Interacting with The Living Fossil

Folklore is a general term for the verbal, spiritual, and material aspects of any culture that are transmitted orally, by observation, or by imitation. People sharing a culture may have in common an occupation, language, ethnicity, age, or geographical location. This body of traditional material is preserved and passed on from generation to generation, with constant variations shaped by memory, immediate need or purpose, and degree of individual talent. The word folklore was coined in 1846 by the English antiquary William John Thoms to replace the term popular antiquities. Folklore materials may be roughly classified into five general areas: ideas and beliefs, traditions, narratives, folk sayings, and the folk arts. Folk beliefs include ideas about the whole range of human concerns, from the reasons and cures for diseases to speculation concerning life after death. This category therefore includes folkloristic beliefs (superstitions), magic, divination, witchcraft, and apparitions such as ghosts and fantastic mythological creatures. The second classification (that of traditions) includes material dealing with festival customs, games, and dances; cookery and costume might also be included, by extension. The third category, narratives, includes the ballad and the various forms of folktales and folk music, all of which may be based in part on real characters or historical events. The category of folk sayings includes proverbs and nursery rhymes, verbal charms, and riddles. Folk arts, the fifth and only nonverbal category, covers any form of art, generally created anonymously among a particular people, shaped by and expressing the character of their community life.
Culture, in anthropology, is defined as the patterns of behavior and thinking that people living in social groups learn, create, and share. Culture distinguishes one human group from others. It also distinguishes humans from other animals. A people’s culture includes their beliefs, rules of behavior, language, rituals, art, technology, styles of dress, ways of producing and cooking food, religion, and political and economic systems. Culture is the most important concept in anthropology (the study of all aspects of human life, past and present). Anthropologists commonly use the term culture to refer to a society or group in which many or all people live and think in the same ways. Likewise, any group of people who share a common culture—and in particular, common rules of behavior and a basic form of social organization—constitutes a society. Thus, the terms culture and society are somewhat interchangeable. However, while many animals live in societies, such as herds of elk or packs of wild dogs, only humans have culture.
These two words, folklore and culture, were just mere knowledge of mine that I could use anytime and anywhere in sentences if I wanted to. It’s not that I don’t know the distinctions and the differences between the two, I did know but I didn’t have a deeper and better understanding of these words until I’d been to Malaybalay, Bukidnon.
THE RATIONALE
Our professor (Prof. Nancy Fe Puno, Ph.D.) in English 75 (Folklore) made it compulsory, as one of the requirements to finish the course, that her students should and must join the field trip to Malaybalay, Bukidnon to witness these non-acculturated tribes, dancing and do things to manifest their tradition, culture and beliefs, “The KAAMULAN FESTIVAL”. At first, I didn’t have the intention and excitement to see those ethnic presentations and natives doing things like that. Honestly, I was not interested to see any of culture tradition, and ethnic dances (whatsoever). I thought all of my classmates would also feel the same, however, they were very much excited to go. I’m not sure if their excitement had something to do with that culture thing. Some of them asked money from their parents long before the trip and some asked more than what was asked (this is confidential). Either ways, it’s their choices and reasons, I had mine too. My point was, I was shocked seeing they’re very much thrilled, energetic and all that. Still, I was not carried away by their being in “high-spirits”. Moreover, I didn’t have any plans telling my mother that we would be a having a field trip (I didn’t have plans to join the trip, obviously). Four days before the trip, I asked our teacher if it would be okay that some of the class were not going (actually, I was referring to my self) and I also told her if it would be compulsory. Then she said, “it’s in the syllabus, hence, it is!” In addition, she required us to write a paper about the field trip and include the interview with the natives. After saying that, I was then extrinsically motivated to go (I want neither to fail nor to get a low grade).
