100 students ‘possessed’: Bontoc tribal elders ‘drive away demons’

By Francis Degay

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- A group of elders of four central barangys of Bontoc led by Ama Posot of Bontoc Ili performed a two-day tribal rite to “impel evil spirits” that “possessed” around 100 students of the Mountain Province Comprehensive General High School here since July 29.

Latest cases involved 49 students on July 29, 37 on July 30, nine on Aug. 3, six on Aug. 4 and four on Aug 6. To date around 100 students have been “possessed.”
Now, the ceremonies were apparently effective as no untoward incidents happened after Aug. 6.

Late afternoon of July 30, elders performed changtey (tribal cleansing rite) at the school quadrangle. A chicken was butchered and the bile was interpreted as ekeb (good luck). The chicken meat with etag (salted meat) was cooked.

While the food was being cooked, lakay Posot spewed from his mouth tapey (rice wine) on the branches of tikem, an indigenous tree, that were laid on the ground before these were hung at the center of the municipal quadrangle and two entrances of the school compound.

Some elders from Bontoc Ili and Samoki went back to their respective ato to perform the same ritual.

This was followed by drinking of rice wine, basi (sugar cane) and gin while relating the incidents and finalizing their plans for the succeeding ritual the following day.

Before the folks left for home at about 7:30 p.m. after partaking of the food, unconsumed wine was placed near the ritual site. Firewood left in cooking was put in the embers until it turned to ashes.

At about 6-7 a.m. of the second day the elders met and at the school main gate to check if untoward incidents happened after the first ritual.

Since everything was fine, the next ritual, the pa-ang, was performed.

During the pa-ang, the head bones of pigs were suspended in the two entrances of the school compound simultaneous with the burning (chenet) of bones of animals.

This ritual is believed to drive away bad spirits.

The same ritual was simultaneously done in all the entrances of the villages of Samoki and Bontoc Ili where they have atos. Barangays Caluttit and Poblacion did only the chenet.

The area in the Poblacion where MPGCHS is located was described by elders as burial grounds for victims of accidents several decades ago.

Elders here said the “disturbed spirits” were angry about a situation in the school compound.

Earlier the “demonic possession” of the students was immediately attended to by parents, officials, government officers, and tribal priests and priestesses.

Dr. Janice Bugtong from the regional CHD and psychiatrists from Baguio General Hospital were immediately were deployed to attend to the students following coordination by Dr Diga Gomez, municipal health officer.

MPGCHS faculty and staff, Dr Penelope Domogo from the Provincial Health Office, Dr. Judith Pagaduan and Winifred Ananayo from Bontoc General Hospital, Dr. Dalome Dalog- Peckley and staff from Department of Education , Mayor Franklin Odsey and Bontoc councilor Poblacion barangay captain Erlinda Bucaycay, Dr Gomez, elders and the media provided support.
Group counseling sessions were conducted. Dr. Elizabeth Solang based in Baguio, and who traces her roots from Bontoc considered the phenomenon “mass hysteria”.