Sagada ‘dap-ay’ turns viral as ‘begnas’ held

HAPPY WEEKEND

Gina P. Dizon

(2nd of two parts)

SAGADA ELDER and writer Benjamin Longid says ‘depending on how it is rendered, the dap-ay can be not too far a departure from the past while providing space for its present functions.

A table miniature of an old dap-ay can be made to educate the younger generation and visitors so they can have an idea of that simple institution that has helped shape our values.”

Malingeb elder and former Sagada mayor Thomas Killip cited the “intangible role or function of the dap-ay referring to values system, traditional rituals, practices, social gatherings even if the physical look of the dap-ay is changed.”  

“Intangible cultural heritage” as defined by the Heritage Act refers to the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills, as well as the instruments, objects and artifacts associated therewith, that communities, groups and individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage, such as oral traditions, languages and expressions; performing arts; social practices, rituals and festive events; knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; and traditional craftsmanship.”

                Meanwhile, “intangible cultural property” refers to the peoples’ learned processes along with knowledge, skills and creativity that inform and are developed by them, products they create and resources, spaces and other aspects of social and natural context necessary for their sustainability.

Folks say the people of Sagada practiced their cultural ways passed down by elders who actually performed these, one of which is the begnas, an agricultural feast capped with playing of gongs and dancing. 

This July, dancing, as done in other begnas celebrations was not practiced during the Begnas di Tangeb.

A law on indigenous peoples says in pursuit of cultural preservation, “the nation’s cultural heritage, its property and histories, and the ethnicity of local communities shall likewise endeavor to create a balanced atmosphere where the historic past coexists in harmony with modern society. It shall approach the problem of conservation in an integrated and holistic manner, cutting across all relevant disciplines and technologies."

Longid, a descendant of Ganga yas Labanet, one of the old family- ancestries of Sagada, says, “Artistic imagination can be given free rein but within the framework of conservation for posterity. Shouldn’t that be of primary consideration?”

The new heritage ordinance of the municipality is now put to the test considering the issues raised on innovations done by dap-ay Malingeb. A question was raised on “proper authority” in deciding restoration or improvement of a cultural structure.

The Umbon

The ‘dumap-ay’ (people who are members of a certain dap-ay) are obligated to take care of their own dap-ay like when to ‘sukyab’ their roofing or come together and decide on issues that affect them.

This includes where to get support for projects they want to do with their dap-ay including activities they want.

Upon request by the Malingeb ‘umbon’ to businessman Alfonso ‘Boy’ Yuchengco Jr, long-time friend of Sagada, the ‘umbon’ asked for support for the installation of the anahaw roofing of the abong and the enhancement of the extended dance floor.

Commonly called Boyu, Boy Yuchengco Jr is the son of philanthropist - businessman Alfonso Yuchengco who supported the building of the new St Mary’s School in 1979 after the old pine wood school was razed in1975. 

How the restoration came about emphasized the role of the ‘umbon’ or the ‘pangbon’ referring to the ‘dumap-ay’ or members of the dap-ay.

As Demang elder and tourist guide Aklayan Aben said “ay daida baw” (it’s up to them) or elder Badongen of dap-ay Maballay of Dagdag said, “sha met nan ikkan da” referring to the umbon of Malingeb's consensual agreement when asked on their comment on the replacement of the roof material to anahaw.

The ‘umbon’ for three consecutive times since the early months of the second quarter of the year had to come together and discuss the changes that happened, Tauli recalled.

Consultation being a prime and fundamental requirement of a dap-ay, is collective.

So changing the roofing, frontage and wall and including the floor mosaic was left to the decision of the ‘umbon’.

‘Nu ngan nan kanan nan tapina et sha nan maikkan’ (What others say, it shall be), said elder Jaime Capuyan.

But what is frowned upon is a member from another dap-ay dictating or interfere in the affairs of another dap-ay.

Now back to what heritage means. Tauli who is himself the secretary of Sangguniang Bayan of Sagada said, let ‘heritage’ it should be qualified by members of a dap-ay.

Now the question -- if a one storey dap-ay is turned into a 2-storey  building , is “heritage” transgressed?

“That would be a different building,” Tauli said.

And what about those two big statues at the front side of the dap-ay?

Demang elder Joseph Guitilen Capuyan frowned on the sculptured human forms at the front side saying he has never seen ‘tinagtago’ (sculptured human forms) at the front side of a dap-ay.  And for wall paintings?  “kigad das sa” (that’s up to them”), he quipped.  

Malingeb elder Jaime Capuyan has a different opinion on the placing of the statue at the front side of the dap-ay, saying in dialect, ‘dati tako ay buso” (we are former headhunters).

The human form statues symbolically guard the dap-ay and the ili (community) from invaders. Thhe ‘padao’ placed in a circular arrangement is where the cut-off heads of invading headhunters from other places are hung. 

The heads cut off by warriors and placed in totem poles was the practice during the head-hunting days in Sagada, Bontoc among other places of Mountain Province, Abra, Kalinga and Ifugao. The cut-off heads placed in totem poles meant victory and that the ili shall be protected from invaders.

“The elders told us that the dap-ay itself where the ‘padao’ and the stone-seats are located should remain as is,” local artist James Wandag said.

And so the sacred part of the dap-ay remained as is, the padao and stone-seats intact as how these originally looked like.

The not so sacred part of the dap-ay referring to the extended dance floor was left to the imagination of artists who worked on the mosaic designed flooring.

The flooring was a former pigsty eventually backfilled with river stones and levelled to become the dance floor.

Malingeb elder Jaime Capuyan said there is nothing wrong with the mosaic saying “baken dakes’ (not bad) except that the carabao horns installed on the wall of the dance floor be taken down as there was no babayas (wedding celebration) that ever happened in dap-ay Malingeb.

