EGONGOTS OLD TRADITION AND PRACTICES

1.       COURTING – The guy must passed all the trials given by the parents of the girl he loves to court and marry so he can proved his manhood  and worthy for the Egongot lady.

•             He needs to prove he is excellent in bow and arrow. The parents of the girl will watch how will you use the armors excellently. If he succeed, he can court the girl, but if not, he will never be given a chance to have the girl.

•             For the boy to be acceptable in the eyes of the girls parent, he will be tried to different works in farm, fishing, hunting and others.

·         The parents of the lady will ask the guy to offer atleast two heads of human he killed, as proof that he is a brave man. And by this, during the early times, they made head hunting an institution.

·         In some instances that the guy cannot express his love publicly, their parents will serve as mediator. If they agreed they have the same sentiments and feelings, then the girl can no longer accept other suitors. If may so, blood will shed.

2.       Marriage

·         Before the marriage, the guy needs to offer heads to the lady.

·         The family of the guy should respect the tradition of LANGO, wherein they have to offer things that the girl’s family will ask like guns, bolos, clothes, blankets and others.

·         The ceremony is conducted by the eldest in the community. They laid “banig” or woven mat as they held the ceremony. The elders give advice to the couple as they starts their family life.  After the ceremony, they eat, drink and dance as part of their celebration to the newly weds.

·         The community permitted the couple to live together first even without marriage . They will be married once the girl got pregnant.

·         They have also that tradition that once a girl had already bear their child, she will not be permitted to wear wedding gown.

3.       Giving Birth

    A girl who will give birth will be assisted by traditional midwife or hilot of the community. After giving birth, the infant will be bathed in the river. After several days , the mother will go to the farm and continue her work having her baby at the her back as they called it “ubba”.

4.       Head Hunting

As the fire tree bears it flowers, that is the crucial time for the non-tribe, for it is the time where Egongots take their head hunting.

*They held big celebration after hunting heads.

* In Christian world, head hunting is sinful act, but to them , it is a sign of bravery, part of their tradition and practice. The one who cut heads will have the right to be called a real brave man.

Part of their tradition is having amulets. Their elders have these during old times. They can sleep and live in the forest as long as they loved to or stay in the deep water as long as they like.

5.       TRADE

Barter is their system long time ago. They exchanged their products to others. For example, their wild pig meats  in exchange to blankets or bolos.

6.       BELIEFS

They believe to Cain and Abal as their gods. They have their anitos too like “palasekan” and Lampoy.

7.       THEIR LAWS

    Though it was not written, the following were part of their laws long time ago..

1.       Do not kill/murder your brother

2.       Do not covet your brothers wife

3.       Do not lie

4.       Do not disobey your husband

5.       Do not forget to pay your obligations

6.       Do not steal.

ANG MGA EGONGOT

Ayon sa literatura, ang baybay ng salitang “Egongot” ay nagmula sa unlapi na “e”  na nangangahulugang “galing o nagmula” at sa salitang ugat na “gongot” na nangangahulugang “gubat”. Sa kabuuan ang tagalog ng EGONGOT ay “taga gubat”. 

 Ilan sa mga manunulat at mga taga tala ng kasaysayan ay may kanya -kanyang paniniwala at eksplanasyon sa kung saan  nga ba nagmula ang mga Egongot. Ang iba ay naniniwala na ang tribong ito ay nagmula sa mga Indonesian na naglayag papuntang Pilipinas noong unang panahon at nanirahan sa kanluran ng Sierra Madre at sa kabundukan ng Caraballo. Mayroon naman sa kanila ang nagsasabing ang mga Egongot ay tulad sa mga Malay na may tradisyon ng pamumugot at may diyalekto na nagmula sa pamilya ng Austrinesian at sa Western-Malayo-Polinesian.

Orihinal na Katutubo sa Maria Aurora

Bagamat simpleng-simple lang ang kanilang pananamit ( G-string sa lalaki na nakapulupot ng limang beses sa baywang at may isang piraso ng  balat ng punongkahoy bilang panakip sa pribadong parte ng katawan at sa babae ay saya na itinatapos mula baywang hanggang tuhod) mapaglagay naman sila ng kung anu-anong palamuti sa katawan.

