B'LAAN BRIDE PRICE OR WEALTH.......SONGGOD IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

BRIDE PRICE, refers to money or goods that are paid by the potential of future groom or groom's family to the potential future bride wife or to the wife's family. Among Highland B'laan, the term songgod is used to refer to bride price or wealth. In B'laan society, the future groom pays the father of his future wife on specified amount.This amount usually consists of two kamagi or four horses, hand woven upper garment and knee length, carabao and brass gongs. The monetary value of one horse in the Highland B'laan region is equivalent between 5,000 or 6,000 pesos. A Fulong exchanged one kamagi for a horse worth 6,000 pesos.The horse is exchange for one brass gong or falimak...........SONGGOD AND LOSS OF LAND.....Highland B'laan claimed that, in times of economic difficulties, they would mortgage or sanla their lands at a low price to Visayans so they would have money for the songgod. Since they could not redeem the mortgage, they would normally lose their lands by default. The selling of land did not happen immediately. At first, they mortgaged their kalyak or material goods, before selling them. When the B'laan dimenised their supply of kalyak, they mortgaged their carabao,and horse. Then when the carabao and horse were gone, they dispensed of their lands, either through sanla or sale. Economic difficulties were the predominant motive for kalyak or material goods and land disposition. Economic difficulties arose, as previously noted, when money was required for the payment of singgod. However, land has been lost through or an account of the payment of songgod in marriage negotiation........DIVORCE can be a voluntary decision on the part of the married couple. In case no songgod is returned, where the wife leaves the husband, she is compelled by costummary law to return the songgod. Where the wife abducted by another man, the man who abducted the woman should repay the soggod to the woman's original husband. If this action is not undertaken, then a dispute or conflict is likely to occur. The consideration of the songgod is fundamental in determining who should get custody of particular children. It is considered a reward of the girls are given to the father, since he receives songgod from the potential groom before the girls marriage. He takes their songgod when it is their turn to get married. This can be a device to discourage the husband from leaving the relationship on the occasion that wife does not want to separate from the husband......SONGGOD ARE......KAMAGI,

HORSE, CARABAO, HAND WOVEN UPPER GARMENT OR KNEE LENGTH PANT, AND BRASS GONGS.....