According to George Mclean, Culture gives us a sense that we live in meaningful universe and it provides social roles that make us significant members of the universe. We are now living in the modern period where there is a cultural diversity and although some say that our culture still remains and can not be easily removed, I believe that if we don't make a move on how to actually preserve it, in the course of time it will be gone. Culture also represents an adaptation or adjustment to the various conditions of life, including the physical, social and supernatural environment.
There are actually two types of culture, the material and the non-material. The material culture is the objects created by in a given society and the non-material are the Norms, laws and customs of a given society (Sociology: Focus on the Philippines).
THE IBALOIS
The Ibalois and Kankana-eys belong to a distinct tribal group collectively known as Igorots. The Ibalois are also known as Ipaway, which means people living in valleys, plateaus or somewhat sloping areas not covered with dense vegetation. The term paway means a place devoid of heavy vegetation. Historically, the ibalois are the native inhabitants of Benguet. They actually dominates the province of Benguet. Hence, when meeting lowlanders, the Ibalois would say, "We are Benguet people." It is in Kabayan where you can actually see the culture of Ibalois making the place the center of Ibaloi culture. They are popularly known to be shy making the sentence "shi-yay ak mango" which means here i am to "shy ak mango" which means i am shy.
Ibalois are the largest single ethno-linguistic group in La Trinidad, but comprised less than half of the 28, 678 people residing in the municipality in 1980. They are primarily concentrated in the agricultural valley and surrounding mountains. Ibaloi’s are the first settlers of Benguet.
Ibaloi political organization resembled a petty plutocracy and socio-economic differentiation was marked between elites (baknang) and commoners (abiteg). The proximity of Ibaloi villages to the ethnically heterogeneous urban milieu partly accounts for why their own cultural identity is so dependent on the reproduction of their ritual system.
The Ethnographer Scheerer was to say later of the ibaloi: “Whenever these people experienced some troubles, their unfailing expedient has been to leave the rudimentary towns, to the formation of which a kind government has conciliated then, abandoning their poor huts and fields, and migrating with their families to other higher and lone lire mountains, swelling the hordes of head hunters into those savage life they fall back
THE KANKANA-EYS
The kankanaey’s have been described in the early 1990 as like the Ibaloy but they celebrate their festivals “more splendidly”.Like the Ibalois, the Kankana-eys are the original inhabitants of Benguet. They also became the second major tribe in La Trinidad. Today, they are found not only in Benguet but neighboring provinces particularly Nueva Vizcaya. The Kankana-eys, like that of the Ibalois, are hardworking, simple and humble. They are said to be more sociable than that of the Ibalois.
The Kankana-eys dominate the northeast area, speaking the Kalkali, a dialect similar to that of Mt. Province and akin to the Iloko. They have the same practice or observe a common ritual or rituals that are otherwise peculiar to the Ibaloi’s. Like the Ibalois, the Kankana-eys are the original inhabitants of Benguet. They dominate places in Benguet like Bakun, the Mountain Trail, Buguias, Kibungan and Kapangan. Today, they are found not only in Benguet but neighboring provinces particularly Nueva Vizcaya.
The Kankana-ey women are known to be the best weavers of shirts and blankets. They are very hardworking that they can work in the farms without the husband's help.
The Kankanaeys of Benguet perform rituals during weddings, death and illnesses where ritual prayers are chanted by the native priest called the manbunong. In the research done by Pungayan and Picpican, they claim that this manbunong is either a male or a female who, as a rule, comes from the poor class. The research further states that there are four fundamental factors taken as means for one to assume the position of manbunong. These are 1) priesthood by succession 2) Priesthood by heredity 3) Priesthood by popular choice 4) Priesthood by constraint.
Taking from www.benguet.gov.ph, the Kanyao is simply a "festival" or ceremony or liturgy, or service or rite/ritual, of offering. It is a generic term. "Witchcraft" would be too limited or off the mark to describe it. A "kanyao" may be performed for thanksgiving for the health of the community, there could be a kanyao (petitionary/intercessory) for a bountiful harvest; a family kanyao may be performed for healing such as a very simple ritual of "sedey" with the use of water and prayer; a "grand kanyao" such as those performed in Baguio and Manila in the past have the focus of entertainment, cultural shows and festivities.
The Benguet people also believe in the existence of unseen beings that emanate from the skyworld and the underworld. That these unseen beings are called spirits thought to have power over man. It is further believed that these unseen beings or spirits can be manipulated by men to his advantage. With this, the people strive to win the favors of the spirits using prayers and material offerings in a ritual. Knowing their attributes and whims is important as a basis to classify said spirits as to heirarchy and generosity. 1. Spirits classified as to heirarchy are: a) The maker of the universe, Adika-ila(kankana-ey)/ Mengos-oschong(Ibaloy) .This is the highest and powerful of all the spirits and his realm is in the skyworld; 2. b)Diety(gods/goddesses), Kabunyan; c)Spirits of ancestors, Ap-apo(Kn)/ Kaapuan(Ib) and people who just died, Kakading/Kedaring. They are believed to move freely from the skyworld to the underworld and back as they wish; d) Spirits inhabiting the earth collectively called Anito in kankana-ey/ Ikalutaan in Ibaloy. These underworld sipirits when offended, trespassed and brushed aside should be violent thereby inflicting illness, death and misfortune to man. Spirits classified as to generosity. Generally, all spirits are regarded as good, however the degree of goodness or badness of the spirits depends on perception of men's action. The degree of offense of man against the spirit is the measure of the degree of his punishment curable only by appeasing the spirit. a) The Benevolent spirit, Maeya(Kn)/ Mapteng(Ib), is offered a thanksgiving ritual consisting of animals, food, ricewine and other materials as gifts. b) The Malevolent, Makedse(Kn)/ Makedsel(Ib),who caused illness could also be appeased by performing a healing ritual to restore the health of the afflicted by offering similar gifts. The Benguet people regard rituals and feasts as a fulfillment of their aspirations as well as a cure to illness. They believe that the good spirit will give them favors in the form of good health and material wealth.
 | This is a very interesting post on the Ibaloi culture, beliefs and tradition. Just passing by and I thought I'd say hello. Thanks |
 | ....hellloooo poh, pacopya poh ng work mo ha.... kelangan ko lng tlaga kc....maraming salamat pohhh!!! u are a great help tlaga, ilalagay ko po kau sa acknowledgement ko. thank you ulit poh!!1 |
 | quite good...Can I ask A question? is there such a belief of the Ibalois on Life after death? |
 | helo pOh .. scarlet here pa copy poh nito huh.. i need it very badly 2 my report bout our culture kc eh..tanx ..nweiz im an ibaloi from kayapa.. Godbless |
 | tnx...for the info....aheheeheee,,,,, |
 | thanks 4 this info it helps me in doing my project...
|
 | it's nice to know that this entry helped a lot of you. this was the introduction for my thesis years ago hahaha... |
Comment deleted at the request of the author. | |
