How Atey Got Its Name?

Taro, called pising in Sagada.

When I was a kid, every time we cooked taro for our food, I remember my father use to tell us a story about a place in Sagada which got its name from the plant. It’s somewhat like a Halloween story because it was a bloody one.

There is a place in Sagada called Atey. For the tourists and visitors and those who doesn’t know where it is found, you know you’re in Atey if you happened to be in food place called Lemon Pie Hauz.

You pass by it when you walk to visit the popular Sumaging Cave. But I am not sure if it is part of barangay Demang or Dagdag.




Anyway, the legend goes like this:

One afternoon, a man who came home from his farm to feed his birds or fowls found out that one of the roosters was missing. He waited for the rooster to come home but it was already dark and the rooster did not arrive.

The farmer suspected that somebody trapped it and had it as their food for the night. So, with a rage of anger in his heart, he buckled his bolo, a popular large knife in the Philippines used for cleaning the tall grasses and at the same time as weapon against assailants.

Bolo, Filipino use it for daily farm works and as weapon

He went from one house to house in his neighborhood to spy.

Then, as he was listening to a conversation of one family who were about to eat their supper, he clearly heard one of the kids saying, “Kuak nan atey na, kuak nan atey na!” (The liver is mine, the liver is mine!)

Upon hearing the words, his blood went up to his brain. He took his bolo from its case, kicked the slightly opened wooden door and barge in and attacked the stunned family inside. He killed the father, the mother, and their children by hacking them.

When the next of kin of the family learned about the incident, the men gathered and resolved to avenge their family members who were killed.

They went to attack the home of the man who killed their relatives. Then like a raging fire the next of kin of the attacker heard what is happening, so their men also took their own bolos and went to avenge their relative who were attacked by the other family. Then everything got out of hand, all the men in the village were all now fighting.

The fight lasted the whole night. It only ended when the elders from the nearby villages came shouting at the top of their lungs to stop the men from killing each other.

After investigating what transpired, they found out that the liver the boy wanted to have was the tuber of the taro plant which his parents cooked for their food. The kid was just fancying and joking the tuber was a liver.

And in the early morning, they dug a large deep pit to bury all the bodies of those killed during the night.

From that time on, whenever somebody pass through or go to the place they describe it as atey for the others to easily understand what he/she means until the word became common as a descriptive name of the place.

What year it happened? I don’t know. But from my father’s(+) story, it seemed the incident happened probably two or three generations before him.

Why it’s more fun for kids to grow up in Sagada?

Kids playing the gongs

I believe every kid loves growing up free from the hassles of city life. I wish all kids in the world can enjoy life with freedom like these kids in Namsong, Sagada, Philippines.

I attended a wedding of my wife’s cousin in Namsong, Sagada last July 08, 2017 and I was much amazed by the happiness and pleasure the people celebrated the event.

Kids sitting around waiting for the gong players to beat the gongs.

We arrived in Namsong at around 12 noon, and while we were still half kilometer away, we could hear the beats of the gongs playing – and it seems there was no letups – as soon as one round of music was finished another round was played immediately. We were guessing, they were trying to take advantage of the absence of the rain because anytime rain might be pouring.

Along the way to the place of celebration, we met children and parents carrying foods, either to bring it home or find a good place to eat. Well, it signals lunch was already being distributed.

When we arrived at the place, dancing was going on, and we could see the delight in the people’s faces enjoying their food while watching the performers.

Rice, meat, pansit(Rice noodles), was the main menu. And what makes it extra unique is that the foods were placed in the bark of cut banana trunks. It reminded me of my childhood days when banana trunks were used as plates. It was the “king of plates” during weddings and all kinds of celebrations where people were invited to eat.

I can't remember when was the last time I ate in a bark of banana trunk as plate - I was about 10 yrs old I guess.

And as I was watching, I noticed how the kids were part of the celebration. No wonder the gongs don’t stop singing because every time the adults put down the gong the kids(ages 7-12 years old) immediately pick it up and start beating it – and they play very good, too, like the adults.

