Nan Nataguan Tako
A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Musics, Dances
& Festivals
Writer:
Maria
CatbaganAplaten
I am an Igorot. My cultural awareness and
belongingness is a serious personal issue that I
seek for a group to belong. I became aware of
the problems and issues confronting my region
and found myself immersed in understanding
and participating in advocacies that promote
the wellbeing of the Cordillera people. I
learned to appreciate our rich cultural
heritage which is mostly tied to the tongue for
oral transmission and such has yet to be
documented, published and adopted.
Abstract
Title
:
Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History,
Attires, Musics, Dances and Festivals
Writer
:
Maria Catbagan-Aplaten
Introduction
:
I am an Igorot. My cultural awareness and belongingness
is a serious personal issue that I seek for a group to belong. I became aware of the
problems and issues confronting my region and found myself immersed in
understanding and participating in advocacies that promote the wellbeing of the
Cordillera people. I learned to appreciate our rich cultural heritage which is mostly
tied to the tongue for oral transmission and such has yet to be documented,
published and adopted.
Book Objectives: The aims and objectives of this book are to:
a. Provide a glimpse of the Geography, History, and the People of the
Cordillera Region;
b. Show the different traditional attires of the Cordilleran;
c. Preserve our interest in our native songs and dances;
d. Promote the teaching of the Cordillera music, dances, and practices;
e. Learn and appreciate the rich cultural heritage of the Cordillera region;
f. Substantiate the different music and dances thru their basic movements
and modified formations; and
g. Present the different traditional festivals of the region.
Book Summary: This book is an attempt to document and provide basic
information about our rich cultural heritage. It focuses on five areas particularly: 1)
Geography, History, and the People of the Cordilleras; 2) Traditional Attires; 3)
Music; 4) Dances, and 5) Festivals. It was a result of my ten years of participation
in seminars related to Cordilleran culture; visits to the different provinces of CAR,
and my directing the HAPIYOH MI Cultural Group of the University of the
Cordilleras which I founded in 2000.
Chapter 1 of the book gives us a glimpse of the history and people of the
Cordilleras. Each of the six provinces that make up the region is provided with
Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/
Maria Catbagan-Aplaten
basic facts and short historical background to serve as easy reference for readers.
About the people, I incorporated the complete copy of the speech about the Igorots
of honorable Lambert Sagalla, one of the pioneer members of IGO or Igorot
Global Organization and the essay of Dr. Henry Scott entitled “The Origin of the
Word Igorot” to enlighten us fully about who we are us people.
The second chapter is focused on the traditional attires of the region. After
three years of directing the cultural performing group of then Baguio Colleges
Foundation, I directed a cultural show in February 2003 entitled Nan Nataguan
Tako which showcased the traditional attires, music and dances of the Cordillera. It
was produced by Ms. Sonia Aplosen Daoas who was the Vice President for
Administration of BCF at that time. The collections of Madam Sonia were used in
the parade of Cordillera traditional attires which was the first part of the said
Cultural show. With her expertise on the traditional attires of the Cordillera
Region, we were able to identify and label each of the clothing and accessories
used in the show. The said document was used in describing most of the attires
found in Chapter 2 of this book.
The third chapter is on traditional music of the Cordillera. It gives a
thorough discussion on the different musical instruments used in the region;
Classification of Cordillera songs; and Hymns and March. I have also included
some of the all time favorite Cordillera songs like Montanosa and Nan Layad, both
sung and popularized by Lourdes Fangki.
Chapter 4 is on Cordillera dances. A major source of information for this
chapter was the series of workshop output of DECS particularly the Bureau of
Physical Education and School Sports (BPESS) which started in 1992. It was
spearheaded by Dr. Josephine Flores, who travelled to the different provinces of
the Cordillera in 1986 to research and video tape the different dances and games of
the place. She designed a seminar-workshop funded by DECS where she shared
the information gathered from her travels. By virtue of the DECS Regional
Memorandum No. 169 s. 1992, 52 participants both from private and public sectors
attended the said regional seminar- workshop held on November 16-17, 1992. A
follow up on this training was conducted on June 1-5, 1993. It focused on
Cordillera Dances: Choreographic and Rhythmic patterns. Eighty-two participants
from the different places in the Cordillera attended and others demonstrated the
dances that were documented. Finally, another Regional Seminar –Workshop on
Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/
Maria Catbagan-Aplaten
the Finalization of Cordillera Dance Steps and Rhythmic Patterns was held at the
NEAP, Teachers Camp, and Baguio City on October 4-8 1993.
Together with the Hapiyoh Mi members, we further studied the traditional
dances that were documented during the said seminar-workshops, adopted some,
and integrate it with the group’s vast repertoire of Cordillera dances. It was easy
for the group to understand and learn since the members are genuine sons and
daughters of the Cordillera. It is accompanied with a DVD to further enhance the
learning of the dances.
One of the latest developments of the region is the holding of festivals. Brief
descriptions of the famous festivals in the region are discussed in Chapter 5.
Writer’s Prayer: It is of great expectation that this book entitled Nan Nataguan
Tako: Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festivals are of help to
anyone interested in knowing by heart this wonderful people of the highlands
called Igorots. Any error in the explanation, interpretation and notation that have
slipped past various skilled and knowledgeable people who participated in the
completion of this book are obviously mine.
