Kankanay Ceremonies / (American Archaeology and Ethnology)

by C. R. Moss

Spoken Ritual

As with the Nabaloi, the spoken ritual consists of either a petition or a story which serves as a magical formula. The formula seems to be used to a greater extent by the Kankanay than by the Nabaloi. The prayer or formula must always be uttered at the appropriate place and in the proper circumstances, or else it will not be effective. The use of the formula as well as the prayer seems to be common to all tribes of the Igorot including the Tinguian.[3]

Dancing and Songs

There is no dancing in connection with the private ceremonies; but the tayo, a dance by one man and woman at a time, forms a part of nearly all public ceremonies. The dance is the same as the tayau of the Nabaloi except that the Kankanay dance to faster time. The time is faster among the northern than among the southern Kankanay.

While the dance is in progress the mambunong shouts the following at intervals of about ten minutes to the man who is dancing:

Baliwatak sika; matagoga, maganakka; bomaknangka; bomaknang abū tomoi mansīda; bamaknang abū babayī manadong tauwadi, kasinsinopantaka si oaoay.

I give you this blessing: may you live long, may you have children; may you be rich; may the giver of this ceremony also be rich; may the women dancing also be rich, so that there will be our gathering together always.

While the mambunong is reciting the baliwak, the man stops dancing, but the woman continues. The baliwak corresponds to the datok of the Nabaloi.