortal secured that. He then challenged the medium to see whose
spittle was the reddest. Both expectorated on the head-axe, but since
the spittle of the medium was not mixed with lime, it was uncolored. In
all instances the human being came out victor over the spirit, who
sought to take the woman's life. Hence her recovery was assured.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account