Ang mga lalaki ay may mga kwintas ng pinagdugtong-dugtong na mga ngipin ng baboy ramo na kung tawagin ay panglao,mga hikaw kung tawagin ay batling at mga bilog na alambreng brass. Ang panglao at battling ay yari sa Beads. Napupuluputan ng brass wires ang baywang ng mga babae, maging ang pulso, at paa ng mga lalaki.  Ang kamay naman ay napupuluputan ng benda at fibers, pinaniniwalaang nakapagpapalakas ang mga ito. Bahagi   na ng gayak ng lalaking Egongot ang itak na nakasukbit sa baywang at maliit na basket na lalagyan ng nganga kung tawagin ay Kopel.ang mga binata ay naglalagay ng bulaklak sa itaas ng braso ngunit ito’y hindi bilang palamuti kundi  sagisag na siya’y isang binata.

Sa ngayon, nagiging modernisado na rin ang kasuotan ng mga ilang Egongot. Ang orihinal nilang damit ay kadalasang isinusuot nalang tuwing may espesyal na okasyon na noon ay nakapaa lang sila ngunit ngayon marami na sa kanila ang nakatsinelas at nakasapatos.

Kasaysayan ng Bayanihan

Sa matagal na kasama ang mga tribu, natutunan kong alamin ang mga munting kasaysayan ng lugar kung saan ako lumaki at kabilang na tribu. Ito ay nagpasalinsalin sa mga bibig ng mga matatanda at noong unang panahaon ay hindi uso ang pagsusulat o pagdodokumento ng mga pangyayari. Kaya nga napakahalaga ng gampanin ng mga nakakatanda ng lugar at tribu. 

Ayon sa magiting na historian na nakilalala ko na walang pangingiming nagbahagi ng kasaysayan ng lugar ng tribu. Ayon sa kanya , ang  Bayanihan bago pa lamang maging isang barangay ay pinamumugaran ng mga tribong Egongot na ang kaugalian ay hindi isang maka-kristiyano sapagkat noong panahong iyon ay manaka-naka pa rin nilang ginagawa ang minanang kaugalian sa mga ninuno na pamumugot ng ulo ng tao. Noon ay isa lamang sitio ng Kadayakan ang Bayanihan kung saan ito ay may limang kilometro ang layo mula sa bayan ng Maria Aurora.

Noong taong 1970, ang Bayanihan ay sakop pa lamang ng Barangay Kadayakan. Ang salitang Kadayakan ay nagmula sa salitang “DEZEK” na ang kahulugan nito ay matigas na kahoy. Ang lugar na ito ay maraming punong-kahoy na matitigas kung kaya’t tinawag ng mga  Egongot (ilongot) na “Kadezekan”, lugar na kung saan dito nagsisipagkuha ng troso ang mga Egongot  at mga magtotroso. Paglipas ng ilang taon ang salitang Kadezekan ay tinaguriang KADAYAKAN.

Noong nakaraang panahon, ang Barangay Kadayakan ay pinamumunuan ni G. Dengpag Ebenga( kilala ngayon sa pangalang Salvador Molina) na isang purong Egongot. Sa paglipas ng mahabang panahon ng kanyang pamumuno , binigyan niya ng pagkakataon ang kapwa niya kababaryo upang matutuhan at maranasan ng ibang matatanda na mamuno sa kanilang lugar. At ng sumunod na halalan ay hindi na kumandidato si G. Dengpag Ebenga bagkus ay hinimok na lang niya si G. Sixto Lupin-na , na isang tubong Igorot na lumaban siya sa halalan at kanyang susuportahan ito. Ang katunggali ni G. Sixto Lupin-na ay si G. Oscar Santos na isang Bininyagen(Tagalog). Nang sumapit ang bilangan , inaasahan ni G. Dengpag Ebenga na ang mananalo sa halalan ay si G. Sixto Lupin-na ngunit taliwas sa kanyang inaasahan. Nagalit si G. Dengpag Ebenga dahil naniniwala siya na ang bilangan ay may anomalyang naganap. Kung kaya’t ang pangyayaring ito ang nag-udyok sa kanya na lumapit at mag-apela sa kasalukuyang punong bayan  noon na si G. Leonardo T. Ong. Nagbigay pahayag siya at buong tapang na nagsabing  hindi siya papayag na ang Kadayakan ay pamunuan ng isang bininyagen , sa kabila na ang Kadayakan ay isang lugar ng katutubong Egongot at Igorot. Upang maalis ang napipintong galit mula sa mga katutubong ito, ay nagpasya ang mabait na punong bayan ng Maria Aurora na ang Kadayakan ay hatiin na lamang at gawing dalawang barangay. Kaya’t mula noon, isinilang ang Barangay Bayanihan , Maria Aurora, Aurora. Ang salitang “BAYANIHAN” ay nangangahulugan ng “Pagkakaisa”.  Noong ika-29 ng Mayo, 1972 ay ganap na naging isang barangay ang Bayanihan sa pamamagitan ng Provincial Board Resolution No. 253. Ito ay pinamunuan ni G. Salvador Molina bilang kapitan kasama ang kanyang konsehal na sina G. Watang Aliwak Sr., Mariano Campos, Prudencio Silvestre, Taingen Cawad, Eppoy Caanawan at William Sadaken.