I can’t help but say, “Wow, it’s really fun being a kid growing up in Sagada!” In the background of those playing the gongs, small children are enjoying the music: some were trying to dance and some were just running around freely without being restrained, and the others just watching with curiosity. And this went on till late at night. I left around 11pm at night to get my rest and the kids are still around enjoying themselves. According to my mother-in-law, the children were the major gong players until past midnight before the young men took over.

The elders sit near the couple.  Listening to anyone who would like to say a story of which everyone, specially, the couple can get lessons or wisdom.

The young people watching the players and dancers and try to be part of the group once in a while

I thought to myself, how much I had missed as a kid!

I grew up in the province, but I haven’t gone to wedding celebrations like this one where you can learn the gongs and traditional dance of the Igorot.

It is this kind of experience that made the people of Sagada vocal in sharing their Ideas and always active during traditional weddings. They start as kids.

In the city of Baguio, it is seldom to see very lively wedding celebrations. The lively ones are those with the gongs being played. Without it, or once it’s stopped, expect the celebration to be dry or just like as if there is no wedding going. I told one of my friends, if there is no traditional gong music and dances, it is much better to just do it in front of a mayor and eat at the restaurant.

Anyway, to see what I am talking about watch the video, below:

So, What's Up In Sagada?

For almost eight months now, I have been in and out of Sagada. From these trips, I am amazed to see how much the place have changed, and still fast changing. In fact, a month you don’t visit will make you wonder if you’re visiting the same place you visited the last time.

 Last March, the road widening at the entrance to the poblacion was just finished. Also, a road from Ambasing to “Alab”( I am not sure of the name of the place) is now in its last stages to complete. Before these roads, the farm to market road were also constructed from Atey to Demang near the Episcopalian Church. But the fastest that’s changing the makeup of the place are the residential houses cropping up like giant mushrooms. Anywhere you look, beginning at the entrance to Sagada, once you passed by Tetep-an, you will notice houses being constructed in almost every corner.

Well, Sagada is now booming because of its flourishing tourism. Unlike decades ago, when mostly foreigners are the clients to guide, local tourists quadrupled or increased 1000% according to the local guides I know. That’s very good for the tourist guides because their earnings also increased, and it’s very good for the businessmen because they can price their products higher which they call “Tourists’ price” and believe me it is even higher than the price found in the City of Baguio. And – whether you’re from Sagada or not – you pay the “Tourist price.”

The Problem of booming tourism

While tourism is giving instant jobs to the locals, the farmers are losing due to lack of manpower to help them in their farms.

(Note:  when I say farm, I mean lands planted with vegetables, not planted with rice like in the lowlands. Although, there are few farm lands specially designated form rice.)

One of the gardeners I spoke with complained that it is very disappointing to plant vegetables nowadays because you can’t find young able men to help carry the harvest to the road accessible for loading. All the men young and some middle age men choose to work as guides because they get a better pay without working hard. In fact, my brother - in-law who used to cultivate vegetables left his garden to work as guide. Now his garden is covered with thick different kind of grasses.

Another problem, is you can’t find enough carpenters if you want to build a home or building.

So, the people of Sagada are forced hire  people from the lowlands:  carpenters, masons, including house helpers, and farmland helpers.



When I learned many people being hired as helpers are coming from the lowlands, I exclaimed "Wo, Sagada is the next destination for OFWs!"

What makes Sagada attractive to the lowlanders is that the salary is higher than the national standard. From what I heard, here are the salaries of people working in the different field of work: In the construction area, the salary for helpers is ranging from Php300 to Php400. Rough Carpenters Php500. Skilled Carpenters and mason Php700.

And mind you, this is with free lunch and free supper. And sometimes even breakfast is free. Not only that, expect free alcohol in the afternoon after work.

And, unless you are an engineer, a lawyer, or well high educated, one will not worry about the next job because there are lots of menial jobs where help is needed.

The road entrance in Atey just after Lemon Pie House

Atey road going to Demang.  Turn to the left because the right is only about 50 meters long and it's a dead end - unless you want to see the present vice Governor. According to the people, the fund used to this road was from the "Farm to market road" project of former President GMA

Middle Continuation of the road

A little further to the left is the end of the road.  Anglican Church at the background