Kankanay Ceremonies / (American Archaeology and Ethnology)

by C. R. Moss

Omens and Taboo

The Kankanay pay even more attention to omens in connection with rituals or in their ordinary occupations than do the Nabaloi. Snakes, lizards, or certain birds crossing the roads are omens of bad luck. If anything falls, if a rock becomes detached and rolls down the hill, or a person stumbles, some calamity is sure to follow unless it can be averted by means of ceremonies.

The taboos among the Kankanay are even more numerous and last longer than among the Nabaloi. This may be partly due to the fact that the Kankanay are a more primitive people.

The taboo and the belief in omens is common to all the Igorot tribes, and the latter is prevalent to some extent among many of the lower class Christian Filipinos.

Comparative Nabaloi and Southern Kankanay Ceremonies[4]

Nabaloi	Southern Kankanay	Purpose
Buyon, Sabat, Bakno	Anap	For divining cause of sickness and its cure by standing stick or egg on end, by swinging stone, or by looking into liquid mirror.
Manoni	Manman	Divining future by looking at gall of chicken.
Bindayan	Bindian	Originally a head-taking celebration. Now given to cure or prevent sickness, or in compliance with a promise made while sick.
Pachit	Mandit	Originally a peace celebration. Now given to cure or prevent sickness, to obtain long life and good luck, and to enhance the prestige of the giver.
Chawak	Dawak	A pachit or mandit on a small scale, and given for the same purpose.
Bayog	Basit dawak	A very small chawak or dawak. (The prayer in mandit is called bayog.)
Batbat	Batbat	Against sickness.
Saad	Saad	A small batbat.
Kapi	Kapi	To prevent sickness of which one has been warned in dreams.
Amdag	Amlag	To secure release of the soul when it has been imprisoned by the amlag.
Tawal	Lawit	To induce a soul which has wandered away to return.
Tingiting	Tingiting	To cause return of souls which have flown away with the fire and smoke of a burning dwelling house.
Palis	Palis	Against witches.
Sagausau	Palis	To cause harm to befall an enemy or to avert harm from the giver.
Buang	Buang	Against deafness.
Nansaang	Mayilutlutkan	Against headache.
Palis chi kabunian	Palis di kabunian	Against toothache. Also against headache by the Nabaloi.
Dosad, Sigop	Mantuis bilig, Bilong, Mayodosan, Manbating	Against diseases of the lungs or chest.
Kolos	Liblibian	Against diarrhoea or pains in the abdomen or stomach.
Basil	Ampasit	Against sexually caused diseases.
Sabosab, Diau Chuntog, Diau Kasib	Dayau	To cure sores. (Nabaloi ceremonies also celebrated after a quarrel so that sores will not result.)
Tamo	Tamo	Against insanity.
Pasang	Pasang	Against sterility.
Abasang	Abasang	At the birth of children.
Sibisib	Sibisib	To cure wounds.
Kaysing	Gaysing	Betrothal ceremony given by parents.
Kalon	Galon	Betrothal ceremony given by betrothed.
Mangidin	Mangilin	Marriage ceremony.
Pansijanan	Mansiyanun	Divorce ceremony.
Siling	Siling	Funeral ceremony.
Okat	Pugas	Ceremony held immediately after a corpse has been put into the coffin or buried.
Tabwak	Kiad	To induce the soul of a person who has recently died to go away and not cause sickness.
Kosday	Kosde	To cause agricultural products to grow.
Tawal ni payu	Bugid	To increase water for irrigation. (Tawal ni payu also against sickness caused by spirits living in rice fields.)
Pungau	Pungau	To cause the rice to increase when harvested.
Bakak	Bugak	To prevent sickness caused by eating new rice.
Salchi	Saldi	To prevent sickness caused by eating animals which have fallen or died of disease.
Kiad		Against sickness caused by mountain spirits called kakaising.
Ampasit		Against sickness caused by timber spirits called ampasit.
Pasang ni Mansakit		Against sickness caused by air spirits called pasang.
Timungau		Against sickness caused by water spirits called timungau.
Gangau		To cure rheumatism.
Padad		To foresee and avert death.
	Bilig	Against sickness caused by spirits of the same name.
	Dagas	Against sickness caused by house spirits called dagas.
	Laglagiwin	Against sickness caused by a guardian spirit.
	Tanong	Against sickness caused by the souls of ancestors.
	Sagausau	For luck before starting on a journey.

Lepanto Kankanay Ceremonies[5]

A. Generally distributed through northern and central Lepanto:

Begnas or pakde, for the general welfare; made two or three times a year, before or after the planting and the harvesting of rice. Similar to the Ifugao honga, the Benguet Kankanay kosde, and the Nabaloi kosday.

Bayas, made by the rich to emphasize their station; also against sickness. Made after marriage “every four or five years,” or, “three times during one’s lifetime.” Similar to the Ifugao bumaiyah, the Benguet Kankanay mandit, and the Nabaloi pachit.

Bakid, variously described as “for the dead,” “against ditches going dry,” and “part of other cañaos.” Similar to the Benguet Kankanay bugid; and the Nabaloi tawal ni payu.

Ubaya, divination, “for finding out.” Similar to the Ifugao ubaya, the Benguet Kankanay anap, and the Nabaloi buyon, sabat, and bakno.

Palis, against witches. Similar to the Benguet Kankanay palis and the Nabaloi palis.

B. Mentioned only in the reports from this or that township:

Pasang, against sterility. Similar to the Benguet Kankanay pasang, and the Nabaloi pasang.

Keslei, against sickness.

Tobag, against sickness.

Tonkala, in accordance with a vow rendered during sickness.

Bagaoas, for the rice crop; against mice and drouth.

Sepesep, nature and purpose not clear.

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[1] Ibid., pp. 280–335.

[2] Phil. Jour. of Sci., IX, Section D, 465–527, 1914.

[3] Compare F. C. Cole, Traditions of the Tinguian, Publ. of Field Museum of Natural History, Anthrop. Ser., XIV; and R. F. Barton, Ifugao Law, present volume.

[4] See the present volume, p. 289.

[5] Based on the publication by J. A. Robertson, The Igorots of Lepanto, Phil. Jour. of Sci., IX, section D, pp. 465–527, 1914. Ifugao analogies are cited in this paper in footnotes.

Particular Ceremonies[1]