The essence of the attitude of the people in both these cases seemed to be that the son had the right to kill his father if the latter imperiled the family livelihood or position in society. It seems to us an inhuman doctrine. But remember that the be-all and the end-all of Ifugao existence is the family, and not the individual. With us, the opposite is true: the rights of the individual supersede those of the family. The fields in question had been handed down from past generations. The son in each case was responsible at the time of the parricide for the welfare of future generations of the family. The old man in each case was a traitor to the welfare of the family. He had had his day, and was worse than useless. Remember that in a country where a living must be eked from a tough, stony mountain-side with a wooden spade, the means to life handed down from the sweat of former generations is a thing as sacred, as it is precious.
Besides these considerations, there is the principle on which Ifugao society is based: The family exists principally for the youthful and future generations of it.
Appendix 4: Concubinage among the Kalingas
The Kalingas are a tribe having a culture remarkably similar to the Ifugao. In respect of warfare, head-hunting, and social organization, it is an even more dazzling example of a barbarian culture, I believe. Concubinage is universally practiced by the wealthy. The concubine has a legal status. A man must secure his wife’s consent to take a concubine, but the consent is universally forthcoming.
During a six months’ residence in Kalinga I became quite well acquainted with the unusually intelligent wife of a Kalinga headman. I asked her one day why the women permitted their men to take unto themselves additional wives.
“Oh, that’s the custom of us Kalingas.”
“I know it’s the custom. But I think it’s a poor one for you women who are so unfortunate as to be married to men who practice it.”
“Why are we unfortunate? Their children can inherit none of his wealth. Our children get it all.”
“Yes, but doesn’t it hurt you to see your husband running after other women?”