MANOBO MARRIAGE PROCESS SELECTION OF THE BRIDE The
MANOBO MARRIAGE PROCESS
SELECTION OF THE BRIDE • The man is consulted based on his tastes but the final decision rests and is influenced by the opinion of his parents and elders. • But the most important part is to choose a bride from the same RANK or CLASS.
COURTSHIP • No communication takes place between the man and woman throughout the courtship process. • The young man is allowed to go to the house of the bride to observe her character and diligence. • CASE: A man made improper suggestions to a girl and he was made to pay P 15 -P 30.
BEGGING FOR THE HAND OF THE GIRL • 3 -5 nearest male relatives of the man will accompany him to the girl’s house. • Before entering the household, they should eat a betel-nut quid and offer a sugarcane brew (ba-is) to the household. • Negotiations for the dowry will start and will go on for years until the father of the bride is satisfied. • CASE: NEGOTIATIONS FROM 1894 -1904 - The last negotiation for the dowry was 10 slaves, but narrowed down to 4 slaves + equivalent of the 6 left. The six “katloan” (katloanor thirties Manobo monetary unit) or P 180 were paid in lances, jars, plates, and knives.
REMEMBER: • Determination of the Marriage Payment is the very soul of the marriage process.
THE MARRIAGE FEAST • Takes place during the harvest feast because food is more abundant and also because the harvest days are the gladdest time of the year. • The omen bird should be consulted to counteract an inauspicious marriage omen. • The relatives of the room unloads the marriage presents which are concealed in baskets and leaf wraps and are deposited secretly in the woods adjoining the house. • After the unloading, the meal is spread out on the banana leaves, the roasted pig is hacked into small chunks and is piled up on plates, leaves, and shallow baskets. • The two fathers offer ba-is to each other and feeds each other with chunks of fat and other food. This part is called daiyapan , a mark of esteem and hospitality. • The meal is usually finished within 3 hours or until the pig and rice is exhausted.
RECIPROCATORY PAYMENT (SUBAK) AND SENDING OFF OF THE BRIDE • The bride’s relatives return an amount half of what has been paid as the marriage portion. • During the departure process, the bride’s female relatives weep but it’ll stop when they’re given material presents to console them.
THE MARRIAGE RITE • The bride and the groom will proceed to the groom’s house to start the ceremony. • Its essential that the omen bird should be favorable on the trip otherwise the party must return. • The couple sit side-by-side on an ordinary grass mat. No special decorations are made. • When the meal is ready, the groom takes a handful of rice from his plate and offers it to the bride while she also gives a similar portion to him. Then he passes his rice from hand to hand behind his back 7 times after which he says in a loud voice, “Kanami no mino, nakalibto ang bantug nami. ” (We are now married, let our fame ascend. )
• The feast starts, and it concludes with a female priest takes the betelnut omen. Seven quids of betel nuts are placed by one of the family priestesses upon a sacred dish. (apugan) She sets it upon the head of the groom and falls into ecstatic condition, steadying the plate with her hand. Should 1 of the betel-nut slices become separated from its betel leaf, the omen is bad and a fowl waving ceremony is held.
- Slides: 9