"Apade" - The Igorot Fairies

by: Felisa Daskeo

My father was a prolific storyteller who spiced my youth with interesting if not adorable stories. There was this strange story that was left unexplained.I haven't heard any development of this story since then, but I believe it was true.

When tribal wars were still predominant in our region; an unexplained phenomenon kept my father’s village safe from the neighboring enemies.

As soon as darkness swallowed the village, clusters of lights out of nowhere surrounded it and kept the enemies at bay. They called these "APADE". And they are like moving torches. These were the fairies of the Igorots in Tadian Mt. Province.

My father said that Tadian, Mt. Province has never been attacked by the enemies since they thought that the lights were the villagers themselves protecting their village.

When we were young, we often saw lights scattered around the mountains. We often thought they were men, but we learned from my father that they were not. They were the "APADE", which were like fairies of the town.

There was this story a long time ago about a man who caught one of them out of curiosity and was surprised to discover only dirt on his hand.

When modernization was adapted by the Igorots, the "Apade" slowly left the village. There was this story told that a man once saw lights parading away from the town and a voice saying, "We'll leave this place. We are of no use anymore." Perhaps they left to find another place to protect from danger. As for Tadian, it still is a very safe and peaceful place to stay even to these days. 

Sad to say, these considered fairies slowly vanished with the modernization of lifestyle. They say that these fairies were driven away by modern technology. They love peace a long time ago.

Copyright 2020 Felisa Daskeo. Do not copy.


What's even sadder is that these fairies will never come back to Tadian.

How to Win an Igorot Man's Approval

By: Felisa Daskeo

The online craze brought about by the handsome Igorot had abated and everyone in FB is back to normal life but we will never forget Jeyrick Sigmaton aka Mr. Carrotman. His pictures are still flocking FB and gaining several views and likes from fans.

Image credit by Paul Louie Serrano

After Jeyrick, and Cabbageman who also captured the attention of many people because of his undeniably good looks, more Igorot men came out from their hiding places and posted their pictures. And more and more people are now proving that many Igorots are good looking too just like other Filipinos.

During the height of Mr. Carrotman’s online popularity, something interesting sprouted in FB. A lady admittedly said that she was overjoyed by the turn of events. She has proven that her Igorot boyfriend is really kind and not just pretending.

With the positive turn of events, I’m sure there are ladies out there who are already getting curious about Igorot men.

Here’s something to satisfy your curiosity about Igorot Men.

The new Igorot generation may be different.

•       He is not the romantic type of man.

He can buy you expensive jeans but do not expect chocolates and roses from him.

•      He is not fond of physical appearance when choosing a woman.

The Igorot man does not choose a woman according to face and body value. In fact, he prefers someone who is not beautiful but who is not afraid to soil her hands. He does not think good looks is the way to a man's heart. The first thing that attracts him is what's inside your heart. Never mind if you are not physically beautiful for as long as you have a beautiful heart and mind.

•              He does not display his affection in public.

In fact, he prefers the romantic part of his life to be very private. During my childhood days, I have observed that unlike the Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Visayans, and other Filipinos, Igorots never held hands while walking and they never displayed any kind of affection to each other. Of course, the new generation is far different from what we were before. But there are still many Igorot men who still cling to the old tradition.

•       He is very practical.

He will not let you go hungry but don’t expect him to bring you to a five-star restaurant even if he can afford it. The Igorot man can build you a beautiful, sturdy and expensive dwelling but he won't buy you jewelry and cars if they are only meant to show off. He will buy a car because it is necessary.

•          He is the rugged type man.

Don’t make him wear the well-pressed slacks and polo shirt because he prefers the rugged denim pants and T-shirt. Buy him Levi's 501 and he'll love you more for that.

•          He doesn’t talk too much.

He talks only in a few words but with sense. Be sure to listen carefully.

•          He is a family man.

He loves his family and works hard to provide for his family. His family first before others.

•          He loves everything country.

He enjoys listening to country music, reading cowboy paperbacks, and wearing rugged denims.

•          He is kind, caring and responsible.

