San Emilio: A Cultural Place

Have you ever wondered why people from the uplands of Ilocos Sur dress, behave
and speak differently from those from the lowlands? Yes, people from the uplands are more
conservative, humble and simple. They have different tribes like the “Tinggian,”
“Kankanaey,” and “Bago Tribe.”

San Emilio, Ilocos Sur belongs to the “Bago Tribe.” This town has a lot to offer when
it comes to culture. There is one thing that people from San Emilio is proud of. It is the one
of a kind annual celebration of “Tapey Festival.” “Tapey” means a rice wine made with yeast
or “bubod.””Tapey Festival” is an emblem of San Emilio norms and tradition. In this festival
local people from different barangays gathered together at the Municipal Covered Court as
the event area. Each barangay has their own booth made of indigenous materials. All the
booths are filled with several, fresh, local products especially “Tapey” from different
barangays. The first day is always a Cultural Day where you could witness “Bago
Tribe”chants and dances like “takik”, “tadek”, “lablabaan” and “balliwes.” With the use of
“gangsa” or gong you might see yourself dancing while watching the performances because
the sound is really engaging even if you never tried that kind of dance before. Aside from
ball sports people from different barangays are encouraged to join the “laro ng lahi” which
includes arm wrestling “sang-gol”, “ginnuyudan” and “kadang-kadang.” However, if you
want to prove San Emilio people’s charm, beauty and wit you could stay overnight for the
search for Mr. and Miss San Emilio. This brings you to the ethnic world of San Emilio. From
their indigenized costumes to traditional performances, you’ll be overwhelmed and you
couldn’t help yourself than to say “nag-amay” or pleasantly beautiful.

This celebration is a truly manifestation of our “Bago Tribe” culture. It makes other
tribe and other people from the lowland come to celebrate with us. It promotes our
humility, integrity and pride as a San Emilio people.

TAPEY: SAN EMILIO’S REAL WINE

Tapey is the only known Bago Tribe’s rice wine and the only known rice wine in the
Philippines. It is mostly produced in the northern part of the Philippines including San
Emilio, Ilocos Sur.
Tapey is made with rice yeast or “bubod” that look like rough, round biscuits, the
red variety of glutinous rice or “malagkit” and banana leaves that have been washed,
heated over fire and wiped with a clean damp cloth. It is then placed in a jar for cooking.
The glutinous rice is cooked with less than the normal amount of water. It is then removed
from heat before it gets thoroughly cooked. The banana leaves are prepared and laid flat.
The rice is slathered over the banana leaves to cool off. Simultaneously, while the rice is
cooling, the bubod must be pounded into a very fine powder, which should be mixed evenly
with the rice. After this, it is put in the tightly-sealed container. It is then placed in a cool
dry place and it will be opened after seven days. The liquid part is ladled out of the jar.
It is ideal that the whole process is done in a cool dry place. It is also a superstition
that the maker must not be disturbed and no one talks in the surroundings because it will
make the tapey sour.
Mostly, it is the women who make the wine and the male head of the household or
the oldest person in the household is to open the jar once it is ready to be drunk. The jars
used have been owned by generations of families and have witnessed countless family
traditions and stories. The wine, when properly blessed before serving, is said to help those
who drink it to stay away from trouble.

This kind of wine is more often than not served during special occasions at the time that
the men and women are ready to handle it already.