PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY

The National Teacher for Educatio Hub

The Indigenous Peoples Education Hub
North Luzon
Alicia, Isabela

FLA No. 01
in
Development of Education
(Prof. Ed. 05)

Technical Paper:
Indigenous Knowledge System of Isneg

Prepared By:
Dalig, Jay Ann T.
Dasing, Leah May C.

As students of the of the Philippine Normal University that promotes Indigenous Peoples
Education, it is a need that we know different ethnic tribes cultures and traditions. In this technical
paper, the culture of Isneg, an ethnic tribe residing at the province of Apayao is discussed. The
purpose of this technical paper is to know more, explore, discover and share facts about the Isneg
people, their means of survival, rituals, beliefs and practices and leisure activities
Isneg peoples are one of the highland ethnic groups practicing unique and indigenous culture.
Their culture was preserved by their forefathers by passing it to their succeeding generations through
oral. But nowadays, their culture is slowly fading because of the trend of globalization and
modernization. It is a big loss if their culture will just fade, one reason is that because they have the
knowledge that only them knows. They practice a very unique way of living that non-indigenous
cannot do. So to preserve their culture, the constitution mandates educational institutions to help in
the preservation and development of indigenous culture and traditions.
In accordance with the constitutions mandate, this technical paper is to show facts on how the
Isneg people live. As we proceed to this technical paper we will know how rich and unique the culture
of the Isneg is.
The Isneg people, also referred to as the Isnag, Apayao and Yapayao, are an Austronesian
ethnic group native to Apayao Province in the Philippines' Cordillera Administrative Region. The Isneg
live at the northwesterly end of northern Luzon, in the upper half of the Cordillera province of
Apayao. They have been known to be a head taking society since recorded history.
The term Isneg derives from a combination of is meaning recede and uneg meaning
interior. Thus, it means people who have gone into the interior. In Spanish missionary accounts,
they, together with the Kalinga and other ethnic groups between the northern end of the Cagayan
Valley and the northeastern part of the Ilocos, were referred to as los Apayaos, an allusion to the
river whose banks and nearby rugged terrain were inhabited by the people. They were also called los
Mandayas, a reference to an Isneg word meaning upstream. The term Apayao has been used
interchangeably with Isneg, after the name of the geographical territory which these people have
inhabited for ages.

Isneg has composed also of the major sub-groups known as the Ymandaya and Imallod.
Ymandaya for Calanasan and Imallod includes Kabugao, Conner, Pudtol, and some part of Luna. For
now, Apayao has 7 municipalities- Luna (Capital of Apayao), Kabugao, Conner, Flora, Sta. Marcela,
Pudtol and Calanasan with an overall total of 135 baragays.

