nce and contract. Thus the political life of
the Igorot, although exceedingly weak on the side of federation or
agreement between the independent towns, is centuries of development
ahead of the almost institutionless communities of the Ilongot.

The Ilongot appears to be usually a monogamist and the wife is
purchased, or at least a dowry called "piyat" is paid in weapons,
utensils, liquor, wire, etc. Her position is not at all that of a
bought piece of property, but, like the woman in Malayan society
generally, she is the companion and almost the equal in influence
and independence of the man.

While the machinery for righting injuries or settling grievances is
almost non-existent, the Ilongot has a strong sense of injury and
of wrongful acts. He will say with the strongest feeling and disgust
that certain actions are "forbidden" (ma kul).

I once asked an Ilongot what he would do if a man of a neighboring
community, with which relations were peaceful, should come and steal
his pig. He thereupon detailed the steps open to him. He might take
his weapons and go within hallooing distance of the aggressor's home
and demand a double fine or restitution ("baiyad"). If the demand did
not avail he would make a solemn warning ("tongtongan") and then, if
satisfaction did not follow, there was no recourse but retaliation. I
believe, however, that compensation, even for such offenses as murder,
is frequently arranged through the anxiety of all members of the
family to escape retaliation. Feud, that inevitably arises under
such social conditions as these, pursues generation after generation
and the obligation that descends to posterity and relations to take
vengeance is spoken of as the "debt of life" (utang nu biay).

Apart from the taking of heads as an act of vengeance, murder with the
winning of the gruesome trophy is obligatory on the other occasions as
well. An Ilongot once said to me "A man may during his life take three,
four or even five heads, but he must take one, and that before he
marries. This head he carries to the relations of his intended wife to
prove that his heart and body are strong to defend her." Furthermore,
after the palay harvest each year the bundles of unthreshed rice or
palay are neatly piled into a stack about a tall stake which is set
up in the "kaingin." Then, for some ungodly reason, a human head
is very desirable to place on top of this pole. So raids are made,
usually on the Christian settlemen