Though other members of the dap-ay look at it differently.  Elder and barangay captain Edward Ayban said there was a time that lakay Omaweng, elder of Mallingeb dap-ay butchered two carabaos in the 1960s and hung these in one part of the dap-ay in observance of the ‘goliweng’.

Asked what ‘goliweng’ was, Lakay Guitilen from nearby Demang recalled a star-like object which went on circular motion with a clanging sound installed high above one section of the dap-ay and for what purpose he did not know.

The Mosaic

The extended dance floor with designs of earth elements- sun, moon, plants, sky, waters, cultural artifacts and man- incorporated tiles and paint on the mosaic was cemented last June.

The design was that of eight mandalas in a circular pattern surrounding a lizard enclosed by a ‘wising’-shaped (wising is an indigenous gold earring) enclosing a blue shaped circle signifying the earth and sky.

The ‘wising’ is a sign of fertility.

Called collaborative art by artist Bong Sanchez from Bauko town who married one from Ambasing, Sagada the work was done with other members of dap-ay Malingeb local artists including James Wandag who co-conceptualized the mosaic.

Other local artists and members of Malingeb came in to help namely Aspil Capuyan, Puclis Guitilen, with the two children of Eril Bistoguey who helped grout the mosaic with tiles while Sanchez and Wandag painted the designs.

           Malingeb known as a dap-ay for the ‘mamaleng-ag’ or the ‘mamakedse’ is commonly referred to as the dap-ay of businessmen.

Around the wising is the form of a lizard which symbolizes longevity.

Etched around the lizard form are eight mandalas signifying one set of gongs culturally played by men during occasions as begnas.  

Local artist James Wandag said the eight gong mandalas speak of harmony and resounding impact when all played as a collective team. In popular numerology, eight speaks of dynamism and balance.  

The traditional gong instruments are played during occasions mostly during joyful events- begnas, weddings, dangtey, and in contemporary times when there are graduations, conferences, meetings.

The artists explained the ‘balbeg’ (spear) with its pointed arrow to the blue form in the middle of the mosaic refers to earth and sky with the base of the arrow at the back of the head of a person with outstretched arms praising a higher being. Sagada culture worships Kabunian, local term for God. 

Sanchez said the person reclining on the pole of a spear below the figure of two persons in two separate round geometric shapes colored blue aquatic waters and green agriculture signify the spiritual and economic life of the Sagada Igorot.  

On the same handle of the spear towards the base of the motif is a ‘kalasag’ (shield) showing man and his cultural ways with linear motiffs of earth elements, cultural patterns such as weaves, and man all intertwined in what makes a community, artists said.

The kalasag signifies defense of community and culture.   

Sanchez and Wandag said some mandalas needed enhancement pending ceramic art works by local potters Siegrid Angway- Rogers and Tessie Baldo.

Another part of the dance floor is a waiting space where a bench was installed with sculptured faces on the window part and where other mandalas are found on the flooring including the popular universal yin-yang symbol.  Sculptured art works were done by local artist and carpenter Jessie  Gaongen.

“One of my favorite images in my personal reflections, the Yin-Yang figure is misplaced and contributes nothing to affirm the dap-ay's identity,” Longid commented.

The mosaic in a wider meaning, artists said, signifies the material culture of Sagada. The land is worked on, waters are crucial to farming and pigs, chickens are offered to  Kabunian for bountiful harvest, fertility, longevity, prosperity, security and banning of disease.

Begnas di Tangeb di Babayas

Begnas di Tangeb di Babayas (wedding celebrations) annually happens July after the Begnas di Ani (rice harvest in June.

The July begnas then closes the wedding celebrations done in May and the rice harvest in June.

Tangeb di Babayas is an annual event which caps the wedding season culturally held in May. Though there were no wedding celebrations due to the Covid pandemic, the begnas went on as observed along with the Tangeb di Ogas or the closing of rice harvest.

Begnas di Tangeb di Babayas comes with Begnas di Latab or Begnas di Ogas (closing of harvest).

There are five regular begnas events done the whole year. The first called Begnas di Yabyab is done in November to signify the start of the rice planting season with the legendary ‘Bangan’ doing the first rice planting.

Rice seedlings are planted in December and the ripened palay harvested June to July.

Begnas in Sagada is an agricultural feast held five times a year.

Begnas di Yabyab is followed by the second begnas in March to signify the construction of houses and milling of sugarcane thus Begnas di Lebek followed in May to signify Begnas di Tiyagew (dry season) and wedding celebrations.

The cycle repeats again in November’s Begnas di Yabyab depending on the phase of the moon.

During the Begnas, the men clad in their G- strings and each holding a spear walk the pathway from river Tudey to the host dap-ay loudly chanting the ‘wawe’, shouts of men having began their walk from the river to the host dap-ay. Waters compose an integral essence of the agricultural feast.

The giving of wine, ‘tupig’ or sticky rice wrapped in sugarcane leaves, bread from women follow and these materially collected for the dap-ay. From the earth, earth’s products are offered and the ritual begins. 

The ritual implores Kabunian for health, procreation, longevity, prosperity, and good harvest for the people of the ili (community).

The replacement of  ‘gu-un’ to anahaw roofing is not new on what dap-ay Malingeb has done in the past on its innovations to cite the "goliweng' and now the anahaw roofing and  mosaic designed dance floor. What is more to see in the near future?

James Wandag envisions the dance floor to serve as an educational workshop site where children can come together and learn what the culture of Sagada is. He also envisions the newly enhanced extension to serve as a venue where art works of Sagada artists- both children and adults can display their arts and crafts. And this to accommodate other dumap-ay of Sagada.

As the Moody Blues song says,: “It’s a new world.”