While the Cordillera region is known for its vibrant woven tapestry, enticing dances and music, intangible heritage also makes the region unique.
One strong culture that most Cordillerans, especially the elders take into heart, is the high regard for natural resources. This is because of their belief that unseen entities reside amongst nature, in trees, caves and in bodies of water.
The Ibaloys of Baguio City and some parts of Benguet conduct a traditional healing system called the “timongaw” and “ampasit” rituals.
‘Timongaw and Ampasit’, what are they?
“Timongaw” comes from the Ibaloy word “tongaw” which means sit. “Timongaw” are said to be spirit beings that inhabit caves, ravines, cliffs, mountainsides and trees. These entities are believed to control natural resources and dislike people.
“Ampasit”, on the other hand, is a “spirit owner” or a nature spirit which inhabits forests, caves, rocks and deep pools.
Both entities, considered to take much value of places and things they own, are the reasons why the people before say “madmad” or prayers, to ask permission before cutting a tree or cultivating new fields, among others.
Failing to do the “madmad” accordingly, would result to sore eyes, back pain, skin diseases and other unexplainable illnesses.
The ritual, why is it significant?
When a person is suspected to have encountered a “Timongaw” or “Ampasit”, a ritual is performed to cure the sickness caused by the entities.
This is being held at the back of the house of the affected individual. The ritual requires an offering, either chicken or pig, depending on the recommendations of a “mansibok” – a person given the ability to determine the causes of an illness or misfortune especially those that cannot be treated by modern medicine.
The ritual starts with a prayer over the offerings before the animal is butchered. The meat is cooked and then another prayer is said by a mambonong or a native priest or priestess, or the man-madmad, a person who says the prayers.
The prayer asks the harmed entity to receive the offerings as compensation in exchange for giving back the health of the sick person.
The belief for these unseen entities acts as a caution for the people to give respect to nature. This culture gives a warning, a teaching instilled within the indigenous people to manage their garbage properly, to refrain from cutting trees or disturbing natural features. This reaches to a point that it could be credited to the protection of communal forests.
Hope
Globalization and progress pose a huge threat to this heritage. The culture bearers are diminishing, and the people are embracing modern technology.
But with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts through the Cultural Mapping program, the local government unit of Baguio took time to document this tradition for the people to learn. (JDP/CVBT-PIA CAR)
Source: Baguio City Cultural Mapping Book, Mapper: Rosella Camte-Bahni
