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Host: BIBAK-Switzerland Theme Our Igorot Cordillera Culture: Heritage and Social Integration Objectives To conclude the discussion on Igorot cultural heritage by responding to the question: "What is it in our culture that we want to pass on to the next generation?” To address the issues of Igorot migrants and To celebrate our Igorot culture with dances, songs and chants. Program 5 May 2005, Thursday In-charge: BIBAK-Switzerland 14:00 onwards Arrival and registration of participants 18:00 Dinner Evening Master of Ceremonies: Claire and Martin Koller (BIBAK-Switzerland) The evening session opens the consultation with a turn over ritual from the previous host, IGO-Austria to the present, BIBAK-Switzerland. It is an occasion for the participants to know each other and give their expectations. It provides an opportunity for guests from other countries, outside Europe, to give their messages. The host reviews the objectives and program of the consultation. The evening ends with a briefing on the house rules.
6 May 2005, Friday Morning In-charge: Cordi-Bel, BeNeLux and Germany Moderator: Judith Balangyao (BIBAK-Ireland)
Objectives: For the first generation participants to answer the question: “What are the core values and other aspects of the Igorot culture we hold dear and special, which we want to pass on to the next generation?” For the second generation participants to answer the question: “What are the core values and others aspects of the Igorot culture that we want to have?”
Activity: Workshops
A break will be announced Surprise number Bendicht Berger Simultaneously, there will be a separate program for children to be led by Cristeta Schneider (Germany) assisted by parents, by shifts. 12:00 Lunch Afternoon In-charge: Igorot-UK, Igo Austria, BIBAK-Ireland Moderator: Dominga Webber (Igorot-UK) Objectives: To share the results of the morning workshops. To enable the participants to give their ideas on specific topics of interest and come up with recommendations. Activities: Workshop reports from morning workshops. Workshops on specific topics of interest. Workshop reports with conclusions and recommendations.
Each workshop group will take care of their coffee/tea break
Evening Moderator: Caridad Fiar-od The participants will see a film on the Igorots at the the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904. Then they will watch a DVD on the Igorot International Consultation - 5 (IIC-5) held in St. Louis, Missouri in 2004, where the Igorots celebrated a century of challenges and accomplishments. The participants will use the extra time to rehearse for the Cultural Program on Saturday, 7 May 2005.
7 May 2005, Saturday In-charge: BIBAK-Switzerland This is a six-hour sightseeing tour to enjoy the scenery of the Swiss Alps.
Evening program Venue: Aeschi community hall (1 km or 10 min. walk from the hotel beside the round about in the center of Aeschi). Motto: Reaching Out with Our Culture With our cultural program, we will reach out to the Swiss public and Filipino organizations. The participants will present dances and songs. There will be 20 farmers from Aeschi who will jodel and play the Swiss accordion. Master of Ceremonies: Claire and Martin Koller
8 May 2005, Sunday In-charge: IGO-Austria During the last session, the participants will hear the summary of the workshop recommendations, plan for the next consultation, write their evaluation, receive the tentative financial report, and listen to the closing message and farewell chant. Moderators: Cristabel Olat-Bounggick (Igo Austria) and Conchita Pooten (Igorot-UK)
Working Committees Overall Coordinator: Lolit Hafner-Monico
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I. Program and Invitation Committee · Yvonne Belen (NL) · Alfredo Labfayong · Lolit Hafner · Claire Koller · Martin Koller · Sabina Kuenzi · Cristabel Bounggick (IGO Austria) II. Registration and Finance Committee · Christa Monico · Julio Monico · Juerg Hafner · Lolit Hafner III. Committee on Physical Arrangements a. sub-committee on venue · Juerg Hafner · Lolit Hafner b. sub-committee on decoration · Violeta Passerini · Rebecca Riesterer · Julio Monico · Ric Kilongan · Henry Foken · Walter Labaya · Lolit Hafner · Sabina Kuenzi · Juerg Hafner c. After-care/clean-up crew · Julio Monico · Ric Kilongan · Henry Foken · Frederick Baldo · Violeta Passerini · Rebecca Riesterer · Juerg Hafner · Lolit Hafner d. Audio-visual aids (sound, light, music, film show and projector) · Henry Foken · Julio Monico · Ric Kilongan · Walter Labaya · Frederick Baldo IV. Cultural, Outing and Socials Committee All members |