Kasunod nito, dumami na ng dumami ang mga dayuhan . May mga Bikolano, Bisaya, Igorot, Ilocano, Tagalog at marami pang iba. Ang mga ito ay nagsipag-asawa ng mga Egongot na lalake at babae. Dahil dito, ang Barangay Bayanihan ay mabilis na napuno ng tao sapagkat noong panahong iyon ay kasagsagan ng logging.

Ang pangunahing hanapbuhay ng mga taga Bayanihan ay pagkakaingin sa lugar na nasasakupan lamang ng barangay. Sila ay nagtatanim ng mga lamang ugat  tulad ng gabi, ube, kamoteng kahoy, luya, kamoteng baging , mga prutas tulad ng papaya , saging, citrus, suha at niyog. Marami rin sa mga tribo ang masipag mag-alaga ng mga hayop tulad ng manok, bibe, kambing, baboy, baka at kalabaw. Dito nakasalalay ang lahat ng kanilang ikinabubuhay. May  ilan din sa  mga matatandang Egongot ang pinagkalooban ng karapatan na magmay-ari ng sariling area o lupain sa kabundukan na hanggang ngayo’y  patuloy na pinagkukunan ng kanilang pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan.

Ayon sa mga kwento ng mga matatanda at ng ilang mamamayan ng Bayanihan, ang Bayanihan noon ay masasabing simple lang. Na ang pakiramdam ay tila nasa bukid ka lang , payapa ang pag-iisip at tila walang nakaambang mga problema.

Ang mga bahay noon ay halos yari sa kugon at sawali lamang. Tanging pagkakaingin at pangangaso ang pinagkukunan ng pagkain ng mga mamamayan dito. Wala pang mga pasilidad at imprastraktura kung kaya maging ang mga kalsada ay hindi pa rin sementado.

Sa kabila ng lahat, mababakas pa rin sa ngiti at kilos ng mamamayan dito and diwa ng pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan. Makikita mo ang mukha ng Bayanihan sa pagsasama-samang pagbubuhat ng bahay na kung saan maaaninag ang matatamis na ngiti ng mga mamamayan sa kabila ng hirap at bigat ng bahay na binubuhat. Maaalala rin ang sama-samang paglutas ng mga mamamayan kung ang isa sa kanila ay masuong sa problema. Ilan lamang ito sa napakagagandang bagay na dapat alalahanin,dapat ipagpatuloy at dapat pagyamanin sa mga nasimulang kaugalian at tradisyon ng mga mamamayan ng Bayanihan noong unang panahon.

.Dahil sa kasipagan at pagiging masigasig ng mga Egongot na namumuno sa Bayanihan, natatamasa na nito ang unti-unting pagbabago na kahit sa imahinasyon ay hindi nakita ng mga ninuno ng mga Egongot sa kanilang panahon.

           

Dumami na rin ang mga nakapag-aral na mga mamamayan ng Bayanihan at ngayon ay mga propesyonal na.

TRIBES' GAMES .....LARO NG LAHI...LARO NG TRIBU...

