Badge of Honor

Figure 1 -
Two horns of carabaos and one horn of a cow.  The practice of hanging horns is a way of rich Igorot families showing they have married off a child.


I took the image from a cousin’s display outside their home. Usually these horns of carabaos are displayed next to the door of a home of people who had children got married.

So, the more horns you see the more children got married.

I don’t think this is part of Igorot’s tradition but I guess it serves as a badge to show not only how many children they married off but also their status in life. Usually only the wealthy families can afford to butcher Cows, and carabaos aside from the 11 pigs for the wedding of their children.

Igorot weddings usually lasts for three days where people of the village especially friends even from distant places, and family members go to eat and congratulate the newlywed and their parents.

Well, people not only go there to eat, but most will give a cash or gifts to the married couple.

If you’re just a visitor, no problem, you can always go and fall in line or ask for food during meal time, they’re happy to give you. So, if it happens that one day you visited Sagada or other parts of Kaigorotan Country(Cordillera) don’t hesitate to partake with the wedding feast.





And more importantly, if you happened to passed by a home having horns hanging in front of their home, usually, next to their door, don’t be scared. You’re seeing a badge or badges of honor they already married off a child or more depending on the number of their children.

And, usually, when you see horns there might be pig’s skulls next to it or in other parts of the house. Don’t worry, it’s not a haunted house or home of a witch you are looking at. The skulls of pigs almost represent the same, however, it might be from doing other traditions done before, like, building a house, wedding, or other traditions where a pig is needed.

Flies Helped Rescuers found Dead Bodies, and Why the Igorot tradition Daw-es is Very Important to the Psyche of the Rescuers

How flies can help rescuers retrieve bodies of victims- days after a disaster? And the importance of dog to be used in the ritual daw-es to prevent losing one’s intellect after such kind of work?

Figure 1.  Dog being used for a ritual as depicted in one of the arts found in a building along Abanao road, Baguio City

Figure 2.  An image found in Burnham Park, Baguio City, showing a chicken is being killed for a ritual. 

One of my patient’s now of therapeutic Ilot was one of the miners from Philex Mines in Padcal, Tuba Benguet who did a great job of rescuing victims of the July 16, 1990 Baguio city killer earthquake at collapsed Hyatt Hotel.

Well, I got thrilled when he told me he was one of those miners who were tasked to retrieved bodies from the Hyatt Hotel.

It’s still fresh in my mind that in that historic afternoon of Monday the school organization decided to boycott school due to some students-administration’s conflict…I guess about tuition fee. The school was shrewd that they suspended classes in the afternoon which saved probably major injuries and lives of its students when the earthquake struck at about 4pm(Daylight Saving time).

So, I did not bypassed the chance to asked him questions specially about news in the TV during the time about those miners using flies as their guides to find bodies still inside the collapsed building few days after the major quake. How did they know that flies can help?

He said one of the men who were rescuing with them had an experienced years back when they went to find the body of a man who was lost during a land slide in Ifugao. They only found the body, after many days of looking for it in the thick soil that covered the ground, when they noticed flies flying back and forth into a very small hole. When they dig the part the flies are going in they uncovered the body of the person they were looking for days.

That experienced, he shared with his buddies and they followed flies where they go and come from. The flies sometimes get into even very small openings and when they clean the part it’s 100% percent there was a cadaver.

Then he said about some of their companions founding money, and about three who’s minds became unstable months afterwards. The last information I got interested more so I asked what could be the reason, “They became like that because they had not done the ritual of “Daw-es” to help them cope up with the images they saw during the rescue” he explained.

I heard word many times before about daw-es being used to heal people who were sick of unknown reasons. In fact the older brother of my father(RIP) was done the ritual after he just cannot stand up to walk. There was a suspicion he was hurt by the black magic spell of one person known to have the power of inflicting sickness to a person he hate by ritual incantation using chicks. So, they tried to heal my uncle but failed even after doing it three times. Some old men said the rituals were not successful because they used the wrong animal which was dog.

What is daw-es all about?

Daw-es is a traditional Igorot’s way of sacrificing dog for the purpose of cleansing and healing the psyche of troubled individual caused by shock or trauma from an experience, like:  from a war, seeing dead body alone, first time to kill, or like in the case of the 1990 earthquake when the miners were asked for their help to rescue people trapped at the collapsed Hyatt Hotel dead and alive.  However, daw-es is also required by the elders that it must be done for preventing the problem to occur.  The Igorot elders believed Daw-es can counteract the bad effects of such experiences.  It’s also believed that it can stop a person from doing bad things like committing theft but must follow stricter guidelines for the ritual to be effective.

