RIDDLES OF BENGUETRiddle is a question or observation
deliberately worded in a puzzling manner and presented as a problem
to be solved.
1. Nan amot si Pedro, maunay e toktok to.>>>Nagtago si
Pedro,kita ang ulo .>>>Pedro hid, but his head was seen.
>>>Answer- Dansa, Pako, Nail
2. Pet-eng ni uleng,Endaw shalungereng. >>>A piece of
charcoal, It can reach far. >>>Piraso ng uling, malayo ang
nararating.>>>Answer- Mata, Eyes
3. Baey koy andoando, Nakowa-kowalto.>>>A long, round
thing, Divided into rooms inside.>>>Mahaba at bilog na
bagay, nahati-hating silid sa loob.>>>Answer- Kawayan,
Bamboo
4. Dayad tag-enya, Danom nan tengana. >>>Sky on either
side, Water in the middle.>>>Himpapawid sa magkabila,
tubig sa gitna.>>>Answer- Niyog, Coconut
5. Nan matansia nan tean nan talina.>>>Its eye is where
its tether is. >>>Sa bandang mata ang kanyang
salubungan.>>>Answer- Dagom, Needle, Karayom
6. Tamtampikek nan olo na, Man bogbogaw nan obet na.
>>>I am beating the head, The anus is
shouting.>>>Pinapalo ko ang ulo, sumisigaw ang
puwet.>>>Answer- Solibao, Drum
7. Posiposem nan poseg ko, Ta ipabalam nan kinan ko.
>>>Turn my navel, To make what ate come
out.>>>Iikot mo ang puson ko, para lumabas ang kinain
ko.>>>Answer- Case/Box, Baol, Chest, Karton
8. Guyod tubog, durong abong. (paying)>>>If you pull,
it is a tube. When you push, it is a house.
(umbrella)>>>Pag hinila mo, tubo. Pag tinulak mo,
bahay.>>>Answer- Payong, Umbrella
SAYINGS OF BENGUET1. Nan ad-im layden, Ad-im angnen is nan
ib-am.>>>What you dont like, dont force it on others.
2. Adi tako bukudan din gawis .>>>Let us not be greedy
for the good things.
3. San ma-ul-ulin bato. Et ma-id matugepna.>>>A rolling
stone gathers no moss
4. Mensana ka edwani men-apit ka.>>>If something was
planted, something will be harvested.
5. Ang nen kawis et ad-iu maidadanes.>>>Do good so that
you will always be remembered.
FOLKSONGS OF BENGUETTHE TYPES OF SONGS IN BENGUET1. Dujung of
Ibaloy is for the funeral of a deceased.2. Salidommay is often sung
in courtship, wedding, festival, festival ofpeace, harvesting and
sudden pleasure. 3. Bagbagto is an onomatopoetic song designed for
playing games among igorot children. The words are nouns strung
together without definite meaning.4. Chua-ay is atraditional Igorot
rice pounding song. It is about pounding rice so as to have food
for rainy days. The singing has to go with the rhythm of the
pestle.5. Nan-aanto-o-ay is a mourning song from benguet.
EXAMPLES OF SONGSSalidomay - Igorot SongDong dong ay i dong i
lay,In sa li do may di way,I la i la i la lay,in sa li do may di
way.
Chua-ayOweh!chua-ay, talum alay, taku-ay, oweh!DONG-DONG AY
Dong-dong ay si dong-ilayinsinali dumma-aydong-dong ay si
dong-ilayinsinali dumma-ayading di ka agsangitagsubli ak
mabiitading di ka agdanag mabiit a mabayagurray innak mabitayno
adik gasat a mataykastoy gayam ta ayatpangkitaan ti rigatanosam kad
a bagita adi ka met nagpadidong-dong ay sidong-ilayinsinali
dumma-ay
Interpretation
This is a traditional tune from the people of Benguet. The theme
is about parting, where the sweetheart is hesitant to let her
boyfriend go, and the man consoles her saying he will soon be back.