The formation of the Isneg family begins with the rites of courtship. The girls parents allow this
to take place in their house, in their presence. If the suitor has become acceptable to the girls
parents and to her, he may be allowed to sleep with her. This may last for several nights, and it is
likely that a sexual relationship takes place, after which the boys parents discuss the matter of
engagement and marriage with the girls parents. The main point of their discussion is the amount of
the tadug (bride-price). During the discussion of the wedding, magtuton was held wherein one of the
girls relatives (must be a maiden) carry malagkit (any kind of recipe) on their head and distribute it
to the people involved. After the marriage ceremony, the newlyweds may choose to live with either
set of parents. Isneg society permits polygyny, but not polyandry. Either the common husband may
have the wives live under the same roof or he may build separate dwellings for them.
However, before building a house, rituals likewise accompany the building of houses in
Apayao. From the initial act of looking for suitable wood in the forest to the final completion of the
binuron, the Isneg act according to traditional beliefs. Some of the customs and practices that the
Isneg follow are also faithfully observed in other Cordillera communities. Just like when going to the
forest to cut timber for a house, one observes the flight of a small red (or brown) bird, or listens to
the sound it makes. The bird is called i-chaw or i-do in Ifugao, labeg in Kankanai, idaw in Bontoc and
Kalinga, idew in Sagada, and labag in Apayao. If the bird flies across or opposite ones path and if its
sound is a long and intermittent, it bodes ill. One should turn back and wait for another day. If the
bird flies in the same direction one is taking and if its sound is short and continuous, it augurs well.
Other unfavorable omens are a rainbow, the sneeze of a man or an animal, and a death in the village.
And then, before cutting down a tree, a woodcutter kills a chicken and examines the bile sac. If it is
good, his work begins, and if not, it is postponed.
Afterwards, the division of labor for survival activities takes place, which was based on physical
strength and gender is evident. The woman plants, weeds, harvests rice, prepares the meals,
maintains vegetable gardens, and rears children. For man, first thing and foremost is the kaingin
system where they can produce their main staple-rice, which they have traditionally produced in
abundance. Apart from rice, other crops raised are corn, cassava, sweet potato, sugarcane for
making basi or sugarcane wine, bananas, yams, fruit orchards, and tobacco. Despite their relative
anonymity, the Isneg have preserved an elaborate economic culture centered around the concept of
land ownership. According to Isneg traditional view, the ownership of land is absolute, governed by
an unwritten law of property relations. This law is respected and recognized, enforced and defended
by generations of Isneg. Life is materially associated with the land, the forests, and the rivers. The
recognized owner of a piece of land has exclusive rights over its natural resources and its fruits. Mr.
Arandez Dalig, an 82 year old elder that we have interviewed said, Nu inna ya nasmah mu ay gina
ya uwam, umman nu waddan tinatalun se amulam ay ittu la panda ni lus nga eramanan nin daya
kapututam which means Whoever sees it first, owns it. And when it comes to land, it can be owned
by an individual or clan through the first-use or pioneer principle and eventually inherited by their
children afterwards.

Another form of their survival activities were manganup or hunting wild animals with bow,
arrow and spears; mangilug or hunting wild animals using traps; magpatungkab or hunting wild
animals using explosive device covered with meat to trick them; mamalet hunting wild animals using
sharp objects covered with leaves as a trick; mamantak or hunting birds using hook (just like the one
used in fishing); magbannuwet or catching fish using hook with worms that was tied under water;
maneding, the same with magbannuwet but tied up in a litle bamboo stick which was being held;
magsigay or fishing using net; mams or fishing using toxic acid; magbungbung or dynamite fishing;
mangiyuan or getting honey through smoke;; mangisab or catching birds using airgun and others.

Throughout the year, rituals, beliefs, practices and traditions play a central role in the social
life of the Isneg. These are often very festive occasions. Everyone in the Isneg community prepares
and looks forward to the feasts observed during the year, which are related to the most important
events in the Isnegs life: marriage, illness, death, harvest, farewells, political negotiations, or
honoring family members for achievements and other events of their everyday living.

Isneg rituals for illness include mamildap which was held when a sick person will not eventually
get treated after going back and forth at hospitals. The subject will lay down on the floor or in a bed
while one of the family members will move around the sick carrying the dog while blood was dripping
from its slaughtered throat. Next is mahanitu which was performed by the bahbakat (old woman) to
cast evil spirit inside a certain house or person who is sick. A slaughtered pig must be prepared and
placed in front of the bahbakat and while performing, shes murmuring things that cannot be
understood, shaking and hitting the pig using the different leaves she held as she moves around.

