Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-12-09
ODD FILIPINO CUSTOMS.
DEVIL DANCE FOR THE gxoRclsM OF
EVIL SPIRITS.

S"ensheu-nOuerH Jacobs ana Rache
-Buddhist Theory That the Soul Gos
Csvorting Around Nights-Other Fact,
An English physician now living j
London, who has spent many year
on the island of Luzon in the Phiir
pines, relates these superstitions an
customs which prevail among the les
enlightened Filipinos.
MANY OF those who conform out
wardly to the rights of the church,
he said, ''still cherish belief il
witches and Demons. They believe
that witches congregate at the brit
OF children and watch an opportunity
to snatch the soul of tho new born in.
FAINT. When birth takes place the
room is Theoretically sealed not so
much as q crack of the door or win
dow being left open, because to do
that would be TO allow the entrance
OF the patianac, or witch, who is sup
posed to be able to get through the
smallest hole. II the attending mid
wife has occasion to believe that the
witches are actually at work charge
OF gunpowder is blown off in the room
to frightom them away.
When the child thus bewitched is
born it is placed in draught of air in
an open door or window so that the
witches may have chance to escape
and the exorcism begins. Three witch
candles are placed upon the little face
lone on each cheek and another on
the chin. These are lighted and al
lowed TO burn until they are almost
consumed. Though the child some
times gets badly burned in the pro-
cess, such an accident is considered
of small account so long as the witch
is expelled.
"The Filipinos have some curious
customs in regard to courtship and
marriage. They believe that the odor
impaired to the clothing by the body
has power to excite love. Those who
wish to attract some one of the OPP
posite sex will scheme to bring that
person in contact with some article
of clothing which has been worn by
themselves. When plighted lovers
are obliged to separate for time they
exchange garments with each other.
The believe that by this means faith.
fulness is assured. So keen is
the sense of smell among the
Filipinos that they can tell to
whom any article belongs by
merely smelling of ii. There is
a peculiar manner of kissing in vogue
among many of these tribes. Instead
OF touching lips they press the nose
against the check of the person they
wish to caress and draw long, deep
breath.
There are many modern jacobs
and Rachels among the Fiipinos, for
it is custom for the prospective
bridegroom to serve for time in the
household of the brides father, il he
has not money enough to make cash
payment for the bride.
Zone OF their most interesting su-
perstitions is the belief that the soul
of a man leaves his body during sleep
md goes forth on some mysterious
errand Of its own. This belief was
doubtless borrowed from the Bud
dhists, and one can offer no greater in
suit to Filipino than to step over
him when he lies asleep, which, ac-
cording to his idea, is getting between
his body and his absent soul.
"The islanders have many super
'titions in regard to bats, animals aud
'eptiles. The huge caymans, which
abound in the Philippine rivers, fill
he with peculiar horror. They
believe that the caymans are always
IN the lookout for those who have
sworn falsely or broken their prom
ses, and almost any native can tel
wonderful stories abo1t the terrible
ate which has overtaken liars who {
lave fallen into the Jaws of the cay {
nan.
"The old belief, so common in Asia {
md elsewhere, that certain sounds {
ave power over non.human pres {
noes is cherished by the natives Of
he Philippines, and several OF their j
most powerful lamentations are said |
o be preserved in secret manuscripts, a
'ut though the Spanish clergy have t
ried every means to procure these
looks of the devil, as they call them,
heir efforts have been unrewarded,
nd the dreade formula still remain
he secrets Of the native priests. j
"One of their customs is the devil v
ance for the exorcism of evil spirits. C
{ an epidemic of smallpox, cholera p
r other disease occurs in village S
he mischief ia Mt once attributed To a
ONE evil spirit which has taken up
IS abode in neighboring banyan /
zee. The particular tree inhabited 1
y the devil is determined upon by \
be native priest. and on the night Il
ppointed for the exorcism the entire i
opulation of the village marches to O
,e spot, bearing sacrihcial meats and "
pices. They form circle round the
anyan tree aud await the coming of {