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The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao - The R. F. Cummings Philippine Expedition by Fay-Cooper Cole
page 131 of 211 (62%)

[67] Note the similarity to the Bagobo custom. Page 101.

The evening following a death, the friends gather and throughout the
night sing of the virtues of the deceased and of their own sorrow. The
body is placed on a mat in the center of the house and for three days is
watched over by the relatives, who, during this time, abstain from
music, dancing, shouting, or loud talking. The women cease from weaving
and the men refrain from all labor. A breaking of this taboo would
result in the certain death of the offender, for the spirit of the dead
man is still near at hand and is sure to wreak his vengeance on those
who show him disrespect. Finally, the body is wrapped in mats and is
buried at some little distance from the house. All the people return to
the dwelling, where the headman makes a cup out of leaves, and having
placed in it a narrow belt or string, together with betel leaves, sets
it adrift on a near-by stream, while all the men shout.[68] This removes
the ban, so that all the people can resume their regular occupations.

[68] See pp. 157 and 161. [Transcriber's note: This is page 144.]

If the deceased has been a person of great importance, the death should
be followed eight days later by a human sacrifice. This rite, while less
common than with the Bagobo, is by no means infrequent, and may be
occasioned by several causes beside that of death. For instance, if a
person has been ill for a long time and his relatives have become
convinced that an enemy has used magic to bring about the misfortune,
they may seize and sacrifice him, even though he be a member of their
own community. A case is known where a thief was put to death in this
manner. As there is considerable variation in the accounts of this
important ceremony the writer has thought it wise to give the
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