Igorot in a nutshell

1. Mapteng nga mamah ' shem !

2. IGOROT in a Nutshell “A Glimpse of the Rich Cultural Heritage” Meta-Presented by: Jovelle Gauiran Weyalein Liban

3. Brief Introduction Igorot is the general name for the people of the Cordillera region, in the Philippines island of Luzon. The Igorot form two subgroups : the larger group lives in the south, central and western areas, and is very adept at rice-terrace farming ; the smaller group lives in the east and north. Some Igorot groups formerly practiced headhunting.

4. Etymology The word " Igorot " is an eponym, derived from the archaic Tagalog term for "mountain people" (formed from the prefix i- , "dweller of" and golot , "mountain range" ).

5. Territorialities

6. KALANGUYA This group ( Kallahan , Kalanguya , Kadasan , Ikalasan , Kalasan ) may be found in Imugan and Kayapa in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet living in mid-mountain forests of tropical oak, hence their ascribed name. Segments of this population may be found in the province of Ifugao where they are known as Kalanguya , speaking dialects like Keleyi . This group is concentrated in the southwestern corner of Ifugao . The national population is some 34,000 (Rice 1974) .

7. KANKANA-EY The Kankanay (Northern Kankanai , Lepanto Igorot, Katangnan , Sagada Igorot, Kataugnan ) are found on the western flank of the Cordillera in the Mountain Province just east of Ilocos Sur. They are in the municipalities of Tadian , Besao , Sabangan , and Sagada . Cervantes in Ilocos Sur also has a fairly large Lepanto Kankanai concentration. The population is estimated at some 59,987 (NSO 1990) in the area about Lepanto and Tiagan to the headwater streams of the Chico and Abra rivers where they practice wet terracing.

8. IBALOI The Ibaloy ( Ibaloi , Ibadoy , Igodor , Benguet Igorot, Nabaloi , Benguet , Iniballuy ) constitute a large ethnic group that number approximately 112,447 (NSO 1990) and are found in Benguet province, principally in the municipalities of Itogon (12,353), Tuba (11,063), La Trinidad (12,136), Bokod (8,911), Baguio (68,550), and Atok (9,063) (NSO 1980, 1990) .

9. IBALOI The population has spread to the neighboring provinces of Pangasinan , La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, and Nueva Ecija . Kabayan is recognized as the center of Ibaloy culture. The settlements are scattered in the municipalities of Bokod , Atok , Tublay , Sablan, and Kabayan . A wide range of dialectical differences are known but not clearly studied. Thus far, (1) Ibaloy Proper and (2) Karao are the subgroups cited.

10. BAGO The Bago ( Bago Igorot) were identified first in the municipality of Pugo in the southeastern side of La Union. This is a highly acculturated group whose villages are along major transporation routes between the lowlands and the Abatan , Benguet markets in the highland.

11. BAGO The major ritual practices and beliefs are somewhat related to the northern Kankanay , thus the idea that the people were migrants because of trade from western Mountain Province. The Kankanay regard them as such and not as a specific ethnic group. The language is a mixture of northern Kankanay with an infusion of lowland dialects. Most of the individuals are bilingual with Ilocano as the trade language.

12. Community Labor Sharing Da- ngah : This labor sharing is usually done when building a house. A family prepares the building materials like wood and pal- ot  and sets a date to put up the structure then announces it to the neighborhood. The community comes to help build the hut free of charge. Free lunch is served.

13. Non-Material Culture

14. Community Labor Sharing Ubbo : This usually happens during the planting and harvest seasons where one family/household schedules and announces the job, then neighbors or other villagers who are expecting to do similar tasks come to help.

15. Community Labor Sharing Gammal :  One plans a project and prepares an animal, usually an ut-utik (young pig) ,  to be butchered and divided equally as wage for the men volunteers to work on the project.

16. Division of Work in the Family Normally, men do the preparation of a  kaingin   while women do the planting. Harvesting is mostly done by women but men also help carry the harvest to granaries or to homes.

17. Traditional Judicial System In the case of a deliberate murder there is a special ruling on this called  ta- pil , a death penalty for the murderer.

