United States or Slovenia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !


The one saluted makes a gesture away from his body with his right hand, the palm upturned. When all have refused the cup, the man drinks, often he stops to sing the daleng, an improvised song in which he compliments his host, bespeaks the welfare of his family, or praises the other members of the gathering.

One after another of the guests sings the daleng, in which they bespeak for the owner a long and prosperous life in his new home. The Bakid always ends with a feast, in which the flesh of slaughtered animals plays the important part. Upon its completion, the medium is given a portion of the meat, some unthreshed rice, and other small gifts, as payment for her services.

As darkness comes, a great fire is lighted in the yard, and within the circle of its light the company gathers, while the more important men sing daleng. In some of the villages men gather the next morning to do any necessary work on the balaua, and then the mediums celebrate the dawak, which always forms a part of this ceremony. In Manabo the dawak follows after an interval of three days.

Hence many workers are always in the fields, but it is, nevertheless, the happy time for the people, and if one approaches a group of workers unawares, he will hear one or more singing the daleng, a song in which they compliment or chide the other workers, or relate some incident of the hunt or of village life.

Basi is served to all, and soon, above the noisy laughter of the crowd, is heard the voice of some leading man singing the daleng. The visitors listen respectfully to the song and to the reply, then resume the music and dancing. After a time a huge fire is built in the yard, and by the flickering light two lines of boys and girls or older people will form to sing and dance the daeng.

That evening many friends gather in the yard to dance da-eng, to drink basi, or to sing daleng. According to tradition, it was formerly the custom to send golden betel-nuts to invite guests whom they wished especially to honor. Nowadays one or more leading men from other villages may be especially invited by being presented with a bit of gold, a golden earring or bead.