This volume is a record of Cole's study of the six tribes from Davao District, namely; Bagobo, Bila-an, Kulaman, Tagakaolo, Ata, and Mandaya. Each section describes the laws and customs, religion, arts and crafts, physical appearance and measurements, warfare and medical practices, and the mythology, religion and accompanying ceremonies of the tribes. There is also a section concerning human sacrifice which was observed in almost all the tribes mentioned.
The important chapter on the Bagobo is the most extensive and also serves as the point of comparison with the other tribes. All six tribes have a lot in common and differ only in specific details. Of their similarities, the most prominent is the appearance of the deity Mandarangan/Mandalangan in the myths of the tribes and the importance given to the warrior class and the medium/healers/midwives.
There are separate sections on the creation myths and lists of important deities and spirits. A description of the soul and its role is most insightful. Factions of some of the tribes have different versions of the story and the concept of the soul, death, and afterlife.
Overall, this is a good source of information about the major tribes in Davao because this study was done in the early 1900s when the Christian tenets did not yet taint the native beliefs and customs; the government also has very little influence on the said tribes. Cole was able to converse with the natives and had access to legal documents and reports from other sources.
As for the spelling of the names, I have no way of verifying his accuracy but the Filipino words and names are usually pronounced as they are spelled.
Rating : 10 out of 10.
Note: I made a separate entry listing all the deities of each tribe mentioned in this book.
