TRAILS UP NORTH

Glo A. Tuazon
Down by the Hapao River

HUNGDUAN, Ifugao -- People at Barangay Hapao here had reasons to be happy lately. Although life is hard, they found time to gather together for that annual "river rendezvous". The activity called punnok is an after-harvest thanksgiving ritual where everybody gets to relax and have fun after the tedious months of tending to the rice crops.

It is performed once a year right after villagers filled up their granaries with the season's supply of grains. This ritual was stopped and forgotten for a long time until Lopez Nauyac teamed up with artist Kidlat "Cabbigat" Tahimik to reintroduce the activity ten years ago in 1997.

Nauyac used to reside in Asin Road, Baguio City until he thought of returning home to Hapao. With an expanse of land, he and Tahimik started planting and regrowing trees in the area,a project they started and plan to do a lifetime. Their environmental concern soon branched out to include appreciation and reintroduction of cultures and traditions. With that is the rebirth of punnok.

Recently, the activity commenced with a ritual performed by the elders the previous night while the villagers anticipated the fun for the next day. Up and about very early, the village was a-buzz. Clad in traditional wardrobes of wanu (g-strings for men) and tapis, balko and lamma (wrap skirt, belt and blouse for women), Hapao reidents started making the kinaag first gathering the red-leafed plants called "cane of St. James".

Kinaag is an effigy or mannequin fashioned out of rice stalks or cogon grass bundled together and tied with natural fibers to become the representation of a man. They call it kinaag from the native word kaag or monkey.

This year's punnok had three participating groups, Barangay Hapao, Baang and Nunggulunan. When done with their preparations, the group leader shouted out load, brandishing their kinaag towards the other groups to let them know they were ready.

The other groups from across at the other side of the terraced valley answered in the same way. Thus started the procession to the river below. Each group paraded like soldiers to battle, in "full gear". They strutted their way down in chants, taunting the other groups like children bantering. They all meet along the riverbank.

Nauyac clambered up a big rock in the middle of the river and started a prayer, to thank God for
the blessings of a good crop season, for the success and happiness of everybody present, for prosperity and for sportsmanship in the duels. Then he called for the start of the games and everybody roared in applause.

It was indeed a very nice and welcome change while covering crop cycle rituals a the river. The clear and mesmerizing water flowing below the terraced mountains, the paddies filled with empty stalks now a mix of pale brown and green.

The big river rocks were smooth, that day “conquered” by people to be their "watchtowers" while the friendly competitions happened. There were people wrestling each other below, falling down to splash on the cold, refreshing waters. The main event though was the tug-of-war, Hapao style.

First that it was done in the water with each group on either side of the river with two participants in their native wardrobes. They used a long pole with a hook on one side, each fashioned and brought by his own group.

After the kinaag was drowned, one was pinned in between the hooks of the poles. With the go signal, they strained their necks and arms and legs to try to win. It was a measure of strength and so with veins straining out of necks and striated cuts bulging out of biceps and hams and glutes, they pulled.

Everybody had fun, so did the visitors who at one point joined the tug-of-war. This particular activity was an expression of the villagers’ gratitude to the Maker, a day they set aside to rest and enjoy until another crop season. With that they drowned again the kinaag and let it flow down the river, a sign to the gods that they have indeed finished harvest and have done the rituals to prove that. email: twilight_glo@yahoo.com