The vanishing rice farming rituals in Ifugao

By Sosimo Ma. Pablico

EVEN as a considerable number of Ifugao farmers no longer believe in the rice farming rituals of their ancestors, others stubbornly insist their ethnic group must continue performing those traditional rituals, saying these are their way of life.

Those who insist in performing the rice farming rituals claim they are not only offering food and wine to the gods and spirits but also to other farmers working with them in the field.

One such Ifugao farmer is 78-year old Gerardo Tabayag, fondly called Aligwah, who has been farming since 1956, planting the traditional rice varieties Tinawon, Locoop, and Pinkitan (malagkit).

Jocelyn Kidayan of the Banaue Service Center said the first ritual, called locah, o-ah or panal, is done when the seeds are sown in the seedbed. Chicken and rice wine (tapuy) are prepared for the occasion. A mumbaki or high priest performs the ritual, saying the appropriate prayer so that all the seeds will germinate.

When the seedlings are already growing, the mumbaki performs the lihim, praying that all the seeds grow well in preparation for the wah-wah or pulling of seedlings for transplanting. Again, a chicken and rice wine are prepared for the occasion.

The mumbaki performs the bolnat during transplanting, praying that the plants will manawahawal (grow and produce tillers) and be protected from rats, birds, and armyworms among others. One chicken and tapuy are also prepared for this ritual.

After every farmer has transplanted rice in January and February, Aligwah offers three to four chickens and tapuy to the gods and spirits in a ritual called urpih (thanksgiving) so that the rice plants will grow well and produce good yield. He invites other farmers to dine with him and his family.

The chickens are salted and then cooked in boiling water. After cooking, the chickens are sliced into small pieces for the family members and guests to eat. Nowadays, farmers can dip the chicken in soy sauce for additional taste and have the option to eat it with rice.

Aligwah observes the fourth ritual, called hagophop, when the rice plants are already in the booting stage, about ready to produce panicles. This time he butchers two chickens and offers them with wine to the gods so that the plants could be protected from pests like rats, earthworms, and golden kuhol among others. The mumbaki also prays that all pests will be driven to the mountains.

Next, the pa-ad is observed when the grains on the panicle are already full but not yet ready for harvesting. A chicken and tapuy are also prepared. This is followed by the hanglag, which done the panicles are almost ready for harvesting. The women gather a few panicles from every paddy and make these into tinnukpi or ballu for everybody present to eat. Aligwah offers three chickens to invoke the gods to cause the quick ripening of the rice panicles.

On the night before harvest, two chickens are butchered for the po-ol. At about 3 o’clock in the morning, six to eight chickens are butchered again for offering to deities of Wah Hudohna (northern regions) so that the harvest will not be stolen.

Aligwah observes the ahitulu during the harvest. A farmer may butcher a pig or five chickens depending on his economic capability and the number of other farmers who help him harvest his crop. The gongs and libbit (drums) are beaten while the pig is being butchered. The pork is cooked with salt as the only ingredient.

A mumbaki performs the last ritual, called tuldag, when the farmer has already stored his dried harvest inside his house or at the “second floor” of a native house. This time the farmer cooks a chicken, which is eaten only by the mumbaki.

Unfortunately, however, these rituals are slowly fading away due to some farmers faced by the farmers. Many of them do not believe in the rituals anymore, saying these are not effective since these could not control pests and diseases. Besides, observance of these traditional rituals is expensive, nonbelievers said. Just count the number of chickens a farmer has to butcher and the amount of glutinous rice he has to produce to be able to prepare sufficient tapuy.

For some farmers, they simply perform rituals when planting rice. And that is all.

(Readers may reach columnist at spablico@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/harvest-time/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

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