Although he is not very romantic, he is kind and caring. He always makes sure that you are safe and well.

•          He’s a hard-worker.

He works very hard to earn a living and does not choose what kind of job for as long as he can do it.

Ladies, brace yourselves because here’s the core of the article.

Here’s how to win an Igorot man’s approval.

The Don’ts.

• He doesn’t like the “maarte” and the “maluho”.
• He doesn’t like a woman with well-manicured nails.
• He doesn’t like a woman who is too confident about herself.
• He doesn’t like a “loud” woman.

The Do’s.

• He likes a simple woman with simple lifestyle.
• He likes a woman who is a “katuwang sa buhay”.
• He likes a conservative woman.
• He likes a woman who is aware of her surroundings.
• He likes a woman who will be a wife and a mother.
• He likes a woman who will be his partner in decision making.

Now, ladies out there, you can breathe now. Of course, just like any other situation, not all Igorot men are the same. And that depends on how both of you will work on the relationship. Igorot or not Igorot, there are always factors that will affect a relationship. But of course putting yourself in the right place will help make a relationship work.

5 Misconceptions About Igorots and the Truth About Them

by: Felisa Daskeo

Mr. Carrotman’s sudden surge to online stardom has made many Filipinos asking if Jeyrick Sigmaton is really an Igorot.

Credit to Paul Louie Serrano

Igorots are the most talked about indigenous people in the Philippines today because of Mr. Carrotman who is from Barlig, Mt. Province. Many people are asking the true identity of an Igorot.

Are Igorots really as good looking as Mr. Carrotman?

There’s this one post in FB that said, Jeyrick doesn’t look like an Igorot because he is not dark with curly hair.

There is nothing to be curious about or nothing to wonder about an Igorot because we are actually not far different from other Filipinos. Igorots are the indigenous group of people with traditions, beliefs and practices that are different from other Filipinos but this does not mean that Igorots are people who look different or who act differently from other Filipinos.

The misconceptions about Igorots and the truth about Igorots.

• Igorots have tails. Many people think that igorots have tails. They don’t have tails because they are human beings and not animals that is a fact. But if the tail is referred to the G-string, yes, Igorots wear G-string but only during occasions where it is needed. After the celebrations, they discard the G-string and wear their normal clothes such as jeans, shorts, shirts, or pants. They don’t wear that loincloth everyday.

• Igorotslive in tree houses. Some people believe that Igorots are still living in tree houses just like those built by the first Filipinos up on the trees to protect themselves from their enemies and wild animals. This is not true. Igorots live in sturdy-built houses that could withstand storms and earthquakes.

One of the several Igorot Villages in the Cordillera.

•  Igorots are short, dark, with curly hair. Definitely not true. I have never seen an Igorot who is like an Aeta. Igorots are mostly fair-skinned with black straight hair just like most Filipinos.

They are all Igorots. Three of them are teachers, one is an accountant and one is the wife of the Baranggay Captain.

• Igorots do not know how to cook. If you are talking about gourmet cooking, I would say yes. Igorots cook simple meals without many food enhancers. That was what it used to be, but in this technologically rich society, many Igorots have learned to cook too just like other Filipinos. In fact, their popular “pinikpikan” has evolved too.

Traditional cooking of glutinous rice to be wrapped in banana leaves.

• Igorots are still primitive. Definitely not. In this computer age, Igorots live a lifestyle just like the other Filipinos in the lowlands. They have big, beautiful houses. They have furniture and appliances at home. They have computers and gadgets. They eat adobo, kare-kare, fried chicken, sinigang, sweet and sour, spaghetti, pancit, pizza, hotdog, hamburger, etc.

Igorots may not be the “fashionistas”, they love jeans and shirts, They are not “maarte”, and they prefer to look simple and conservative, and not “maluho” they are very frugal and spend their money only in necessities, but they are definitely not primitive people.

5 Misconceptions About Igorots and the Truth About Them

by: Felisa Daskeo

Mr. Carrotman’s sudden surge to online stardom has made many Filipinos asking if Jeyrick Sigmaton is really an Igorot. Now an award winning actor, Jeyrick is still that simple and humble man.

