VI
Establishment of religious ceremonies.—Upon their marriage Tad-óna and Inúke did not offer pigs or fowls to the búni as was customary. This being observed by Líddum from Kabúnian, he descended and asked them: “Why have ye not offered sacrifices?” They answered him that they were ignorant of such a custom or ceremony. Then Líddum returned to Kabúnian and brought them the yeast with which to make búbûd, or wine from fermented rice; and he taught Tad-óna the method of making it, saying: “Place it in jars on the third day,” and he returned to the Sky World. On the fifth day he came down again to teach them the manner of making the mum-búni.[47]
Some version of the above myth is known to the people of every Ifugao clan, although the details of the story vary considerably in the different culture areas. The myth is also known to the Igorots and Bontoks, as we have already seen. I have in my possession some twenty different versions that have been collected from various clans of Central, Western, and Kián͠gan Ifugao. These may all be classified into two general types, one of which is represented above.[48] An example of the other type, entitled The Ifugao Flood-Myth, is given later in this paper under the heading Central Ifugao Beliefs.
The god Wígan is one of the greatest and best known figures in Ifugao mythology. He has three sons, Kabigát, Balitúk, and Ihîk, and one daughter, Búgan. The following story about Ihîk is especially interesting because of its resemblance to one of the Bontok myths previously given.
The Story of Ihîk[49]
Ihîk nak Wígan, in company with his brothers Kabigát and Balitúk, went to catch fish in the canal called Amkídul at the base of Mt. Inúde. After catching a supply of fish, they strove to ascend to the summit of the mountain; but, ever as they went up, Ihîk kept asking his brothers for water to satiate his devouring thirst. They answered him: “How can we find water at such an elevation? Water is found at the base of the mountains but not at their summits!” But Ihîk kept on importuning them. At last, when they were in the middle of their ascent, they came to an enormous rock. Balitúk struck the rock with his spear, and instantly there burst forth a large jet of water.
Ihîk desired to drink first but they deterred him, saying: “It is not just that thou shouldst drink first, being the last born of us brothers!” Then Kabigát drank, and afterwards Balitúk. Just as Ihîk was about to do so, Balitúk seized him and shoved the whole of his head under the rock, adding: “Drink! Satiate thyself once for all, and serve henceforth as a tube for others to drink from!” And so it came to pass that Ihîk on receiving the water through his mouth sent it forth at the base of his trunk. He said to his brothers: “You are bent on making me take the part of a water-spout! I shall do so, but bear in mind that I shall also take just vengeance on your descendants for this injury.” In view of this threat, Kabigát and Balitúk did not dare to make use of the improvised fountain, and so they returned home.
This myth, which is very long, then relates how certain of the great deities befriended Ihîk by setting him free and assisting him in obtaining vengeance on his brothers and their descendants.
Another myth, showing an interesting resemblance to a Manóbo myth already given, tells how the sky region of Manaháut,[50] which was once very near the Earth World, was raised to its present position. The cannibalistic and voracious appetite of Manaháut was causing the slow extermination of the human race,[51] and the aid of the gods was invoked. The Ifugaos have a number of powerful deities who always remain in a sitting posture. One of these suddenly rose up, and, with his head and shoulders, thrust the sky region of Manaháut to a vast height above the earth, thereby preventing the extermination of the people.[52]
As a final example of Kián͠gan Ifugao mythology, I give the following story which is one of the best specimens of Ifugao literature.
The Story of Búgan and Kin͠ggáuan, or the Marriage of a Goddess with a Man[53]
The wife of the god Hinumbían is Dakáue. She has no children except a daughter called Búgan. This Búgan was with her parents in Luktág. Let it be noted that these divinities of the highest region of the Sky World do not see directly that which takes place in the lower spheres, but the first calls the second, and the second the third, etc. According to this order, the first or principal god, known as Bun͠gón͠gol, charges or gives orders to his son Ampúal, who in turn orders his son Balittíon, and the latter orders and charges Líddum of the lowest sky region, or Kabúnian. This Líddum is the one that communicates directly with the Ifugaos. The said Búgan, daughter of Hinumbían, was at that time a maiden, while in Luktág, and her uncle Baiyuhíbi[54] told her to go down and amuse herself in the third sky region, Hubulán. So, according to the wishes of her relatives, she went down to Hubulán where Dologdógan, the brother of Balittíon, was. The said Dologdógan had gone to Hubulán to marry another Búgan. The first Búgan, daughter of Hinumbían, had been advised to marry in Luktág, but she did not wish to do so, and so they told her to go off and divert herself in Hubulán. Having settled down in this sky region, her uncles advised her to get married there, but neither did she wish this. In view of her attitude on this question, Dologdógan exhorted her to descend to Kabúnian, and go to take her abode in the house of Líddum her relative and the son of Amgalín͠gan. The said Líddum wished her to marry in Kabúnian, but she also refused to do this. Near the house, or town, of Líddum (whose wife is called Lin͠gan) there was a village called Habiátan, and the lord of the village also bore this name. Such being the case, the said Habiátan went to the house of Líddum, and, upon seeing the young Búgan in the condition of maidenhood, he asked Líddum: “Why does this maid not marry?” The former answered him: “We have counseled her to it, but she does not wish to do so. I, upon seeing that she did not wish to get married, nor to follow my advice, said to her: ‘Why dost thou not get married?’ She began to laugh. I replied: ‘Then, if thou dost not wish to get married in Kabúnian, it were better for thee to return to thy people and thy family of Luktág,’ but she answered: ‘That is not necessary, and I should like to stay with thee in thy house—and I shall take care to get married at my pleasure, when I see or meet someone of my liking, and then I shall tell thee.’” Habiátan, after hearing this story of Líddum, said to him: “According to this, I shall take the young Búgan to my rancheria and house in Habiátan to see if she wishes to marry my son Bagílat.”[55] To which Líddum rejoined: “If Búgan so desire, it goes without saying that she can accompany thee at once.” The maiden having been consulted, assented, and went off with Habiátan to his house and village. Having arrived at the said place, and after Búgan had observed somewhat the young Bagílat, as if Habiátan had asked her whether she desired to marry him, she answered: “How am I to wish to marry him (Bagílat), grim and fierce as he is, and making use of such an extraordinary spear! Moreover, he never stops—but is always running around in all parts of the Sky World, through the north and the south, through the east and the west;” and she told Habiátan that she did not wish to marry his son Bagílat, the Lightning, because that through his effects he harmed plants, fruits, and possibly might injure even herself. Then said Habiátan: “Thou art somewhat fastidious, and I see that thou couldst with great difficulty get married in these regions; it would be better that thou return once more to thy land.” She answered that she did not desire to return any more to her people, and that accordingly she would betake herself to some other point more to her liking. This dialogue being completed, she went down from the house of Habiátan, and, casting a glance at the four cardinal points, she saw that the weather was clear and calm, and descried on the Earth a place called Pan͠gagáuan, over (or on) Umbuk, where there was an Ifugao called Kin͠ggáuan—a young man, unmarried, naked, and without a clout (which he had thrown away because of its age), because he was engaged in making pits, or wells, for catching deer with a trap (according to the custom)—and there he had a hut. Upon seeing him Búgan exclaimed: “Oh! the poor man! and how unfortunate!” And, hiding the occurrence from Habiátan, she determined to return to her sky region of Luktág in order to manifest to her father, Hinumbían, that it was her desire to descend to the Earth World in order to get married with that poor Ifugao.
The paternal permission having been obtained, she made ready the necessary provisions—consisting of a vessel of cooked rice and a clout (or bahág). In this fashion she proceeded to Kin͠ggáuan’s hut and entered it, saying: “Who is the owner of this hut?” “I,” answered Kin͠ggáuan, “but I am ashamed to approach thee, because thou art a woman and I am naked.” To which she replied: “Never mind! because here I have a clout for thee.” But he did not approach for shame; and so she threw him the clout from afar, in order that he might cover himself. The surprised man expressed to her his astonishment, saying: “Why dost thou approach here, knowing that the appearance of a woman, when men are engaged in such an occupation, is of evil omen for the hunt?”[56] And she replied to him: “By no means shall it come to pass as thou thinkest, but, on the contrary, thou shalt be extremely lucky in it. For the present let us eat together, and let us sleep this night in thy hut. To-morrow thou shalt see how lucky we are in the hunt.” The following day, upon going to visit the pits, they actually found them full. Kin͠ggáuan killed the quarry and spent the rest of the day in carrying the carcasses to his hut. He kept alive only two little pigs, a male and a female, which he delivered to Búgan that she might tie them in the dwelling-place while he was bringing in the rest of the dead game. On the second day Búgan asked the solitary one: “Why dost thou dwell in such evil places?” Kin͠ggáuan answered her: “Because my parents are so parsimonious in giving me what I need.” Then said Búgan to him: “Let us go to Kián͠gan,” and he consented. Leaving, then, the dead game in the hut, they carried with them only the two live “piglets.” Kin͠ggáuan carried the male one, and Búgan the female one—arriving at the above-mentioned place on the nightfall of the second day.
Having arrived at Kián͠gan, they took up their lodging in the house of Kin͠ggáuan’s mother—the man entering first and then Búgan. The mother of the former was surprised, and asked him: “Who is this woman?” The son answered: “I was at the hunting place and she presented herself to me there and I do not know whence she comes.” The aged mother after having looked at them a little while—when seated—addressed herself to Búgan and asked: “Who art thou? How dost thou call thyself? From whence dost thou come?” The maiden replied that her name was Búgan, that she was the daughter of Hinumbían and Dakáue, and that she belonged to the sky region of Luktág. But the reason of her descent to that terraqueous region, and of accompanying her son, was her having seen him so poor and deserted * * * “for which reason I took pity on him and came down to visit him and to furnish him with an abundance of game” * * * and she added that on the following day the mother should send many people to collect the dead game which they had left in the lonely hut of her son. By a coincidence, the mother of the young man was also called Búgan, with the addition of na kantaláo.