According to him, a chicken was first killed then followed by a dog.  The dog meat is going to be eaten only by the old men who did the ritual but not the person/s who are subject of the ritual.

Though it was not the first time he rescued victims of accidents or calamities, he said that each time, when the ritual of daw-es was not yet done he cannot forget the images of and smell of dead bodies they rescued, and he cannot sleep and he cannot eat well.

After the daw-es he felt like he was released from heavy burden in his mind and chest. His thoughts were no longer filled with the images of the victims they retrieved.

But why use only dog and not other kinds of animal like pig which is being generally used for weddings and deaths?

“It’s because dog has stronger effect capability to do the job of suppressing the negative energy or bringing back the positive energy” he said. In short, it’s the only animal that when used for such purpose will do the magic and no other animal fits the ceremony than dog.

I am not so convinced, but…Maybe, because there are no other rituals where dog is being used. Chicken is used, in general, in support to all rituals. Pig is used for weddings, deaths, and all the rituals that follows them with chicken, then dog is used for treating the psyche of a person who’s mind cannot handle the shocked of being involved with killing(like warriors, soldiers), founding dead body, or involved in rescue operations during calamities, also with chicken.

A Tourist Spot’s Golden Opportunity

The two giant disc used to be a radar in the early days

The first time I went to Mount Kabuyao was when a friend of mine invited me to join the electrical engineering students of Saint Louis University’s field-trip to Sto. Tomas where in the towers for signals of different companies who need it are located.

During that time, the roads were not cemented and it was hard for the jeepneys to travel especially when it was raining. During summer, the road was dusty, like the roads of the old cowboy movies.

Going to Santo Tomas was not easy. As part of the thrill, we walked from Green Valley going up to Santo Tomas passing by Mount Cabuyao. What is good in Mt Santo Tomas? It is like a view-deck to see an overview of Baguio City, and the surrounding places in the lowlands, like, Pangasinan and some parts of La Union. One of the things that amazed me during that time was when the thick clouds were on one side and the other side was very clear. It was like you are walking the boundary of heaven and earth. It’s very cloudy in the “Lowland’s” side and very clear in the “Highland’s” side.

(For clarification, when we say “Lowland or lowlanders” we are referring to the places or its people that are not part of Mountain Province including Baguio city. And the word “Highland or highlanders” mean the places of Mountain Province and its people including Baguio city).

From Mount Santo Tomas, we walked back to Mount Kabuyao where the remains of the two large old radars, shaped like plates, are located. There, I learned that the radars are no longer functioning. But it wasn’t dismantled to serve as a landmark and remembrance of the functions it did in history. In addition, I learned that the mountain is a dormant volcano. From there, then went to see the Baguio City water reservoir – a ten hectares pool where water is collected during rainy seasons.

That was 14-16 years ago.

Last Saturday, April 19, 2014, I went with friends lead by “Trek N Trail” FaceBook page administrator Gideon Omero who’s advocacy is to let people become aware of the degrading beauty of the environment, due to man’s mismanagement and abuse, by inviting people go visit the places.

This visit is different than before. It’s no longer free. One has to pay P25 pesos Environmental Fee, though were not charged because it was the Holy Week.

The road is no longer rough-roads and there are now many houses built and more are sprouting like mushrooms. In fact, a story was told that a big hotel will soon go up at the top of one of the high mountains of Mount Kabuyao, just a few hundred meters away from the radars.

Gardens are now all over the place and anyone familiar with the gardens in Mountain Trail can see it’s not far away behind. Pine Trees are much less though some parts are still forests.

But, what’s sad is that garbage is also all over the places. Plastics are commonly seen littering the roads. I can’t imagine any other reasons why it seems nothing is being done to solve the problem while it’s still not a major one than because the local government don’t see anything to benefit them personally in order to think about a long term remedy.

The only toilet under the view deck smells like very much like one that it’s much better to go hide behind a tree or the tall grasses to relieve yourself than gets a headache and turning your stomach inside out spending a few minutes inside those toilet cubicles.

