TRAILS UP NORTH

Gloria A. Tuazon
Christianizing far Sadanga

SADANGA, Mountain Province –This remote town in the uplands had often been described as synonymous to danger and risk. People thought the place had fearsome headhunters for inhabitants. Tribes here were known to have battled it out with other headhunters in Kalinga among other perceptions of what Sadanga was to those who have not been there.
Sadanga as does other municipalities and barrios in the outskirts of the capital town of Bontoc have already evolved out of that description. Their ancestors may have started out that way as headhunters but that was only because in those days, men had to protect their villages from other ravaging tribes.

It was one common denominator in the northern Cordilleras (most if not all) be it in the Mountain Province, Kalinga or Ifugao that women used to till the fields and were home workers. It is not to say the men were a lazy lot, because they are not, just that protection of the people and the properties were the men's main function but were also obliged to assist women in chores.
Of tribal war concerns, that has always been part of highland history. They went to battle for principles and causes. Sadanga is a proud lot of a people -- proud of ancestry and race but often very humble in appearance. Yet again like any other tribe, they had the elders to run their government way back.

And to put it neatly, these days they are shunning the idea of tribal wars as much as they are pushing for lasting peace and prosperity. The damage and toll it takes to fight a futile war are deemed not worth the cause or point they wanted to straighten out. And so the "fodong" (peacepact) was created. Slowly and painfully it paved the way to the peace most of these tribes are enjoying now.

Back in the early 1900’s, Belgian missionaries entered the place without thinking they may never get out of the place safe. Most of these missionaries had their hearts and lives planted there afterwards. Mother Basil Gekiere was everybody's reprieve way back and her death was given a well-attended funeral.

She was buried in a niche in Sitio Opucan overlooking the land and people she came to love and call family. Sadanga deeply mourned her passing. The other priests who also endured the grueling task of educating the townsfolk had the same well-loved treatment from the people, Fr Leon Quintelier for one.

From these foreign missionaries was sculpted the evolution of Sadanga to become the Christian community it is now. Tiny chapels were used for religious services and activities back then. Rev.Fr. Carlos Desmet even celebrated the first mass in an ator at Fateo-teo.
Ironically, because an ator was once considered the seat of local governance, where the menfolk (sans the women, women were never part of the active government organization back then) gathered to plan their stand and stance in any given situation, be it settling feuds or preparing community affairs to planning tactics for wars.

The second mass conducted was in a granary in Sitio Opog. The hostilities accorded his entrance soon turned into a welcoming embrace and then acceptance. The good priest initiated the construction of a chapel on that site. This showcased the entrance of Christianity in Sadanga.
The second chapter when "Jesus" stepped into Sadanga was in 1994, when the Vicariate saw that the people deserved to have their own parish. A priest in the person of Fr. Francis Dinacas was assigned and stationed at Poblacion.

He went hopping around the different barrios (Anabel, Betwagan, Belwang, Bekigan, Sacasacan and Saclit) once to month making sure he covers all. Cathechists and lay leaders helped out often full time.

With the succession of priests and outpouring of support from the village people, Sadanga celebrated its latest parish fiesta last August15, being the feast of Our lady of Assumption. What used to be the galvanized iron shed of a chapel is now a work of art church.

With Fr. Marcial Castaneda overseeing his flock, he also had time for arts. He sang for causes too and was able to produce CDs of religious songs, most being used in the Bontoc-Lagawe vicariate services. His art was used to design the interior of the church. Ethnic, modern, cozy, homey and warm are words to describe the house of the Lord in Sadanga. It shouts out loud, "Welcome home, Jesus". -- email: twilight_glo@yahoo.com