During all this, the young couple had already been united in the bond of matrimony—without any of the prescribed formalities—at the place called Pan͠gagáuan, and Búgan gave birth to a vigorous son to whom she gave the name Balitúk. The little pigs, also, which they had brought, gave forth their fruit. The child grew a little, but he did not yet know how to walk. His mother, Búgan, as a being from the Sky World, did not eat like the rest of the people of Kián͠gan, but desired only boiled rice, birds, and meat of game. Those of that region bore her much envy because of her being a stranger; and, because they knew she did not like certain vegetables of theirs, they strove to make her depart from their town and to betake herself to her birthplace of Luktág in the sky. Their envy toward her increased upon their seeing the abundance of her fowls and pigs. With the object, then, of disgusting her, and of driving her away, they attempted to surround her house with certain garden stuffs, greens, and fish. With these they succeeded effectively in making Búgan fall sick with an intense itch and fever; for which reason she abandoned that house and went to another place, while her husband moved to a rice granary. But they persecuted her again in her new place of lodging, surrounding it with the vegetables and other things spoken of above, and causing her nausea in a stomach accustomed to other food. In view of such wearisome tricks, Búgan proposed to Kin͠ggáuan her desire to return to her land with the new blossom of spring, their child. Her husband answered her: “I should well like to accompany thee, but I am afraid of ascending to so high a place.” “There is no reason to be afraid,” replied Búgan, “I myself shall take thee up in the áyud (a kind of hammock).” She accordingly strove to persuade him, but Kin͠ggáuan did not lay aside his fear; then she attempted to take him up bound to a rope, but neither did she effect this. During these labors, she soared aloft with the child to the heights of Luktág, but upon perceiving that her husband had not followed her she went down again, with her son in the band which the Ifugaos use for that purpose. ([Plate III, fig. 2.]) After conferring with Kin͠ggáuan, she said to him: “Thou seest the situation. I cannot continue among thy countrymen, because they hate me unto death. Neither dost thou dare to ascend unto Luktág. What we can do is to divide our son,” * * * and, seizing a knife, Búgan divided her son Balitúk in the middle, or just above the waist, and made the following division: The head and the rest of the upper trunk she left to Kin͠ggáuan—that it might be easier for him to give a new living being to those upper parts—and she retained for herself the lower part of the trunk unto the feet; and as for the entrails, intestines, heart, liver, and even the very excrement, she divided them—leaving the half for her husband. The partition having been completed, Búgan mounted to her heavenly mansion, taking with her the part of her son which fell to her lot, and, giving it a breath of life, she converted it into a new celestial being retaining the very name of Balitúk. On the other hand, the part which she had left to her husband, on the earth, began to be corrupted and decayed, because he, Kin͠ggáuan, had not been able, or did not know how, to reanimate it. The foul odor of the putrified flesh reached unto the dwelling place of Búgan in Luktág, and, having been perceived by her, she descended to Kabúnian in order to better acquaint herself with the happening. From Kabúnian she saw that the evil odor issued from the decomposition of the part of the entrails which she had left on the earth in charge of her husband, and which he had not reanimated. Then she broke forth in cries of grief, pity, and compassion—and, descending to Kián͠gan, she severely accused Kin͠ggáuan, saying unto him: “Why hast thou allowed our son to rot? And why hast thou not quickened him to life?” Upon which he answered that he did not understand the art of reanimation.
Búgan endeavored to remove the greatest possible portion of the corrupted part of her son. Consequently, she changed the head of Balitúk into an owl[57]—a nocturnal bird called akúp by the Ifugaos—whence the origin of the Kián͠gan custom of auguring evil from this bird, and the offering of sacrifices of fowls to Búgan, in order that no harm should come to them, and that the said owl should not return to them.
The ears she threw into the forest, and for that reason there come forth on the trees certain growths, like chalk, half spherical (certain species of fungi). The nose she threw away and changed it also into a certain species of shell which attaches itself to trees. Of the half of the excrement she made the bill of a small bird called ido, from which the Ifugaos augur well or ill, according to certain variations of its song.[58]
From the putrified tongue she produced a malady, or swelling, of the tongue in men, which is cured with a hot egg, or with a chicken, which they offer to their mother, Búgan.
From the bones of the breast she created a venomous serpent. From the heart she made the rainbow. From the fingers she made certain very long shells, after the form of fingers. From the hair, thrown into the water, she created certain little worms or maggots. From the skin she drew forth a bird of red color, called kúkuk. From the half of the blood she created the small bats (litálît). From the liver she drew forth a certain disease of the breast. From the intestines she formed a class of somewhat large animals, resembling rabbits or rats (amúnîn?). From the bones of the arms she made pieces of dry or rotted wood that fall from trees upon passers-by who approach them.
The Balitúk that Búgan reanimated is in the sky region of Luktág.[59]
The myth just given is an example of one of the most interesting processes in the early development of literature. It is probable that originally it was only a simple origin myth, but it has been elaborated and developed until now it is worthy of its little niche in the world’s literature.