Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-09
PRIMITIVE MANOBO TRIBES
LIFE TOLD BY u. S. TRADER
J. NJ. Garvan Holds Philippine Aborigines
MoIgned by Missionaries-Lived
With Them 90 Years.

! prudent action by one may draw down
revenge on another
Kill When wronged.
1T is affirmed that Manobos ART
treacherous. If by treachery is meant
violation Of faith and confidence they
cannot be said to be treacherous. They
kill when they feel that they art
wronged. 1 know of few cases where
they did not openly avow their feelings
ard demand reparation. Refusal Is
equivalent to a declaration Of war, and
all is fair in war.
"Cowardice is q trait attributed Il
them. II is true that they do not
take inordinate risks. The favorite houl
for attack on an enemy's house Is al
dawn. They prefer to thrust spear
through the floor rather than hand-to-
hand fighting. In other cases the5
prefer to ambush him on the tail
FIVE to ten men against one. 1t is more
convenient to pick off n lone woman
in a camote patch. But once aroused
the Manobo will fight to finish.
'Laziness can certainly be predicatec
of Manobo men, but such qualities art
to be attributed to lack of incentive tC
work. All the household duties fall by
custom upon the women. SO there Is
little left for the man except TO fish
trap, hunt, trade and fight. When the
men set themselves to clearing the
forest 1t is surprising with what agility
skill and perseverance they work. Hon.
esty is certainly trait of the Manobo
character, Payment Of debts is one OF
their most striking characteristics.
have advanced merchandise on credit
to people whom had never met before
and the Whereabout of whose houses
knew only from their own information
Yet six months or a year later / had
no difficulty in locating them and col
lecting from them. So high is their
feeling Of obligation to pay q debt that
even children sometimes are parted
with in settlement. The Manobo never
disowns a debt or runs away to avoid
payment.
1T has been said that the Manobo is
ungrateful. He has no word to express
thanks, but he expects the giver to make
known his desires and ask for what ne
wants. This is the reason why he him.
self is such an inveterate beggar He
feels at perfect liberty TO conceal his
real thoughts and give utterance to such
distortions of truth as may not COM
promise him with others. The penalty
for SANDER is so great that this fault
Is seldom committed. Queries as to
trails or dwelling places are hardly ever
answered truthfully and tend to arouse
suspicious as to the questioner's motives.
Husbands Are Devoted.
Harmony and domestic happiness are
characteristic of the Manoho family.
He is devoted to his wife, fond of his
children and attached to his relatives.
Too much cannot be said for his hos
pitality. In Manoboland one who travels
carries no provisions. He drops into the
first house. and when the meal hour
arrives sits down on the floor and helps
himself
THE mental trait that has perhaps
done more than anything else to retard
the Manobo is his Arm adherence to
traditional customs All things must
be done as his forefathers did them.
Innovations of any kind may displease
the dieties. The first visit of a stranger
to a primitive settlement may produce
upon him very unfavorable impress
sion. He may find that the women
and children have fed so that he finds
himself surrounded with men, all
armed. This should not discourage him,
to keep the women from fight. Wearing
of arms Is as much q custom with the
Manobos as wearing a watch with us.
The bolo is his life and his livelihood.
Were he not to wear 1t, he would be
branded as insane. He looks upon o
defenSeless person much in the same
light, unless he attributes the absence
of a weapon to the possession of secret
powers, when he is inclined to follow the
example of the fugitive women"