There are also rituals connected with the agricultural cycle particularly to the daily life on the
swidden, which includes clearing, planting, and harvesting. Three signs indicate that clearing work on
the swidden can begin- the red bakakaw herb comes out, the tablan (coral tree) is in bloom, and the
leaves of the basinalan tree fall to the ground. This is around February to March. Then, the lumba
tree begins to bear fruit, and it is a sign that the dry days have begun, time for burning the swidden.
Then, to start the planting, a certain member of the family will just plant a few then leave
immediately. After going home, magbakka was held in the house where coconut will be cut half. The
one who made the planting will not be allowed to hold a ladle within three days and no visitors inside
the house as well. For harvesting, malagkit was prepared first. And then, rice pudding is offered to
Pilay, the spirit of the rice, who resides on the paga, a shelf above the Isneg hearth. This is the
pisi/atang, the ritual offering of food to the spirits.
Another ritual is performed right in the fields where the harvest is going on. The amulets
inapugan (betel nut), takkag (kind of fern), and herbs are tied to a stalk of palay, which later placed
in the granary before the other palay. But despite of these rituals, when children play on the
harvesting field or when somebody goes to a granary that is not belong with the family, she/he may
get sick and might die soon when not treated immediately. So, with the Isnegs belief that the unseen
spirit Inargay, a spirit that kills during harvest time, they do a certain ritual. When inapugan, a ritual
plant, is offered to Inargay, the following prayer is recited by the Isneg farmer: Iapugko iyaw inargay
ta dinaami patpatay (I offer this betel to you, Inargay, so that you may not kill us) (Vanoverbergh
1941:337-339).
When it comes to beliefs and practices, Isneg people really keep a lot from their ancestors.
Beliefs includes tossing table tools when somebody in the family members is leaving while others are
still eating; postponing destinations or travels when a labag (a black bird), black cat, snake cross
someones path or when somebody sneezed because it might be a sign of danger or bad luck;
staying in the door is not a good habit for the sake of a pregnant woman; sweeping at night might
disturbed the spirits and may bring harm; saying dayu-dayu or go away (referring to the unseen
spirits) when pouring water outside during night; saying balbal followed by your name when first
time visiting a certain place; saying umaykan followed by your name when leaving that certain place
so that the unseen spirits will not harm your inner self; saying pwera ussug when praising babies; and
many more.
For practices, the Isneg woman traditionally gives birth in a kneeling position, using a
mushroom as a talisman to ensure a successful delivery. The umbilical cord, cut with a bamboo sliver,
is mixed with the rest of the afterbirth tied up with ginger and herbs, and buried in a coconut shell
under the house (Casal 1986:76). Meanwhile, when someone die from Isneg people, the bereaved
family will build batalan which serves as semibasement where people can get together. Different
course of foods will be prepared, cooked and served by chosen and volunteered fellow citizen; others
may donate goods or money and sometimes dogs or pigs to be slaughtered. During this time
gambling was allowed and tong will be place in every table, a glass where an individual in each play
must put his or her share after winning. The collected money will be spent for buying basi for those
drinking liquors and coffee of course which will be served to everybody, whoever and no matter how
many times. Aside from gambling through playing cards, bisnag was held. It is one of their ancestors
practices which was still held nowadays by two or more men hitting each others thighs alternately.
One will lie down to be hit (as many as you can) by the other and then the flow will be just the same
afterwards. On the burial, inside the bamboo coffin are placed a jar of basi near the feet that would
quench the deads thirst during his journey to the land beyond. His spear near the left hand and his
shield near the feet that would protect him from enemies that he could possibly meet along the way.
The weapons are properly positioned at his disposal so that he could immediately stand to grasp his
armory to defend himself.
After the burial, the mourners refrain from eating spicy foods including the deceased favorite
menu in observance of the maglo rite, prohibiting the consumption of the deceaseds preferred food,
favorite hobbies and other things related to him. Magpangisit was a known form of maglo mostly
done by a widow where she must only wear black colored things. She must also allow her hair to
grow long because trimming or shaving for a widower is a taboo. This mourning rite takes up to one
year and ends with the celebration of the abobat or say-am where the festivity is witnessed with
flowing native wine, basi, abundant food or pigs and other animals signifying a new kind of life for the
family.
Other types of practices include tattooing to both men and women with different types and
colors which may depend on its significance; manatalun which was the act of clearing atleast five
minutes to formally start the swidden for the next day; magtunah which was the act of planting
atleast three palay seed to formally start the planting after three days; sumdam which was the act of