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V. Documentation and Publication Committee · Yvonne Belen (NL) · Ric Cuyob (Cordi-Bel) · Dominga Webber (Igorot UK) · Juerg Hafner (BIBAK-CH) · Lolit Hafner (BIBAK CH) · Henry Foken (BIBAK-CH) · Violeta Passerini (BIBAK-CH) · Cecille Cobcobo (Igorot UK) · Jane Gavino (BIBAK Ireland) · Airen Kalley (Philippines) · Cristabel Bounggick (IGO Austria) · Susan Kilakil (Cordi-Bel) · Peter Agnaonao (Cordi-Bel) VI. Committee on Children’s Program · Flordeliza Schwarz (Germany) · Cristeta Schneider (Germany) VII. Fund-raising (solicitation, donation and sales for snacks) · Juerg Hafner · Sabina Kuenzi, Marilou Kuenzi, Ricky Kuenzi · Angie Wunderle · Rebecca Riesterer · Violeta Passerini · Erika Foken, Juliana Foken, Sarah Foken · Irene Kilongan, Alina Kilongan, Danissa Kilongan · Christa Monico, Virgil Monico, Sharon Monico, Kathrin Messerli VIII. Committee on material supplies (conference kit, snacks and beverages) · Rebecca Riesterer · Flordeliza Schwarz · Cristeta Schneider · Violeta Passerini · Lolit Hafner · Martin Koller · Claire Koller · Julio Monico IX. Committee on hospitality (ushers) and transport This committee was automatically taken over by volunteer members who were present and available in welcoming and assisting attendees during the arrivals and gala evening. · Fred Labfayong · Julio Monico · Rick Kilongan · Martin Koller · Juerg Hafner · Bartolome Aliten · Frederick Baldo · Henry Foken · Flordeliza Schwarz |
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Revisiting Bontoc’s Bab-bey by Kristine Kawi
In 2003, my then French fiancé, now my husband, and I were in the Philippines for visit. I thought it would be really interesting to show him my roots. I guess I essentially wanted to give him an idea of what life in small town or village of the Mountain Province can be. But of course, I also wanted to go back to where my mother used to live and experience the “coming back after many years” feeling that you sometimes long for, when you live abroad, far away. So, as part of our first travel to the Cordillera together, on our way to Banaue and Sagada, we stopped over in Bontoc for a day. And I decided to give him a short “guided tour” of Bab-bey (village in Bontoc as compared to the town). We arrived at dusk, and the whole village was already quiet and almost plunged into darkness, since there were no street lights (or shall I say ‘pavement’ lights, because there is no street in Bab-bey). I remember thinking that we should have brought a saleng, which is a piece of resin wood we used back when I was a child, to light our path in the early morning, or at night. These days, residents generally use torch or flashlight. As we entered the village, we started walking on the pathway, the same old narrow, roughly paved pathway I used to walk along as a little girl. It is so narrow that one cannot walk side by side with another person. It seemed to me that little had changed at all. There was the absence of street lights, the narrow pathway, and next to houses were pigpens occupied by either wild pig coloured black, or ‘mestizo’ coloured white. These pigpens are like pits dug up and have stones around them. There are two parts, one is the open part where you can see pig’s dirt, and the other is a covered section where the pig sleeps. In the corner is the feeding area. One can go down into the pig pen by stepping on stones that protrude through the wall. Raising a pig is a usual custom for every family. A number of pigs is usually always butchered and cooked during occasions like wedding or during a wake for the dead. Then, along the way, we passed by several tiny structures made of galvanized iron sheets connected together to form the roof. I explained that these were the ulog. They were constructed so close to the ground that one cannot stand upright when inside. The ulog was used as the women’s “dormitory.” In the olden days, this was where men and women courted. In days past, young men and women slept separately from each other and from their parents---in the ato and ulog, respectively. And in here, they are allowed to court freely. We saw the ato still standing where I’ve always known it to be. I explained to my fiancé that ato is where the males---young boys and men alike---convene to smoke pipes, to rest and socialize, or to discuss political matters. When I was little, this was still the case. I am not sure if it still is now. The ato and ulog were part of the tradition. They had a social function. Looking at these with my grown-up eyes, I understood why my grandfather got very angry at me once, when, as a child, I was trying to get into the ato. It was so wrong: atos only are for men, and this rule must be respected. Then we went together to my late grandparents’ house, which is now inhabited by renters. My late grandparents’ house is still standing in the middle of the village. It is a two-storey little house, more modern than the traditional Bontoc houses, but less modern than the concrete two- or three-storey houses which now dominate Bontoc towns. I lit candles on their traditional graveyards, as I always do whenever I go to visit. The front of the house was where my late grandmother was buried. And at the side was my late grandfather’s resting place. There is no white tomb or any sign that they are graveyards. The land is now covered with kamote tops and one wouldn’t know that they are burial grounds unless informed. My grandmother died when I was very young, in the late 1970’s. She was mourned and buried the traditional way - i.e., on a sangadil. My