However, the visit and hiking is still much worth it(We walked about more than 2hours from the police station to our destination where the hidden old burial mini-cave under giant boulders(rocks). The place also pride itself of its thrilling high edges where one can sit and view the thick pines trees while breathing the fresh pine-scented oxygen.

On top of the giant rocks, if it is not cloudy, one can see the old Loakan airport, and many parts of Baguio city. A telescope or a long-sighted camera is best tool to bring the areas you want to view nearer to your sight.

Of course, one can have a taste of a cave by going underneath the giant rocks(as large as one story building with 200 sq. ft. area) where it used to serve as a burial place by the residence of Mt. Cabuyao villages. Just pray no earthquakes happen while exploring under those rocks – imagine the scare it that happens! Whew! The cave is not easily visible and you will not suspect it is there unless your curiosity is high or someone who knows about it tells you.

The area is about more or less 100 square feet and about 10ft high. Inside, we saw only about less than ten coffins(some broken) made up of pine wood, and bones. I noticed the skulls are gone, so probably it was taken as souvenirs by visitors or taken by the family themselves. I saw also one that has new fresh sacks – which probably – the family put into the sacks the bones and put it back inside the coffin. There are no fresh coffins that indicate the place is still being used today. It is therefore safe to say it was already abandoned since burying the dead in the family backyard or under the home residence became a trend.

Though there are not much more to see inside the cave aside from the coffins and bones the experience makes one feel connected to an ancient practice and secret of the past.

From inside, one can see light peeping through a hole where it can be the exit instead of going back from the entrance. Just be careful not to hit your head on the low ceiling of the entrance and the exit.

Outside, we spent about an hour or a few minutes over an hour taking pictures and enjoying the natural beauty of the surroundings.





The tranquility of the place is very enticing to people who wants to have a break from the chaos of a city life which I believe is its most foremost pride that destruction on its surrounding trees can be lost forever unless people in-charge see its importance.

Though, there was a feeling of lingering longer, our time frame won’t permit us, thus we had no choice but to re-follow the trail that brought us to the place back to the radar.

Around the radar area, there are stores selling foods, like, halo-halo(hodge-podge), vegetables, home-made jams, and souvenirs.

Along the road, one can also notice the statues of three people hanging on crosses. The day before, it is told there were lots of local visitors and tourists who participated on the reliving of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Station of the Cross is made permanent at the side of the road beginning from the water reservoir which was the last part we visited.

I thought at first we were going to climb up Mt. Santo Tomas because ‘twas the quote before and during the trek – “We hike Mt. Santo Tomas” - but I was wrong - only because they confused the name of Mt Kabuyao as the Mt. Santo Tomas itself. So, to the next trekkers, be sure to distinguish Mt Kabuyao from Mt. Santo Tomas. Mt. Santo Tomas is higher and about another hour walk up.

Anyway, in order to be able to cover the two mountains, the best thing to do is walk up straight at the top of Mt. Santo Tomas then walk down to Mount Cabuyao – that is if the weather is perfect. If not, then plan for another visit.

If you have a car and a driver, you can go straight up to Santo Tomas then walk down to Mount Kabuyao.

Mount Kabuyao and Mount Santo Tomas are golden opportunities the local government should take seriously to preserve its natural beauty - NOW – before it is crowded by people who don’t care because their greed is higher than the two mountains joined together.

If you need Guides,and Information about cordillera's bests:
Contact Mr. Gideon Omero at Trek N Trail FaceBook page by sending him a message or send a message to the following e-mails:

gidsome@yahoo.com
alakdansarzce@gmail.com
 

Apfo’or: Mayoyao’s Pride

Figure  1  Maybe as old as over two thousand years old

The Apfo'or burial tomb found only in Mayoyao, Ifugao is one of the reasons tourists wanting to see the beauty and pride of Ifugao should not let go visiting the place.

Tourists are only going to Banawe in order to see the famous Banawe Rice Terraces. But that’s a very big mistake because one is only seeing just a small part of the real rice terraces and missing a lot of history and tradition of the people, one of which is the thousands of years old burial tomb or known locally as the Apfo’or– anyway, blame it to the government’s department of tourism for their lack of advertisement to promote the whole beauty of the people of Ifugao.

According to Leandro, the man who took us for a short visit around Mayoyao to show its pride, the tomb was created thousands of years ago by people who have large tract of lands and lots of animals as bases for wealth.