Credit to Paul Louie Serrano

Igorots are the most talked about indigenous people in the Philippines today because of Mr. Carrotman who is from Barlig, Mt. Province. Many people are asking the true identity of an Igorot.

Are Igorots really as good looking as Mr. Carrotman?

There’s this one post in FB that said, Jeyrick doesn’t look like an Igorot because he is not dark with curly hair.

There is nothing to be curious about or nothing to wonder about an Igorot because we are actually not far different from other Filipinos. Igorots are the indigenous group of people with traditions, beliefs and practices that are different from other Filipinos but this does not mean that Igorots are people who look different or who act differently from other Filipinos.

The misconceptions about Igorots and the truth about Igorots.

• Igorots have tails. Many people think that igorots have tails. They don’t have tails because they are human beings and not animals that is a fact. But if the tail is referred to the G-string, yes, Igorots wear G-string but only during occasions where it is needed. No human being has a tail.

• Igorots live in tree houses. Some people believe that Igorots are still living in tree houses. Hundreds of years ago, when the Philippines was still covered with thick grasses and forests, Igorots may have lived in tree houses and caves, just like other Filipinos. But the modern times tells me that even Igorots in the mountains live is nicely constructed homes that could withstand storms and earthquakes.

One of the several Igorot Villages in the Cordillera.

•  Igorots are short, dark, with curly hair. Definitely not true.. Igorots are mostly fair-skinned with black straight hair just like most Filipinos. 

They are all Igorots. Three of them are teachers, one is a CPA-LAWYER and one is the wife of the Baranggay Captain.

• Igorots do not know how to cook.  Again, this maybe true a long time ago but in this computer age where everybody is already exposed to the modern lifestyle, Igorots are also foodies, crowding the market with there own home-made delicacies. In fact, even the "Pinkpikan" has evolved too with the passing of years.  But then again, many Igorots are still entrenched in their traditional, simple way of cooking. 

Traditional cooking of glutinous rice to be wrapped in banana leaves. Locally called - patopat.

• Igorots are still primitive. Definitely untrue. Just like anything else around the world, life evolves, changes, and improves. The Igorot lifestyle has also evolved with the changes that took place around the world. In this computer age, Igorots live a lifestyle just like the other Filipinos.  

Igorots may not be the “fashionistas”, they love jeans and shirts, They are not “maarte”, and they prefer to look simple and conservative, and not “maluho” they are very frugal and spend their money only in necessities, but they are definitely not primitive people.

Note: Igorots are scattered around the world. Many Igorots are very successful in their careers, but they aren't wearing tags on their backs, so you will never know that they belong to a tribe that is always discriminated. So, the next time you are eating in a fine restaurant and you see a man in cowboy hat and boots, don't be surprised if he could afford to eat there.

You Don't Look like an Igorot!!!

by: Felisa Daskeo

This is a pure blooded Igorot's house. She's a CPA-Lawyer.

During the time when Jeyrick Sigmaton, the Carrotman from Mt. Province got the attention of the internet and went viral, I have seen a few awful remarks about Igorots on Facebook. One man was barking like a wild dog and expressing his own wrath over Igorots. I don’t know why. Another woman talked about Igorots being like pigs, to my utter disgust.


The most annoying part is, every time I say, "I am an Igorot"; I hear the words, "But you don't look like an Igorot.

What exactly do they mean by that phrase?

We, Igorots, don't go online injecting obscenities and expletives about Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Warays, etc, because we believe that everyone is entitled to his own way of life no matter what kind of life you have. To shorten it, we are all Filipinos and we are all the same; there is no difference. Physically, Igorots are not far different from other Filipinos. There are several Igorot men and women who are as good looking as some actors and actresses around.

To set it straight, IGOROTS are not short, small, dark and with curly hair people.

Surprised to see a good-looking Igorot? Don't be.

Here are 9 things that you should know about Igorots.

·        1.  Igorots are perhaps the humblest people to be around.

