Gaddang

• ga-heat or fire dang-burn

  gadang- “taking a step as in gina’dang”
• • TODAY THE MAJORITY OF GADDANG ARE FOUND IN THE PROVINCES OF QUIRINO, NUEVA VIZCAYA, ISABELA, MT PROVINCE AND IN SOME BARANGAYS OF KALINGA AND APAYAO.
  • DALIG KALINGA IS A BRGY IN THE TOWN OF AURORA ISABELA, REFERS TO A NEW DAY, NEW HOPE, NEW ERA,
• • DARAWUM- IS A YEARLY HARVEST FESTIVAL
  • MIWARAT- IS A ONE DAY COMMUNITY CELEBRATION WHERE IN A LARGE PIG IS BUTCHERED, COOKED, AND THEN FEASTED UPON BY THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
• • KAYAW- IS A COMMUNITY CELEBRTION DONE THROUGH GAMES VERY MUCH LIKE IN DARAWUM.
  • AMMONG OR AMITU- IS A FIVE DAYS CELEVRATIONS THAT ANYONE CAN HOLD DUE TO A GOOD HARVEST.
  • AGGARANI - COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATES A GOOD HARVEST.
• • THE TRADITIONAL ATTIRE FOR GADDANG WOMEN INCLUDE AKEN, A LENGTHY PIECE COTTON CLOTH WOUND AROUND THE WAISTLINE AN ALLOWED TO FOLD DOWN TO THE KNEES.
  • IN THE OLDEN DAYS GADDANG WOMEN DID NOT HAVE A UPPER GARMENTS, AND BLOUSES.
• THE TRADITIONAL ATTIRE FOR GADDANG MALE IS THE DINOGGAT (LOINCLOTH), HELD BY THE SENTARON (BELT), ITS FLAP WEIGHTED AT THE HEM BY BEADED TASSELS. THE KUTON WHICH AN UPPER,COLLARLESS SHORT GARMENT MAY ALSO BE WORN BY THE HEADKERCHIEF.
• MENGAL- a well-respected leader known for his bravery, prowess, intelligence, cunning and ability to defend the tribe.

  • a warrior and headhunter
  • But this word has evolved negatively, and now views as a troublemaker

  Pudon/peace pacts - though they’re fierce in protecting their freedom they enter into pacts and practice KOLAK or friendship partnership. Now, the practice of pudon and kolak is limited within family and clan who value the idea of KOLA-NGUYAN (brotherhood) but only among themselves.
• In the past, settling a conflict was conducted through the male kalalakayan (the eldest male), who, with his group of kalakayan (group of elder males) would discuss the matter thoroughly, after which he would give his final decision; his word was law. The tribe selects their leaders from among themselves, especially those members who show leadership qualities of being wise, just articulate and sociable.
• kababakatan(The ledest female) and the kabakatan (group of elder females) are not consulted during the formal settlement of community conflicts.
• • They believed in karurua (ancestral spirit) who can be called upon to cure sick child.
  • The practice of nahlalakhan, is done when a sudden unexplainable sickness overcomes a child.
  • Wari- offering made to mayag i karurua (feed the ancestral soul)

  Coma a masonga (remembering the dead) is the gaddangs belief about remembering their dead ancestors through the wari
• • Their ancient concept of God is limited to Nanolay, the god-protector, and his two spirit companion: Talanganay, the male god-pirit; and Menalam, the female goddess.
  • Ofag is the evildoer
  • Athough the Gaddang have been Christianized, the ancient beliefs have been incorporated into their Christian religion and fair price of ancestral worship remains.
• • Ulo-ulo na danum- a water spirit which helps cure children whose slight sickness it has also playfully caused.
  • Anito- a strong spirit coming from above who is regarded as helper/healer/protector of Gaddang
  • The spirits can always be called upon to help man when he is sick through a medium, the mafuriat.
• They enter the body of mafuriat who gives instructions on how to heal the sick. While ofag cannot be mention in the houses of gaddang.
• • To the Gaddang, courtship is the first step towards marriage. The man's role in marriage is to be the leader of the house.
  • During the courtship period, the young man has definite ideas about the qualities of a woman he wishes to marry, at the same time that he must understand the qualities he has to offer his wife-to-be. The Gaddang's marriage determines the kinship he/she creates within and outside the tribe.
• Marriage among the Dalig Kalinga Gaddangs is accompanied by a feast with the paddan (blood-letting) of a pig, followed by ilangan, or burning it by wood fire, then by cutting it into pieces and cooking with salt and water only.
• 1. Mangafug (to court, to test a woman for mutual feelings)

  2. Mammameran (understanding on both sides)

  3. Wa 'lang is the stage when the suitor or his parents give bead.

  4 Mangiran mawwa'lang or Mangira massasapit (arrangement of marriage).

  5. The madadallugit ira (casting away of hexes/omens)

  6. The Nanolay figure-making ritual is done by old people or the parents for the newly-married couple.
• 7. The kiring (gift-giving) ritual is to be accomplished before marriage for four different reasons.

