The following is Part 5 of the entry on the Bagobo Tribe from Davao Region. The entry comes from the seminal work by American anthropologist Fay Cooper Cole who visited Mindanao at the beginning of the 20th Century. Part 4 closed with a discussion on the Bagobo's obsrssion with betel nut chewing and their method for producing fire. Patt 5 begins with a discussion on the tribe's hunting and fishing practices.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hunting and Fishing
*****************
Since only a few domesticated animals and fowls are found in a settlement, the greater part of the meat supply is secured by hunting and fishing.
Deer and wild pig are taken by means of spears. The hunter either lies in wait near the runways of the game, or the animals are driven toward the spot where the huntsmen are concealed. For this purpose the ordinary lance is often used, but a more effective weapon is the spear known as "kalawat." In this the metal head fits loosely into a long shaft to which it is attached by rope. As soon as the weapon enters the body of the animal the head pulls out of the shaft, and this trails behind until it becomes entangled in the undergrowth, thus putting the game at the mercy of the hunter. Dead falls and pits are put in the runways, and the frightened animal is sometimes impaled on concealed sharpened bamboo sticks. Less frequently, large animals are secured by means of rope loops which hang from trees past which the game is accustomed to pass. Until recent years the "balatik," a trap which then sprung throws an arrow with great force against the animal which releases it, was much used nut so many domestic animals have been killed by it that this sort of trap is now in disfavor.
Wild chickens are captured by means of snares. A tame rooster is fastened in the jungle and around him is placed a snare, consisting of running knots attached to a central band. The crowing of this fowl soon attracts the wild birds which, coming in to fight, are almost sure to become entangled in one of the nooses. Slip loops, attached to a bent twig and released by disturbing the bait, are also employed in the capture of wild fowl.
Birds of all sizes are secured by use of bows and arrows, blow guns, or nets. Wooden decoys are tied to the branches of trees in which the hunters are concealed. The bows used are of "palma brava," in each end of which notches are cut to hold the rattan bow strings. The arrow shafts are of light reeds and are fitted with one or two bamboo points.These weapons are effective only for close range, and even then the Bagobo are far from being expert marksmen. Boys use a reed blow gun through which they shoot light darts tufted with cotton. The missile is not poisoned and is of little use at a distance of more than twenty feet.
By far the most effective means of securing birds is to stretch a net between trees or poles where the birds are accustomed to fly. Wooden decoys are attached to the net in order to attract the game which, once enmeshed, is easily caught.
Various devices are employed.in the capture of fresh water fish, but the most common is a torpedo-shaped trap of bamboo. Stone conduits lead the water from streams into the open end of these traps, thus carrying in fish and shrimp. The funnel-shaped opening has the sharpened ends set close together so that it is quite impossible for the prisoners to escape, although the water readily passes between the bamboo strips.
Along the coast the methods of the Christanized natives are used in salt water fishing. A hook and a line is employed for eels; while in clear pools fish are secured by means of a four-pointed spear which is thrust or thrown. Perhaps the most interesting device used is a lure, known as "boro." A live minnow is fastened at the end of the rod near to
to a rattan noose. A cord running from the noose to the end of the stick allows the fisherman to draw up the noose as he desires. The struggles of the captive fish soon attracts others, and when one enters the loop the line is drawn taut, securely binding the intruder. Several fish can be taken from a single pool by this method. A berry (anamirta coccithis L.) is used in the capture of fish. It is crushed to a powder, is wrapped with vines and leaves, and is thrown into.pools. The fish become stupified and float to the surface where they are easily captured. After being cooked they are eaten without any ill effects.
Occupations
***********
Mention has already been made of some of the daily occupations of the people. We have found the women caring for the home and preparing the rice and otger foods which are served in the house. At no time did the writer see a man, other than a slave, take any part in any such household duties; but when on the trail each would do his share in preparing the meals. In the village we found the women and children carrying the water and the wood and, at rare intervals, doing laundry work. Instead of soaping and rubbing soiled clothing, they soak the garments.in water, tgen place them on stones and beat them with wooden paddles or clubs. The articles are alternatively soaked and beaten until at least a part of the dirt has been removed. It is also the privilege of any woman to engage in the manufa ture of basketry, or to act as a potter.
In the manufacture of baskets the woman makes use chiefly of bamboo and rattan, though other materials such as "pandanus" are sometimes brought into service. Three weaves or their variants are employed. The first is the common diagonal or twilled weave, in which each element of the weft passes over two or more of the warp elements. In this way most of the rice winnowers, transportation baskets, knife sheaths, and the like are made. In the second weave the foundation of the basket is made up of parallel horizontal rods, or strips of bamboo. These are laced together by warp strips which pass alternately under one and over one of the foundation rods, crossing each other at an angle, one above the other below the rod. The trinket baskets carried by the women, the larger waterproof receptacles known as "binota," and the covers for wild chicken snares are in this technique. A variant of this weave is found in the rattan carrying frames and in some fish traps. Here the warp strips cross one another at an angle, at each meeting place enclosing the horizontal foundation strips. Unlike the second weave described, the warp strips do not pass, alternately above and below the horizontal foundation, but retain the same relation to it throughout the entire length of each strip. A coiled weave is used in the manufacture of tobacco boxes and in the rims of womens baskets. In this type the
foundation consists of a series of horizontal rattan strips or rods which are sewed.together in the following matter. A narrow strip "A" passes over two of these parallel rods "2" and "3" in left handed spiral. At the top of the loop the strip passes under a similar strip "B" which binds rod "2" to the one above. Passing downward inside the basket, the strip "A" goes beneath the strip "C" which binds the rods "3" and "4" together. These are drawn tightly while damp, thus forcing the foundation rods so closely together as to make the basket practically water-tight. Pitch from the "tabon tabon" nuts my also be rubbed over the outside surface, thus making the receptacle impervious to water.
In the great majority of baskets the surface is divided into three parallel zones or decorative bands. These are produced by making a slight variation in the weave, by the use of blackened strips of bamboo amd rattan, or by substituting in their place the black cuticle of a fern.
As a rule, the women of this ttibe are not good potters and take little pride in their work. In some districts the art has been entirely lost, and the people depend on the coast natives for their cooking utensils. At the village of Bansalanthe women were found to still to be proficient in their work. After the dampened clay had been carefully kneaded in otder to remove lumps and gravel, the bottom of the jar was molded with the fingers and placed on a dish which was turnrd on a bit of clothor a board and answered the purpose of a potter's wheel. As the dish was turned with a right hand tge operator shaped the clay with the fingers of the left adding fresh strips of material from time to.time until the desired size was obtained. The final shaping was done with a wooden paddle and the jar was allowed to dry, after which it was smoothed off with a stone. When ready for firing it was placrd in the midst of of a pile of rubbish, over whoch grewn leaves were placed to cause a slow fire.
Other dishes are made by splitting a coconut in half and removing the "meat." This is readily accomplished by the use of a scraper fitted with a rough iron blade, over which the concave side of the half nut is drawn. The coconut meat is used for food and oil.
A little later we shall describe the active part woman takes in the planting and care of the fields
