The “kankana-ey” is the local dialect
spoken by several tribes in the cordilleras especially in Mountain Province.
Although “kankana-ey” is the dialect, several terms or verbalization are not the
same with other tribe or villages. The term “kankana-ey” is also used to describe
or to call a person who is from a “kankana-ey” speaking community. (ay
kankana-ey ka?) “are you a kankana-ey?”
This topic is
particular in discussing the “kankana-ey” villagers of upper southern
Sabangan the barangays of Bun-ayan, Bao-angan, Pingad, Camatagan and Gayang. In
upper Sabangan, a villagers can tell even if they are not looking if the
one who is speaking is from what barangay or village because of the different
articulation of word unique in every community. For people who are not familiar
with the dialect, they are easily confused that all are similar, but upon
familiarization with the articulation of each village the difference are
identifiable.
The
unique culture of this villagers are said to be rooted from the cultures of the
early settlers “Igorots” in the area. There are cultural practices in these
villages that have similarities with other tribes in other countries in south
Asia, likewise with some terminologies. Wild and vicious headhunters are said to be the cultures of the ancestors of "Igorots." Religion change all that and today people of the mountains as they are known are peaceful and caring.
Today
several terminologies or words and practices that are no longer used by younger generation of “kankana-ey”
because of the infusion of barrowed words and cultures from ilocanos, tagalogs and other ethnics groups in the Philippines. The Philippine Government particularly the Department
of Education is trying to revive or encourage the usage of local dialect in
teaching elementary school children. They say that by using local dialect in
teaching, student are much receptive in learning.
Enumerated are “kankana-ey” words or terms from said barangays translated or describe in English.
Enumerated are “kankana-ey” words or terms from said barangays translated or describe in English.
a. Atato-an = is a community house where community meeting or gathering is held. It
is here where stories are told by the older villagers to the younger ones. It
is a place where male warriors rest or sleep for the night.
- This
is the place where a community ritual is held.
b. Pakpakedlan = is an old mother pine tree believe to be the refuge
for all spirits of departed members of the community. The place of the tree is
said to be sacred. Children are prohibited to go near or to play neat the tree.
Offerings for the spirits are brought here by the villagers during “begnas” and
other community rituals. The belief that the tree is sacred is reinforced
specially when the tree is struck by lightning several times. When the “pakpakedlan”
is struck by lightning, the community has to offer pig, chicken and rice wine “tapey”
and the community has to practice the “tengaw”.
c. tengaw = it is a practice where people are prohibited to go
hunting, farming or any other choirs outside the community. When the community
is in “tengaw”, villagers are confined only within the community. When a family
is practicing “tengaw”, any member of the family is not allowed to go out of
their house, only near or within the immediate vicinity of the house. This ritual
is practiced when required by the “am-ama” or “mambunong” to appease the spirits
or “anito”.
d. am-ama or mambunong = the person who has the ability to communicate
with the spirits or “anitos”. They are the person who solve and decide any grievances
in the village. They can enforce penalties to anyone who committed wrong doing. The “am-ama”
reads the gallbladder and liver of an offered pig or chicken and interprets them. The reading and interpretation can be bad or good and they can suggest
remedies to bad reading. They can decide if the tribe is at war with other
tribe or at peace. In every ritual
done by the community as a whole or by a family or individual the “am-ama is
the person to consult. The term “am-ama”
is also an “old man”.
e. butat-tew = this is an unexplained lights seen in the rice fields,
forest or in the mountains. The light is very much mysterious specially when it
breaks and divides into several pieces then return into single light. It is
like someone is playing a fire, jumbling it very fast. It moves fast that it is floating in the air
and can move from place to place very fast.
f. anito = are said to be a good spirits of parted warrior from the
village. The spirit revered by the villagers that can heal sick person, protect
warriors during war, and protect the whole community.
g. temmengaw = are spirits that are causing bad omen, sickness, and
bad harvest. The deference of “anito” and “temmengaw” is not fully explain,
because the “anito” can became a “temmegaw” and vise versa. Some can easily interchange
the two because of the thin deference of the two spirits.