grandfather passed away much later and was laid in a more modern way - a coffin. The sangadil was made up of two long poles tied together and rested on the wall of the house. At the bottom of these poles sat my grandmother, bound and tied to the poles, with her mouth gagged. Her corpse faced the entrance door so that when one enters, the first he’ll see is the dead. Having grown in the city, I was very shocked to see her body exposed this way. It was such a terrible contrast from the lively, sweet, loving and caring old woman that I knew. I was frightened and never went inside where she was, a second time. I felt that the dead woman sitting there was not my grandmother. There were many people around the house---paying their last respects, supporting the family. Food was distributed to people who came to mourn, as it was the custom. And at the same time, people who had come donated money to the family. My foreign fiancé was charmed by the trip, but mostly by my culture. He is proud to have known me having a simple but colourful background. Conclusion A large number of my grandparents’ generation cannot read nor write. They were still bound very closely to the Bontoc customs and traditions. In comparison, my parent’s generation moved away from Bab-bey, studied, and differed already from their parents. Many have degrees and hold professional status in the community. They do not have traditional tattoos covering their arms and they live either in the town centre, cities, or abroad. My generation has moved even further away from this. Many of us are living abroad. Thus, I feel a huge gap between my grandparents’ generation and mine when it comes to our cultural practices. Despite this, however, I feel so lucky that I got to see this part of our Igorot culture, even only for a short time. Its simplicity, honesty, and courage, make me feel proud that I am an Igorot. I have a two-year old son whose first names in his birth certificate are Olivier Itait. I have named him after my late grandfather in honour of my roots. I want my son to know about where he comes from, his roots and culture, and also the language because language carries a big part of the culture.
Sup-ok by Kristine Kawi
Back when I was a teenager in high school, I had a big lump at the back of my head. It was painful, and I kept wondering where I got it from. I thought that maybe I bumped my head against a part of my bed while sleeping, but then I would probably have woken up, and would remember it. Or maybe, I just wasn’t sure. Whatever the reason, I really wanted to get rid of the pain and discomfort it caused. But it would just not disappear. I had heard of a faith healer in Bab-bey, who appeared to be most respected and prominent in the area. She was an old woman called Ikit Fakukad. Such was her reputation that even foreigners came to see her, and be healed by her. So one day, I decided to visit her, hoping she could help me. At that time, I was totally unaware of what faith healing or sup-ok consisted in, of why, how and when these were appropriate methods, and did not know either about any of the related traditions. My elders certainly knew that well, but not me. When I reached Ikit Fakukad’s place, she invited me to come in, and asked me to sit. She asked me a few questions, examined my lump, and soon started a healing ritual. While continuously massaging the lump and keeping her hands on my head, she bent forward to her waist from a sitting position, then cried, and sneezed, and finally got back to her sitting position. She repeated this ritual for several times, and it took me a while to understand that the crying and sneezing were actually key to the whole healing process. Having massaged my head and rubbed the lump with oil for a long time, alternatively sitting, then going on her knees to cry and sneeze, she came to stop to show the ritual was finished. Then, she declared that my lump was due to my late grandfather visiting me and telling me off about something I have failed to do. To my surprise and distress, my lump became extremely painful for all the rest of the day, far more than it had ever been before. And I wondered whether it was actually healing. However, the next day when I woke up, the lump stopped swelling and the pain had diminished. It soon completely healed without the need of any chemical medicine. I told my mother about all this, and she asked whether I had brought Ikit Fakukad, a kilo of meat or of tinapa (smoked fish), as was expected. Unfortunately, I had not; as I did not know that this was the practice. And I really regretted it. I realised that, despite her apparent healing powers, Ikit Fakukad never asked for money, but that I still should have brought her something for her services. This is the tradition, which I am glad to know about today, but which I also wish I could have known before, as I would then have brought the missing kilo of tinapa that was probably expected from me. Even today, I recount this story to my Western friends to their fascination. I have to stress that I am not a very superstitious person. But my story certainly happened.