An Igorot will tell you that he is living in a shanty but you will find out soon that he is living in a beautiful house complete with good furniture and appliances. She will tell you that she has no money but look into her wallet and you can find thick wads of bills. You can meet a dirty-looking man or woman that you can easily describe as a farmer or vendor, only to find out that he can either be a lawyer, a doctor or an engineer and she, an accountant, a manager or business owner helping in the fields or garden. They will not ask to be called sir or ma’am even if they have master’s degrees and doctorate degrees. They want respect, but they don’t ask for more.

A cute Igorot boy.

·         Igorots value education so much.

Parents can go without shoes or good clothes in order to send their children to school. You can see a man or a woman that you will easily mistake as a beggar, but mind you, that man may be the father of a lawyer and that woman may be the mother of three big-time businessmen. They can live without good clothes and other accessories, but they cannot live without a good education for the children.

·        2.  Igorots are not fashionistas.

An Igorot is definitely not fond of fashion. But of course, the young generation has different tastes nowadays and could be fashionistas too, but definitely, most Igorots do not go with the flow of fashion trends. Being the rugged type of people in the mountains, they prefer jeans and shirts. She can try wearing a dress for a while but she will always go back to her jeans and shirt because that is what she is used to. Men love to wear all types of jackets, except of course the jackets with so many embellishments. They would prefer the simple leather jacket even if it is expensive. Men also love wearing leather boots.

·       3.  Igorots love Country Music and Cowboy Stories/Action Movies.

Igorots love the songs of Kenny Rogers, Don Williams, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Scotty McCreery,, etc. I guess it has something to do with the weather and the geographical setting too. Igorots aren't the drama-type people when it comes to movies. They love action that is why they love Western movies.

·       4.   Igorots are practical.

This is just a portion of Tadian, Mt. Province. Tadian is now crowded with big, beautiful houses.

Igorots are very practical people. They think first of their necessities before the luxuries and what’s beyond necessary. First thing first, a sturdy house, food on the table and education for the kids. Although some can afford to be sometimes luxurious, they shrug off their shoulders if someone will offer them products that are unnecessary for their daily life. If an Igorot buys something, it must be useful and not something to display or use once in a while.

·         5. Igorots are simple.

Igorots live simple lives. They only avail things that are important even if they have the means to be extravagant. They have inherited the frugal lives of their ancestors up to this stage. If made to choose between a sports car and a truck, he would readily choose a truck.

·        6.  Igorots always think of the future.

      Igorots always set aside something for tomorrow. They are not one day millionaires. An Igorot man will work hard and save because he knows that nothing is permanent in this world. He will always think of the future of his family. Before spending, he will ask himself first, "What if?"

·         7. Igorot men value their family so much.

The number one priority of an Igorot man is a stable family. He works very hard to provide the necessities of the family. He is a responsible man, and he makes sure his family is secured.

·        8.  Igorot men and women are DIY people.

Igorots are “do it yourself” people. They can easily organize things even if they didn’t learn about it by using simple common sense. Like me, I am not a carpenter, but I usually do simple carpentry work at home. It is part of being an Igorot to do things on your own and not hire other people to do it for you.

·        9.  Igorot women are not frigid. 

A few years ago I read an article in a newspaper talking about women in the mountain regions being frigid. The article further said that this is the reason why more and more men are looking for wives in the lowlands. I almost laughed. Igorot women may not be that very sweet and showy, but they are definitely not frigid.

I am a pure-blooded Igorot and I am definitely not short, small, dark and with curly hair. The next time you hear someone say, "Igorotak" and you can't believe it; don't open your mouth to say, "Oh, but you are so beautiful to be an Igorot." Just admire the Igorot beauty that is in front of you' because out there, there are so many beautiful and handsome Igorots circulating around with you that you aren't aware about.

Copyright Felisa Daskeo 2016

Mr. Carrotman is an Igorot

I was awed, shocked and amazed with what I saw yesterday.  

Image Credit: Paul Louie Serrano

Who is this Carrotman?

When I saw his name tagged with Igorot, it made my blood shoot up in excitement and I could feel that aha moment crawling inside me.

