B'LAAN AGREEMENTS........KASFALA IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

KASFALA refers to a traditional meeting of B'laan elders, a gift exchange ceremony and finally dispute settlement or resolution. It also implies a type of friendship or brotherhood pact, formed through the process of and as a result of dispute settlement or resolution. Dispute arising between two individuals usually males, are brought before the traditional leader, either Fulong or Datu. After the hearing, the details of the dispute, the traditional leader will usually decide upon some form of compensation, which is to be paid or given in the form of gifts to the aggrieved parts. An exchanged of gifts, which is not only serve as compensation but symbolizes the renewed good will between the parties involved in the dispute, usually takes of material culture, such as knives and weapons, as well as woman and cash money. The Datu is often required to utilized his own personal wealth in order to satisfy the aggrieved part and settle the dispute. By utilizing his own wealth in order to settle another man's debt relationships and eventually increasing his own personal wealth. The other party to the dispute will eventually be required to repay the kindness and generosity of the Datu by repaying in the form of service or material goods or cash money, the amount of the original dispute settlement, plus some additional gifts. The traditional leader's temporary material deficit will eventually result in an increase, when the debt is repaid, in his own personal wealth and social status........KASFALA in B'laan tradition is an exchange of material culture, such as knives weapon, woman and cash money.........