h. ugugbo = is a tradition where a work in a farm is done by everybody to make the job faster. This is done by helping a farmer with the work in his farm until the job is done then all of the worker will work in the next farm owned by anyone from the group until all of the farms of those who participated in the “ugugbo” is completed. It is also practiced during house construction where the villagers help in the gathering of construction material like “go-on” nepa, wood, and other construction material. Today it is still being practiced only modified where villagers will help during the construction of the roofing of the house.
i. sapata = it is a swear in a form of a curse that when someone who is accused of bad doing but no solid evidence against him and the accused denies the allegation, the “sapata” is the last resort. All of the accused and suspects are called in the “atato-an” and they are lined standing looking up high in the sun, then with a ritual from the “am-ama” all of the accused and suspects will swear to their ancestors that if they are the culprit, the wrath of all the ancestors of all who swear will bear down on the culprit. Many believe that this ritual is effective with agonizing effect to the culprit and to his immediate family member. If one back-out from the “sapata” and he is one of the suspect or accused, he is said to be the guilty party.
j. gag-gag-ten = a game for boys to show up their bravery. It is played by pairs. One boy is piggyback by another and the same with the opponent. A referee is the one to proclaim the winner and judge the proper way of playing. The game is played by using the feet of the piggyback as a pushing and punching against the opponent. The boy who is piggyback is not allowed to kick, he has to make sure that his feet is solidly straight and does not fold to avoid kicking. The boy who is carrying the piggyback is the one to use the feet to knockdown their opponent. The winner is the pair who is standing and who has no knockdown. The game was slowly vanished due to injuries and accident to the players.
k. teng-ba = is a sour and sweet concoction fermented from the water used to cook sweet potato. It is said to enhance digestion and energy drink. Good for cooking and as condiments.
l. tet-e = the sugar byproduct after cooking continuously the water used to cook sweet potato. The sweet potato is removed after it is fully cooked and the water is continuously cooked until the water is all evaporated and only the sticky sweet sugar will remain. It is gathered by using a bamboo steak to collect the sugar. The “politipot” the sugar in the bamboo steak is the lollipop of the “kankana-ey”.
m. get-get-e = indigenous massage. Children who wanted to listen stories from the elders gathered in the “atato-an” and do this massage to the elders while they are telling stories from the old days. The stories can be fable, stories of tribal wars, travel to far places and many more. During this story telling that the old culture of the villagers are pass on to the young generations. The “get-get-e” is a massage for the palm of the hands and the feet.
n. dag-dages = another indigenous massage which is done by using two steak and slightly scrunched to the skin in the palm of the feet. Performed by children to elders during story telling at the “atato-an.”
o. buyag = is the prayer of the “am-ama” to invoke the powers of the spirits. The prayers is a narration of names of known warriors and leaders of the clan in the community who became spirits, and the spirits in all the “pakpakedlan,” spirits of the thunder, the lightning, the water, the forest, the farm, the roads, the weapon, the night, the day, the typhoon and many more. The narration of all the spirit is in sequence which varied in the occasion that the spirits are invoked. This prayer is sacred that only those who are called by the elder to help is the allowed to learn it.
p. ak-aking-ngaking = childrens game where 2 to 4 players are playing. It is done by interlocking their feet backward and they jump in synchronicity while singing a song at the same time clapping.
q. awel = is a gift given to a child when the child for the first time visits a relative, friend in other village. It is in a form of rice, animals or any useful materials. The giver of the gift "awel" recognizes that the child is a blessing to the family. This culture shows that native "kankana-ey"s respect and love children ever since.
r. Penek or manpenek = "penek" is a fishing tool of the natives. "manpenek" is the act of using the tool in fishing.
s. mang-ngu-be = a traditional way of catching fish particularly the mad fish in the rice paddies. A trap made up of bamboo is placed in the rice paddies overnight and retrieve early in the morning. The trap is setup during dusk. A fisherman uses not only one trap but several trap are used to insure more catch.