Each tomb is only used by the family clan who owns the tomb. From what I understood, the tomb is used from the father, wife, children and grandchildren. So, when a person has no children, there is a big chance it will not be used by him or her. Like what happened to a tomb made by a childless woman. The people used it for another family relative, a brother, because if the childless lady used it first, it cannot be used again because most of the clan members will want to have children, unless there are family members who will not bear a child.

There are still seven burial tombs remaining and they are located in different places of Mayoyao, usually on a higher ground. It is made up of selected stones put on top of each other and cemented with a special kind of soil or clay carefully collected by the builders.

The entrance of the tomb is covered by a wide large stone. Its height is tall and inside is wide enough so people can stand up and move and may accommodate about five to ten people.

An interesting practice is the corpse will not remain inside for a long time. When it already decomposed, the bones are collected and brought home and be hung beneath the house.

A coffin is not used for the dead, but the body is wrapped with sticks of pampas grass joined and knotted together. The body was then brought inside the tomb and left lying down. However, in a tomb where victims of killings were brought, the body will be left in a sitting position on the wall – probably as support – and be put lying down only when its death is avenged.

The tombs were built through “Bayanihan” or cooperation of the people of Mayoyao. The whole community helps, like carrying up stones from the river up to the mountain where the tomb is going to be constructed, bringing up foods, and cooking.

Figure 2  A supposed to be tomb for a childless woman

Leandro said that 100 bundles of grains of rice were brought up to the site where the tomb in the picture above was made, and twelve animals, particularly pigs, were butchered to be used in feeding the workers, and probably, for ceremonies held during the construction and dedication of the tomb.

Six of the Apfo’ors are no longer used but are being preserved for historic records and for tourists’ attraction while one is still being used until today.

Even though a few of the tomb’s dome already collapsed, and a budget has been set aside before for their repair, the owners didn’t want it to be touched due to some traditions that must be performed before anything is done. They need to butcher a lot of pigs to clean it and what probably stopping the families to do anything is the other works that go with the rituals. Leandro hopes that in the near future something will be done to overcome the taboo of touching them without so many sacrifices so that the original structure will be retained and strengthened and be preserved for the next generations to see their culture of the old days.

Figure  3  The replica of the original Apfo'or

One of the things that the government of Mayoyao did to give the next generations a glimpse of the original apfo’or was a built replica of the original tomb; however, it is made up of cut stones and cement was used in contrast to the original stones and clay that were used in the original. If I had my say, they should have built the Apfo’or replica using original materials, since the stones and clay are not that expensive, to give it a more realistic look. Then label it as “For Art and History” or anything like it to avoid the pains of butchering pigs for its maintenance.

The Bests of Mayoyao, Ifugao

One of the places we went to visit in Ifugao is Mayoyao. A two and a half hours drive going up from Alfonso Lista, where one can find Magat Dam, and two hours’ drive coming back. Thanks to the goodness of our friend Edna Dulnuan Natuno who took the pain of convincing us with my two companions – Rakel Sonim, and Jenny Acosta A.K.A “Lhayad” - to stay another day to visit Mayoyao and driving us to the place.

On the way up to Mayoyao, one can have a view of the vast forested mountains of Ifugao. By the invigorating views alone, one can say it is very much worth the time and expenses. Add to it the refreshing air as bonus and you’ll say it’s a never regrettable experience.

We did not have much time to explore the place, but we had enough time to see some of its pride, and listen to the stories of Leandro, the man who gave his time to accompany us to at least enjoy and maximize our time of visit.

Let share with you some of the images one can see when going there.  Just click on the image to enlarge or to view them all.

Figure 1  Before we went up to Mayoyao we first gone to the famous Magat Dam, one of the largest Dam of the Philippines

Figure 2 Magat Dam. This is where Electricity is being produced

Figure 3  Magat Dam.  The floating things are fish ponds and floating small houses. People goes there for picnics if you know somebody.  10 years ago, we went their to enjoy the water and fresh fishes

Figure 4  Going up to Mayopyao. Thick Forests along the way

Figure 5

Figure  6

Figure 7

Figure  8

Figure  9  The Mayoyao Rice Terraces

Figure  10  The fields are being ready for planting, so, by the month of April onwards, the place will be green and is a good months to visit, unless, one wants to see and experience how the fields are being prepared MANUALLY without using machines.