The words may be extemporaneous to suit the occasion. This is sung
for the entertainment, usually by a male. It's lyrics is
Ilocano.EPIC OF BENGUETUllalim(Epiko ng Kalinga)Ang kwento ay
nagsimula sa nakatakdang kasal nina Ya-u at Dulaw nang makapulot ng
nganga o ua (na tawag ng taga-Kalinga). Ang magkasintahan ay
naanyayahan sa isang pistahan sa Madogyaya. Nang sila ay nasa
Madogyaya, naakit ang pansin ni Dulliyaw kay Dulaw hanggang si
Dulaw ay magkagusto sa kanya. Sa pagplano na ligawan ni Dulaw si
Dulliyaw ay naisip nitong painumin ng alak si Ya-u hanggang sa
malasing. Habang si Ya-u ay natutulog sa ibang bahay ay saka
niligawan ni Dulaw si Dulliyaw. Pinakain nito ang babae ng nganga
at sinabi niya sa babae na sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap niya ng
nganga ang ibig sabihin ay tinanggap na niya ang pag-ibig na
kanyang iniaalay. Bago siya umalis ay sinabi niya sa babae na siya
ay babalik kinabukasan. Naiwan na nag-iisip ang dalaga.Kinabukasan
sa kalagitnaan ng gabi ay dumating si Dulaw sa bahay nina Dulliyaw.
Habang silay kumakain ng nganga, sinabi nito sa babae na siya ay
nagpunta roon upang isama ang dalaga sa kanilang bahay. Nagulat si
Dulliyaw sa winika ng lalaki. Iyon lamang at nagkagulo na ang mga
tao sa nayon. Sa pagtakas nila ay nakasalubong sila ng isang lalaki
na may dala-dalang palakol at balak silang patayin. Bago sila
maabutan ng lalaki ay nakaakyat na si Dulaw sa isang puno upang
tumakas. Samantala wala namang mangahas na siya ay lusubin kaya
naipasiya ni Ya-u na tawagin ang mga sundalong Espaol ng
Sakbawan.At noon nga si Guwela na kumander ng Garison ay umakyat sa
kaitaasan ng Kalinga na kasama ang mga sundalo. Iniutos niya na
dakpin si Dulaw na nakaupo pa rin sa puno. Makalipas ang tatlong
Napag-alaman niya na marami ang tutol sa ginawa niya kaya wala na
siyang lakas na lumaban nang siya ay lagyan ng posas. Sa utos pa
rin ni Guwela siya ay dinakip at nakulong sa Sakbawan.taon na
pagkakabilanggo, naging payat na siya. Humingi si Dulliyaw ng
nganga kay Dulaw. Kinuha ni Dulaw ang huling nganga sa bahay at
itoy pinagpirapiraso. Bago niya ito maibigay kay Dulliyaw bigla na
lamang itong nawala.Samantala, sa pook na Magobya naliligo si
Duranaw. Sa paliligo niya sa ilog ay nakapulot siya ng nganga.
Kinain niya ito nang walang alinlangan.Matapos nguyain ang nganga
ay bigla na lamang itong nagbuntis hanggang sa siya ay magsilang ng
isang malusog na lalaki at pinangalanan niya itong Banna. Tatlong
taon ang lumipas. Si Banna ay mahilig makipaglaro sa mga Agta,
subalit siyay madalas na tinutukso ng kanyang mga kalaro. Sinasabi
na kung siya raw ang tunay na Banna ang ibig sabihin ay siya ang
anak ni Dulaw na nakulong sa Sakbawan. Sinumbong niya ito sa
kanyang ina ngunit pinabulaanan ito ng kanyang ina.Sa isang iglap,
si Banna ay naging malakas at naghangad ng paghihiganti. Isang
mahiwagang pangyayari ang nagdala kay Banna pati ng kanyang mga
kasama sa Sakbawan. At doon ay kanyang pinatay si Dulliyaw. Sinabi
ng isang kasama ni Banna kay Dulaw na si Banna ay kanyang anak,
iyon lang at sila ay dali-daling sumakay sa isang bangka at sa
isang iglap ay nakarating sila sa pook ng Magobya. Mula noon ay
nauso na ang kasalan sa kanilang pook.
