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." From this
time until harvest the fields must be guarded against birds and animals,
but no further offerings take place unless unusual conditions should
satisfy the owner that the spirits are demanding more gifts. When
harvest time comes the owner and a few of his friends will go to the
field and pull a few of the fresh stalks, which they place in the
_pEmEg'ge_ and _parobanian_, meanwhile addressing the spirits, and the
cutting of the rice begins. This is done by women who, for this purpose,
employ a small knife called _gElat_ (Plate XXIXd). The last grain to be
cut is that about the _parobanian_. 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.
When all the harvesting is finished the people will make a festival
known as _Gatokbia-an_, or _pakakaro_. Ordinarily each family will have
its own celebration, but at times all the inhabitants of a village will
join in one great celebration. The period of toil and doubt is past, the
food supply is assured, and the people gather to give thanks. No New
England Thanksgiving dinner is prepared with greater thought, or less
regard for expense, than that which is made ready at this time. The
finest of the rice, cocoanuts[sic], eggs, chickens, fish, shrimps, and
many other edibles are prepared and placed in certain dishes which are
dedicated to the spirits and are used only at this time. These plates
are arranged in a row in the center of the room and the _mabalian_
gather around them. Taking a wand of sandal wood in her hand one of the
number waves it over the offerings, while she chants long prayers.
Beginning with the most powerful, she addresses the spirits one by one,
thanking them for the care they have given to the growing grain and to
the laborers, and for the bounteous harvest. Frequently individuals will
interrupt the proceedings to place near to the _mabalian_ a fine knife
or some other prized object which they desire to have presented to the
spirits as evidence of their gratitude. At first, it is a little hard to
understand this lavishness, but it transpires that the former owners
still have possession of these objects, and that the spirits offer no
objections to their use, so long as their ownership is not disputed,
truly a case of eating the pie but still having it.
The knives and other implements which have been used in the fields are
laid on a large basket filled with rice, "in order that they may eat,
and, therefore, have no cause to injure their owners." Another large
dish of rice is set aside as a special offering. In some cases this is
taken out to the fields, where it is eaten by the wife, or wives of the
host; but in Cibolan it is kept in the house until the next morning,
when it is eaten by all the members of the family. The ceremonial eating
of this rice causes the supply to last longer and assures abundant rains
for the succeeding crop. Part of the food from the dishes is placed in
the _tambara_ and shrines, and then all the guests are permitted to
feast and make merry. Unlike most Bagobo ceremonies this one lacks the
music of the _agongs_,[27] for only bamboo guitars, flutes, and the
_bolang-bolang_ are permitted at this time. The last named instrument is
made by placing a board on a rice mortar; the women gather around it
with their wooden pestles and beat a rythmical[sic] tattoo. This
concludes the festival proper, but many guests will remain for two or
three days to enjoy the hospitality of their host.
[27] Copper gongs.
On the third morning after the festival the family and some friends will
celebrate _BagkEs_ "the tying together." The dishes in which food was
offered are tied together and are carried to the rice field where, with
great solemnity, the little dish in the _parobanian_ is removed and
placed among the others, while the people tell it that the other plates
have come to take it away, but that it will be returned to its home the
following year. The family goes back to the village in silence and after
tying all the dishes together place them in the rice granary.
In the Bagobo settlement at Digos, the women hold still another festival
following the cutting of the rice. This is known as _Gomeng ka
taragomi_, or _bitinbagaybe_. In the main it resembles the ceremony of
similar name, which the women of Malilla hold on the second day of
_GinEm_ (See page 111). A bamboo pole decked with leaves and green fruit
of the _areca_ palm is placed in the center of a room and is surrounded
with cooked food. After this has been offered to the spirits, it is
eaten by the guests who then indulge in dancing about the decorated
pole. This generally lasts eight days, but in one instance the
festivities continued for sixteen days and nights. The explanation given
is that "the women wish to show Taragomi and the _Nitos_ (anitos) how
happy they are because of the good harvest, for when they see this they
will be pleased and will help again next year."