THE IBANAG CULTURE: PERSPECTIVES, DIRECTIONS AND CHALLENGES**

by Abraham D. Lauan

WHO ARE THE IBANAGS?

The Ibanags are an ethnolinguistic minority numbering a little more than half a
million people who inhabit the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya. They
are one of the largest ethnolinguistic minorities in the Philippines.

Ibanag is also known as “ybanag” and “ybanak” or “ibanak”. The name comes
from the words “I”- which means “the” and “bannag”- which means river. Ibanags often
distinguish themselves by the color of their elbows - “kunnasi kangisi’ na sikum”,
meaning “how dark is your elbow”. Often it is joked upon by Ibanags that their elbows
tend to be of darker complexion than the rest of the Filipinos. In addition to this, Ibanags
tend to be taller in stock and have a peculiar height on the bridge of their noses.

WHERE ARE THEY?

Historically, aside from the other tribes in Cagayan Valley with their own specific
languages, namely Itawes, Irrayas, Gaddangs, Yogads, Ilongots, Negritos, and Igorots,
the Ibanags are found in the northern coastal towns of Cagayan (Pamplona, Claveria,
Abulug, Aparri, Buguey, Camalaniugan, Lallo & Gattaran) and in Isabela (San Pablo,
Cabagan, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Tumauini, Ilagan, Gamu,
Naguilian, and Reina Mercedes).

WHAT’S THEIR LANGUAGE?

The Ibanags, but of course, speak the Ibanag language. The first Spanish
missionaries who arrived in the Valley came in contact with the Ibanags who, in spite of
their difficulty in learning the language, Ibanag was made the official language (lingua
franca) in the region. In fact, the then Dominican Provincial, Fr. Jose Herrera issued in
1752 an order to all concerned “. . . to learn and speak Ibanag and use the language in
the church rites.”

Probably to facilitate their learning of the Ibanag language, Fr. Jovito Pardo, O.
P. (+1605) initiate a grammar of the Ibanag tongue. Late, Fr. Gaspar Zarfate (+1621)
wrote “El Arte dela Lengua Ibanag”. Meanwhile, Fr. Ambrosio dela Madre de Dios, O. P.
(+1626) wrote a grammar book entitled Arte de la Lengua Ibanag” and a dictionary
“Vocabulario de la Lengua Ibanag”. Marcos de Saavedra (+1631) wrote “ Compendio
del Arte y Reglas del Idioma Ibanag” while Fr. Jose Bugarin, O. P. (+ around 1676)
authored the “El Arte y Diccionario Ibanag-Español”. Fr. Antonio Lobato, O. P. (+1794)
contributed a grammar book entitled “Gramatica Arte de la Lengua Ibanag” while Fr.
Jose Cuevas, O. P. (+1897) wrote an Ibanag grammar book.

In 1839, only three of the native languages of the Valley, namely Ibanag, Itawes
and Gaddang were found predominant but pockets of Iluko-speaking inhabitants were
noted. The first census conducted in 1903 showed that about 30% of the total
population of Cagayan Valley are Ilocanos (50,401 out of 171,694 total population).

Today, Ibanags are still mostly found in the northern towns of Isabela extending
from Reina Mercedes to San Pablo up to Tuguegarao and as far as Aparri and Abulug,
Cagayan. However, there has been an increasing number of Ilocanos in all these towns.

_______
** A Paper Presented in a Research Forum on IP Related Researches held at
PNU North Luzon, Alicia, Isabela on July 25, 2018.

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 Ibanag is a Philippine language within the Austronesian language family (similar
to Cebuano and Tagalog). It belongs to the Northern Philippine languages subgroup
where Iluko and Pangasinense also belong. It is closely related to Gaddang, Itawis,
Agta, Atta, Yogad, Isneg, and Malaweg.

The Ibanag language features sounds that are not present in many related
Philippine languages. Certain unique phonemes (distinct sounds) of Ibanag compared
to its sister languages include: [f] as in inafi or rice’ [v] as in bavi or pig, [z] as
in kanzing or goat, [dʒ] as in madjan or maid.