Yes, I was at the peak of utmost joy because I learned that the young man they were calling Mr. Carrotman is an Igorot. And everything Igorot turns me on and makes me rushing to my computer keys.

Mt. Province’s Mr. Carrotman has caught the attention of thousands of netizens when his picture was shared on Facebook. Yesterday, I had been following the photos of the handsome Igorot man being shared on Facebook. Today, I was really shocked because it seems that his pictures appeared every minute while I was scrolling the posts on FB.

Perhaps now that Mr. Carrotman has finally wowed the netizens and became the hottest sensation for two days, those who still think that Igorots are dark-skinned with curly hair will make up their mind and change their opinions regarding the Igorots. Will there be still doubts about Igorots being human beings?

Well, it seems to me, being an Igorot does not in any way alter the situation that wherever you go, whether in the mountains, in the lowlands, the desert or the cities, there are good-looking people as well as not so pleasant looking people. Because that is a fact and the truth. It is not impossible to see a handsome Igorot in the middle of the wild or a beautiful Igorot lady tending to an old lady in a rich district in Manhattan.

It is absurd to say that there are no handsome and no beautiful Igorots because there are already a few Igorots who have come out from their shell and showed who the Igorots are. Marky Cielo is one of them. Too bad and sad that he didn’t last long, but we saw him and watched as he performed with gracefulness in his dance moves on stage. Paulo Avelino is also an Igorot. They are both Igorots, and they don’t have tails. They are not dark, small and curly-haired too. There are other Igorots who have made good names in showbiz. Igorots are all over the world working as businessmen, engineers, nurses, teachers, lawyers, doctors, etc. etc. But they don't have name tags, so you can never tell if they are Igorots.

Now, comes the Mr. Carrotman and I’m sure given the chance to prove his worth, he will be like the other Igorots who have made a name and are still making a name in showbiz.

I wish Mr. Carrotman good luck should he be given a place in the showbiz world. Hopefully, he will be good like the others and make another big name for the Igorots. You will be a pride of the Igorots.

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Mr. Carrotman Takes Social Networking Sites by Storm

The Sagawsaw is a Ceremony Performed for Someone who Accidentally Killed a Person

by: Felisa Daskeo

The Sagawsaw

The Sagawsaw is a pagan ceremony that requires only the dog as the sacrificial animal. In

this ceremony, the bile is not considered. It is only the killing of the dog that is important. 

The priest utters some epithets as the dog is killed.



Here are some examples of epithets being uttered by the pagan priest:

• May this man be more courageous, strong, invulnerable and live long.

• May he kill more people to bring glory to his fellowmen and to his community.

This ceremony is performed only in cases when one has accidentally killed a person or a 

man has just come from a penitentiary as a result of a grave case. The person for whom the 

Sagawsaw is performed cannot partake in the dog meat, but he has to be present during the 

ceremony. The ceremony is done in an uninhabited house. The person whom the ceremony

is performed will be allowed to go home early the next morning.

Copyright Felisa Daskeo 2016

The Paypay is an Igorot Ceremony Intended to Call back the Spirit of a Person Gone Astray

by: Felisa Daskeo

Paypay is pronounced as (pai-pai)

The Paypay – this is also a simple pagan celebration just like the Ed-edew but celebrated with a different purpose.

These are the reasons why the Paypay is performed.

1. If a person survives an accident. Say for example a man, woman or youngster was spared from a car accident or any accident encountered.

2. If a person has been hospitalized because of a serious illness.

3. If one came from a war or any situation in which life is at stake. This is performed because the belief is that if there is no ceremony, the person involved will always be in a grip of fear or frightful situation. Performing the said ceremony will spare the person of fear.

At sunrise, a pagan priest will go to the mountain peak nearby with a rooster. He will then shout at the top of his voice entrusting the spirit of the subject person to return safely home.

Igorots believe that in any accident, battles or while a person is in the hospital fighting for his or her life, the person’s spirit is scared and has to leave the body to wander elsewhere. This causes restlessness and insomnia to the person. The ceremony is performed in order to call back the spirit of the person. As soon as the priest returns to the house, the rooster is set free while a hen is offered to the anitos (spirits of the dead ancestors. This ends the Paypay with the belief that theh spirit gone astray has now returned back to the body of the person. And so, the subject person will live a normal life.

