Way back in 2005, I started collecting sets of the different tribal costumes of the Cordilleras. I found them so diverse, hence I learned to take note of the different symbols in the designs to differentiate the distinct culture of each tribal group. Many times, I committed error in matching them as it was admittedly confusing... which one was Itneg or Isneg, Itawes or Balangao... those are just a few.
The ethnic groups are named generally after each Province: Benguet, Mt Province, Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, Ifugao. But the tribal groups in each province are many and diverse. Take Apayao for example, the geographical territory is inhabited not only by the Isnegs/Isnags, but also the Itawes, Aetas, and the Aggays. In Benguet, there are the Kankanaeys and Ibalois, also the Karaos, and the Kalanguya. Mountain Province, on the other hand has an array of tribes with their distinct costumes like the Gaddangs, Bontocs, Applais, and other groups, with differences on how many "canyaos" a family performed, animals hunted, etc. The status has its own apparel and accessories. The "buaya"necklace for example is worn by those men in the "ato" who hunted and took home the "sawing" of the wild boar.
The Cordillera region is peopled with different ethnolinguistic groups and they are proud of their identities in their own tribal affiliations. These are marked with their own spiritualities, stories, language, and community rituals which are seen in their costumes, storytelling, music, and dance. Often, these groups are mistakenly lumped together. Their costumes, dances, and rituals are mismatched and misrepresented, and doing these are not right. Artistic interpretations are trendy but sensitivity to culture must be considered. If a group has to use the costumes and perform the dances for festivals, then they must do them the correct way.
Born in the Cordilleras, I was taught the proper use of my own Applai costume. At a young age, my mother gave me my own "tapis". I was taught to wrap it around my waist as a skirt - to my right then over to my left, with the hem just below the knee and the outer end made lower. A belt was worn called "bakget" to hold the skirt.
According to the stories I heard, in the olden days, when the tribes guarded their territories with their lives, it was necessary thaty they don their costumes to be recognized by their own people and the spirits around them. So each tribe were clothed with the same color scheme and design. As a community, they co-existed as one people similar in form and adapted themselves with their own environment for survival and protection, so their way of life totally complemented their surroundings. They simulated the nature of where they lived, guided by the dictates of their animistic beliefs. This unity and harmony with nature effectively blessed their existence in a wild and harsh environment. No wonder, for hundreds of years, they were able to fight subjugation attempts of the colonizers.
With these thoughts, the strength of our cultural heritage is harnessed if we recognize and understand the distinct way of life of specific tribal groups to be able to integrate and practice the good values of their existence as contained in their costumes and traditions.
I uploaded the pictures and I randomly write this to prepare for the Seminar Workshop on STRENGTHENING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE TRANSMISSION, sponsored by the Lin-awa Center for Culture and Arts. I was invited by Ms. Lucy Ruiz, the Program Director to talk on "The Indigenous Attires/Accessories and Dances of the Cordillera provinces and Guidelines on Appropriate Use/Proper Dance Movements." I am to present about the APAYAOs.
It happened that Ms Lucy and I are both members of the Cordillera Global Network (CGN). I used the Apayao costume in one of our events entitled "Tribute to the Cordillera Heroes". From that, I was called to present about the tribe;) In fairness, doing my storybooks, I have done my earlier researches on this. But that was not enough.
Admittedly, I am not from Apayao. My father is from Sagada and my mother is from Besao, both from Mountain Province. I grew up in Mankayan, Benguet. I am from the Applai tribe and belong to the ethno-linguistic group of the Kankanaeys. I trace my memory of the Apayaos from an old man who worked with my father in our bakery business before. He was coy and amiable in his normal state. After work, however, he would drink San Miguel, then brag about being "iyapayaw", which meant a man from Apayao. He would talk about crossing the turbulent Apayao River. He said that they were called the river people or "Los Mandayas". According to him, these people were never afraid to fight their enemies. He said he walked the lush green virgin forests down to Ilocos where no one would dare trek because of the fear of getting beheaded unawares. I saw him dance like the bird "turayan" and he would seem to flow and melt with the wind. He said however that he does not have the skill of other iyapayaw who could dance perfectly with the briskness of their feet. It was interesting for me to learn that the name "iyapayaw" came from their act of yelling while their fingers tap their lips like the native American Indians do.
To carry on with this assignment to talk about the Apayaos made me really think. It is easier to talk about my roots as echoing what I observed and what elders told me would just make me summon those childhood memories to flow. Now, trying to figure out what the man Iyapayaw had been talking about made me piece together the information I gathered from some books and the internet, and people I managed to interview.
My best insight is to immerse myself in the tribal group's own context to be able to understand their symbols and designs. In the Cordilleras, even how diverse the cultural practices are, there are basic similarities which make integration easy.
I am then sharing these pictures from Bontoc, Apayao, and Kalinga. I took these photos from my own collection, and thanks much from Linda Cawed (Bontoc collection), Graal Cawed of Topskill, Lucy Ruiz of Lin-awa, the book "Form and Splendor", and the website of Apayao Province. These are valuable materials to be used as references as we educate ourselves with our own culture from before, now, and for the future.
