The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-05-16

|
as he takes it. All over these islands
the natives play this game, but instead
of two, it is played by four or five per-
sons. The many wonderful shapes which
these people can form with string upon
their fingers is remarkable. There
were close to two hundred of these
games and in some cases story would
60 with them.
One very interesting game which
amused us very much was one in which
two warriors were made to fight. The
fingers of the native went thru many |
complicated movements, and the string |
was woven about so that two loops ap- |
peared; these were the warriors and
they began to fight. The performer
pulls the cords 40 that the loops come
together, and by shaking them they
appear to be fighting. AS no one can
tell who will conquer, betting is fast
and furious. Many of these games are
complicated and sometimes three or
four persons are required to help.
This assistance is not given by taking
the string away, but by supplying ad-
ditional fingers on which the original
design may be extended.
These people, like those of the other
islands are excellent musicians on their
many peculiar instruments. Their
weapons are blow guns, which are hol-
low bamboo rods about four feet long
and spears with flint points or heads.
But as this has all been touched upon
in previous papers [ will return to the
gu-gus of this group.
Among the many grave problems In
the United States that are being con-
sidered today, none in my estimation
i are of such Importance as the inherit
| ance Of vast wealth. The fact that q
man like the late Marshall Field of
4 Chicago can leave huge fortune to
another in one big sum, to 60 on in
creasing under the care of some one
else after he has gone, is serious mat
ter for us. Not so for the Kagayans.
When chief of 8 tribe dies and leaves
considerable property, this property
, consisting of babooes or carabaos, his
tribe meets and eat them. If one feast
does not dispose of them second is
! held after few days, and these feasts
n continue until all his babooes or cara.
t baos are gone. The result is that bis
, sons or daughters cannot lead an idle
r and luxurious life on what their father
gathered, but must make his or hel
, own place in the tribe, and according
!. to their own industry or capabilities
Q gain success and prominence.
Another thing which these people
! have figured out is property in land
In most of these islands this group o.
Q seven) land belongs to the tribes, ant
the man who cultivates it has it onl.
, so long as he takes care Of it. Her
D. you can see that property represent
> labor, an idea that many of our moderl
q reformers have come at by great dea
q of investigation and work under mod
ern conditions. mention this becaus
70 it is problem that has bothered man
It of our brightest men.
% With these semi-civilized people tn
e tree belongs to the man who plants II
y no matter where it may be. All tn
II natives on every island know the own
or of every tree, and the right of a ma
d to the products of his tree is unique!
'e3 toned
te One of the most important matter
d, in connection with these people is thei
IS, moral code, which is lived up to in
st remarkable way. When the boys a
tain to manhood they are prepared I
,e become members of one or the other {
le thecouncils. The boy who is fifteen yeal
lis of age, is taken away from his famil
w and his companions, and is kept /
be himself or with some old men, WI
ry teach him in solemn way the NOR
is regulations as the people understar
q them. AS this age Is considered |
"a many to be the most impressionab
at period of boys life, the knowledl
DIS they gain is never forgotten. The
er moral code is good one and they ke'
lis 1t we'll in mind, for as . rule they a
is orderly, and are well governed by Il
in old men to whom they look for advtc
he These old fellows have no real 9