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The mabalian just mentioned are people generally women past middle life who, through sufficient knowledge of the spirits and their desires, are able to converse with them, and to make ceremonies and offerings which will attract their attention, secure their good will, or appease their wrath. They may have a crude knowledge of medicine plants, and, in some cases, act as exorcists.
She also knows how to weave and dye the turban worn by the magani, and because of this accomplishment is considered to be under the protection of Baitpandi, and is permitted to wear garments made of red cloth, the same as the magani. There are five mabalian in Cibolan, all of whom are women past middle life. A medicine is used with the idea that it assists in driving away evil influences.
Eugpamolak Manobo. At Cibolan only brass objects are placed in this tambara. At Digos the mabalian does the planting and harvesting about the tambara, and the rice grown there is reserved as seed, for the next season. FATHER GISBERT relates that it is the custom to sacrifice a slave at this time, but this is denied by the datu consulted by the writer.
The mabalian has previously placed festoons of leaves and vines at various points in the house and now she spreads a mat on the floor. A jar of balaba, wine, stands at each corner, while at one end is an agong, and a plate containing betel nut, leaf, and two varieties of rattan; at the other end are several tambara.
In each tribe the warriors gain distinction among their fellows, the protection of certain spirits, and the privilege of wearing red garments, by killing a certain number of persons. Except among the Kulaman, mediums much like the mabalian of the Bagobo make known the wishes of the superior beings and direct the ceremonies.
The child is removed by the mabalian who, in cutting the umbilical cord, makes use of the kind of knife used by the members of the child's sex, otherwise the wound would never heal. The child is placed on a piece of soft betel bark, "for its bones are soft and our hands are hard and are apt to break the soft bones," then water is poured over it and its body is rubbed with pogonok.
The tambara are fastened in various parts of the house, and the gifts are hung on or laid beside them. Later these offerings may be removed by their former owners who now regard them as being loaned to them by the spirits. This offering is not made at Bansalan, neither has the mabalian any part in the ceremonies of the first day.
See letters of FATHER GISBERT in BLAIR and ROBERTSON, The Philippine Islands, Vol. XLIII; pp. 233-4. At nightfall of the day in which the planting has been completed a mabalian cooks fish and rice, which she carries to the parobanian. Early next morning the family goes to the field and eats this offering which "belongs to Taragomi, so should be eaten at his house."
Leaves pleasing to him and presents of food or bracelets are placed in it, as well as in his tambara found in the house. The owner of the field takes the malayag, a large variety of rice, and plants it around the parobanian, and as the last grain is planted the mabalian again starts her prayer, this time beginning with Taragomi.
The women and some men form a line and dance in a circle around the offerings, keeping time to music furnished by beating small gongs, or by pounding on a board resting on a rice mortar. Before each dance the mabalian informs a spirit that this dance is for him and it is customary to add a gift of some kind to those already on the tambara. Sixteen spirits are thus honored.
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