The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-20
PHILIPPINE DEVIL DANCE.
Horrible Rites in Which the Natives
Sometimes Indulge.
From the London Graphic.

From the London Graphic.
Like most people who have not crossed
the border line separating civilization from
savagery. the natives of the Philippine
Islands have some strange customs and
perpetrate horrors which cause a shudder
among our refined nations. None of these
customs is more imposing. as few could
possibly be more weird and terrible, than
the Devil Dance of the natives, who resort
to it whenever they believe the evil spirit
has come among them and they are re-
solved to cast it out. This spirit accord
ing 10 the popular superstition, does not
however, come into the village but takes
up its abode in a banyan tree in some adj
jacent plain from which it can only be
exercised by the minstrations of the
priest.
For this purpose a night is fixed, the
place haunted by the evil spirit is deter
mined, and at the appointed time out OF
their huts, out of the streets, out of the
villages, come the men and the women
and the children, all eager to participate
IN the ceremony, all eager to dethrone the
devil. Through the darkness of the night
under the star-lit sky flows the stream
OF humanity TO the spot which has been
selected for the rite. There a fire is light
N1 anu the flSS WHICH are TO be maze
TO the officiating priest-the fowls and the
goats and the other danties-are gathered
together and made ready while the whole
community forms a circle round the tree
Presently the priest appears. On his head
IS a high, conical cap, from the end of
which depends a red tassel. on his body
IS the moki, a long robe extending from
the shoulders 10 the ankles, on which are
embroidered, in red silk, figures supposed
TO represent the goddesses of smallpox
murder, cholera, and other diseases. In
one hand he carries a speae and a bow
whose strings, when struck emit a low
booming sound, while in the other hand
rs a curved sacrificial knife-practicalIv
a sickle-on whose blade are engraved
many figures. The man has either work.
ed himself up into a state of intense ner-
vous excitement, or else, as is common
with savage nations, has taken a decoc-
tlon OF some powerful drug in order 10
produce a condition of mental exaltatjon.
From one cause or other, however. his
gait is invariably curious and staggering
He advances through the crowd into the
center of the circle, where he seats him
self, while the men and women exhibit
the offerings which they are ready to
make. Seemingly obivious Of their pres
ence, however, is the half-maddened
priest who sits doubled up, sWaying slow
~ from side to side, while he huns or
rooms some inspiring melody of madness
Working himself up into a state of great
er and greater effect his hands begin TO
switch and his movements become more
marked. His body seems to culver and
huge drops of perspiration' stand upon
MS skin. All this while the beaters
OF the tom-toms and the other makers OF
barbaric music have been keeping up an
increasing disturbance. The music gets
faster and faster. All at once the priest
leaps TO his feet with a shrek With out
stretched arms and beating feet he cries
aloud, Il am God! 1 am the true Godr'
ana IN that state the assembled crowd
makes its Offering, and begs for informa-
tons as to what will be the effect of the
evil spirit upon them, while it prays to be
saved from its Vaccinations. The move
ments of the dancing priest grow wilder
Nhh the sharp sacrlhcial knife he cuts
hlmsen and slashes his body while his
blood spurts out upon the men and women
near at hand, and mingles with the sac
flnces that are to be consumed Wider
end wilder he becomes, and at times il
mas happened that he has even afflicted a
A'1ai wound upon himself. If this untow-