You might also like:

Ed-edew

the Otop

The Baskang

The Pakde

Copyright Felisa Daskeo 2016

Igorot Practices and Traditions: Ed-edew is performed After a Fearful Dream

by: Felisa Daskeo

Ed-edew- Pronounced as [id-idəw]

Ed-edew is another Igorot practice that involves a simple ceremony with a chicken as an offering. The Igorots value peaceful and comfortable living very much so that even nightmares and bad dreams need to be taken care of. The chicken is offered to the spirits or anitos after a bad dream especially if a person had a fearful dream about his or her ancestors.

Ed-edew is also performed when someone is traveling to another place, whether it is near of far, to look for a job of if the person is selling anything for gain or going into any venture to bring back gain.

Igorots believe that offering sacrifices to the spirits or anitos will bring forth positive results. Again, just like all the other ceremonies, the old men have to look at the position of the bile carefully to make sure that the ceremony produces a fruitful result.

Read more:

The Otop

The Baskang

The Pakde

Copyright Felisa Daskeo 2016

Igorots Observe "OTOP" to Forestall Similar Disaster Occurences

by: Felisa Daskeo

Igorots have their own practices, beliefs and traditions that they perform. The early Igorots have religiously followed these practices but today with the change in lifestyle, only a few are following the practices and traditions.

One of the ceremonies that Igorots celebrate is called the “Otop”. This involves only a small part of a town such as the “Purok” or cluster houses or just a neighborhood affected by the disaster.

The “Otop” is observed when there are untoward incidents that happened such as death by accident or fire in the neighborhood. The Igorots believe that this ceremony will help forestall similar cases happening in the future.

In the ceremony, the old men or a pagan priest offers chicken to the spirits or “anitos” so that no similar misfortunes will occur in the future. It is also very important that the affected people or families will refrain from going to work. This is called “ngilin”. Non-observance will produce a negative result that means there will be another disaster or similar cases may occur. That is why; the “ngilin” is strictly followed by those concerned.

The sacrificing of chicken is the most crucial part of this ceremony for it is in the kind of bile of the sacrificed chicken that future occurrences are based. If the bile is in good quality according to the old men, there is clear evidence that things will go fine. If the bile does not present a good quality, then another chicken should be sacrificed until such time that the bile is good.

Only the old men who are the authority in ceremonies like this can tell what type of bile will seal the ceremony. There are different types of bile positions and these types are the determiners of how good the situations will be. Once the quality of the bile is good, the old men will declare that everything is fine and that the ceremony will continue.

The ceremony is very important and more importantly the way the ceremony is performed has a great bearing in the future occurrences in the “purok”. This is why the old men are very careful in planning and performing the ceremony.

Read more about Igorot Practices:

Baskang-Igorot Ritual for the Newly Married or a Young Family

The Pakde

Copyright Felisa Daskeo 2016

         

"Baskang" - Igorot Ritual for the Newly Married Couple or a Young Family

by: Felisa Daskeo

Like all other Filipino ethnic groups, Igorots have their own practices and beliefs that identify them from other Filipinos. This practice has been handed from generation to generation but it is not anymore recognized by the new generation. Except for a very few, the “baskang” is a never heard word to the young generation.

"Baskang" is the first Cañao for a starting family or newly married couple to provide material blessings as well as bliss to the young family. Igorots believe that performing the ritual and asking “kabunian” – the Igorot God and all the spirits of those departed- blessings will make life easier and happier for the young family.
Prior preparations are made by the family weeks before the ceremony. 

Here are the offerings made during “Baskang”.

3 pigs

One cow

A boar

A piglet

4 chickens

In addition to these, several wine jars have been readied before the celebration. Since this is a feast, three cavans of rice or ten baskets of camote (sweet potato) are also included.  The quantity of food and rice wine prepared is determined by the number of people to be invited.

