“Tiw-tiwong”

CULTURAL NOTES

Richard Kinnud

It is the title of a new book published locally in Baguio, presenting itself as “an uncyclopedia.”  When one of the editors called me some time ten years ago to contribute to this uncyclopedia, I did not really ask what it was.
    I thought, maybe it was like an encyclopedia which dictionary defines as “a book or set of books giving information on many subjects or on many aspects of one subject and typically arranged alphabetically” (Oxford, online) but the prefix “un” would tell that it is both similar and different to it.
    As a contributor, I attended the launching last March 8, 2023.  And there it is, the full title, Tiw-tiwong: An Uncyclopedia to Life, Living, and Art in Baguio, the Cordillera and Beyond.  Still absorbed into the word “uncyclopedia.” I typed it on my mobile phone’s google, and one result that came out was a website named as such which describes itself as a “humor writing project” to which other website describes as a “parody.”
    Of course, as a contributor, I wouldn’t agree that Tiw-tiwong as an uncyclopedia is such.
    Another search result was a book by such title.  The Amazon website would describe it as “a compendium of illuminating knowledge and a delight for all inquisitive readers” and “compendium of curiosities you never knew you wanted to know.”  I would think Tiw-tiwong is close to these particularly on the subjects it specified to have dwelled on.
    As the program went on, the editors spoke about how it was made.  The first description that struck me was that it is said to be a product of a community.  True enough, the book had six editors and involved more than a hundred others as editorial assistants, contributors, lay-out and graphic artists, illustrators, photographers, and other roles.
    Another thing which was emphasized by one of the editors is that it might contain entries to which someone else might disagree with together with some admittance that some entries could be subject to some fact-checking.
    An Ifugao, I went straight to some entries about Ifugao culture or words.  One that was prominently featured was the wooden sculpture of a human figure which are often invoked as guardians of rice fields.  I disagree with how its writer spelled it – “bul-ul” (with the dash).  But the thought came to me that there might really no spelling rules (yet) in the Ifugao language.
    My browsing soon got me to the word “baddang” or “badang” which was defined as “people hired to help in harvest.” 
    The word that caught my attention was the word “hire.”  Dictionary tells that is about “employment for wages.”  I think the term is closer to the word “help” which of course would not really involve wages.  But on the other hand, I thought the writer is imparting some cultural change wherein everything nowadays needs to be compensated.
    On letter Y, the word “yadok” caught my attention.  It was defined as “the penile erection.”  I disagree with it as I very well knew that yadok is the push-and-pull movement of the hips/waist part especially during a sexual act.  But then I thought, the writer of the entry, or whoever has fed the definition might have grew at a time when sex or anything related to it is something taboo to discuss thus was not able to have a good grasp of the definition. Or it may have been confused with the word “badok” which is penile erection.
    Even with these and some others I found to be disagreeing with, overall, I love the book as it tells histories, stories and information about Cordilleras, places, its people, and those they come in contact with.  As the Introduction would tell, the book “wanted to show the diversity of information from within the community” to which the guide on how to use the book says, it should be used as a “guide to a frontier.” 
    To things that we disagree with, it should encourage further inquiry, research and critical thinking.  Who knows, it will lead to another uncyclopedia, Tiw-tiwong II.
    By the way, “tiw-tiwong” is an Ifugao term referring a situation of not being able to find a way in a usual trail especially in a forest, a hill or mountain.  It may happen to a lone traveler or a group even if say he/she or one of those in the group is very familiar of the route.
    It may also refer to a spirit which causes the situation to happen. The being or beings might have a message to convey or are simply having fun of the traveler or travelers. 
    One who is under the spell is referred to as natiw-tiwong.  One knows he/she or the group is natiw-tiwong when he/she/they always get back to a particular point on that path.
    Their remedy is to talk to the unseen beings or to ask help from dead ancestors who by belief/faith could be within the vicinity.  There are stories of people who are able to survive a tiw-tiwong. Worse are those who go missing for several days and could not tell a single story of what happened.  The worst case scenario is to be lost forever or found dead.
    Tiw-tiwong is a term used in Banaue, Ifugao and thereabouts. In other places where Tuwali is spoken, it is called tim-timo.
    Having been in progress for more than ten years, the production may have gone into some instances of being “natiw-tiwong.”   It was good it had found its way of being published.  The book is published by Baguio Kunst Book Publishing and is available at the Baguio bookstore, Mt. Cloud Bookshop.