Pursuant to DepEd Memorandum No. 112, s. 2016, The Observance of the National Indigenous Peoples Day, Bayanihan National High School of Brgy. Bayanihan , Maria Aurora, Aurora celebrate tehe National Indigenous Peoples Day with the IP students and suppportive teachers and IP leaders.

The Provincial Chieftain of Egongot tribe and the Barangay Chieftain of Igorot Tribe of Brgy. Kadayakan, IP  and Non-IP students, other IP leaders, visitors and parents witnessed the amazing showcase of Indigenous Knowledge, System and Practices of both tribes, also playing the games our tribes used to play and at the same time the basketball which the youth nowadays love to play.

During the palaro, the players of the basketball, The Egongot Warriors went on the top scorers among the three teams who played during the game.
Another game played by the students was kadang-kadang for the boys and girls. For the boys, they used bamboo, and cocobut shell for the girls.
For "Tolakid" or bunong -binti , boys in partners will be test on their legs endurance. It is like bunong-braso, that the man who will defeat the others will be declared as amazing one.
Bengel is an Egongot game where in boys have their tops or trumpo, not with nail but pure wood. They are going to throw their wooden tops and should be hit by other tops. The one who will hit other's tops in five times will be declared as winner.

Polong of Egongot tribe is cross-bow game. It was originated in their hunting of wild pigs. Boys turned it to a game as part of their "libangan" . 

MOBILE TEACHERS OF 

ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM OF

 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Mobile teacher is the one who teach out of school youth, adults who did not finished studies in formal, nor began education at his/her early age.  A mobile teacher made his/her mapping to different barangays to know her/his possible learners.  She/He  communicate to Barangay officials for the possible learners. After mapping, he/she will conduct orientation and from that orientation, she /he will encourage or motivate his/her possible learners.

After orientation , from then, she/he will conduct sessions to all OSYs and Adults , including those who are physically disabled, who want to pursue their education. A lot of stories of success in ALS had. Lot of lives changed. Even in jail, mobile teachers reach out those detainee who want to use their time usefully during their stay at jail. Hoping that after jail, they can start a new life and pursue their dreams .

I’ve been to Provincial jail and had a chance to get inside and observe the detainees routine. There are some busy in doing crafts, others waiting for their love ones to visit them, and the others went to their sessions on their Volunteer teacher for Alternative Learning System.

I witnessed the eagerness of the learners to pass the A & E Test , hoping that as they receive their diploma after ten months of attending sessions, they will land a better opportunities. Some might pursue their college studies, some will try their future abroad, some plans to apply for jobs which asked diploma for better salary.

After ten months of waiting, graduation comes. Time to received the most awaited diploma, a piece of paper that can lead someone to a new chapter of better life. As a friend told me sometime ago, be careful of those piece of paper, because nobody knows what that piece of paper will lead you into. And I think it is very true, a paper now, document later.

I was amazed of this newly graduate servant of God from the heart of the mountainous Nagtipunan, Quirino . He is Ptr. Benson Aliwak who gave his touching message to everyone who attended  graduation ceremony of batch 2015. He said that he walked two days from his place to attend his class/sessions in ALS CLC, far from his place. Whoaaa.. two days walk to attend his class and another two days to go home. He is with the other two relatives who were also ALS students. Hearing their patience to attend their classes and being away from home for a month, it was a great sacrifice indeed. They have to stay a month and finish their modules for that month and went home for a week and walked again for their classes. This great man used his days in family, serving God and attending ALS sessions. For he was inspired by his nephew who was ALS graduate also and now taking Business Administration at Quirino Province. According to him, age and distance  doesn’t matter if you really ant change in your life.

Being an ALS Mobile Teacher is not easy. In formal school, teachers have their school building, a room allotted to each teacher where their students wait for them. In Alternative Learning System,  the teacher went to their houses or by the permission of Barangay officials, he/she use the Barangay hall for the meantime. I witnessed also a mobile teacher who is almost bitten by dog because of conducting classes and visitation to his/her learners residence. Most of the time, after giving information, teaching the lessons, this mobile teacher needs to nanny his/her learners children for them to be able to work on his /her given activity. Sometimes she/he have to sleep in the community because the place is too far. But because of the program of the DEPED to bring education in more accessible way, ALS mobile teachers reach coastal areas to conduct classes.