Ibanag also features gemination (making something paired, becoming paired or

doubled). Some examples are: gaddua (half), mappazzi (to squeeze or squeezing),
mallittu (to leap or jump), nattalovu (germinated/emerged), and nattaradday/naddarappil
(united/mixed).

Ibanags from towns in Northern Cagayan (Abulug, Aparri, Camalaniugan,

Pamplona & Lallo) tend to replace their "p's" with “f's". Some Ibanag words differ from
these areas as opposed to the Tuguegarao and Isabela Ibanag. For example, mapatu -
mafatu (hot), dupo - dufo (banana), and paggipayan - faggifayan (a place to put).

(Orthography is the study of established correct spelling, letters of an alphabet

and how they occur sequentially in words, and the way letters and diacritic symbols
represent the sounds of a language in spelling).

There are two ways that Ibanag can be written. In older texts, the Spanish style is
often used. This is where "qu's", "c's" take place of "k's", and words that end with a
glottal stop are added with "-c" after the word. However, this method can make the
language even harder to read. And since the language is no longer being maintained,
there is no correct standard form of orthography. So, often we will see a combination of
both, e.g., 1) Quiminac cami tab bavi - We ate pork. Kiminak kami ta bavi. 2) Napannu tac
cunam y langui-c. - The sky is full of clouds. Napannu tak kunam il langi.

Admittedly, there are variations in the use and intonation of the language
between and among the Ibanags. For instance, Ibanags in Cabagan and San Pablo use
the word “kagayang” meaning “river” but Ibanags in Tumauini call it “bannag. A “drizzle”
is called “tarikafu” in Cabagan, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas and Tumauini,
but it is “daragifu” in Ilagan. “Palataw” means “bolo” in the northern towns of Isabela
while it is called “baliyang” in Gamu.

SOME DISTINCT FEATURES OF THE IBANAG CULTURE

(The New Oxford Dictionary of English, 2001 defines culture as the arts and other
manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively; and language –
is the speech of a country, region, or group of people, including its vocabulary, syntax,
and grammar )

The Ibanags of today possess a distinct culture that is largely tainted or

influenced by externalities like internal and foreign infusion and incursion. But
seemingly, some cultural traits that were eminent or well-known several decades ago
are no longer exhibited probably because of the impact of technology or other obvious
factors.

1. Respect. Respect for parents and elders among Ibanags, for a start, is
important to mention. This is usually done by getting the right hand of the parent or
elder and putting it on the foreheads a manner of giving honor and probably as an act of
humility.

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 2. Religiosity. Another aspect is on religiosity which is still highly evident in the
traditions practiced today. Except for some individuals or families who reverted to other
religious sects, a majority of the Ibanags has remained in the folds of the Catholic
Church. The presence of an altar in every home, the flocks attending Sunday masses,
church feasts and special occasions such as fiestas, are just a few indications of rich
culture of the Ibanags.

3. Patronal Fiestas. The practice of celebrating patronal fiestas at the barangay

and municipal levels has not waned through the decades. To a certain degree, this
tradition is rather related to their religiosity as a people in order to “manifest
thanksgiving to God for their material and spiritual blessings”. Practically, each
barangay where the majority of residents are Ibanags has its own barangay fiesta and a
designated patron saint in whose honor a nine-day novena is done. On the night before
the fiesta day or the “visperas”, the “prosa”, is performed by groups of girls formally clad
in dresses patterned after the color of the patron saint/s. The participants in the “prosa”
sing the lyrics composed in Ibanag that gives tribute to the virtues of the patron saint
while executing simple dance steps on a decorated stage.