THE ASSEMBLY AREA, DEPARTURE and TRANSPORTATION
March 4, 2005, 5:02 am, I woke up in haste thinking I might be late for the departure. I was aware that the “buss would be in the assembly area on time and would leave on time (6:00 am)” as what Prof. Aguado warned us. Thus, I ate, took a bath and wore clothes all in a speed up and rush. I was ready to leave at 5:45 am, with my bags on and then, immediately drove a jeepny heading to school. At 6:01 am, I was able to make it, I reached and got myself into the buss. Honestly, I expected a good and a relaxing buss. We rode an old, rusty and a sort-of-junk one, however. Good thing I brought with me my gears to, in a way, make me a little bit at ease until we would reach Bukidnon. At 6:14, Prof. Aguado decided to depart and leave those who were’nt able to make it on time. Predictably, some were left and, in response, decided to ride another buss. I was thinking that the buss we rode would take us all the way through Bukidnon; it wasn’t the case. As we reached Cagayan de Oro City, we were made to transfer to a better, spacious, and, somehow, relaxing and comfortable one compared to the first.
MALAYBALAY, BUKIDNON: A SPECTACULAR LOCALE
Most certainly, at 11:43, we finally arrived at Malaybalay, Bukidnon. As I stepped down from the buss, what came into my mind was “this place is cold, I’ve got to prepare myself”. I said this because my friends told me Bukidnon is really such a technically and literally cool place, a mini Baguio. However, it was so hot that I perspired and sweated a lot. I was like fresh from the bathroom and yet smelled like days without bathing, you know what I mean.
BUKIDNON STATE COLLEGE: THE AB ENGLISH PROGRAM and THE ACCOMODATION
The buss got in and parked at the campus of BSC (Bukidnon State College). It was bigger than I thought – perhaps I underestimated the place. If I’m not mistaken, it has two gymnasiums (or something like that). There were also copious of students, staffs, faculty members and people. It was like a university. I personally roam around (I was so curious about it) the college and found out that there are elementary, high school and college departments. Because I attempted to go every angle and every corner, I was able to arrive at the AB English Department. I stayed there for a while and read their prospectus. Naturally, the prospectus is a bit different from that of MSU-IIT’s because there are some courses that they have while we don’t and there are courses that we take up that they don’t. The interesting about their AB English program is the inclusion of Creative Writing (or Journalism) and Shakespearean Literature. I do love those courses and hope they would be included in the English department of MSU-IIT.
At first, we were accommodated at the second floor of a certain building. Again, it was another uneasy circumstance because we were fused with the noisy and mysterious Nursing students in a small room. I don’t know them and I don’t have trust in them – they might steal something from me. There were many unknown students coming in and out, we actually don’t had privacy. I was so anxious thinking I would not, should not and could not sleep with that kind of situation. When I placed my bags inside the room and was able to find a good place for my classmates and me, I could not afford to leave from there and had my lunch (even if I were hungry). I stayed there until my classmates invited me to eat lunch. I anxiously and nervously left. Before we had our lunch, we looked for a Comfort Room or a Bathroom so that when we urinate, defecate and bathe, there would then be no hard time locating the area. We did found the Comfort Rooms but there were no bathrooms (of course, it’s a school). Having found the CRs, was not the problem but the water. Now we had more problems: the accommodation and the water. Bothered and restless, we retuned to our rooms. Nevertheless, before we climbed the stairs, Prof. Aguado gave us good news that solved a part of our problem – all the students taking up folklore will be accommodated in a separate and exclusive room. The room was better and bigger, then, I feel like okay because I know my classmates and so far, no one is a thief. However, one problem remained – water. We just left that problem there and now, tried to find a place to eat and tried to explore the city. Sooner, the problem concerning the lack or no water in the place, where we were accommodated, was finally solved when Prof. Nelia Balgoa opened her home where we could take a bath (so refreshing and cold!).
