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Updated: May 13, 2025
When the fire is again lighted the first knife made is the property of the spirit. With the ending of the period of taboo the workers go to the fields and, in the center of each, place a tambara fitted with a white dish containing betel nut.
At that time no offerings were made to the spirits on the second day, but the people feasted and drank while the datu gathered a little apart and held a council. In Malilla the second day of this ceremony is called EgbikbEgaybe and is given over almost entirely to the women. Two tambara are erected in the house, and young betel nut buds and women's skirts are hung on them.
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.
This pole which is here known as sabak is the same as the tambara of the Bagobo. Aside from clearing the land and helping somewhat with the rice crops, the men seldom concern themselves with work in the fields but leave the cultivation of corn, sweet potatoes, tobacco, and the like to the women.
The mabalian cooks a little of the new rice in the house and places a part of it in the various tambara and shrines; then, having placed a number of rice stalks on the floor, she offers them one by one to the spirits. Not until she has finished can any of the prepared food be eaten. The balance of the crop lies in the sun until dry, when it is tied in bundles and placed in the granary.
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.
When the workers go to the field on the day set for the planting they enter at one corner and proceed directly across it to the far left hand corner where they erect a small house or place a tambara which is known as pEmEg'ge. As soon as it is complete, the mabalian begin to call on the spirits. Manama is called first and after him other spirits, according to their rank and power.
Having finished this duty, she returned to the center of the room and placed a number of plates and a knife on the tambara, where they were allowed to remain for four days as offerings to the anito, Manama, Toglai and the tigyama. At the end of that period the plates were attached to the outside walls of the house, and the knife returned to its former owner.
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.
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.
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