The National tribune., 1904-01-14


and ceremonies of Notwithstanding. Tire
Manobos. when successful i'll battle, sacri-
| flee the prisoners to Tag-Busan. their god
of war. The Tagacaolos, prior to their
| conversion, which was very recent and not
| absolutely complete, when successful
against the Bagobos, Guiangas, or Vilanes,
fwere accustomed to make human offerings
to their god, MaHdarangan, who lives in
| the crater of the volcano Apo. Mandarin
gan is also a deity of the Bagobos and
| other tribes. When the volcano roars they
believe their god is demanding a victim.
At the death of a datto. or of one of his
wives, the Gniangas prepare for sacrifice
with the rank of the deceased; as the work
! is performed slowly. all participating in,
! the tragic rite, the grewsnme character of
| the entertainment may be imagined. +1~sa
GODS AND THEIR WIVES.
| In the theology Of the Guiangas. Tigll-
lama is the Creator and Manama the Riai=.
| er of the world. Today is the god of love.
and husband of the Virgin Todlibun; and
To-day is said to be a great favorite wifi
| the native women. The Subanos, who's
lnhabit the western peninsula of Minda-
| mao, are said not to possess wooden idols,
but they have numerous Tagnlas or gods;
| among them:
Diuata-sa- langit, the god of heaven; :
Tagmas-sa-dugat, god of the sea; Tagma.
| sa-yuta, god-of. the earth; Tagma -sa-
manga bugund, god of the woods; TagIna.
sa-inanga suba, god of the rivers; Tagma-
sa-saquit, protector of the sick.
FEED THEIR GODS PLENTY.
They. make offerings to these deities son
affairs built of rough wood, Of jars of
pangasi (rice-beer), and quantities Of buyo
piper beteD, tobacco rice, chickens and
eggs. when they sing and dance to the
sound OF the sucaran, a native cymbal.
The word Subanos, from suba. river,
means dwellers by the river as M0nteses
means dwellers Of the mountains: and the
Monteses or Buquidnones of Mindanao5
have an interesting mythology. They have
god for each point of the compass: D0,l
malOngdong presides in the north; Ongij,
in the south; Tagolambong, in the east
and Magbabaya, in the west. Magba
baya means Almighty; nevertheless he has
two assistants of equal rank: Ibabasag,
who presides over childbirth; and Ipama-
handi, who takes care of horses and cat
tie. They hold harvest festivals called
Caliga - Tagum-Banua, the god of the
fields; and make sacrifices to the Tao-sa-
sulup, or spirits of the woods, correspond
ing to the Tic Balan of the. old heathen
Tagalos, who lnhabit not only trees such
as the balete. but caves, pools, crags and
mountains. They propitiate also the Blu
sac, wicked spirit or devil, by Offering
IT food and singing and dancing in its
honor. Tigbas, much-venerated messen-
images of stone, and is only possessed by
the principal dattos and shown to inti-
mates on special casions. Many of them
carry suspended from the neck a small
figure of squatting monkey, called Ta-
liam, usually made Of the root of a viii
low. BY twisting up the string and let
ting the image spin, they can determine
the right direction when lost in the forest,
| or where an enemy is concealed; for Tai
ran always comes to state of rest fac
ling an enemy. Italian has been known to
| cure a severe wound or tumor by merely
touching the spot; and in cases of fever.
when Talian has been submerged in q
cup of water 1t Immediately comes to pos
sess all the medicinal virtue Of a quinine
solution.
According to Semper, the Irayas and
Catalanganes of Luzon have two pairs
of gods, which they worship annually in
the month of June: Tschichenan, with his
spouse Bebenaugan, and SialO with his
wife Binalinga. BY this arrangement the
work of ruling gods and men is divided.
and one Of the divine families is enabled
to rest half the time.
Apo, the supreme deity of the Igorrotes
OF Bengnet, has wife known as Bangan,
a daughter Bugan. and son Urban. Two
inferior gods Cabigat and Suyan, are the
anitos or ancestral spirits. Priestes .s
called Asiteras, declare the will of the
| anitos, and priests, Manbunungs, perform
| the sacrifices in each village. The SUI
preme daily of the Igorrotes of Lepanto
| Is called Lu-ma-oig. not Apo.
The principal god of the Zambales tribe,
now mostly converted. was called Mala-
yari. He had two deputies, Acasi and
Manglobag. with numerous other inferior
deities. The principal priest was called
Bayoc, and i'm sacrificing the chief Offer
ing was pig. The mythology of the
Tagalos, Visayans, and several other tribes
was quite similar. Bathala was the name
Of the principal deity to whom they at