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Updated: June 23, 2025
That evening a fire is built in the yard, and beside it the mediums dance da-eng alone. Meanwhile a number of women gather in the yard and pound rice out of the straw. This pounding of rice continues each evening of the first five days. The first night they beat out ten bundles, the second, twenty, and so on, until they clean fifty on the fifth day.
All lights are extinguished both in the yard and the dwelling, so that the guests have to grope their way about. After the liquor is consumed, they go down into the yard, where, in darkness, they join the medium in dancing da-eng. The twelfth day is known as Pasa-ad "the building."
The Tinguian is naturally musical. He sings at his work, he beats time with his head-axe against his shield as he tramps the mountain trails, he chants the stories of long ago as the workers gather about the fires each evening of the dry season, he sings the praises of his host at feasts and festivals, joins with others in the dirge which follows a burial, and he and many others will sing together as they dance the da-eng.
The balance of the head festival consisted in the drinking of sugar cane rum, of songs of praise by the headmen, and finally all joined in dancing da-eng. Just before the guests were ready to depart, the skulls were broken into small bits, and the fragments were distributed to the guests so that they might taken them to their homes, and thus be reminded of the valor of the takers.
On the third day new offerings are placed on the spirit shield and hanger; offerings are made at the new structure, numerous spirits appear, talk to and amuse the people, and finally da-eng is danced until late evening. Following the ceremony, all members of the family are barred from work for about one month.
Minor 3rds, Perfect 4ths, and Perfect 5ths. These are the only intentional harmonies found in these songs. It is interesting to note that the only examples are in the Da-eng ceremony, where all three are used, some in one part and some in another. Among some primitive peoples, only the men take part in the songs. The early chanting of all peoples was quite likely by men.
Soon the month arrived in which they said they would build balaua, and they summoned the old woman Alokotán, to start the balaua. Not long after they sent to get bolo and lono with which to make the dakidak and talapitap. When it became afternoon the old woman Alokotán began to sing da-eng and the next night they sang da-eng again.
For an hour or more, the medium makes dawak, and summons many spirits into her body. When the last of superior beings has made his call, the medium goes to her home, carrying her payment for the day's work, but the townspeople remain to drink basi and to sing da-eng until well into the night.
They are kept in a small basket together with one hundred fathoms of thread and a Chinese plate, usually of ancient make. The whole makes up the medium's outfit, used when she is summoning the spirits. Pinapa: A large silk blanket with yellow strips running lengthwise. Such blankets are worn by certain women when dancing da-eng, and they are also placed over the feet of a corpse.
The distribution of the accents, sometimes falling on the first and third beats and again on the second and fourth, helps to give it a character which puts it in a class by itself. It has the most character of any of the women's songs in this group. There are several verses to the song almost precisely alike in words and music. Da-Eng. Boys and Girls Alternating.
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