BENGUETINTRODUCTIONBenguet is the roof of Northern Luzon. It
straddles on the Cordillera mountain ranges. Mt. Pulag, second
highest mountain in the Philippines, and Halsema Highway, the
highest mountain highway system in the country, are located in
Benguet. Today it holds claim as the Salad Bowl of the Philippines
because of the huge production of upland vegetables. Benguet lies
in the southernmost part of the Cordillera Administrative Region
(CAR). Pangasinan bounds it on the south, Ifugao and Nueva Viscaya
on the east, Mountain Province on the north, and La Union and
Ilocos Sur on the west. The province has a total land area of
261,648 hectares. Benguet has 13 municipalities with a total of 140
barangays.CLIMATEBenguet belongs under the Type 1 climate, with the
wet season from May to October and the dry season during the rest
of the year. The average daily temperature is 18.55
Celsius.LANGUAGE The two prominent dialects spoken in the province
are Kankana-ey and Ibaloi. Others speak Kalanguya, Karao, and
Iowak. The majority speak fluent English. INDUSTRIESAgriculture,
small and large scale mining, gold panning, silver craft/ brass
wares, gift and toy making, strawberry production, livestock and
poultry, tiger grass broom making production.
BENGUET FOLKTALES
Benguet has a lot of folktales/folklores that features the
origin, the traditions and culture of the place. People in benguet
passes these stories to their children that they even created a
book featuring these which enables other people who are not from
benguet to know about these.
A.The Legend of Apo Anno
A Long time ago, Tugtugaka, a brave chieftain of Nabalicong set
out to hunt a white deer, which had eluded many hunting trips and
had posed a big challenge to many hunters. Tugtugaka got obsessed
with the deer and spent many countless days and nights, which
greatly exhausted him. Then one day, his dog sensed the white deer
and the hunting ensued. After covering a great distance of running
and tracking, the deer was finally trapped against a waterfall.
Spear in hand and ready, Tugtugaka poised for a good strike when he
heard a soft and powerful womans voice Dont hurt my pet.
Bewildered, Tugtugaka saw a young woman bathing by the crystalline
waterfall. Tugtugaka was so awed with her beauty and nakedness, as
he did not understand why he didnt notice her earlier by the
waterfall. She continued: My name is Cuyapon, and that deer is my
pet. Dont hurt it lest you get the ire of the folks. This place is
our home. Tugtugaka was so puzzled. He saw neither sign of dwelling
nor of human activity.As she was dressing, I see that you are a
brave man, and I suppose, you are a good leader of your village,
she commented. Come inside, you are hungry and in need of rest. You
are exhausted. We can also talk so that you will understand my
folks, she said as she led him to a small cave opening. Tugtugaka
was even more surprised when, as they reached the cave opening, it
became a spacious entrance, and inside, a room only meant for a
princess. All around are serenity and a paradise. Soon, he realized
what he entered is no ordinary world and Kuyapon is no ordinary
mortal! She is a fairy who becomes visible when she likes. At the
end of the meeting, Tugtugaka left for home with a sackful of meat
more that what he could have obtained from the white deer. Keep our
encounter a secret, he was advised.From then on, Tugtugaka visited
the fairy regularly and they fell in love with each other.
Realizing that their love is to be blessed with a child, Kuyapon
instructed Tugtugaka: Dont come back until eight moons and a half
from now. After laboring wait, Tugtugaka returned to find Kuyapon
delivering a child. It was a healthy baby boy. He was advised: Go
home and come back only after eight moons and a half from now. You
have to take out our child since he cannot live here. His mortal
blood destroys the air of peace of our world. But take good care of
him as I do in my spirit way. He will grow to be a good hunter and
a worthy father of your village. Give him the name Anno, for he
will shadow his generation with abundance and good will.Anno was
then taken by Tugtugaka and raised to be a brave man and a good
hunter. As a leader, his saga includes repealing the buso
(headhunters from another place and other enemies), yet he was a
peaceful man and abhorred waging war even against the buso which
earned him the respect of his villagers and other tribes. He used
to hunt along the river now named after him, the Agno River.As Anno
was in his advanced age and sensing death is near, he asked to be
buried in a place now called Nabalikong. The people protested about
his coffin; a large hollowed log would be too heavy to be carried
over a mountain. Just float it on the river, it will be carried by
the river to the site, he instructed. The people were puzzled
because the burial cave is higher than the river and the river does
not pass through the burial site. You will find people to help you
there and animals and food to eat, he further said. Nevertheless
they followed his instructions and indeed, the coffin floated all
the way to the burial site. They also met people to assist, the
food and animals as he said. Since Anno has a high status and is a
regarded man in the village, he has to be mummified; mummification
is a long process. Right after his last breath, they opened his
mouth and forced him with strong brine solution. They even used
their mouth to pump the solution into his stomach. After three
days, his body was bathed with different kinds of herbs alternately
everyday. After the bath, the body was sun-dried. The process went
for at least three months. Everyday, his animals were butchered for
food of the people doing the work. After it had dried and hardened,
his body was put in the coffin to be interned in a cave. His
generation flourished and peopled many villages far and wide from
Benguet to Ifugao and Vizcaya.