18. Marriage and Ritual Rites Kalon : When a man desires to propose to a lady for marriage, he calls for a friend or elders to go to the woman to propose for him. They normally bring a bottle of rice wine or gin which will be opened and shared to act as a seal when they think that the woman has agreed and accepted the man.

19. Marriage and Ritual Rites Timbal : Normally, a minimum of three fully-grown pigs are butchered on the Wedding Day. On the eve of the wedding the bride and groom must observe the ngilin rite where they are sanctified for each other by a local priest ( Mabaki ) . Wedding rites were usually done at the bride’s residence.

20. Marriage and Ritual Rites Kaihing : This is an early negotiation between two families for the marriage of their children. Sometimes it is also intended to settle family disputes where the offender and the offended family are required by the nangkaama   (elders) to settle their feud through kaihing .

21. Internment of the Dead The rich are buried after several days, even weeks of funeral rituals ( adamag ). The rich dead is seated and tied to a chair ( hangdil ) and is usually placed near the door of his house or in a location where it can be viewed or seen conveniently by the mourners.

22. Internment of the Dead If the dead is poor and has no high standing in the community, it only takes 3 days before burial. If the dead is a child it could be buried within 24 hours or the most 3 days. If the death is due to accident, suicide or murder, the dead is usually buried as quick as possible.

23. Traditional Feasts   Cañao :  It is a festival or ceremony, a liturgy or service, a rite or ritual and offering. It is a celebration for productive economic activities where animals are offered in thanksgiving known as  Iya-ey .

24. Traditional Feasts Padit :   An eight-day feast. Gongs are played and this is when they observe the so-called hinagawhaw . It is a kind of a victory dance where an imaginary human head made of fern tree top is put up on a pole and placed in the middle of the front yard with a big jar of rice wine where folks dance around.

25. Traditional Feasts Kiyad :   This is a one-day big feast. No gongs are played during this feast but prayers ( baki ) are offered by the Mabaki in behalf of the host as in the other feasts.

26. Traditional Feasts Kalang :   To butcher any animal on the eve or arrival is not compulsory because this feast is limited to the community where the host family lives. Gongs are played throughout the day and as usual the host family starts the dancing.

27. Traditional Feasts Diloh : Family celebration of child birth and is once in a lifetime for each child.  

28. Material Culture

29. Clothing   Traditional clothing for men & women are clearly distinct and bears no Spanish influence. Surprisingly, it bears a strong resemblance to that of American Indians.

30. Clothing   The men wear long strips of handwoven loin cloth called “wanes ”. The woman wear a kind of wrap-around skirt called “ lufid ” .

31. Clothing  

32. Weapons/Tools   Hinalung is a (one of the six tribal groups) term for a short to moderately long double edged bladed implement which may be used on a pole as a spear or in the hand as a dagger or chopper.

33. Weapons/Tools  

34. Musical Instruments   Gongs or Gangsa

35. Tattoos   Tattoos in Igorot signifies their position in the community.

36. Traditional House   The traditional house of the Igorot, called the “BINANGI” is a thatch-roofed 4 poster house that has no windows except for a small opening at the roof just in front of the door for the air to pass through. The interior of the house is dark made even darker by soot caused by smoke from the hearth and the kind of lamp being used .

37. Igorot Cuisines   Innasin / Etag Foreigners dubbed this as Igorot Ham. It refers to salted pork and is cooked best with pinikpikan , legumes, or plain vegetables. It can also be deep fried and then in vinegar or hot sauce.

38. Igorot Cuisines Pinkipikan A meal prepared by beating a chicken with a stick to make its blood clot near the surface of its skin, making its meat tastier. It is then smoked and served together with sayote and soup.

39. Salamat son sikayon emen !

40. References/Online Resources http://benguet.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article &id=209&Itemid=271 http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/bago/ http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/ibaloi/ http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/ikalahankalanguya/ http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?igm=4&i=227 http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/kankanaykankana-ey/ http://myplanetphilippines.com/culture-and-tradition/canao/