Stories about our Igorot culture by Alfredo P. Labfayong When we talk about Igorot identity and culture, we also have to consider the time. My point is that: what I am going to share in this article concerning the Igorot culture might not be the same practiced by the Igorots of today. It has made variations by the passing of time, which is also normally happening to many other cultures, but the main core of respect and reverence to ancestors and to those who had just passed is still there. The Igorot culture that I like to share is about our practices and beliefs during the "time of Death". Death is part of the cycle of life. Igorots practice this part of life cycle with a great meaning and importance. Before the advent of Christianity in the Igorotlandia, the Igorots or the people of the Cordilleran region in the Philippines were animist or pagans. Our reverence or the importance of giving honor to our ancestors is a part of our daily activities. We consider our ancestors still to be with us, only that they exist in another world or dimension. Whenever we have some special feasts (e.g., occasions during death, wedding, family gathering, etc.), when we undertake something special (like going somewhere to look for a job or during thanksgiving), we perform some special offer. We call this "Menpalti/ Menkanyaw", an act of butchering and offering animals. During these times we call them in our prayers to join us in spirit. We do this also to ask for help and/or ask for guidance, etc. The prayers are usually performed by an elderly person of the town (called "pangamaen" for a man and "Panginaen" for a woman; however an elderly man has preference to be "the prayer renderer" when we have the choice). By the way and to reiterate, our practices of revering are not a form of IDOLATRY. We believe in life after death. We believe, that our ancestors are just in another world, but still among us... in the form of spirits. SOME PRACTICES REGARDING REVERENCE TO OUR ANCESTORS AS I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCED I'm a mixture of a Bontoc and a Kankanaey Igorot of Bauko and also with some Chinese descent. Regardless of my bloodline I like to speak about the practices of Bauko Igorots. Until now, the practices surrounding death: like our practices during wakes, our way of offering animals, food and wine still is a living example of our tradition. In order for us to have peace in mind and not to be concerned about any bad omens, we perform the rituals, the way it had been performed and advised by the elders. As much as possible the place of the burial and the wakes are done in our home of origin and we do also the wakings in our private homes and not in a mortuary. The wakes take a minimum of three days/night. Some take longer, depending on the time until all close relatives finally have had gathered. During this time of diaspora, where many of us live and work abroad or away from home, the wakes can take longer. This is to allow time for the most awaited relative to arrive. WHAT ARE THESE RITUALS AND TRADITIONS? First of all the tradition of wakes and the importance of the whole family to be gathered again. Among us Igorots, the event of death is a very special occasion which is of value and has to be observed. As much as possible even now in the times of diaspora, all the close relatives have to be gathered and are expected to be around when someone in the family had died. Children, siblings, spouses and parents should not be missing in the list of important relatives to be present on times when someone died. The animal offerings. There are animals to be offered/butchered as there are tremendous numbers of people expected to be around during the time of vigil and wake. Not only the direct relatives and friends, almost the whole community is welcomed to join the bereaved family during their process of working out their last respect to the dead. People come for the wake and also for the burial and they have to be hosted and be fed as well. This explains, why we butcher numerous animals. Not only the animal offering, the numbers and the variety of pigs or chicken have to be proper. Especially on the day of the burial. A set in minimum of three pigs has to be butchered. The pigs should be of the native variety or at least dark hair. I was 14 years of age when my father died in an accident in the Lepanto mines where he had worked. It was clear enough, that my father’s burial place will be in Bauko, because it is our hometown and the place where our small house was built. The body of my father was laid in the mortuary of the said mining company, in order for his former colleagues and town mates living in Lepanto to have the chance to show their last respect to a brother or comrade, who just had passed away. After two nights of vigil we finally transferred the body to Bauko where we continued waking and vigil for another three days and nights. During those times most of our relatives from the surrounding barrios and also the relatives of my father from Bontoc were present. They were there giving eulogies, comforting us or just relating some simple stories, singing the "Bayyao" or also praying the Christian prayer. During vigil or in times of death, we were much aware that the spirits of our ancestors are among us. So whenever we talked, we also addressed sometimes our prayers or messages to the unknown. During this time, I saw many pigs that were butchered. It is very important that, when a pig is butchered, the town’s Elder is summoned to do the prayers and to inspect or read the symbol of the gall bladder and the liver. We call this ritual "IPEDISAN". For us Igorots, the symbol can be interpreted on the positioning of the gall bladder ("pedis") between the