Hopefully, a book about CULTURAL FUSION OF DISTINCT CORDILLERA COSTUMES & DANCES would soon materialize as one of our cultural resources. Working on it. Contributions are appreciated. ;)
Pureza Gomeyac - Egmalis
The ethnic groups are named generally after each Province: Benguet, Mt Province, Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, Ifugao. But the tribal groups in each province are many and diverse. Take Apayao for example, the geographical territory is inhabited not only by the Isnegs/Isnags, but also the Itawes, Aetas, and the Aggays. In Benguet, there are the Kankanaeys and Ibalois, also the Karaos, and the Kalanguya. Mountain Province, on the other hand has an array of tribes with their distinct costumes like the Gaddangs, Bontocs, Applais, and other groups, with differences on how many "canyaos" a family performed, animals hunted, etc. The status has its own apparel and accessories. The "buaya"necklace for example is worn by those men in the "ato" who hunted and took home the "sawing" of the wild boar.
The Cordillera region is peopled with different ethnolinguistic groups and they are proud of their identities in their own tribal affiliations. These are marked with their own spiritualities, stories, language, and community rituals which are seen in their costumes, storytelling, music, and dance. Often, these groups are mistakenly lumped together. Their costumes, dances, and rituals are mismatched and misrepresented, and doing these are not right. Artistic interpretations are trendy but sensitivity to culture must be considered. If a group has to use the costumes and perform the dances for festivals, then they must do them the correct way.
Born in the Cordilleras, I was taught the proper use of my own Applai costume. At a young age, my mother gave me my own "tapis". I was taught to wrap it around my waist as a skirt - to my right then over to my left, with the hem just below the knee and the outer end made lower. A belt was worn called "bakget" to hold the skirt.
According to the stories I heard, in the olden days, when the tribes guarded their territories with their lives, it was necessary thaty they don their costumes to be recognized by their own people and the spirits around them. So each tribe were clothed with the same color scheme and design. As a community, they co-existed as one people similar in form and adapted themselves with their own environment for survival and protection, so their way of life totally complemented their surroundings. They simulated the nature of where they lived, guided by the dictates of their animistic beliefs. This unity and harmony with nature effectively blessed their existence in a wild and harsh environment. No wonder, for hundreds of years, they were able to fight subjugation attempts of the colonizers.
With these thoughts, the strength of our cultural heritage is harnessed if we recognize and understand the distinct way of life of specific tribal groups to be able to integrate and practice the good values of their existence as contained in their costumes and traditions.
I uploaded the pictures and I randomly write this to prepare for the Seminar Workshop on STRENGTHENING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE TRANSMISSION, sponsored by the Lin-awa Center for Culture and Arts. I was invited by Ms. Lucy Ruiz, the Program Director to talk on "The Indigenous Attires/Accessories and Dances of the Cordillera provinces and Guidelines on Appropriate Use/Proper Dance Movements." I am to present about the APAYAOs.
It happened that Ms Lucy and I are both members of the Cordillera Global Network (CGN). I used the Apayao costume in one of our events entitled "Tribute to the Cordillera Heroes". From that, I was called to present about the tribe;) In fairness, doing my storybooks, I have done my earlier researches on this. But that was not enough.
Admittedly, I am not from Apayao. My father is from Sagada and my mother is from Besao, both from Mountain Province. I grew up in Mankayan, Benguet. I am from the Applai tribe and belong to the ethno-linguistic group of the Kankanaeys. I trace my memory of the Apayaos from an old man who worked with my father in our bakery business before. He was coy and amiable in his normal state. After work, however, he would drink San Miguel, then brag about being "iyapayaw", which meant a man from Apayao. He would talk about crossing the turbulent Apayao River. He said that they were called the river people or "Los Mandayas". According to him, these people were never afraid to fight their enemies. He said he walked the lush green virgin forests down to Ilocos where no one would dare trek because of the fear of getting beheaded unawares. I saw him dance like the bird "turayan" and he would seem to flow and melt with the wind. He said however that he does not have the skill of other iyapayaw who could dance perfectly with the briskness of their feet. It was interesting for me to learn that the name "iyapayaw" came from their act of yelling while their fingers tap their lips like the native American Indians do.
To carry on with this assignment to talk about the Apayaos made me really think. It is easier to talk about my roots as echoing what I observed and what elders told me would just make me summon those childhood memories to flow. Now, trying to figure out what the man Iyapayaw had been talking about made me piece together the information I gathered from some books and the internet, and people I managed to interview.
My best insight is to immerse myself in the tribal group's own context to be able to understand their symbols and designs. In the Cordilleras, even how diverse the cultural practices are, there are basic similarities which make integration easy.
I am then sharing these pictures from Bontoc, Apayao, and Kalinga. I took these photos from my own collection, and thanks much from Linda Cawed (Bontoc collection), Graal Cawed of Topskill, Lucy Ruiz of Lin-awa, the book "Form and Splendor", and the website of Apayao Province. These are valuable materials to be used as references as we educate ourselves with our own culture from before, now, and for the future.
Hopefully, a book about CULTURAL FUSION OF DISTINCT CORDILLERA COSTUMES & DANCES would soon materialize as one of our cultural resources. Working on it. Contributions are appreciated. ;)
Pureza Gomeyac - Egmalis