t. baw-wet = a child's toy. It is made up of wood and is played similar with that of the tops.
u. laget = the proper term used in the traditional way of preparing chicken or pig instead of the popular "penikpekan". The term "pikpek" is an ilocano term for beat, and because the method of killing the chicken is by several beats to the wings and the neck, then ilocano's who have seen the method called it "penikpekan", but it is wrong to say "penikpekan" to a pig because the pig is not beat up to death. Some say it is a cruel way of killing chicken but it is culture and practice.
v. o-tom = method of cooking without using any put or cooking utensils. Fish, shells and vegetable or meat can be cooked by wrapping them with banana leaves, then dug a hole in the ground then put the wrapped food in the hole next is to cover it with thin layer of soil then put fire on top of the hole. Several minutes then the food is cooked.
w. e-yo = the term meaning "trap". A trap used for animal like birds, rodents and many more.
x. maniket = the method of catching birds that eats the rice at its stage of maturing. The birds are attacking the rice fields by the hundreds and the "maniket" is one way of reducing the and shooing them away. This is done by preparing a sticky concoction of plants and placed in a stick. The trapper will construct a small hide beside the rice fields and at the top of the hide, he will place the stick with the sticky concoction, then he imitates the sound of the birds to attract them to land on the sticky stick and the birds are trap and can not move, then the birds are gathered and later prepared for delicacy.
h. ugugbo = is a tradition where a work in a farm is done by everybody to make the job faster. This is done by helping a farmer with the work in his farm until the job is done then all of the worker will work in the next farm owned by anyone from the group until all of the farms of those who participated in the “ugugbo” is completed. It is also practiced during house construction where the villagers help in the gathering of construction material like “go-on” nepa, wood, and other construction material. Today it is still being practiced only modified where villagers will help during the construction of the roofing of the house.
i. sapata = it is a swear in a form of a curse that when someone who is accused of bad doing but no solid evidence against him and the accused denies the allegation, the “sapata” is the last resort. All of the accused and suspects are called in the “atato-an” and they are lined standing looking up high in the sun, then with a ritual from the “am-ama” all of the accused and suspects will swear to their ancestors that if they are the culprit, the wrath of all the ancestors of all who swear will bear down on the culprit. Many believe that this ritual is effective with agonizing effect to the culprit and to his immediate family member. If one back-out from the “sapata” and he is one of the suspect or accused, he is said to be the guilty party.
j. gag-gag-ten = a game for boys to show up their bravery. It is played by pairs. One boy is piggyback by another and the same with the opponent. A referee is the one to proclaim the winner and judge the proper way of playing. The game is played by using the feet of the piggyback as a pushing and punching against the opponent. The boy who is piggyback is not allowed to kick, he has to make sure that his feet is solidly straight and does not fold to avoid kicking. The boy who is carrying the piggyback is the one to use the feet to knockdown their opponent. The winner is the pair who is standing and who has no knockdown. The game was slowly vanished due to injuries and accident to the players.
k. teng-ba = is a sour and sweet concoction fermented from the water used to cook sweet potato. It is said to enhance digestion and energy drink. Good for cooking and as condiments.
l. tet-e = the sugar byproduct after cooking continuously the water used to cook sweet potato. The sweet potato is removed after it is fully cooked and the water is continuously cooked until the water is all evaporated and only the sticky sweet sugar will remain. It is gathered by using a bamboo steak to collect the sugar. The “politipot” the sugar in the bamboo steak is the lollipop of the “kankana-ey”.
m. get-get-e = indigenous massage. Children who wanted to listen stories from the elders gathered in the “atato-an” and do this massage to the elders while they are telling stories from the old days. The stories can be fable, stories of tribal wars, travel to far places and many more. During this story telling that the old culture of the villagers are pass on to the young generations. The “get-get-e” is a massage for the palm of the hands and the feet.