liver. A nice and full protruding gall bladder between the liver is a good omen. While the opposite signs or a bad omen is "a gall bladder, that is almost empty and hardly be seen between the liver". When the sign is of bad omen, the Elder advises you to butcher another male animal, what can be a pig or just a rooster. The significance of a male pig or a rooster is that "a male animal brings the bad omen away". This ritual is called "SUMANG" while a female animal is a keeper – just like, a hen when her chicks are in danger, she quickly gathers them under her protection. A sow or a hen is the animals to be butchered when there are signs of good omen, because we want to keep the good things. ATANG This is a symbolic plate or basket of food for the spirits of our ancestors. Before food is being served to all the mourners and guests, an "ATANG" is set aside in a corner for the spirits. By the way, also every time a new bottle of Gin, a jar of new rice wine has to be opened for the community to be drunk, the first drops or a glass of wine has to be offered to the spirits. We do this symbolically by saying our prayers to them. At the same time we drop some milliliter of Gin on the ground and say some prayers: "To you spirits who have gathered here... this is the Gin for you, let us drink and make sure that we all get drunk in peace!!!"... addressing to all the spirits. Or we set aside a glass of wine for them, especially when it comes from a newly opened jar of rice wine. Also we do the prayers during the “Atang” of food. BAYYA-O Bayya-o is a sort of Eulogy in form of singing. The person usually doing the Bayya-o relates some stories how the person was in his life - the way they knew him/her. A person performing the bayya-o starts singing a story about the dead person, and after some stanzas all those gathered make a chorus with him. The Burial day The day of the burial, usually a set of three pigs has to be butchered - a male, a mother and a normal size pig. Some families butcher more - it depends on how many guests are expected. Butchering is performed just after sunrise. After the animals are butchered, the town’s elder is summoned to say some prayers, which could be phrase like this addressing the spirit of the dead body: "Here is your pig, you can go now - you ride on this pig to go and join the spirits of our ancestors, and to you our ancestors hopefully this tragedy is enough, guide us and keep us away from any danger". Note: The main person who takes the responsibility for the mourning during the whole period of the mourning process, for example the widow, should not join the burial. The mourning is still not over after the burial. The close family remains in a mourning status until the time comes to end the official time of mourning (called "PATAPOS"). Usually a year later, but nowadays there are compromises, so after 40 days we can make this "patapos". During the mourning time, especially for the main persons affected, it is unwise for them, to be seen or to attend any other events or feasts. For us we should show and feel that we really mourn for our dead. "Tengaw" is a period of time, a day, a week or several weeks when you should stay at home and should not perform your usual activities like going to the fields. That means: during "Tengaw" these persons should not go out or attend their fields. The wearing of black clothes or a black ribbon are also signs of mourning. They have to be worn for a year long. Due to the fact we are now Christianized and also because Bauko is predominantly Catholics, we do the practice of nine days praying the rosary and on the 9th day we offer a mass. We butcher another pig and invite people to join us. After this event, we can do our activities normally. Since we still are influenced by our animistic practices, we believe that after the burial the spirits of our ancestors are still in midst of our house. This explains why we were told to always keep for 40 days the lights or fire on the "DALIKAN" (Dalikan is the place where we cook. We cook before using firewood). We have to keep the "dalikan" always warm, or a flint of fire has to be always burning at the fire place continuously. This is a symbol of welcoming the spirits. That, whenever the spirits are in our place, they have a spot of orientation or to keep themselves warm. In the olden days, the "Dalikan" is the meeting place of the family. This gives the logical explanation as the place where the spirits also gather, the way they have had done long time ago. For our Igorot practice, concerning and during the death of my father, our mourning ended after 40 days. That means, after this time we were free again to travel but still not allowed to join a gathering where there was a happy feasting going on. After 40 days, more animals had to be butchered as we also expected many people to join us for the end of the mourning (PATAPOS). The same thing has to be repeated again after the end of the first year anniversary, which is actually the official end of the mourning - for those, who follow strictly the tradition. NOTE: How can the bereaved family afford all the expenses and do the work entertaining the hundreds of guests for that long period of time? The Igorots spontaneously open their pockets and donate some help in form of cash or material. The relatives and some friends share their helping hands to do all the cooking, serving and all that what has to be done. Death is also the time not to economize the expenses. Our spiritual contacts with our ancestors not only happen during the time of death. Often we remember them and in the process of remembering we also include butchering animals and inviting all our relatives.
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