Figure 11  Mayoyao Police Station

Figure 12  Stores along the way to the center

Figure 13   One can conclude that Mayoyao is a Place of  "House Thousand Pyramids" due to the way their traditional homes are made.  The house now is mainly used as an storage or Alang in their local dialect.

Figure 14  Still in Mayoyao but outside of the center

Figure 15  Mayoyao Museum.  Just not lucky day because it was closed.  However, it says everything inside is for your eyes only.  "No Picture Taking"

Figure  16  A Hostel is located in one of the high mountains where you can have a look at the beautiful views of the terraces.  It's about 10 minutes ride from the center

Figure  17  A replica of the Apfo'or(Burial Tomb)

Figure 18  Just some remembrance to say "We were there"

Figure  19  The hostel is ready to accommodate you

Figure 20-23  This and the following images are just some things to remove your anxieties as you traverse up and down the mountains going to Mayoyao

Figure 21

Figure 22

Figure  23  Aguinaldo One of the places to pass by before reaching Mayoyao

Figure 24  According to the woman who owns this house, "This is our farmhouse." The people of Mayoyao's practice is to build their homes next to their farms which explains houses in the middle of their rice terraces.

Okay, folks, there are more images to share but I rather invite you visit the place.  The things I uploaded here are just some of the things you'll see.

Leandro wanted us to go visit their three beautiful falls, and the last place(At the top of the Mountain) where the Japanese soldiers and Ifugao fighters fought but this visit was not planned at all, so, we reserved it for the next visit. See you there!

Bongsos: Another Special Igorot’s Food Delicacy

One of the Igorot’s favorite is a salted pig’s intestines, lungs, liver, and heart. This delicacy is only prepared occasionally during weddings, house blessing the traditional way, and other traditional practices that require the butchering of pigs.

On the first day of the occasion when they butcher pigs, the large intestines to the rectum(The part called Bongsos) and some small intestines are salted, with some liver, and also the lungs.

Cooked Bongsos

On the third day, a native chicken(chicken that ate natural foods on the ground) is butchered and cooked together with the salted intestines and etag(salted fats of pigs cured under the sun or over a cooking place where firewood is used, for many days or months).

Etag = Pig fatty parts being dried using heat and smoke from a firewood

Family members, relatives, neighbors, and friends come to partake at breakfast, and lunch during the bongsos day.  When there are plenty of it, everyone who came will be given some pieces of the cooked intestines to take home.

Meticulous salting of the intestines is essential to achieve the taste and smell required for a perfect bongsos. Not enough salt will result to a decaying smell destroying its lovable aroma and tastes, and excessive salt will make it lost its softness and good touch when it’s chewed.

If you ask me which to compare the aroma and taste, I will give the fresh salted “labahita”  or unicorn fish as the closest to compare with.

Again, the trick to make a perfect bongsos is to clean the intestines very well with running water to remove all the solid wastes and dirt and be careful to not let it drop on the ground else you’ll have a gritty bongsos. Next, put in a wide basin, large enough to mix salt well with the intestines. Reminder:  Do not cut the intestines; just leave it like when it was washed.  Cut it only when it is cooked and ready to serve.

The salt must be enough to get the saltiness needed and to avoid the intestines become spoiled. 1/4 - 1/2 kilograms of salt I think is enough for the intestines of one large pig (enough practice can make it perfect). After mixing with the salt, put inside a big container, size is according to the amount of salted intestines.  Then cover it tightly and put it in a corner away from the light of the sun or heat. Wait for the third day or at least 48 hours before opening it.  I say on the third day because the elder leaders said so, that, the day the pig was butchered is counted as the first day, the following day as the second, and the following day as the third day.

Leaving the bongsos longer than three days or 60 hours will make it become very soft and easily fall to pieces when cooked which make it not so desirable to eat. Thus, aside from the preparations, the timing of opening and cooking the bongsos is very essential for its perfectness. Also, the parts that taste best are the large intestines, rectum, and the stomach.

To cook it, just put a lot of water in a large pot depending on the amount of intestines and chicken meat, and the etag will be cooked. Don’t worry about putting so much water because the bongsos is very salty. There’s no need to wash it again, though it can be done to reduce its salt. Some cook, let it boil for five minutes then throw away the water to remove some of the salt, then they add a new fresh water as the soup.

Now, put in the etag, salted intestines into the water and bring it to a boil. When the chicken is ready you can also put it at the same time. Boil for 20-30 minutes or more until all the meat are tender. Just check it once in a while to not overcook.