The well wishers may bring gifts for the celebrants. Gifts come in cash or in kind, there are always abundance of gifts in kind such as palay, chickens, and other food items during the celebration.

On the day of the celebration, the guests and neighbors will feast on food and wine.

The “Baskang” and all other celebrations are observed by the Igorots with so much faith. From the day of the celebration up to the 7^th day, the family observes utter state of idleness. The “ngilin” or the holiday for the family is like a seclusion time. The family will put a “pudong”- reeds knotted at the end and tied on the gate or entrance to the house- to warn people that the family is not to be disturbed or visited. On this occasion, nobody should attempt to enter the gate or knock on the door because it is strictly prohibited to enter the abode of a family celebrating a ritual. Celebrations are considered very sacred and no interference is made.

On the third day of the one week holiday observance for the family, a chicken is to be sacrificed and on the 7^th day, a sow is butchered to signify the termination of the celebrant’s period of seclusion or “ngilin”.

After the ceremony, the celebrants can now engage in any endeavor. And henceforth, the husband can sit among the group of exclusive men who are regarded with higher esteem by virtue of the cañao they performed. This will make the man part of the well respected men in the community who can qualify for community leadership.

Read more here:

Cañao Explained

Pakde

Copyright 2016 Felisa Daskeo

Cañao Explained

by: Felisa Daskeo

Cañao is a pagan celebration, a tradition, a ceremony, a ritual, a feast, a thanksgiving, an offering, and a peaceful holiday observed by the Igorots in the CAR (Cordillera Autonomous Region). Most of all, cañao is a kind of bonding by the people in observance of a very highly regarded event. Cañao comes in many kinds which I will discuss in my future posts.

Cañao is not just a celebration and a merry-making, the celebration is a sacred celebration by the Igorots made more sacred because it involves offering, praying and conversing to the unseen. Igorots have very high regard to the unseen spirits roaming around whom they believe have a huge part in making them successful, keeping them safe from danger and harm, keeping them sound asleep in bed, keeping them healthy, and providing them a peaceful place to live in. It is with this belief that the Igorots have made “cañao” a very important, must celebrate the event and given the highest respect.

Igorots celebrate cañao to thank their own God, the spirits of nature and the spirits of their ancestors and dead relatives. Offerings are made such as chickens, pigs, cows, carabaos, foods, and wine. This is because they believe that everything they are blessed with comes from the blessings of the unseen and calls for a celebration.

This computer age with the most advance technology has not diminished this practice of the Igorots because they are still partly rooted to the Igorot practices of a long time ago. No matter how highly educated and sophisticated an Igorot is, the Igorot culture is still running in his/her blood. 

Copyright 2016 Felisa Daskeo

Igorots Have Tails, They Live in Tree Houses

by: Felisa Daskeo

Are you an Igorot?

You probably aren’t, and if you are not an Igorot, you are perhaps wondering what an Igorot looks like, where an Igorot lives and what an Igorot eats. Up to this computer age, the word IGOROT is often frowned at and even laughed at. It is often treated awkwardly like an alien word and most of the time misunderstood.

A beautiful Igorot house view just above the rice terraces in Tadian, Mt. province.

Let’s get this straight and clear and be done with the wrong perceptions of people about Igorots.

Igorot men busy at work during the wake of my father. Men are very busy when there is work to be done during calamities.

They say that Igorots have tails? Unless an Igorot is a monkey, which he is not, he probably has a tail. But Igorots are human beings and not animals, so it is impossible for them to have tails.

Although many Igorots still cling to the traditional way of life and do not spend time making themselves look good and be presentable to others, they don't have tails. Many Igorots are beautiful and handsome, but they are hidden within their rugged styles. Look carefully into their faces and you will notice the "meztizo" blood they had inherited from their ancestors. 
Many years ago, someone said straight in my face that he couldn't see any pretty face nor a handsome face in Baguio City. I almost slapped his face, but I merely kept mum and let the line go away. Of course, he didn't know that I was an Igorot that time.

Just like other Filipinos, there are different types of Igorot faces, but you cannot generalize Igorots as all ugly and never say, Igorots have tails.

