The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-04-15

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capitation of Enemies-use Heads as
Ornaments In Houses-Families Lose
Respect For Victims-Weird Burial
Rites Are Observed.
Writing in the Geographic Magazine,
Dean G. Worcester, formerly of the
University of Michigan, now secretary
Of the interior of the Philippine Is
lands, gives some interesting particu
lars concerning the head hunters of
the island of Luzon. Six of the seven
of the tribes found in the northern
part of the island have been addicted
to head hunting Take the Ifugaos,
for example.
when l first entered their territory
in 1907 writes Mr.. Worcester, many
of their houses were ornamented with
fresh human skulls. and | saw various
victims of head hunting raids.
When an Ifugao war party returns
with a head it executes a ceremonial
march, or dance-one hardly knows
which to call (which defies success
full description. The men have their
split rattan raincoats on their backs.
On the insides of these raincoats are
pockets, which form convenient recep
tacles for CORY trophies. The warriors
carry beautifully fashioned and deadly
steel headed lances and serviceable,
plain board shields, strengthened by
rattan lashings to prevent splitting.
ZigZag white marks are painted on
the shields, Indicating a ceremonial
occasion.
Creeping on Victim.
THE warriors do not approach stand
ing, but creep along the ground and in
| this position execute a sort of lock
| step, beating upon their shields with
| billets of wood and bending in perfect
unison far to the right and then far to
| the left Some of the men make
| threatening motions with their lances.
| 1t is impossible for me to describe the
| weird effect produced, but l hope yet
| to be able to use a moving picture
| camera on n file of men engaging in
| this strange ceremonial. which they
will doubtless soon forget. as head
hunting has now practically ceased
! among them.
when the dancing ground is reached
| the head is impaled upon a short stake
| and the warriors circle around it il
the characteristic war dance of this
tribe. Some of them take off theil
ornaments and hang them on the head
at the same time jeering at it as if il
were capable of hearing and under
standing them Dancing and feasting
may last for days.
| Skulls as Ornaments.
Ultimately the skull. which has no
been 1nutilated in any way, is boileC
and thoroughly cleaned The lowe
jaw is fastened in place with rattan
and the trophy is taken home by tn,
man who won it. 1t serves him as
household ornament 1t may be places
with other skulls on a board shelf be
side the door of his house; it may fin,
a resting place within. over the fire
place; it may be placed outside at on
corner, with the skulls of carabaos an,
pigs which have been eaten at feasts.
II have seen house with a tasteful
ornament frieze of alternating caraba
skulls and human skulls extending
, around it at the height of the floor.
} have seen others with great open wor
baskets of skulls under the caves
No Reverence For Victim.
ga man who loses his head is cor
sidered to have treated his family an
friends somewhat stability He is nc
buried as an ordinary person would b'
but is carried to a resting place o
some hillside far from his native vi
lage. A tunnel is excavated in th
,, earth, his body is carried into it an
placed in a sitting position, and til
tunnel is then filed. A lance is thrus
F, into the ground over the grave to sho'
that he was killed in war. and a
anito image rudely fashioned out {
grass may be left to watch over b
4 last resting place."