4. Courtship and Marriage. One aspect of the Ibanag culture is that of love and
marriage customs. No longer practiced today, it starts with courtship characterized by
perseverance, respect and service. In here, the Ibanag male woos a lady starting with a
serenade (harana) followed by an indeterminate length of time working for the family
doing farm and home chores (“masserbi”). But when the lady accepts the man’s
pleadings, a date is set for a “heart-to-heart” talk between their parents which is termed
as “mappiritindi” (formal marriage proposal) wherein the date of marriage is set and
highlighted by the setting of dowry (in cash and/or in kind) and other vital aspects of the
wedding. A day before the wedding day, his family would proceed to the lady’s house to
bring the dowry (“manulug) and the group stays there to assist in preparing for the
occasion. The wedding day consists of singing, dancing, and of course, partaking of the
meal (usually lunch) by sponsors, guests, relatives and friends. A highlight of this
celebration is the dancing of the “mascota”.

5. Music, Dance, Literature, etc.

a. Mascota is a beautiful song that is sung while the mascota dance is

performed. A male and a female singer sing lines alternately to provide the music for the
dancers. The lyrics of the song may tackle from eagerness of the parent-in-laws to
welcome a new addition to the family; or simply an indication openness and approval of
the newlyweds into their families. Mascota, a traditional dance, aims to solicit money
from visitors and relatives that could help the newlywed couples’ finance to start their
lives together.

b. The “Sambali”. The “sambali” has become a highlight of a local fiesta

particularly in barangays Casibarag Norte and Sur, Cabagan, Isabela. Its origin is
influenced by the African brand of Christianity brought by the friars into the country.
Sambali is a tribal war dance, a play-up of the feud between the two groups, Christians
and Non-Christians (pagans) showing how the Christian lowlanders were able to defeat
the Kalingas who are dubbed as enemies of the gospel and civilization and were later
on driven to the mountains Here, the Christians are represented by the Ibanag, the non-
Christians by Kalingas who opposed the reduction efforts of the Spanish Missionaries.
(“Kalinga,” in Ibanag vocabulary means “enemy”). The dance is a re-enactment of an
encounter between the two parties. Like the theatrical production of the Spanish period
komedya, the sambali performers use costumes to identify each side. The Ibanags are
in white baag, white being the catechumenical color for baptism, while the Kalingas are
in red baag, the color associated with insurrections. As warriors, the performers are
armed with spears and shields. To symbolize bravery, they wear headdresses
decorated with feathers, similar to the Kalingalawi.

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 Some of the steps are paseu, (both parties go around each other’ and manadara
(both parties dance in an alert position as if waiting for a blow, and the alivug where the
Christian leader called mengal fights a kalinga soldier and vice versa. The climax of the
tribal dance is the subjugation of the kakalingas by the Christians. Costumes include
accessories, dance equipment/implement used and musical instruments. The
participants of the Sambali are in battle array, each with a kalatag (shield) and a duppil
(lance). The Christians’ costume is predominantly white; the kalinga (the enemy in red
motif. Both groups wear a headgear of beautiful and big feathers. There are only two
distinct musical rhythms used in this war dance, namely: 1) Music A - 1 drumbeat (1st
measure), 1 drumbeat (2nd measure), 3 drumbeats (3rd measure), 3 drumbeats (4th
measure); and Music B - 4 drumbeats (1st measure), 4 drumbeat (2nd measure),
4 drumbeats (3rd measure), 4 drumbeats (4th measure).

The war dance starts with an Aeta warning two groups of imminent attack but
ignored by the warring camps. They proceed anyway and march to battle, meet face to
face and the battle starts. Similar to the battles between Christians and Moros in the
komedya and the moros y christianos, the ritual culminates in the defeat of the non-
Christians at the hands of the Christians (G. Zafrawith notes from E.A Manuel and R.
Obusan).

c. The “Parosa”. The parosa is a a song and dance number which narrates the
life of the patron saint of the locality, for example, Santo Domingo, San
Roque, San Pablo, Sta. Maria dela Victoria, etc.). A good part of it is a hymn of praise
(gozos, a Spanish word for joys) exalting the heavenly protector of the locality. Usually,
as many as twenty girls dance in two or three rows while singing Ibanag hymns. To
break the monotony of the group action, duets come into the picture sometimes with
male participants. Because it is a group activity, the parosa already gives a foretaste of
the fiesta spirit. A parosa presentation takes a good thirty minutes.

