Philippine Folk Tales Part 27

[28] Among the Bagobo the name "diwata" is used rather as a collective than as a specific term, and refers to the G.o.ds in general, or to any one of them. Pamulak Man.o.bo, creator of the earth, is the diwata here referred to.

[29] In Malayan-Arabic tradition, Adam was moulded from a lump of clay mixed with water (cf. W. W. Skeat, Malay Magic [1900], pp. 21-22); but the suggestion may as well have come from a Jesuit story.

[30] Tuglay, the "old man" of Bagobo myth, and Tuglibung, the "old woman," were the Mona, who lived on the earth before time began. Tradition says that they were acquainted with only the rudest of Bagobo arts and industries; that they were very poor, and dressed themselves in the soft sheath torn from the cocoanut-trees. Tuglay and Tuglibung are not specific, but general, names for all those old people of the tales.

[31] The Malaya of the peninsula have a similar tradition as to the snake element (cf. Skeat, l.c., p. 6).

[32] The name "Mona" is ordinarily applied to the old man as well as to the old woman of prehistoric days.

[33] A generic name for the old man of the ancient myths. The word seems to be related to tugul ("old"), which is used only of persons. "An old thing" is tapi.

[34] With ready ease the Bagobo incorporates elements that have come from Catholic sources, yet without breaking the thread of his narrative.

[35] A tradition of the first peopling of Mindanao was found by Mr. Cole at Cibolan. Cf. The Philippine Journal of Science, vol. vi, pp. 128-129 (1911).

[36] Hemp warp that has been laced in a banded pattern before dyeing, in order to produce decorative figures In a textile, is called binubbud. After the binding-threads are clipped, there is an effect of rippling in the hemp, of which curly hair is suggestive.

[37] Such auspicious white spots are referred to in the text of a Bagobo song (in ma.n.u.script), in which the Divine Man who lives at the source of the streams is said to have the pamoti on his body.

[38] A well-made box of hard wood in which fine garments are kept.

[39] A long, one-edged sword that hangs at the left side, in an elaborate scabbard, when a man is in full-dress.

[40] Men (ta, "the;" -g-, a formal or euphonic infix; selat, "door;" k'

[ka], "of;" alo, "sun") at the door of the sun. Man.o.bo is a general term for "man," "people."

[41] The Visayans believe that an eclipse of the moon is caused by an enormous animal that seizes the moon, and holds her in his mouth. Cf. this Journal, vol. xix (1906), p. 209.

[42] Large percussion instruments made by the Chinese, imported from Singapore into Mindanao, and widely used by the wild tribes.

[43] The first of mortals to reach heaven, and become a G.o.d (cf. the "Story of Lumabat and Wari"). In the tales that I have thus far collected, Lumabat does not figure as a culture-hero.

[44] The word indicating the relationship between brother and sister, each of whom is tube' to the other, whether elder or younger.

[45] The mortar in which rice is pounded is a large, deep wooden bowl that stands in the house. With its standard, it is three feet or more in height.

[46] The place below the earth where the dead go (gimokud, "spirit;"

-an, plural ending); that is, [the place of] many spirits.

[47] The same word is used of the ceremonial washing at the festival of G'inum. Ordinary bathing is padigus.

[48] See footnote 3, p. 15, also 3, p. 16.

[49] This is also an element in Visayan myth (cf. Maxfield and Millington's collection in this Journal, vol. xx [1907], p. 102). For the Malay tradition, cf. Skeat, Malay Magic, p. 205.

[50] See footnote 1, p. 18.

[51] A synonyme for Gimokudan ("the city of the dead"). It is not ordinarily a.s.sociated in the mind of the Bagobo with any idea of retribution. This episode shows traces of Jesuit influence.

[52] See footnote 1, p. 15.

[53] The popular name "betel-nut," has been retained in these stories to designate the fruit of the areca-palm. Strictly speaking, "betel"

is the leaf of a climbing plant (buyo) that is chewed with the nut.

[54] The solid part of the betel-nut that remains after the juice has been extracted by long chewing.

[55] A sort of bridge or platform connecting the main body of the native house with the shelter that serves as kitchen, when this is separate from the living-room.

[56] A fabulous bird, probably a.s.sociated with the screech-owl (Aluco candidus) of the Philippines. It is a bird of ill-omen. Compare A. Newton, Dictionary of Birds, pp. 679-680 (1893-96).

[57] General term for "man," "people."

[58] The ulit has a stereotyped opening with the phrase unda'me (unda ume), "no year."

[59] The fabulous source of all the mountain-streams

[60] The anthropomorphic and zoomorphic evil personalities, whose number is legion. The traditional concept of Buso among the Bagobo has essentially the same content as that of Asuang with Visayan peoples. Both Buso and Asuang suggest the Rakshasa of Indian myth.

[61] See footnote 2, p. 19.

[62] Bia, "lady;" t' (to), "the;" metum, "black."

[63] A stout work-knife, with broad, one-edged blade, and square tip; used to hew down trees, and cut kindling-wood.

[64] A term regularly used of the great Malaki, and combining the sense of "all-wise" and "invincible." Matulus is often used with a connotation of having magical power.

[65] See footnote 3, p. 15, also 3, p. 16.

[66] The number sacred in ceremonial and song.

[67] See footnote 2, p. 16.

[68] Visayan word for rice growing in the field; Bagobo, 'ume.

[69] The long sword of the Moro, with a wavy, two-edged blade.

[70] The Babogo say, that, before the invention of weaving hemp, all the people clothed themselves in the soft, inflammable layers of the sheath that envelops the trunk of cocoanut-palms.

[71] The semi-divine being who dwells at the mythical source of the mountain-streams (malaki, "good man;" t' [to], "the;" oluk, "source;" waig, "water"), Traditionally there are many of these malaki, devotionally there is but one.

[72] A very hard, fine-grained wood susceptible of high polish, in color grading, according to age, from yellow to golden tan, and used to make handles for the most valuable swords.

[73] These G.o.ds are of high rank. Salamia'wan occupies the second heaven, and Panguli'li, the ninth.

[74] Malaki who lives at the horizon (lindig, "border;" ramut, "root;" ka, preposition "of;" langit, "sky").

[75] Although the name malaki properly is limited to men of high moral character, yet actually the story-teller calls all the young men malaki round whom the action centres. Often it means simply an unmarried man.