Igorots keep the coffins of the dead open until it is ready for internment. The coffin is usually made by the men from wood materials around. There are no funeral parlors so the family and the people around help each other in taking care of their dead.
Different rituals are done from the start of the wake. Old men have their own way of praying for the dead with the use of rice wine and meat. The moment the men start their ritual; no one is allowed to talk or even stand up. It is a very solemn moment and only the men praying could be heard.
We call the blanket PINAGPAGAN. This is one of the most expensive blankets for the dead of the Igorot Tribes.
The internment: A priest blesses the dead before it is laid into the resting place.
Women are in charged of preparing the food to be served.
Although gambling seems an inappropriate way to raise money to help the aggrieved family. It has become part of the wake. This is where most of the money comes from. The percentage cut from the winners is a big help to pay for the expenses incurred. I will at least lessen the burden of the family.
Different rituals are done from the start of the wake. Old men have their own way of praying for the dead with the use of rice wine and meat. The moment the men start their ritual; no one is allowed to talk or even stand up. It is a very solemn moment and only the men praying could be heard.
We call the blanket PINAGPAGAN. This is one of the most expensive blankets for the dead of the Igorot Tribes.
During the wake, pig is butchered and prepared to feed the people but the most important part here is determining if the bile shows signs of a good omen for the aggrieved family or not. Only the old men could read what the bile would indicate. If the men sees something negative, another pig should be butchered. This is very important since the family of the dead will suffer whatever consequences if the ceremony is not properly done. Silence must be observed strictly as the men are performing the ceremony.
Women are in charged of preparing the food to be served.
Although gambling seems an inappropriate way to raise money to help the aggrieved family. It has become part of the wake. This is where most of the money comes from. The percentage cut from the winners is a big help to pay for the expenses incurred. I will at least lessen the burden of the family.