d. The “Verzo” (Bersu). The “verso”, a folk literature, is the counterpart of the
unoni (poems/sayings) and is often composed on the spot by the verzista (solo
performer) during social occasions like weddings and baptisms. It is intended to
entertain and to moralize. It may evoke sadness, joy, laughter, ridicule or wisdom.
(Suyu, 2015).

e. The “Pasion”. This is a very long narrative of the passion of Christ performed
during the Lenten season. It gives emphasis on Christ’s trials and tribulations until his
death on the cross at Calvary. Except for the meticulously written lyrics done in cursive
penmanship, this literary material has no musical notes and therefore, the style solely
depends on the singers, usually sung by a female (soprano) and a male (alto/tenor).

f. Popular Songs. Love songs of the Ibanags include “Malukag Ka” (Wake Up),
“Tal Laguerta” (In the Garden), and “O Lappaw a Makayaya” (Oh Beautiful Flower) are
serenade (“harana’) songs, while the “Mangurug” (I Believe) is a regularly sung during
Eucharistic celebrations.

f. Superstitious Beliefs. The day-to-day life of the Ibanags is somehow laced with
superstition, some of which might be extinct today while some are still being practiced
or observed sporadically. One of these is the practice of “mawwari”, an act of offering
some food to unseen creatures as per advice of an “albolario” or “mangilu” to a parent
or guardian for a sick member of the family. The “wari” or food offering usually
consisting or red candy, a small glass or w bottle of wine, some cigars, biscuits, native
cake, etc., is placed under a tree or any location specified by the “albolario” or
“mangilu”.

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 Other superstitious beliefs such as those related to baptism, wedding, funeral
wake, burial, farming, building a house, the soul, and almost all other facets of the
Ibanags’ continuation and being may require another session.

DIRECTIONS AND CHALLENGES

The Ibanags are an indigenous people (IP) that can exert and radiate its
uniqueness into a world of various orientations and cultures. The positive dimensions of
the rich culture of the Ibanags deserve to be preserved to avoid its possible total
wipeout in the annals of our racial history.

In the past, an attempt of the Philippine government at displacing minority

languages and imposing Filipino as a lingua franca, the use of Ibanag has diminished
but remained strong with Ibanags living overseas. In fact, the use of Tagalog in many
households in the country had started to flourish thereby relegating Ibanag behind, to
say the least. However, the advent of K to 12 basic education program (BEP) in the
Philippines, has created a twist that gives a second look on the importance of “mother-
tongue based” (MTB) languages for Grades 1 to 3. With this event, Ibanag is now being
used in certain subjects in the said grades (MTB/MLE, Araling Panlipunan, and
Mathematics). Taking this situation seriously, there is a felt need to consider the
following issues and concerns:

1. There is no correct standard form of orthography of the Ibanag language. So,

which should be followed when writing Ibanag: Spanish style? Present-day (modern)
style? Or a combination of both?

2. If the problem on orthography is to be addressed, what group/s or agency should or

can take the lead?

3. If the revival of the Ibanag culture is part of the Mother-Tongue Based (MTB)
program of the government which seeks to preserve indigenous cultures, including its
languages, for generations to come, how shall we address the distinct language
differences or variations in coming up with the needed learning/resource materials?

4. Is there a need to craft an updated Ibanag dictionary? How can this be

addressed and how soon?

Likewise, a special attention for research is deemed important for the

preservation of the songs and dances that cuts across the aspects on reverence for
God, respect for others, humility and service, and other human virtues that promote self-
esteem. The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP Isabela Office at
Ilagan, Isabela, a repository of information and materials can be tapped as a valuable
partner in our research efforts on the Ibanags.

Finally, may I sincerely yet categorically express that the perfect time for
proposing research projects and activities intended to preserve and strengthen the
Ibanag culture is NOW “before its glory fades”! Moreover, I also believe that it is our
task to leave a priceless legacy to the next generations ahead of us.