The people of the Philippines, their religious progress and preparation for spiritual leadership in the Far East,

36 THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES
As among the Bagobos, the mediums are ordinarily women
past middle life, chosen because they had trembling fits when
they were not cold, because warned in dreams, or because
selected by other mediums. After the medium has studied
for several months what gifts and prayers please each spirit
(a quite complicated study), she applies to the spirits for
their approval. A pig is sacrificed and the marks found on
the pig's liver, when read by other mediums, tell whether
the new applicant is acceptable or not. When finally she
passes the "pig-liver-examination" she must summon the
spirits into her body. The attention of the spirits is attracted
by striking shells against a plate. Then the candidate covers
her face with her hands and begins to chant. Suddenly some
spirit takes possession of her and she speaks for it. It is a
critical moment when the woman first becomes possessed, for
nobody can tell in advance whether she will be possessed by a
mean spirit or a good one.
Birth and death, being of such supreme importance, are
hedged about with religious ceremony. Before a child is expected, two or three mediums are summoned to the house.
Upon a mat they place gifts for all the spirits they expect at
the ceremony. While the men play on bamboo instruments,
the mediums squat beside a bound pig, and, dipping their fingers in oil, stroke its side, all the while chanting prayers,
which summon the spirits into the bodies of the mediums.
Water is poured into the pig's ear so that "as it shakes out
the water, so may the evil spirits be thrown out of the place."
Then an old man cuts open the body of the pig, and, thrusting
in his hand, draws out the palpitating heart, which he gives
to a medium. With this heart the medium strokes the side
of the expectant mother, and then touches the other members
of the family to protect them from harm. After several
hours of similar ceremonies the chief medium, now possessed
of a powerful spirit, covers her shoulder with a sacred blanket,
and with the assistance of the eldest relative of the woman in
labor, lifts the dead pig from the floor by its legs, and cuts
it in two. Thus the medium pays the spirits for their share
in the child. The Tinggians believe that every time a child