Kankanay Ceremonies Part 2

Nansaang Mayilutlutkan Against headache.

Palis chi Palis di Against toothache. Also against headache kabunian kabunian by the Nabaloi.

Dosad, Sigop Mantuis bilig, Against diseases of the lungs or chest.

Bilong, Mayodosan, Manbating Kolos Liblibian Against diarrhoea or pains in the abdomen or stomach.

Basil Ampasit Against s.e.xually caused diseases.

Sabosab, Diau Dayau To cure sores. (Nabaloi ceremonies also Chuntog, celebrated after a quarrel so that Diau Kasib sores will not result.) Tamo Tamo Against insanity.

Pasang Pasang Against sterility.

Abasang Abasang At the birth of children.

Sibisib Sibisib To cure wounds.

Kaysing Gaysing Betrothal ceremony given by parents.

Kalon Galon Betrothal ceremony given by betrothed.

Mangidin Mangilin Marriage ceremony.

Pansijanan Mansiyanun Divorce ceremony.

Siling Siling Funeral ceremony.

Okat Pugas Ceremony held immediately after a corpse has been put into the coffin or buried.

Tabwak Kiad To induce the soul of a person who has recently died to go away and not cause sickness.

Kosday Kosde To cause agricultural products to grow.

Tawal ni payu Bugid To increase water for irrigation. (Tawal ni payu also against sickness caused by spirits living in rice fields.) Pungau Pungau To cause the rice to increase when harvested.

Bakak Bugak To prevent sickness caused by eating new rice.

Salchi Saldi To prevent sickness caused by eating animals which have fallen or died of disease.

Kiad Against sickness caused by mountain spirits called kakaising.

Ampasit Against sickness caused by timber spirits called ampasit.

Pasang ni Against sickness caused by air spirits Mansakit called pasang.

Timungau Against sickness caused by water spirits called timungau.

Gangau To cure rheumatism.

Padad To foresee and avert death.

Bilig Against sickness caused by spirits of the same name.

Dagas Against sickness caused by house spirits called dagas.

Laglagiwin Against sickness caused by a guardian spirit.

Tanong Against sickness caused by the souls of ancestors.

Sagausau For luck before starting on a journey.

LEPANTO KANKANAY CEREMONIES [6]

A. Generally distributed through northern and central Lepanto:

Begnas or pakde, for the general welfare; made two or three times a year, before or after the planting and the harvesting of rice. Similar to the Ifugao honga, the Benguet Kankanay kosde, and the Nabaloi kosday.

Bayas, made by the rich to emphasize their station; also against sickness. Made after marriage "every four or five years," or, "three times during one's lifetime." Similar to the Ifugao b.u.maiyah, the Benguet Kankanay mandit, and the Nabaloi pachit.

Bakid, variously described as "for the dead," "against ditches going dry," and "part of other canaos." Similar to the Benguet Kankanay bugid; and the Nabaloi tawal ni payu.

Ubaya, divination, "for finding out." Similar to the Ifugao ubaya, the Benguet Kankanay anap, and the Nabaloi buyon, sabat, and bakno.

Palis, against witches. Similar to the Benguet Kankanay palis and the Nabaloi palis.

B. Mentioned only in the reports from this or that towns.h.i.+p:

Pasang, against sterility. Similar to the Benguet Kankanay pasang, and the Nabaloi pasang.

Keslei, against sickness.

Tobag, against sickness.

Tonkala, in accordance with a vow rendered during sickness.

Bagaoas, for the rice crop; against mice and drouth.

Sepesep, nature and purpose not clear.

PARTICULAR CEREMONIES [7]

BINDIAN

The bindian, called by the Kabayan Nabaloi bindayan, is celebrated in Buguias, but in no other Kankanay town. The ceremony is held to cure or to prevent sickness, or in compliance with a promise made while a person is sick.

In general, the celebration is similar to that conducted in Kabayan; but in Buguias instead of the dummy head being carved to represent the head of a person, it represents the head of a snake. In the bindian song for Buguias, the deeds of the heroes who went to Legleg and succeeded in killing two large snakes which had been responsible for the death of a large number of people, are commemorated. The olol, instead of representing the takers of human heads as they do in Kabayan, represent the persons who killed the snakes.

As among the Kabayan Nabaloi, hogs are used for sacrifice, and the dancing is the same in the two towns. The prayer is also similar. As a rule the celebration is not conducted on so large a scale in Buguias as it is in Kabayan, and fewer people attend.

I do not know whether or not this ceremony is given in any of the Lepanto Kankanay towns, but I have seen a dance in Bagnen which is similar to the bindian dance. The Igorot farther north have their head-taking celebrations, of which the bindian seems to be a survival.

MANDIT

The mandit of the Kankanay corresponds to the pachit of the Nabaloi. The Nabaloi use the word manchit, meaning "to celebrate the pachit." The Kankanay always subst.i.tute "d" for the "ch" of the Nabaloi.

However, there is a difference in the purpose for which the Nabaloi and the Kankanay of Kibungan and surrounding towns celebrate this ceremony. In Kibungan it is given neither to cure nor to prevent sickness, but only to cause the person celebrating it to become rich and to be honored by the people. In the Kankanay town of Buguias it is celebrated to cure or prevent sickness as well as to enhance the prestige and to increase the wealth of the giver.

The following is an account of a mandit which I saw on the 3rd and 4th of October, 1916, at the house of Damadan, a rich Igorot living in Kibungan:

The ceremony began about nine o'clock in the morning. The mambunong took a cocoanut sh.e.l.l filled with tapuy, and squatted in front of the house. He then prayed as follows, while holding the tapuy in his hand:

Sikayao ay pinading ay kayilinganmi, ipitikenmi dakayos nan tapuy ut makikan kayo; ut adayo golgolidan di pakanenmi.

You, the pinading living near us, we are giving you tapuy and food to eat and drink with us; so do not permit what we feed to have a skin disease.

The old men then squatted around in a group and sang the bayog, which is as follows: