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The ultimate material of social anthropology is always the same: the individual with his customs and beliefs. But anthropologists nearly always abstract their material from its setting before publishing their results. By abstracting the customs and beliefs from the individuals in one tribe, they give us a picture of a single culture. By further abstracting certain elements from many cultures, they give us a comparative study of some single custom or belief. Mr. Barton, however, departs from the usual rule, and gives us his raw material untouched. Instead of the abstracted customs and beliefs we usually expect, he gives us the detailed autobiographies of three individual Philippinos.
The result is an extremely vivid picture, not only of these individuals, but also of their culture. Some of its elements, for instance the extended incest taboos, the solidarity of the kinship group and the blood feuds with other groups, are general characters. Others are more specific: for instance, the great importance of omens and of betel chewing. Before marriage or divorce, an avenging raid, or other enterprise, a chicken is killed and its bile inspected by the priests. If the bile is bad, calamity will surely overtake any one rash enough to persist in the project. To give or to receive betel nuts is the invariable method of establishing or renewing friendship. If anyone, however politely, refuses your betels, or denies having any if you ask him for them, you must look out for spears at night. If it is a man, he has a secret grievance against you. If it is a woman, she will certainly complain of your importunity to her husband.
In the sexual sphere, before marriage there is little restriction and less privacy. Unmarried girls sleep together in special huts, where they are freely visited by their lovers, who often hunt in couples. But there is a certain amount of hostility between the sexes. For, while the young man usually desires intercourse on a promise of marriage