B. Origin of Biyew (Prayer)
Legend has it that in the lake now named Tabayo, somewhere along
the boundary of Kabayan and Buguias, there live a couple an
immortal man married to a mortal woman.Five days after they were
married, the man has to work and tend the field. Yet one day,
before going to work, the man instructed the wife I five you this
instrument for you to play to make sound before reaching my
workplace when you bring my baon (pack lunch). Please follow it.
The woman was puzzled but had not dared to ask her husband for
explanations. She followed the instruction yet every time she
brings the baon, she noticed that the field gets unusually wider
and wider knowing that her husband is just alone in working at the
field. One day she could not contain her curiosity so she didnt
sound the instrument instead stealthily approached the field where
the husband worked and was so surprised at what she saw and
naively, she shouted for she was unable to hold back her
astonishment. She saw that her husband is scattered into parts,
each doing a part of the work.The scattered parts of the body of
the husband were surprised and immediately assembled to make a
whole. In haste, the body parts were improperly assembled and mixed
with soil and muddied that angered the husband. You disobeyed. He
said, And because of that, I must leave you and return to where I
came from. Right there and then, the husband disappeared and the
field transformed into lake.To this day, every time a mambunong
(prayer man) leads a prayer during feasts, marriage, or death, a
biyew is prayed, calling the spirit of the unnamed immortal man who
manifested himself as a good husband long ago.
C. The Legend of GatanIt was believe that Gatan came down to
earth as the representative of Lumawig, (God), with the mission to
teach, lead and protect man. He was wise, strong and had
supernatural powers. At times he went up to heaven to confirm with
Lumawig on matters of administering justice securing food for man
and how man may worship. He understood and spoke of the language of
the plants and animals.One day Gatan and his brother went out to
hunt. Their hound jumped upon a wild boar. They caught the boar and
built camp. The next day Gatan instructed his brother to salt and
dry meat. Gatan set out with the dog again.Instead of doing as
instructed, the brother slept and did not notice the beclat that
came to devour the meat when Gatan arrived, he saw that the meat
was all gone. He accused his brother of having eaten all the meat.
The brother resented the accusation very much that he offered his
stomach and intestines to be cut open to prove his innocence. Gatan
open the stomach and intestines of his brother but found no trace
of the meat. He went around the camp to find out for himself who
eat the meat.Behind the camp, he found the tracts of a big snake.
He traced the tract until he found the beclat. Infuriated, Gatan
drew his hunting knife to kill. But the beclat implored to be
spared and as reward he would teach Gatan the prayer for healing
wounds. Gatan dared the beclat to heal his brothers wounds. The
beclat healed the wounds. This made Gatan happy and was glad to
learn the prayer. From that time on, Gatan could heal wounds.
D. The Origin of Lowlands, Mountains, Earthquakes and
LightningLowlands and Mountains. When the world was young and very
level, people could hardly find their homes. Oftentimes they get
lost. God thought to change the surface of the land. He made it
rain for many days and nights. The earth became soft; those
portions settled and formed the plains and valleys. The hard part
remained elevated and formed the hills and mountains.Earthquakes:
There was a giant, the servant of Lumawig, who was ordered to drive
away the devil spreading sickness, but he disobeyed. As punishment,
Lumawig set the earth upon the giants shoulders to support as long
as he lives. Whenever he scratches, the earth trembles. If he has
itches and scratches often, the earthquakes are frequent. If the
giant would die and drop the earth, that would be the end of the
world.Lightning: If the lightning strikes near a house or barrio,
it is believed that Lumawig wants an offering. Each family in the
barrio, at the same time makes sacrifice in the form of food and
drink offerings. Those who would not do so are punished by being
afflicted with itches.
List of other folktales of BenguetDa Bayyek en Gaki ,Da Bukang
ken Liway (Bukang and Liway,),Da Kabbigat en Pali (Kabbigat and
Pali, ),Dasan Mangngi an Nangan si Padana ay Mangngi (A Monkey Who
Ate His Own Kind,-a cautionary tale)SabaKuttabo (a tale told by a
father)LabegSamotti nan Nanpuan di Malaya (A legend of Malaya
village),Si Kabunian de BegasLidom