The Bontoc Igorot

“Changers” in religion

In the western pueblos of Alap, Balili, Genugan, Takong, and Sagada there has been spreading for the past two years a changing faith. The people allying themselves with the new faith call themselves “Su-pa-la′-do,” and those who speak Spanish say they are “guardia de honor.”

The Su-pa-la′-do continue to eat meat, but wash and cleanse it thoroughly before cooking. They are said also not to hold any of the ceremonials associated with the old faith. They keep a white flag flying from a pole near their dwelling, or at least one such flag in the section of the pueblo in which they reside. They also believe that Lu-ma′-wĭg will return to them in the near future.

A Tinguian man of the pueblo of Pay-yao′, Lepanto, a short journey from Agawa, in Bontoc, is said to be the leading spirit in this faith of the “guardia de honor.” It is believed to be a movement taking its rise from the restless Roman Catholic Ilokano of the coast.

In Bontoc pueblo the thought of the return of Lu-ma′-wĭg is laughed at. The people say that if Lu-ma′-wĭg was to return they would know of it. However, two families in Bontoc, one that of Finumti, the tattooer, page 205and the other that of Kayyad, a neighbor of Finumti, have a touch of a changing faith. They are known in Bontoc as O-lot′.

I was not able to trace any connection between the O-lot′ and the Su-pa-la′-do, though I presume there is some connection; but I learned of the O-lot′ only during the last few days of my stay in Bontoc. The O-lot′ are said not to eat meat, not to kill chickens, not to smoke, and not to perform any of the old ceremonies. However, I do not believe they or in fact the Su-pa-la′-do neglect all ceremonials, because such a turning from a direct, positive, and very active religious life to one of total neglect of the old religious ceremonials would seem to be impossible for an otherwise normal Igorot.

Priesthood

That the belief in spirits is the basis of Igorot religion is shown in the fact that each person or each household has the necessary power and knowledge to intercede with the anito. No class of persons has been differentiated for this function, excepting the limited one of the dream-appointed insupak or anito exorcists.

That belief in a supreme being is a later development than the belief in spirits is clear when the fact is known that a differentiated class of persons has arisen whose duty it is to intercede with Lumawig for the people as a whole.

This religious intercessor has few of the earmarks of a priest. He teaches no morals or ethics, no idea of future rewards or punishments, and he is not an idle, nonproductive member of the group. He usually receives for the consumption of his family the food employed in the ceremonies to Lumawig, but this would not sustain the family one week in the fifty-two. The term “priesthood” is applied to these people for lack of a better one, and because its use is sufficiently accurate to serve the present purpose.

There are three classes of persons who stand between the people and Lumawig, and to-day all hold an hereditary office. The first class is called “Wa-kü′,” of which there are three men, namely, Fug-ku-so′, of ato Somowan, Fang-u-wa′, of ato Lowingan, and Cho-Iûg′, of ato Sigichan. The function of these men is to decide and announce the time of all rest days and ceremonials for the pueblo. These Wa-kü′ inform the old men of each ato, and they in turn announce the days to the ato. The small boys, however, are the true “criers.” They make more noise in the evening before the rest day, crying “Tĕng-ao′! whi! tĕng-ao′!” (“Rest day! hurrah! rest day!”), than I have heard from the pueblo at any other time.

The title of the second class of intercessors is “Pa′-tay,” of whom there are two in Bontoc—Kad-lo′-san, of ato Somowan, and Fi′-Iûg, of ato Longfoy. page 206

The Pa′-tay illustrate the nature of the titles borne by all the intercessors. The title is the same as the name of the ceremony or one of the ceremonies which the person performs.

Once every new moon each Pa′-tay performs the pa′-tay ceremony in the sacred grove near the pueblo. This ceremony is for the general well-being of the pueblo.

The third class of intercessors has duties of a two-fold nature. One is to allay the rain and wind storms, called “baguios,” and to drive away the cold; and the other is to petition for conditions favorable to crops. There are seven of these men, and each has a distinct title. All are apparently of equal importance to the group.

Le-yod′, of ato Lowingan, whose title is “Ka-lob′,” has charge of the ka-lob′ ceremony held once or twice each year to allay the baguios. Ang′-way, of ato Somowan, whose title is “Chi-nam′-wi,” presides over the chi-nam′-wi ceremony to drive away the cold and fog. This ceremony usually occurs once or twice each year in January, February, or March. He also serves once each year in the fa-kĭl′ ceremony for rain. Cham-lang′-an, of ato Filig, has the title “Po-chang′,” and he has one annual ceremony for large palay. A fifth intercessor is Som-kad′, of ato Sipaat; his title is “Su′-wat.” He performs two ceremonies annually—one, the su′-wat, for palay fruitage, and the other a fa-kĭl′ for rains. Ong-i-yud′, of ato Fatayyan, is known by the title of “Ke′-ĕng.” He has two ceremonies annually, one ke′-ĕng and the other tot-o-lod′; both are to drive the birds and rats from the fruiting palay. Som-kad′, of ato Sigichan, with the title “O-ki-ad′,” has charge of three ceremonies annually. One is o-ki-ad′, for the growth of beans; another is los-kod′, for abundant camotes, and the third is fa-kĭl′, the ceremony for rain. There are four annual fa-kĭl′ ceremonies, and each is performed by a different person.

Sacred days

Tĕng-ao′ is the sacred day, the rest day, of Bontoc. It occurs on an average of about every ten days throughout the year, though there appears to be no definite regularity in its occurrence. The old men of the two ato of Lowingan and Sipaat determine when tĕng-ao′ shall occur, and it is a day observed by the entire pueblo.

The day is publicly announced in the pueblo the preceding evening. If a person goes to labor in the fields on a sacred day—not having heard the announcement, or in disregard of it—he is fined for “breaking the Sabbath.” The old men of each ato discover those who have disobeyed the pueblo law by working in the field, and they announce the names to the old men of Lowingan and Sipaat, who promptly take from the lawbreaker firewood or rice or a small chicken to the value of about 10 cents, or the wage of two days. March 3, 1903, was tĕng-ao′ page 207in Bontoc, and I saw ten persons fined for working. The fines are expended in buying chickens and pigs for the pa′-tay ceremonies of the pueblo.