The National tribune., 1902-05-15

very able and interesting article b,
Henry o. Dwight, entitled Our Moham
etan Wards" The author discusses thu
history and religion Of the MOros, ant
gives some sound advice as to our deal
ings with these people, etc; butt having
been stationed among them for more thai
16 months. and since October, 1900, hav
ing been the arbiter of their troubles a
Bongao-the tail end'' OF our new posses
sions-I cannot find that religion bother:
or influences them to the extent indicated
in the article referred to.
The Spaniards and MoroS were bitter
enemies, and there is no Doubt that each
was afraid of the other. AT Jolo you car
hear all kinds of stories (many of then
true) about the ''Stealtby Moros" who used
10 lie in the grass just outside the walls
and lop off the heads of passing Spanish
soldiers AT any rate. the Spaniards new
er left the walls unarmed, and all Moros
were required to deposit their arms out,
side the walls before entering the town
while only $50 of them were allowed in
the town at time. They also tell you al
.Jolo that the only dangerous Moros are
the 'juramentadOs," or ''run-amucks.
These things" are religious fanatics who
are sworn to die killing Christian dogs.
l call them things" because none has
been heard of since Spanish General al
Jolo taught them and the Sultan lesson
and taught it in a way that even head
strong Moro murderer could understand.
RUNNING AMUCK.
1t seems that this General had an agree
ment with the Sultan that he should be
notified whenever any of the Moros be-
came ''iuramentadO" Some 20 of them
suddenly opened fire on Spanish block
house just outside of Joio, about o'clock
one night The SpaniartlS lost several men
and most of the MOTos were killed. Soon
after the shooting was over messenger
from the Sultan informed the General that
20 .'juramentadoS" had left the capital
with the intention of attacking the Jolo
outposts. The General sent word back
that he had about 800 Spanish soldiers
who had also become ''juramentados," and
next day he took them over and cleaned
out the Sultan's town. If there have been
any ''juramentados" in the Sulu Islands
since that date they have done no damage.
1t is evident that the Moros always
feared that the SpaniardS would sooner or
later try to force Christianity upon them.
When the present Sultan succeeded TO the
throne the Spaniards insisted that he
should 20 TO Manila and duly recognize
and acknowledge the authority of Spain.
Even to the ignorant Moro the Spanish
church and state were one, and the Sultan
declined to go to Manila. The Spaniards
then refused TO recognize him as Sultan,
and installed another man "a friendly dat
tol as Sultan. built a house for him near
Jolo. and supported him both financially
and with military forces. Many Moros
never recognized him as Sultan, as he was
not even q descendant of the True Proph-
ct" This widened the breach between the
Spaniards and the Moros. and finally, when
the Spanish Sultan died the present Sui
tan was recognized and now has happy
harem.
4 good Moro law concerning slaves is
that if a slave woman has child by her
master she and the child are forever free.
This law, however, does not seem TO apply
10 men, because some years ago Moro
woman of high birth wanted to marry n
handsome slave, but her parents objected
She therefore bought the man for $40
(gold) and then married him. They now
have five fne-looking boys, but the man is
still her slave. and she recently tried to
pawn him for $50. She wanted the money
to try TO win back her losses at gambling.
Moro custom seems to be more powerful
than their sO-called religion. Not one Moro
in 100 can read the Koran, and from all
thatI can learn there are few copies of the
Koran in the archipelago. The Sultan is
the head Of the church, and is supposed to
hold service and read the Koran to his
subjects in his various islands once a year,
if possible No Sultan has visited the
TawiTawi group, however. for more than
100 years. ! have never seen anything in
the nature OF a church service there, but
individuals may be heard chanting their
prayers in a lazy, weird way-a sort of
combination of mumbling and bowling.
MARRIAGE A LA MORO.
There are many immums (priests) but
their functions seem to be limited to the
marriage ceremony. This latter is decid-
eddy peculiar Music and dancing begin
three days before the wedding and con
tinue until three days after. The night
before the ceremony they dance al night.
and the groom must be present and try not
10 look bored. The ceremony takes place
in the brides village, but usually at the
house of the chief of the village. The
bride and groom are brought there upon
the shoulders of their friends-they must
not walk. Upon reaching the house, they
climb the ladder alone.
If the house has two rooms (which is
rarely the easel the bride is put in one
room and the groom in the other. IL not,
she is separated from the groom by a cur
tain. The bride wears stockings and slip
pers-a sarOng and tight-ftting jacket.
Her face is smeared with white powder,
lips stained with betel-nut Juice and he's
hair rocking with cocoanut oil. and when
she comes in, a-straddle of the bearers
neck and holding on to his head, she is a
sight. The groom wears his best barOng
and a new suit. and also has his face pow
dered Both look AS if they had just lost
q lot Of relatives. and they keep their eyes
on the floor all the time.
The ceremony is performed on the
groom only. He sits so that he and the
immum can touch the bottoms of their
bare feet from heel to toe: then they CLASP
their right hands (which are covered with
a handkerchief and the ceremony begins
In q peculiar sort of intOning. Allah is IN.
voked to witness this marriage, because
no good can come Of il if Allah does not
know. etc. He recitcs the fact that this
man has duly purchased the woman. and
asks the blessing of the Prophet. This in
tOning continues about five minutes, and
then the groom is asked. DO you take thi,
woman" etc. He answers Yes" and 81
does the bride from the next room or from
beyond the curtain. This yes" from tn,
bride i the only reminder of the fact thai
there is = woman in the case. II she is al
all weak or slow about responding every
body laughs In fact. everybody laugh.
at any little incident in the ceremony
which offers the slightest excuse fol
aErs .meHt-Jhat Is, everybody except III,
bride aud groom.
After they are pronounced mau and wifi,
the groom is supposed Co carry her home
but they generally sit for an hour or NOR,
until most of the guests have left. because
she fights and scratches and kicks hin
whenever he approaches, and she con
tinues to do so for three days. except whei
he leaves her sight. Then she cries unit
he comes hack Aftpr. tlrpt DAYS she sion