It is in all aspects absurd to say that Igorots have tails.

They say that Igorots live in tree houses. That’s a fact and yes, perhaps they have lived in tree houses thousands of years ago during the time when all the other Filipinos were also living in treehouses to protect themselves from their enemies and wild animals. But since birth in the 1960s, I haven’t seen any Igorot that ever lived in a treehouse or even as near a treehouse for that matter.

In this computer age, I don't think there are still people living in tree houses.

To set the record straight, coming from a pure bloodied Igorot; Igorots are normal people living in normal homes in an equally normal environment. They, of course, have some practices, beliefs, and traditions that are a little different from other regions in the Philippines, but they are not totally different from other Filipinos.

This was our old house before we moved to another house.

I was born in January, 1961 and this was the house where I was born. Only the lower portion of the house was renovated because the new owner of the house decided to move the door to the front.

Igorots are a group of cultural minority people in the Philippines. They live in the northern parts of the Philippines and they were known as headhunters a long time ago. The Igorots are often mistaken as Aetas and Agtas. The fact is, Igorots are just like the other majority groups of Filipinos like Ilocanos, Tagalogs, and Visayans.

The word Igorot is a generalized name of the cultural minority groups of people in the northern part of the Philippines or the Cordillera provinces. The 5 provinces in Cordillera was only one province then called Mountain Province. This province was established by the Americans in 1908. However, in 1966, Mountain Province was divided into 5 provinces, namely; Mountain Province, Kalinga, Apayao, Benguet, and Ifugao. Thus the question about who the Igorots are created a big issue and confused many people, even some Igorots themselves. The word Igorot is often wrongly defined by people as tailed people still living a primitive life. This is the reason why there are people from the Cordillera region who refuse to be called Igorot.

In a popularly known term, Igorots are people living in the Cordilleras. They are a group of people who are often mistaken by Filipinos as tailed people. Of course, unless Igorots are monkeys as I have said earlier, then it’s impossible for them to have tails. Igorots are Filipino people so the tail they are talking about is only a tale. In short, Igorots are cultural minority groups of people but they are normal people just like the Ilocanos, the Tagalogs, the Visayans and the Muslims who are all Filipinos but with different ethnicities.

Igorots may be the headhunters long time ago and that is a fact but in these modern times when technology has allowed for the discovery of every cave around the world, it would be impossible for Igorots to be still dwelling in caves and tree houses and living a primitive life. Fact is, if you visit the different places where Igorots live, their houses have passed the calculating eyes of the best engineers. Perhaps it is not impossible for an Igorot family to live in a well-constructed house because after all, who had built one of the best-engineered wonders of the world? The Igorots have built the rice terraces with only their crude tools and bare hands, yet the wonder has been constructed perfectly just like the building built by the best engineers. This further proves that Igorots are wonderful engineers who could construct great houses to dwell in.

This view is just one of the several constructions going on in Tadian.

Some Filipinos still believe that Igorots are people who live a primitive life but that is a misconception of those who do not know them. In 1970, the last man that I remembered wearing a G-string in my hometown was my own grandfather who refused to wear long pants that his children bought for him. He preferred to wear G-string because he was more comfortable wearing the piece of cloth. Every time they bought for him long pants, he cut them short. But even the shorts were not that comfortable to him, so he preferred wearing the G-string. It was only in the 1980s when he suddenly set aside his G-string and started wearing shorts and long pants.

An old house where my aunt and her family dwell. They never lived in a tree house.

I still hear so many arguments about who Igorots are. Some think that Igorots are the Aetas who are dark, short, with kinky hair and are still living a very primitive life. But even most Aetas are living a modern lifestyle and going to school nowadays. And as for the Igorots, they aren’t dark and small but most are fair and big. Even fairer than other Filipinos.

It’s a shame that many Filipinos, even educated ones, still wrongly define the Igorots.

But of course, more and more people are becoming aware that there are several Igorots circulating around the world, who are highly educated and very competitive just like the other Filipinos.

And I am proud to say that I am an Igorot

Copyright 2016 Felisa Daskeo