Lang-ay in Bontoc: A growing tradition

By Art Tibaldo

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The sound of gongs will echo incessantly once again in this Philippine upland town this Lang-ay Festival.

Launched in 2004 to celebrate the province’s founding anniversary, lang-ay which means to share happiness, promote family solidarity, hospitality, and nurture friendship with a toast of home-brewed wine has become a major local event.

Visiting expatriates, tourists, neighboring townfolks and covering journalists have been treated over the years to a cultural bonanza as residents of Mountain Province showed off not only their unique culture but also their warm hospitality.

Now a regular event of this province, the Lang-ay Festival had become a good opportunity for uprooted locals who are now working and residing abroad to come home and revisit their native home.

Dr. Albert Bacdayan, a former festival guest of honor and keynote speaker once likened Mountain Province to that of Ithaca of the Greek Epic Iliad and referred to the Igorots abroad as Odysseus wanting to return home after the Trojan War.

An internationally acclaimed university professor who is also a founding member of the Igorot Global Organization, Bacdayan praised the organizers and the people of Mountain Province for continuing the spirit of he calls Igorotism.

The weeklong festival that started drawing visitors and tourists before the lent had included agro-industrial trade fairs at the capital town’s center participated by the various municipalities.
The locals showcased their farm produce as well as their crafts being supported by the government’s One-Town-One-Product or OTOP.

Local drinks and beverages like the Lang-ay wine made from fermented wild berries, rice snacks such as the patupat and linnapit and the upland favorite pinikpikan (beaten and roasted chicken) were the perfect mix of food during the festival.

The aromatic Arabica coffee served with molasse or muscovado was a good in-betweener to locals and tourists alike.

After all, gawis means a wealth or a blessing that is meant to be shared for everybody to partake.

Over the years, celebrities and political figures have graced the festival – the likes of the late TV star Marky Cielo, Chavit Singson and his stalwart counsel Pablito Sanidad. Expats from overseas like Edwin and Mia Abeya of the Igorot Global Organization, Hugo and Grace Prill of BIBAK Hawaii and other Balikbayans have also graced the occasion.

Among the chosen jurors to select the best cultural performers in the past was the internationally acclaimed independent filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik. Awarded as among the outstanding citizens of the province was former Energy Undersecretary Rufino Bumas-ang who was also given recognition as a council of elder with the suklong or native headgear given him by the organizers.

With the lang-ay, members of the Igorot Global Community, the mother organization of Igorots worldwide had been hopeful that the yearly event will spur growth and development in this upland region. Indeed, the progress of Mountain Province can attest to that.