A Note on the History of Hapiyoh
Mi Cultural Group
The UC Hapiyoh Mi Cultural Group is an institutional performing group of
the University of the Cordilleras Center for Creative Productions. The members
are students of the university whose roots are from the Cordilleras, the region that
the university carries in its name, thus the inherent and common aspiration for
promoting and preserving the rich culture of the Cordilleran people. In so doing,
the values attached to every custom and tradition as depicted in the group’s
presentations are imbibed and perpetuated. Since its inception in 2000, then as a
Society and Culture class presentation of a group of Cordilleran students under Ms.
Maria A. Aplaten, the original objective of conveying the cause of cultural
preservation is still imminent in the current performances of the group. The
performers in that Society class became the first members of the group when the
university institutionalized it in 2003, adopting the name “Kalasag”, a Kankanaey
Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/
Maria Catbagan-Aplaten
term, which means “shield.” After growing in number and experience, with
several turnovers of membership, the group was renamed as “Hapiyoh Mi”. It’s an
Ifugao term for “Our Shield” – a symbolism of the group’s desire to safeguard the
living heritage of the Cordilleras.
The UC Hapiyoh Mi Cultural Group specializes in the Cordilleran
traditional arts, songs, dances and playing of musical instruments indigenous to the
Cordilleran region, which comprises the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet,
Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and the City of Baguio. The region is the
home of several ethnolinguistic groups like the Bontocs, Ibalois, Ifugaos, Isnegs,
Kalingas, Kankanaeys, and the Tingguians. The continuous socialization and
interrelationship with each other developed many shared beliefs and practices,
which resulted to commonalities in their social organization and cultural life.
Embracing all of these multifaceted but distinct cultures in the group’s
performances, depicting the authentic and true forms of the culture, the group has
now been considered the premiere Cordilleran performing arts group in the region
and in the Philippines. With the support of the University of the Cordilleras, they
have performed in several venues, festivals and concerts in and outside of Baguio
City. They had also won several awards and distinctions, among which are
citations from Rotary Club and Lions Club, the awards from WOW Philippines –
DOT-CAR Festival and the Panagbenga Festival of Baguio City from 2004 to
2010, and more recently the award as national runner-up in the CHED Academic
and Cultural Festival Sayaw Pinoy creative folk/ethnic dance competition. They
are also a favorite performing group in programs and festivities for the local
government; in tourism activities; and in national corporate events. At present, the
group remains to be under the leadership and expertise of its head trainor and
adviser, Ms. Maria Aplaten, who is a Kankanaey herself from the Bontoc tribe.
Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/
Maria Catbagan-Aplaten
Nan Nataguan Tako
(Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festivals)
CHAPTER 1: THE CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION:
GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY AND PEOPLE
I. Geography
II. History of the Creation of Cordillera Administrative Region
III. People:
A. Who is a Cordilleran? An Igorot? (Essay)
B. Are You an Igorot? (Essay)
C. The Origin of the Word Igorot:(The Original Essay Written by
Henry Scott)
D. The Correct term: Tribe or Group?
E. There are no Tribes in the Philippines (by: Dr. Jesus T. Peralta)
II. The Six Provinces Comprising the Cordillera Administrative Region
A. Abra- “Home of the Itnegs or Tingguians”
B. Apayao- “Cordillera’s Last Frontier for Nature’s Richness”
C. Benguet- “The Salad Bowl of the Philippines”
D. Ifugao-“The Stairway to the Sky”
E. Kalinga- “The Home of Macli-ing Dulag”
F. Mountain Province- “The Weaver’s Paradise”
G. Baguio City- Melting pot of Cordilleran Culture and the Summer
Capital of the Philippines
a. History
H. Tabuk – Kalinga’s Capital
a. History
CHAPTER 2: TRADITIONAL ATTIRES OF THE IGOROTS
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Igorots’ Traditional Attire in General
The Art of Igorot Weaving: Its Beginnings
Present state of Weaving in the Cordillera
The Traditional Attires of Abra
The Traditional Attires of Apayao
Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/
Maria Catbagan-Aplaten
VI. The Traditional Attires of Benguet
VII. The Traditional Attires of Ifugao
VIII. The Traditional Attires of Kalinga
IX. The Traditional Attires of Mountain Province
a. Female Traditional Attires
b. Male Traditional Attires
c. Gaddang Traditional Attires
CHAPTER 3: IGOROT MUSIC
I. Musical Instruments
A. Brass/Metal Instruments
B. Bamboo Instruments
C. Wooden Instruments
II. Indigenous Cordillera Songs and Chants
III. Hymns and March
CHAPTER 4: TRADITIONAL DANCES OF THE IGOROTS
I. HISTORY OF DANCE
A. Abra Dances
B. Apayao Dances
C. Benguet Dances
a. Dance Rituals: Kabayan Benguet Way
b. The Bendiyan Eight Dancing Position
D. Ifugao Dances
E. Kalinga Dances
F. Mountain Province Dances
G. Dance Terms Used
CHAPTER 5: FESTIVALS IN THE CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE
REGION
1. Abra Festivals
A. The Arya! Abra Festival
B. The Bamboo (Kawayan) Festival
B. Kawkawitan and Up-upa Festival
2. Apayao Festival
A. The Say-am Festival
Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/
Maria Catbagan-Aplaten
3. Benguet Festivals
A. The Adivay Festival: Entire Benguet Province
B. The Strawberry Festival: La Trinidad
C. The Bendiyan Festival: Kabayan
4. Ifugao Festivals
A. Imbayah and Urpihad Festivals: Banaue
5. Kalinga Festival
B. The Ullalim Festival
6. Mountain Province Festival
A. Lang-Ay Festival
7. Baguio Festivals
A. Panagbenga Festival
8. Tabuk Festival
A. Matagoan Festival
Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/
Maria Catbagan-Aplaten