[29] 1.—“The Religious Beliefs of the Kián͠gan Ifugaos,” a manuscript of some 300 pages, by Juan Fernandez Villaverde, translated and annotated by myself with the assistance of Mr. John M. Garvan.
2.—“The Religion of the Kián͠gan Ifugaos,” a manuscript of 350 pages, by Roy Franklin Barton, with notes by myself.
3.—Unpublished notes. “The Religion of the Central Ifugaos,” a manuscript of about 300 pages, by myself. [↑]
[30] The subprovince of Ifugao may be divided into five general culture areas which can be also considered as religious districts. These are: Kián͠gan Ifugao, Western Ifugao, and Central Ifugao, speaking the Pure Ifugao dialect; and Alímît Ifugao and Mayóyao Ifugao, speaking the Sub-Ifugao dialect. ([Plate I.]) Very little is known of the religion of Alímît Ifugao and Mayóyao Ifugao, and they will not be further discussed in this paper. [↑]
[33] It can only be seen at this point for the reason that the earth beneath and the blue-stone underfacing of Kabúnian immediately above cut off the view. Ifugao astronomical knowledge, plus the circular nature of the horizon and the apparent slope of the whitish band above it, has doubtless given rise to this belief in a celestial globe surrounding the universe. [↑]
[34] The Ifugaos have no belief, that I have ever been able to discover, as to the origin of the universe. To their minds it has always existed and will always continue to exist. [↑]
[35] In the three previously mentioned manuscripts on the Ifugao religion, between two and three thousand deities are spoken of by name, and this is only a fraction of the number known to the Ifugaos. Of course, only a few of them are really great deities, but even such may be counted by hundreds. Of the very diverse and all-inclusive character of these deities, no accurate idea can be given within the brief limits of this paper. Suffice it to say there are gods of war, of industry (such as weaving, metal-working, etc.), and of beauty and love; nature-gods, cannibalistic gods, evil deities, mythical monsters, messenger spirits, guardian spirits; and hosts of mischievous elves and fairies. [↑]
[36] Collected by Juan Fernández Villaverde, in 1894, from a celebrated Ifugao priest, Duminón͠g of Kián͠gan. Translated, corrected, and annotated by myself with the assistance of Mr. John M. Garvan. [↑]