1. MANOBO MARRIAGE PROCESS

2. 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.

3. 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 P15-P30.

4. 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 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 P180 were paid in lances, jars, plates, and knives.

5. REMEMBER: Determination of the Marriage Payment is the very soul of the marriage process.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.)

9. The feast starts, and it concludes with a female priest takes the betel- nut 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.