midwives or _mabalian_.[34] She is placed with her back against an
inclined board, while in her hands she holds a rope which is attached to
the roof. With the initial pains, one of the midwives massages the
abdomen, while another prepares a drink made from leaves, roots, and
bark, and gives it to the expectant woman. The preparation of this
concoction was taught by friendly spirits, and it is supposed to insure
an easy delivery. Still another _mabalian_ spreads a mat in the middle
of the room, and on it places valuable cloths, weapons, and gongs, which
she offers to the spirits; praying that they will make the birth easy
and give good health to the infant. The articles offered at this time
can be used by their former owners but as they are now the property of
the spirits they must not be sold or traded. The writer was very anxious
to secure an excellent weapon which had been thus offered. The user
finally agreed to part with it but first he placed it beside another of
equal value, and taking a piece of betel nut he rubbed each weapon with
it a number of times, then dipping his fingers in the water he touched
both the old and the new blades, all the time asking the spirit to
accept and enter the new weapon. The child is removed by the _mabalian_
who, in cutting the umbilical cord, makes use of the kind of knife used
by the members of the child's sex, otherwise the wound would never heal.
The child is placed on a piece of soft betel bark, "for its bones are
soft and our hands are hard and are apt to break the soft bones," then
water is poured over it and its body is rubbed with _pogonok_.[35] The
afterbirth is placed in a bamboo tube, is covered with ashes and a leaf,
and the whole is hung against the side of the dwelling where it remains
until it falls of its own accord or the house is destroyed. In Cibolan
the midwife applies a mixture of clay and herbs called _karamir_ to the
eyes of all who have witnessed the birth "so that they will not become
blind." Having done this she gives the child its name, usually that of a
relative, and her duties are over. As payment she will receive a large