Kankanay Ceremonies: (American Archaeology and Ethnology) — John Shaqi
Kankanay Ceremonies: (American Archaeology and Ethnology)Moss, C. R. (Claude Russell)
Religion
Kankanay Ceremonies: (American Archaeology and Ethnology)
Moss, C. R. (Claude Russell)
Igorot (Philippine people); Kankanay language -- Texts; Rites and ceremonies -- Philippines
The pungau is celebrated by the Benguet Kankanay at the beginning of
rice harvest. Before any rice can be gathered, the owner of the field
must procure a jar of tapuy and either a chicken or dried meat, which
are taken to the field. The owner holds the chicken or dried meat in
one hand and prays that the rice to be harvested may increase to an
amount sufficient to last until the next harvest, and promises that
a large part of it will be used for ceremonies.
After the prayer all who are to take part in the ceremony drink
tapuy. No one else is allowed in the field until after the harvesting
has been completed, and a piece of cloth is displayed to warn away
intruders.
This ceremony corresponds to the pungau of the Nabaloi and the safosab
of the Bontoc. The Lepanto Kankanay also celebrate a ceremony before
beginning rice harvest, but I do not know by what name it is designated
nor the manner in which it is celebrated.
BUGAK
Before any new rice is eaten, the ceremony called bugak is held. Some
of the new rice and either dried meat or a chicken are cooked. A
mambunong is not necessary, but the head of the household throws some
of the cooked rice in the fire and says:
You, the fire which did the cooking, shall be the first to eat,
in order that the rice shall not cause us to become sick.
He prays a similar prayer to the pots in which the cooking has been
done, to the rack on which the rice was dried, and to the mortar in
which it was threshed.
This ceremony corresponds to the bakak of the Nabaloi.
SALDI
The ceremony called saldi is held before eating the meat of animals
which have died of disease or have fallen from a cliff.
Pieces of the animals' liver are thrown in various directions while
the mambunong addresses the bilig living in the pasture lands of the
animal, asking that sickness may not result from eating the meat.
After the meat has been cooked, the mambunong invites the fire and the
pot to eat first, in order that the people who eat may not become sick.
This ceremony, which corresponds to the Nabaloi salchi, is celebrated
in all Benguet Kankanay towns, and also in Bacun, Amburayan, and in
Ampusungan and Mancayan, Lepanto.
BILIG
The bilig are spirits which are friendly to the people, but cause
sickness when they need blankets or food. The ceremony called bilig
is performed to cure the sickness caused by these spirits.
A chicken, tapuy, rice, and blankets are obtained. The mambunong puts
a basket full of blankets on his head, holds a chicken in one hand,
and while squatting beside the tapuy and rice says the following:
Usay agou ud nabaon, din dagum ya din kimat nanbatbatda isan
mabilig. Kinwanin kanon, dagum un, "Wawadaak mo si sika." Tumba
pay, kano, si kimat, "Wawadaak mo si sika, tan mo kanuk sikayi,
pantaoliuk ut matagua loman. Mo si sika payut mo waday kanun
yan matui." Asi abun kanon dugum un, "Mo sakun kanuk yan matagua
loman."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account