n. dag-dages = another indigenous massage which is done by using two steak and slightly scrunched to the skin in the palm of the feet. Performed by children to elders during story telling at the “atato-an.”
o. buyag = is the prayer of the “am-ama” to invoke the powers of the spirits. The prayers is a narration of names of known warriors and leaders of the clan in the community who became spirits, and the spirits in all the “pakpakedlan,” spirits of the thunder, the lightning, the water, the forest, the farm, the roads, the weapon, the night, the day, the typhoon and many more. The narration of all the spirit is in sequence which varied in the occasion that the spirits are invoked. This prayer is sacred that only those who are called by the elder to help is the allowed to learn it.
p. ak-aking-ngaking = childrens game where 2 to 4 players are playing. It is done by interlocking their feet backward and they jump in synchronicity while singing a song at the same time clapping.
q. awel = is a gift given to a child when the child for the first time visits a relative, friend in other village. It is in a form of rice, animals or any useful materials. The giver of the gift "awel" recognizes that the child is a blessing to the family. This culture shows that native "kankana-ey"s respect and love children ever since.
r. Penek or manpenek = "penek" is a fishing tool of the natives. "manpenek" is the act of using the tool in fishing.
s. mang-ngu-be = a traditional way of catching fish particularly the mad fish in the rice paddies. A trap made up of bamboo is placed in the rice paddies overnight and retrieve early in the morning. The trap is setup during dusk. A fisherman uses not only one trap but several trap are used to insure more catch.
t. baw-wet = a child's toy. It is made up of wood and is played similar with that of the tops.
u. laget = the proper term used in the traditional way of preparing chicken or pig instead of the popular "penikpekan". The term "pikpek" is an ilocano term for beat, and because the method of killing the chicken is by several beats to the wings and the neck, then ilocano's who have seen the method called it "penikpekan", but it is wrong to say "penikpekan" to a pig because the pig is not beat up to death. Some say it is a cruel way of killing chicken but it is culture and practice.
v. o-tom = method of cooking without using any put or cooking utensils. Fish, shells and vegetable or meat can be cooked by wrapping them with banana leaves, then dug a hole in the ground then put the wrapped food in the hole next is to cover it with thin layer of soil then put fire on top of the hole. Several minutes then the food is cooked.
w. e-yo = the term meaning "trap". A trap used for animal like birds, rodents and many more.
x. maniket = the method of catching birds that eats the rice at its stage of maturing. The birds are attacking the rice fields by the hundreds and the "maniket" is one way of reducing the and shooing them away. This is done by preparing a sticky concoction of plants and placed in a stick. The trapper will construct a small hide beside the rice fields and at the top of the hide, he will place the stick with the sticky concoction, then he imitates the sound of the birds to attract them to land on the sticky stick and the birds are trap and can not move, then the birds are gathered and later prepared for delicacy.
y. Bagbagto = is a song. Many doe’s not know that the song is a narration
of old names of male who belong from one blood line. They are said to be warriors
who fought in many battles, and when they conquer a village or tribe one of
them will stay and be the head of the people. They then became the wealthiest
person in the village and they are called “kadangyan.” They owned most of the agricultural
and pasture land. The complete song goes like this:
Bagbagto
Bagbagto Bagbato Lambik
To Lambik tollam Baw-ikan
Baw-ikan Baw-ikalanay
Kalanay Kalan na Punay
Na Punay ya Agta
Na ya Agta na ya Agta Kompa
Ta Kompa Ta Kompa Yak-eo
Pa Yak-eo Pa ya Kating baw
Kating baw Kating Balangaw
Balangaw Balang Gawidan
Gawidan Gawidan Tanbog
Tanabog Tana Bogak-ey
Bogak-ey Bogak ya Alipey
Alipey ale ya Papayos Papayos
papa Yotek-en
Yotek-en
Yotek ya Kamad-eng Kamad-eng
Kamad Diong-as Diong-as
Diong-as ya Abkas
Diong-as ya Abkas
Other readings for your information. Thank you!
