This religious intercessor has few of the earmarks of a priest.  He teaches no morals or ethics, no idea of future rewards or punishments, and he is not an idle, nonproductive member of the group.  He usually receives for the consumption of his family the food employed in the ceremonies to Lumawig, but this would not sustain the family one week in the fifty-two.  The term “priesthood” is applied to these people for lack of a better one, and because its use is sufficiently accurate to serve the present purpose.

There are three classes of persons who stand between the people and Lumawig, and to-day all hold an hereditary office.  The first class is called “Wa-ku’,” of which there are three men, namely, Fug-ku-so’, of ato Somowan, Fang-u-wa’, of ato Lowingan, and Cho-Iug’, of ato Sigichan.  The function of these men is to decide and announce the time of all rest days and ceremonials for the pueblo.  These Wa-ku’ inform the old men of each ato, and they in turn announce the days to the ato.  The small boys, however, are the true “criers.”  They make more noise in the evening before the rest day, crying “Teng-ao’! whi! teng-ao’!” ("Rest day! hurrah! rest day!"), than I have heard from the pueblo at any other time.

The title of the second class of intercessors is “Pa’-tay,” of whom there are two in Bontoc —­ Kad-lo’-san, of ato Somowan, and Fi’-Iug, of ato Longfoy.

The Pa’-tay illustrate the nature of the titles borne by all the intercessors.  The title is the same as the name of the ceremony or one of the ceremonies which the person performs.

Once every new moon each Pa’-tay performs the pa’-tay ceremony in the sacred grove near the pueblo.  This ceremony is for the general well-being of the pueblo.

The third class of intercessors has duties of a two-fold nature.  One is to allay the rain and wind storms, called “baguios,” and to drive away the cold; and the other is to petition for conditions favorable to crops.  There are seven of these men, and each has a distinct title.  All are apparently of equal importance to the group.

Le-yod’, of ato Lowingan, whose title is “Ka-lob’,” has charge of the ka-lob’ ceremony held once or twice each year to allay the baguios.  Ang’-way, of ato Somowan, whose title is “Chi-nam’-wi,” presides over the chi-nam’-wi ceremony to drive away the cold and fog.  This ceremony usually occurs once or twice each year in January, February, or March.  He also serves once each year in the fa-kil’ ceremony for rain.  Cham-lang’-an, of ato Filig, has the title “Po-chang’,” and he has one annual ceremony for large palay.  A fifth intercessor is Som-kad’, of ato Sipaat; his title is “Su’-wat.”  He performs two ceremonies annually —­ one, the su’-wat, for palay fruitage, and the other a fa-kil’ for rains.  Ong-i-yud’, of ato Fatayyan, is known by the title of “Ke’-eng.”  He has two ceremonies annually, one ke’-eng and the other tot-o-lod’; both are to drive the birds and rats from the fruiting palay.  Som-kad’, of ato Sigichan, with the title “O-ki-ad’,” has charge of three ceremonies annually.  One is o-ki-ad’, for the growth of beans; another is los-kod’, for abundant camotes, and the third is fa-kil’, the ceremony for rain.  There are four annual fa-kil’ ceremonies, and each is performed by a different person.