Beliefs and Myths of the Kián͠gan Ifugaos
The Ifugao conception of the universe differs considerably in the different religious districts.[30] The Western Ifugao and Central Ifugao beliefs are closely associated, but stand quite apart from those of Kián͠gan Ifugao. The people of the latter area think of the universe as being composed of a large number of horizontal layers which are very similar one to the other. The upper face of each of these layers is of earth, while the lower face of each of them is of a smooth blue stone called múlin͠g.[31] The layer on which we live is called the Earth World (Lúta). The four layers above us constitute the Sky World (Dáya), and are called, in order from the top down, Húdog, Luktág, Hubulán, and Kabúnian. The last is the layer immediately above the Earth World, and it is the blue-stone underfacing of this layer that we call the “sky.” The Under World (Dálom) consists of an unknown number of layers beneath the one on which we live. All of the layers meet in the farthest horizon,[32] where lie the mythical regions of the East (Lágud) and other places.
Some of the Kián͠gan priests seem to have developed the further idea that this Dáwi, or farthest horizon, is in the form of a great celestial globe that surrounds the universe, forming its boundary, the inside face of which can be distinguished in the hazy distance where the deep blue of the sky fades into a very light blue or whitish color.[33] The Earth World, or layer on which we live, lies approximately at the center of the universe. It is therefore the largest layer, and the layers of the Sky World and Under World grow successively smaller as they approach the zenith and nadir of the celestial globe, the boundary of the universe.[34]
The inhabitants of the universe consist chiefly of an incalculable number of greater and lesser deities and spirits.[35] In addition to these, there are the souls of men, animals, and plants. They have always existed in the various regions of the universe, and were brought to the Earth World by the gods. Men are descended from the gods of the Sky World, as we shall see in the myths.
The mythology of the Kián͠gan Ifugaos is rich and varied. As an introduction to it, I have selected the following: