Agawa 1

THE PRACTICE OF HEAD-HUNTING IN AGAWA
(Chapter VII of Leon Lonogan’s soon to be published book about the Agawa Tribe entitled “Sunrise at Sunset”)



HEAD-HUNTING BETWEEN THE I-LAGUD AND THE I-AGAWA

From the time of Kingat to Ola-o, the villages of Agawa were safe from head-hunters. Head-hunting between the i-Lagud and the i-Agawa was unknown. However, during the time of Ganema in the pre-Spanish era, the first head-hunting victims were taken in Pagpag forest by the i-Lagud.

Ganema was known as magasat ay mangnganup (fortunate hunter). Other hunters would like to go with him in his hunting trip that they might share his gasat. No guns were used in those days but wild lives were abundant in the forest that skilled hunters always leave the forest with hunting preys.

In one of his hunting trip, Ganema told his fellow hunters not to go with him for something wrong was seen in his labeg. Yet, two other hunters followed him in his apa in Tinma-uda despite his warning.

In Pagpag forest, Ganema and his companions met a group of i-Lagud who also went to hunt. During the meeting, the i-Lagud attacked the i-Agawa killing the companions of Ganema. The surprise attack caught Ganema unaware, but he managed to flee from their assailant. When he made a distance of about sixty armspan from the i-Lagud, he shouted at them. “Ay sino nan inyalayo? (What cause you to take the lives of my companion?)”

“Teba ad Manabo (The misunderstanding in Manabo),” the i-Lagud answered.

“Teba ad Manabo ay kaysan appaten di amam-a! (The misunderstanding in Manabo was already settled by the elders!),” Ganema answered back. “Ay sino kayet nan inyalayo? (What really cause you to take the lives of my companion?)”

“Taked si niket,” one of the i-Lagud shouted.

“Taked si niket ay kedeng kami ay i-Agawa ay manapdapdap si danum ad Buasao! (Taked si niket when we from Agawa, are the only ones “chopping” water from Buasao!),” Ganema replied. “Ay sino kayet nan inyalayo? (What really caused you to take the lives of my companion?)”

“Ittapimi sik-a (We will take you too),” the i-Lagud said and ran towards Ganema with their blades raised. Ganema rushed to the bushes and dis-appeared. After he sensed that i-Lagud left, Ganema returned to the place where they killed his companions. He wiped the headless bodies and took them home.

The i-Lagud were not able to give Ganema a reasonable cause for the killing. Hence, the killing was unjust to the Agawa people and that vengeance was required. On the part of the Lagud people, it was either reasonable or unreasonable. They might not be contented with how the elders settled the teba ad Manabo and or believe that the i-Agawa were responsible for the killing of their tribemate in the pine wooded area of Buasao. They might also have killed the companions of Ganema without any bases but for head-taking intention only since it was their practice.

Teba ad Manabo happened when an i-Lagud was offended by a labak (joke) from an i-Agawa. He met the i-Agawa in Manabo, Abra when both went to makilagbo (work for money or in exchange for any other valuables). During the meeting, the i-Agawa told the i-Lagud, “Wada aya nan baonmo (So you have a baon).” The i-Agawa was referring to the young woman who was with the i-Lagud and the latter got so insulted because the woman was his daughter. The labak later turned to be a liability of all i-Agawa to the i-Lagud. When the i-Lagud hunters brought out the teba ad Manabo saying that it was their reason for killing Ganema’s companions, the hunter from Agawa answered saying that it could not be for it was already settled by their fathers.

On the other hand, the taked si niket came about when an i-Lagud was killed in Buasao and the i-Agawa were the suspects. Ganema also explained that the i-Agawa could not be the culprits for they were the only ones “chopping” water from Buasao. He means to say that they were the only ones sourcing out water supply from Buasao and that if they were the ones responsible, then they would have polluted their own water supply.

Since the i-Lagud were not able to provide sufficient grounds for killing the two i-Agawa, this started the bloody conflict between the two tribes. The i-Lagud became a kabinnoso of the i-Agawa. Whenever the Agawa people caught sight of i-Lagud passing through their territory going to Ngaab, they waited for them by the way. Likewise, when the i-Lagud meet folks from Agawa in the forest or in other places they executed their head-taking purpose if they got chances. Innocent men and women became victims of this unfriendly tradition. Both tribes counted their casualties and avenged it to get even. Members of other tribes were even involved especially when they were mistaken as i-Agawa or i-Lagud by the menkabinnoso (tribal enemies).

One event that recalls the head-hunting between the two tribes was the killing of an i-Lagud in Lubo. The place called Tegteg Sey-a derived its name after men from Agawa stoned to death an i-Lagud name Sey-a. Sey-a was carrying a payok-vessel, which he bought from Candon when he was spotted by Bodao in the Balas-iyan River. Bodao, an i-Agawa who settled in Patiacan, befriended and accompanied him going up to Lubo where they met Sakkiwen, another i-Agawa. During the meeting, the two i-Agawa killed the unaided i-Lagud. Bodao took Sey-a’s head to Patiacan and dance over it in his dap-ay at Mangmangitit while Sakkiwen took the payok-vessel to Agawa.

Days later, two i-Lagud went to Payeo asking for the payok-vessel. They said that their people will not take into account the life of Sey-a but the payok-vessel must be returned to them. Sakkiwen was informed about it and he immediately took the huge cooking vessel to Payeo to give it to the men who were looking for it to avoid bloody confrontation. Afraid to face the i-Lagud, he gave the payok-vessel through Domisiw, an elder of Payeo, who change it with an old one with crack. The i-Lagud saw that the vessel brought by Sakkiwen from Agawa was changed by the i-Payeo. They did not take the huge cooking untensil but went outside the village and hanged around waiting for someone to kill as payment for the payok-vessel. Before dark, they were able to take the head of a farmer.

This unsociable situation between the Agawa and the Lagud tribes went on for many years and only ended in the later part of the 20th century when Protestant missionaries led by the Episcopal Church entered the Mountain Province and evangelized the people. At present, intermarriage is taking place between the two tribes with the bayaw-ritual conducted to appease whatever known or unknown tribal accountability that exist.


The Reasons:

THE REASONS FOR HEAD-HUNTING

The head-hunting tradition is one of the harsh and unfriendly practices of the Igorots particularly in the Mountain Province. Once it started, it could hardly be prevented. It keeps on coming back. Observance of community rituals and economic activities for the sustenance of the community life were disturbed so long as there is life to avenge. It could not be forgotten until all were made even.

The origin of head-hunting is unknown. It could have originated in foreign land where the early Igorots came from. History reveals that the aborigines of the Philippines are the negritos or aetas. Then came the first batch of brown skin people crossing the sea through the land bridges. Some historians call them the head-hunting Malays while others describe them as iron age Malays. These were believed to be the Igorots. When the land bridges were washed out, the second batch of brown skin people came to the Philippines crossing the sea by boats.

Head-hunting is cutting the head, ears or any other part of the body either from male or female, and taking it to the dap-ay where the head-hunter belongs that the people may play gongs and dance over it. It is a risky, cruel, and heartless act. Yet, the Igorots had practiced it in the earlier era and there must be grounds for doing it.

In the history of the Agawa tribe, there were three reasons for the practice of head-hunting. First, it was for revenge; second, it was for the people to find out if the labeg conducted was appropriate or recognized by the spirits; and third, it was to obtain war souvenir.

The head-hunting expedition of Lawad in the Kay-ang territory explained that head-hunting was done for revenge. On the other hand, the experience of Dokyogen when he killed a man and took his head in the Ma-eng territory illustrated how head-hunting was done to determine if a labeg was recognized by the spirits while the ginaman, a gosi kept by Kig-ongen Wanagen of Nabanig, is an evidence that head-negay serves as war trophy

Head Hunting for Revenge

HEAD-HUNTING FOR REVENGE

In the earlier days when Lubo was still a populated village, the courage of an Agawa warrior was manifested when he was forced to take revenge on the death of his sister in the hands of head-hunters. Lawad was the warrior whose bolo’s handle was formed after a male sex organ and who gave a head-hunting lesson to the Kagubatan people.

Lawad’s sister was on her way from Agawa to Ilian to deliver food-presents to their relatives when head-hunters executed her. Lawad immediately followed the head-hunters to Kagubatan and pleaded to the village elders to let him utter a baya-o to her sister’s head. “Tay siya nan ik-ikkan di am-a, itulokyo koma ta menbaya-oak nan ulon nan besatko ay inalayo (For it is the practice of the fathers, I beg you to let me utter my baya-o to my sister’s head which you took),” Lawad said humbly to the elders. The elders understood the reasonable intention of the victim’s brother but they did not grant his request. Instead, they let the men mocked him and laughed at his bolo’s handle, which was in the form of a male sex organ. “Kinwanin Lawad en ay linadladay nan petan nan gamana,” the men of Kagubatan despised him. They felt so secured and thought of themselves mighty before the lone warrior of Agawa. Degyem, the chief warrior of the Kagubatan people, even made fun of Lawad and boasted his act of taking the head of the later’s sister.

Lawad ignored their disparaging treatment and continued pleading. “I followed my sister’s head but not as an enemy to take revenge but as a humble person to express my last words to her,” Lawad said in a low but clear supplicating voice. “Count me not your enemy.”

“You are still our enemy today,” Degyem replied. “Expect no mercy from us.”

“Yet warriors still have consideration to their enemies. Let me say just a little words,” Lawad begged. “I shall be cursed if I fail to do it.”

Degyem showed no compassion to the man pleading infront of them. When Lawad tried to insist on his request, the elders warned him. They told him to better return to Agawa before anything worst could happen.

Lawad left with a disappointed reaction. He was filled with the zeal to revenge.

Once he reached home, he immediately started doing the burial rites for his sister. After completing the appropriate initial rituals, he began to make his labeg warm. When the time was apt, he returned to Kagubatan to avenge his sister.

He reached Kagubatan at daybreak and positioned himself near a spring where most of the folks obtained water for their daily use. Lawad waited patiently underneath thick shrubs for the right victim. By coincidence, Degyem, the man who mocked him most, came carrying a wooden bucket. Lawad prepared and as Degyem draw nearer; he struck him with his bolo by the shoulder. Degyem was caught unaware. He felt the pain and blood came running down his breast. He strove to flee but staggering and he stumbled. Degyem slowly rose to his knees. He blinked, shook his head and stared at his assailant. Numbly he recognized Lawad. “Kinwanin Lawad en ay linadladay nan petan nan gamana,” he heard the man standing tall before him repeated the belittling words he uttered to him earlier.

Lawad, his eyes burning, stepped closer, as if impelled with a violent fascination –without the slightest warning he grabbed Degyem’s hair with an ayawan-like grasp. A strong blow from a sparkling blade from his hand came slashing his victim’s throat. Degyem lost his senses. Folks who witnessed the scene gripped their hands and held their breath, tensed by the bloody climax, and the only sound was Lawad’s war cries.

The warrior raised Degyem’s head. He smiled and broke the handle of his bolo and placed it on top of the headless body for the Kagubatan people to remember him whose bolo’s handle was linadladay. Then he slowly walked away and disappeared.

Later, Degyem’s relatives went to Agawa to take back his head. They were able to have his head back in exchange of a payok-vessel. This practice of taking back the head of a head-hunting victim in exchange of something valuable was done if the relatives of the victim cannot avenge their dead and Degyem’s relatives so as not to lower their dignity must do it. Lawad the kindhearted warrior accepted the cooking vessel. His descendants kept the payok-vessel from generation to generation. When the house of Baklangen of Agawa was burned to ashes in the later part of the 20th century, the payok-vessel was destroyed by the fire

HEAD-HUNTING FOR REASON OF LABEG

While Lawad practiced head-hunting for revenge, Dokyogen did it to test if his labeg was accepted by the spirit s and have solemn significance. He did it to evade a predicted misfortune.

In the village of Pisa, a begnas was conducted to give thanks to Kabunian for the bountiful provisions provided for the year round. Dokyogen, an unmarried leader of a dap-ay, led the young men to mangayew. They were beating their wooden shields with sticks when they saw a frog up croaking on a trunk of a pine tree. The small tailless creature climbed almost reaching the first branch of the tree and croaking so fast and loud. This was their piles (omen) and the men cannot figure out its meaning.

After the begnas, Dokyogen inquired about the wisdom of his abigan-friend in Dattaan regarding his piles. The abigan told him that he must carry out three begnas that would be done every three years. He also told him not to marry until he completed the begnas-ceremonies. Dokyogen was so thankful that the abigan told him how to straighten the annoying sign they saw during their kayew-trip to the mountain.

At home, Dokyogen thought of the nine years to complete the three begnas. He felt contented of what the abigan told him but was unhappy about the span of time to complete what he was told to do. Nine years was too long for him to wait before he gets married. Yet, he must follow for he knows that to disobey an abig brings misfortune. He decided to complete the three begnas the soonest by conducting it every three months instead of every three years.

Dokyogen did exactly what he planned to do in fulfillment of the abig. After nine months, he completed the three begnas. To be in no doubt, that what he did was right; he must test it by going to head-hunting. If he succeeds in his mission to bring home a negay, it means that his labeg is right and is recognized by the spirits and that he can marry without fear of any misfortune. Nontheless, if he fails in his mission he must perform another three begnas following the three years time space as the abigan told him.

In his headhunting journey, the warrior from Pisa arrived at the Ma-eng territory. He waited for a victim in the first village he reached. Before midday, Dokyogen was able to kill a man and took his head.

During the killing, the abigan from Dattaan who instructed Dokyogen to conduct three begnas, was in the village where Dokyogen carried out his head-hunting. It so happened that the victim whom the warrior killed was a friend of the abigan. When the abigan learned about the killing, he sensed at once that Dokyogen did it. He comforted the people who were grieving over the headless body saying that he will follow the head-hunter.

The abigan followed Dokyogen and so fast did he hiked that he caught up with the warrior in the forest. Dokyogen recognized the abigan that he did not thrust his spear at him. The abigan told him that the person whom Dokyogen killed was also a friend of his. “Inyabigak sik-a ya enka obpay inyala sin kadalidegko (I told you the abig but you used it to take the life of my friend),” the abigan told him. Dokyogen asked his abigan-friend to calm down and he promised to settle out what he did. His abigan-friend took his promise and they set a date for both to return to the Ma-eng area to settle what was done.

Dokyogen performed the proper rites for his head-hunting journey and immediately went back to the Ma-eng territory with the abigan-friend and amicably settled his offense with his victim’s relatives. After his offense was resolved, he went to Agawa to look for a wife. He married Kabaynga of Batogyan and raised his family in his wife’s village. Dokyogen lived peacefully in Batogyan but when Agawa was struck by a bultong-disease, he led four other elders and their families to settle in Ambagiw.

In Ambagiw, Dokyogen built his home like the other elders who took their families with them. In his new home, he prospered and many sons and daughters were born from his five children. His wife while getting rid of the labagan-grasshopper later changed his name to Galeled and became the father of the Galeled clan.

HEAD-HUNTING FOR WAR TROPHY

Tribal war is more common before than at present. Though the number of casualties is much lesser because there were no guns, it was still detrimental to the village people for it disturbs their economic, social and cultural activities.

In the earlier days, the people of Golingsan (the Barangay of Besao at present) and Bagsingit (the barangay of Payeo at present) had a conflict with the i-Kay-ang. They had several encounters with their enemy through a dong-as where they always suffered more casualties. Hence, they decided to stop engaging in a dong-as. Yet, it did not end their trouble for they live in fear for a sudden attack. It was a common attempt by warring tribes to send young men to their enemies’ territories to take life in the absence of dong-as. For this reason, able-bodied men took turns in guarding possible entries of their enemies and places where economic activities were conducted daily such as the sakdoan, payas and sippotan.

This condition remained for days until the people of Bagsingit and Golingsan grew weary and they decided to ask for the assistance of their Agawa neighbor that they might settle their conflict with the i-Kay-ang for the last time through a dong-as. “Aye pay, ay siyay entako ed-edkan ay menbanbantay ay aditako et kayet mensama. Entako et kasin makidong-as ken daida ta kaileppasana (This is way too much spending our time guarding instead of working in our fields, let’s face them again in a dong-as once in for all),” their chief elder said. “Waday omey kendakayo ad Agawa ta damagenyo no pinmopoos nan labegda ta menbapabadang tako et kayet (Somebody will go to Agawa to ask if their labeg is warm that we might as well ask for their assistance).”

As instructed, some elders went to Agawa and returned with good reports. The labeg of the i-Agawa was warm and the elders agreed to help them. Young men then made prepapration for the dong-as.

The warring tribes agreed that the dong-as be done at Nakkawang. Armed by wooden shields, bolos and spears, young men led by their elders face each other. With the combined forces of the i-Bagsingit, i-Golingsan and the i-Agawa, the i-Kay-ang were easily beaten. The enemy suffered many casualties and the survivors were scattered from all direction. Young men with their arms followed the fleeing enemies but the elders prevented them. “Daetan, bay-anyo ta waday men-apat. Namlastako gedan (Enough let them escape that somebody may speak. We had killed many anyway),” the elders said.

The victor gathered the bodies of them that fall under their spears.

“Ay kedeng, kadya menpilikayo et as itedyo kendakami as negaymi abes (Well, choose now whom you will give us for our negay),” the Agawa warriors told the elders from Bagsingit and Golingsan.

The negay asked by the i-Agawa will serve as memento of victory in the dong-as at Nakkawang and the later choosed the head of a longhaired warrior with many nits and gave it to them. But unknown to the Golingsan and Bagsingit elders, the head belong to the chief warrior of the i-Kay-ang.


Later, a company from the Kay-ang tribe went to Golingsan looking for the head of a notable person that fall during the dong-as at Nakkawang. They were not able to find and they moved to Bagsingit but still have no luck. The Bagsingit elders told them to go to Agawa and check if the head-negay taken by the i-Agawa is what they are searching.

In Agawa, the i-Kay-ang found that the head with many nits was what they are looking for. They begged the Agawa elders to return it to them in exchange of an ancient wine jar called ginaman. “Maheg-ang kayo adi ta makkayatkayo ay itauli han ulo ay inalayo et alaenyo nan gohi ay ginaman hina (Have pity on us. Return to us the head that you have taken in exchange of this ginaman-wine jar),” the i-Kayang told the Agawa elders.

“Ay siya, ta annongenyo as kapaayanyo abes (So be it that you might conduct appropriate annong-rituals for your own goodwill),” the Agawa elders overpowered by the feelings of compassion said no more but accepted the wine jar.

The ancient wine jar was passed through inheritance from generation to generation. Today, the ancient ginaman-wine jar is in the hand of Kig-ongen Wanagen of Nabanig. It is a recollection of the head-negay taken by the Agawa warriors as war trophy.


THE LAST HEAD-NEGAY BROUGHT TO AGAWA

At present, head-hunting is no longer practiced by the Agawa people and even by the eastern tribes of Mountain province. With the evangelistic effort of the protestant missionaries particularly the Episcopal or Anglican Church, the unfriendly tradition gradually ceased to exist. The last head-hunting trip of the Agawa warriors was conducted in 1945. The elders motivated their young men to head-hunt for revenge.

Just as the war was ending, members of the 121 Infantry of the Filipino-American arm forces turned to banditry. Led by Kabuena of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, the bandits sowed fear in the western part of Mountain Province and in the mountain villages of Ilocos sur.

In 1945, the bandits took Hidalgo of Payeo to Liddawan, Ilocos Sur and killed him. Later, they again took David Ganaden of Masameyeo to the same place and executed him. Then they attacked the villages of Tambuan and Dandanac killing many men including five men from Agawa -Agidda, Guesaed, John Maggaes, Mang-osan and a son of Mayegayeg.

The i-Agawa were on their way to get salt supply in Candon when the bandits apprehended and killed them in Dandanac. The indiscriminate killing drew the attention of the government who sent members of the Philippine Constabulary to Tabbak to wage war with the bandits.

During the assault in Tabbak, several bandits were killed and elders from Nabanig and Ayobo took the hands of two of the slain bandits as baes for the three of the five i-Agawa that were killed in Dandanac. The people played gongs and danced over the hands-negay in their respective dap-ay. During the seldak-ritual observance, Bossogan Dapuyen, an elder of Dap-ay Eengan in Nabanig, taunted Kodangos, an elder of Dap-ay Patay.

“Kamanoy kasna Kodangos, adika makaibaes sin minnateymo (You’re nothing Kodangos, you cannot avenge your dead),” Dapuyen mocked Kodangos. The former was referring to the death of John Abkilen who was one of the five i-Agawa killed in Dandanac and who belongs to Dap-ay Patay from which Kodangos was in charge.

“Awni ta as wakas (wait till tomorrow),” Kodangos replied with contempt. “Ilaem as wakas ta ibaak nan babbaballok (You will see tomorrow and I will send my young men).”

Sometime in the month of June 1945, Kodangos and the elders of Dap-ay Patay and of Dap-ay Gueday (extension of Dap-ay Patay) made their labeg warm. After the appropriate rituals were conducted for their labeg, they sent Loblobot Domin-eng, Omaybas Lidab and Loman Cawayan to head-hunt.

The three started their journey and they went to the hunting grounds of Pagpag forest where the scattered bandits during the Tabbak assault fled. By fate, they came across a bandit hiding in Taliktik. They took the bandit to Balicongcong and killed him. The group brought the bandit’s head to Dap-ay Gueday and played gongs over it. During the seldak-ritual, Kodangos made a discourse emphasizing that the head-negay brought by Domin-eng and his group was the fulfillment of his word to Dapuyen of Dap-ay Eengan.

“Siyana nan tet-ewa ay baes tay dakami ay mismo nan nangpatey ay baken en as teken ay ippogao (This is the true vengeance for we are the very ones who killed the victim and not by other people),” Kodangos told the gathered people. “Siyana nan tet-ewa ay negay (This is the real negay).”

Kodangos’ message was spoken infront of the gathered throng in Dap-ay Gueday but it was meant preferably for Dapuyen of Nabanig. He stressed the manner by which the i-Nabanig’s negay was obtained. Members of the Philippine Constabulary killed Dapuyen’s negay while young men of Dap-ay Gueday killed his.

While the Agawa folks were dancing over the head-negay brought by Domin-eng’s group at Dap-ay Gueaday, the bandits that were driven in Tabbak moved down to Legleg, Ilocos Sur. They reorganized themselves and remained a threat to the people. The villages of the Besao municipality only felt secured when a vigilantes was formed to fight the outlaws. Sgt. Bawaan of Payeo organized a vigilante group with Paul Bakdayan acting as his secretary and with Omaybas Lidab, Ommayat Cawayan, and other recruits from Payeo and Besao as soldiers. They stationed at Panabungen and sent a letter to Kabuena and his band of outlaws challenging them to a gunbattle. Knowing that the people of Besao were armed and prepared, the bandits did not accept the challenge. From that time on, the bandits were never seen again in any of the villages of Besao.

The bandit’s head taken in Balicongcong is the last head-negay brought to Agawa. Since then, no other head-hunting victim was reported. At present, the top of the hill of Deladelan in Napoon was named Ken Bandido because it was where the people buried the head of the bandit which was the last victim of head-hunting in Agawa.



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