harvesting for atleast five minutes after the inapugan ritual to formally start the harvesting for the
next day; magpakan, a feast held to celebrate someones success or someones return from other
countries; mangait, a feast spearheaded by the bride-to-bes family and relatives as her husband-to-
be gives the tadug to his in-laws.
Traditions, on the other hand, is a very important matter to Isneg. One of these traditions is
what they called Say-am. It is performed before an assembly of people, for important social
occasions, such as a successful headhunt (in the past), for welcoming visitors and for the removal of
mourning clothes. The outlay in terms of food preparation is enormous, and everyone are allowed
and invited. During this feast, gongs are beaten, and the community participates in dancing and the
drinking of basi. There are two general types of dance among the Isneg feasts, the tad and the talip.
In both dances, the girls and the boys have specific roles to play. Those who display skill, especially in
the fast-beat talip, win the applause of the crowd (Reynolds and Grant 1973:73). Another form of
their traditions is lapat which is a form of property conservation by writing the word lapat in a
placard and nailed or tied it in a certain thing, a coconut for example. Next is mangagtu, a form unity
and cooperation, wherein everyone as a fellow citizen may help for moving sacks of rice from the
granary at mountains to the home of the owner. No paying of money but a feast will do and pakkal, a
pack of lunch wrapped by two intersected leaves of banana will be given to those who are involved
when going home.
Finally, mama, nganga in Filipino (betle nut) is one of the known trademark for Isneg people.
Most of them, boy or girl, elders, adults, youth or even young children are chewing betle nut. Elder
Dalig said, Dakkal ya metulung na mama kadaami nangruna na nu pinagguubra ta nasulit kami
mabisin.Umman ka gina gamin pe idi ya halut mi nga Isnag ta annung mu maimama oray inna. Tan
lud mesabat mu iyan ay, tan mamam? Peyang damahan da.Tuya kan ka la masdaaw yin nu
makasingan ka ka magdudungu nga tolay, pagmaat man, algaw wennu hidam (Chewing beetle nut
is a big help for us especially working hours because were not easily got hungry . Most of the people
that you will encounter asks, you have beetle nut? So just dont be surprise when you see group of
noisy people in the morning, lunch or even evening). Mama makes the Isneg get along with each
other to relax while having atalk. It gives a larger meaning to their life, unite them, and impart a
sense of identity.
When dawdawat came, a time where everybody is not that busy and just waiting for the
harvest time, most of the Isneg leisure activities takes place. One example of this is Magdadahay (a
play w/ the use of trumpo) played by two groups of men. After that, syor will takes place wherein the
winners will strike the losers trumpo using theirs. Other forms of leisure activities include sanggol, a
battle of strong done by two people where arms are over a table are entersected; mimitang, wherein
one that loses a bet will be blindfolded and tell the name of the one that she can touch from those
unmoving person which are involved in the group. This is mostly done by youth; paway, a game
played by two groups using slippers and mainly played by young children; making
pahingheng/patangg which is a musical instrument made by bamboo that can also be used during
feasts; making kadang-kadang, a bamboo instrument for walking and ammada, a coconut shell
instrument for walking; pikpik, mostly done by children by stepping the right foot back and forth to
the shapes drawn in the land; magguutu or taking away lies mostly done by elder women to relax
while having a talk to each other; ododit (story telling) during night done by a mother while waiting
for her children to fall asleep; and many more.
These presented facts abouts the life of Isneg people, means of survival, rituals, beliefs,
practices, leisure activities which we have gathered through research and face-to-face interviewed
from one the Isneg elder, we can say that they are really rich in culture. They have lots of beliefs and
practices that are very traditional but are environmental friendly. Although the trend is on
gobalization and modernization nowadays, the Isneg people have really preserved and valued what
their forefathers passed to them.
Therefore, we conclude that youths of the Isneg tribe should learn and appreciate their very
authentic and rich culture. They should not let it fade and be proud about it. However, the practice of
letting polygyny must be stopped to respect feminism and the belief of so many spirits should be
lessened. As for these beliefs and practices, screening must be held first before continuing to practice
it. If so, bad practices will surely be avoided and disregarded while good ones must be preserved and
continued.
So, in order to preserved all of these, there is a need to corporate the cultural values identified
in this technical paper in the curriculum of schools and universities especially in Cordillera to promote
cultural relativism, cultural acceptance and multiculturalism in every institution.
References:
Celino, Sonia M. Death and Burial, Rituals and other Practices and Beliefs of the Cordillerans, 1990.
(pdf)
www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/people/ethnic-groups-in-the-philippines/isneg/

Key Informant, Age, Address

Mr. Arandez Dalig; 82; Pudtol, Apayao