  8. Mangilin (arrival of the bride)

  9. Mama'bal (arrival of the groom) is a ritual performed by the groom.

  10. Pa'bal

  11 . The Binatog is the first post-marital communal celebration of the new couple for the community.
• 12. Makaddua (the second post-marital celebration) is done two days after the binatog celebration, with two pigs. butchered, cooked and feasted upon by the whole community.

  13. Makallo is the third communal celebration by the couple for the community; it is a three-day celebration with three pigs butchered, cooked and feasted upon by the whole community in honor of the couple.
• All the Gaddang of Dalig Kalinga originally carried the surname "Infiel" the original spelling and meaning of which have been lost with time, though some families still carry it up to now. They have a peculiar practice of choosing their own family name (naitaratarak da nu apelyido ra), so now they have different surnames.
• Madiyyut is a prayer for the protection of the whole family, especially the mother and the unborn child; the prayer of protection/invocation is performed by the mafuriat (Gaddang teaser) over the mother the health of the baby and its safe delivery.
• Give protection to their babies through the Mifuldut ritual. The Mifuldut is a prayer-protection, especially for the child and is done three days after birth. The mother and the three-day old infant go to the hut of Nanolay where the palancing, a necklace and bracelet made of beads smaller than the beads used by adults and made by a mafuriat, is given to the baby to be worn for its protection.
• The Tamoyong, an anito ritual for children, is presided over by a mafuriat. While the mafuriat is in a trance, the sick person, in a specified costume, dances. In the process, it is believed that the spirit guide enters the body of the mafuriat who, while in a trance, gives instructions for healing to the sick person.
• The Galdok healing is administered when an unknown spirit is suspected to have playfully caused a child to contract a slight illness, such as fever, stomachache or headache (naak- kaw) while the child was left alone in front of the house. The ulo-ulo na danum (water spirit) is called upon to heal the child through the galdok diagnosis using the following step
• The furug is the white seed of a lanut (vine), of unknown species, which is now extinct in the area.
• Massila'bo


  A premonition that comes in the form of dreams or feelings that misfortune or evil will happen. The premonition is a warning, and the person who experienced it must exercise proper caution.
• The cadaver with a pika (wooden lance) inserted between the thighs was tied with cords and made to sit in a chair inside a sinan bawi (makeshift hut) and remained in that position while its body fluids dripped for three to seven days. During this period of bereavement, the butchering and cooking of pigs for communal eating went on.
• After about seven days, it was finally prepared for burial and placed in the ansalassa (coffin) made of woven, crushed bamboo and deposited inside a tunnel dug in the side of a hill.
• The makibongon (attending wakes) is an ancient practice observed up to now by the Gaddangs as part of their community show of support.

  There are two types of songs for the dead: the mabballonsa and the magbinungga.
• The mabballonsa and the mabbinungga are dirges for the dead chanted during wakes. The dirge, however, cannot be sung anytime nor written down for the purpose of recording because that is considered kammaral (extremely bad) or taboo.
• The dead can only be buried on the third, fifth, seventh, or ninth day counting from the first day of demise. The male dead is buried in his abag (g-string) while the female dead is buried in her biling (ceremonial dress).

  During the metanam (burial), the gangsa and three bamboo instruments are played to drown out other noises because these are considered bad omens.
• The mabhaliyowat, a ritual done after burial when the mourners return to the house of the bereaved family, is performed for cleansing purposes.

  Sillay-giving is a rite of passage, a practice observed by young mothers where their valuable sillay necklaces are given to their young daughters when they come of age.
• carangat, powerful, shadowy beings who are feared because they are associated with evil, is rooted in the phenomenon of unexplained footprints in the ashes below the chair or bed of the dead, and in the allegation that an unseen force pulls the corpse from its place.
• At special community gatherings, their arms are never without ginadding or ginalmaddan bracelets made of beads and copper respectively.
• bukat (accessories for their clothes); nabulatan (cestorized clothes) is the norm for them
• The Makakarayem is a collection of joyful songs meant to be sung during festivities like weddings, community gatherings or the ordinary drinking spree of adult male Gaddang in the afternoons after their daily tasks.
• They also have the galating. a bamboo guitar, and the palyot, a bamboo flute.
• The Gammayen is a tribal dance performed during festive occasions. The Manitu is a tribal dance showing their respect for Nanolay.

  The five gansas are played for the bumbuak, a courtship dance. Through the gansas, the gameyan sound is produced for wedding celebrations.
• The Manitu is the dance of a community in prayer. The gansas are needed to perform the manalip (to dance).