Datu Ansig of Talun informed me that, unless the death of some great
person made a special sacrifice necessary, there was only one such
offering made during the year, and that at the time the decorated poles
were placed in the dwelling.

The time for the festival having been agreed upon, messengers are sent
to other _datu_ and head-men, inviting them and their people to attend.
Sufficient food is prepared for the guests and when all is ready the
_mabalian_ takes one chicken from among those to be used for food and
frees it as an offering to the _gimokod_. It is bidden to wander about
in the forest, and no one will molest the fowl, for should he do so he
is certain to become ill.[47] 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_. When all is thus prepared the people place offerings of
beautiful clothing, knives, and other costly gifts on the mat. Two
_mabalian_, a man and a woman call upon the spirits,[48] urging them to
look with favor on the offering made by the people, to grant them a good
year with health and plentiful harvests, to let their journeys be
without mishap, and to keep them all under their constant care. The
_tambara_ are fastened in various parts of the house, and the gifts are
hung on or laid beside them. Later these offerings may be removed by
their former owners who now regard them as being loaned to them by the
spirits.

[47] This offering is not made at Bansalan, neither has the _mabalian_
any part in the ceremonies of the first day.