their daily life, are conducted by mediums who are fitted for office
by long training, and each one of whom is a check on the others if
they wilfully or through carelessness deviate from the old forms. The
ritual of these ceremonies is very complex and the reason for doing
many acts now seems to be entirely lost, yet the one explanation
_"kadaúyan"_--custom--is sufficient to satisfy any Tinguian. Other
acts, as well as the possession of certain things, are explained
by myths, such as we are considering. It seems certain that we are
here dealing not with present day beliefs alone, but with at least
relatively old customs and tales, which while enabling us to understand
present day conceptions also give us a glimpse into the past.

The myths 32-40, which are known to the people as _diams_, are now
inseparable parts of the various ceremonies. Thus, when a pig is to be
offered in the _Sayang_ ceremony, the medium sits down beside it and
strokes it with oiled fingers while she "talks to the spirits". The
translation of her "talk" shows that this is in no sense a prayer
but is rather an account of how the greatest of the spirits taught
the Tinguian people to perform this ceremony correctly. Likewise,
when she offers food in the _Dawak_ [64] ceremony, she relates how
the spirit Kaboniyan taught the Tinguian to do this in the same
manner that he performs it. In the _Pala-an [65] diam_ she relates,
in story form, the cause of the sickness, but in this case ends with
a direct invocation to the spirits in Dadáya to "make them well again
if you please". The balance of the _diams_, 35-40, are in story form,
and seem intended more as an explanation to the people as to the causes
of their troubles than to be directed toward the spirits. However, the
medium seldom has an audience, and rarely ever a single listener, as
she recites the _diams_ she has learned verbatim from her instructors
when preparing for the duties of her office.