THE FOOD and SALES
We crossed the road and there we found an avenue of fast foods. We got into the nearest one from the school and started wondering about the prices of the delicacies and dishes. The lowest price was 35 pesos per serve where in Iligan City fast foods, it would only cost 15 pesos. The Buko Juice (Coconut Juice), where it’s only 5 to 10 pesos here, is 30 pesos. Everything was expensive. As a student, I really could say it is. I was thinking that the foods in Malaybalay would be cheaper than Iligan’s because it is a place of natural resources. The vegetables and meats would expectedly cheap. I just ordered the cheapest one and a cup of rice. While eating, I was thinking if I could survive because I only brought less money, I didn’t expect that their foods would be sold for that expensive – to me it was. I was also thinking why in the world they would do that. Is it because it’s a special holiday or what? As we leave the food chain, my classmate looked at the signboard and it says it’s a Restaurant! After that, we realized that we have to find a place that could be apt for our budget. The right place was the Food Festival at the Kaamulan Ground.
THE CITY, KAAMULAN GROUND and ATMOSPHERE
After we had our lunch, we went to the Gaisano to buy something. The place is really a city because it has restaurants, pawnshops, plaza, shopping stores, drug stores, traffic, noises here and there, crowd, foreigners, lights and a lot more. To be familiar with the city, we took a hike from the BSC to Gaisano that is 15-20 minutes away. The store is not as big as the Iligan’s but it’s good enough to meet our basic needs. Meanwhile, we heard “Kaamulan Ground” frequently from many people and it made us curious of what could that be. Thus, we asked the people what it was and where it was. They gave us directions and still, we took a hike.
Finally, we arrived at the “Kaamulan Ground”. At first, we were thinking to go this way and to that way until we can roam all over the place. However, as we go through and through, more and more roads were split into two, leading us to different directions and ways to various stalls and stores. We then said to each other that we really couldn’t tour the whole of Kaamulan Ground. It was so huge, vast and wide with lots and lots of stalls and stores selling various objects, stuffs, things, equipment, instruments and the like. They sold: accessories and jewel from earrings to anklets; wardrobe from cup to shoes; gift items from big to small ones, from expensive to cheap, from more to less meaningful; household things from Living Room Set to Kitchenware, from chairs to knives, from curtains to pillows; food from fruits to vegetables, raw to baked or cooked, foreign to native, delicious to bitter; and most specially, the native products from the skin of animals to bones, from head to foot parts; expensive to cheap, very native to less native, and from accessories to decorations. They also offered horse riding for 20 pesos per ride (10-15 minutes). Because I was inexperienced, I dared to ride and the feeling was so in pedestal that I feel like an owner of a vast territory – I didn’t want to go down from the horse anymore.
We spend much of our time at the Kaamulan Ground, discovering new things that we often see and old things that we often forgot, not knowing these are pleasurable to the eyes. It’s true that it was hot in the morning and in the afternoon. Nevertheless, as the day passed on, night came in and it started to freeze us. What my friends told me were all-true. It really was so cold that a jacket wasn’t enough to warm you. My lips started to dry up, cracked, and so with my skin. I needed to apply lotion from my body to my legs and oil to my hair that I might be a little bit be warmed. During the night, I was shaking because it’s cold and even more during the dawn, it was even more and more cold that we didn’t have any plans to get off from our blankets and wash our faces.
THE KAAMULAN FESTIVAL 2005: A BRAVURA ENDEAVOR
This is annually held at Malabalay, Bukidnon during the first week of March and this started a long time ago. The highlight of this festival is the competition of the dances and presentations among the non-acculturated tribes of nearby Bukidnon. For this reason, some people from Luzon, Visayas, even foreigners like Americans and Chinese, and more students from Mindanao (especially from MSU-IIT) would come and witness this momentous event from the pride of Mindanao. During the Kaamulan 2005, there were nine invited tribes to compete and show their traditions, beliefs and culture through their dances, songs, yells, costumes, props, design, colors and drama. To view and comment on the spectacular festival, there were also many journalists and field reporters from local to national broadcasting networks, magazines and newspapers covered the whole event.
THE PRACTICE
In March 4 at the afternoon, I saw the tribes in their rehearsals and practices. Even if it were practices and rehearsals, you could still see their seriousness and facial expressions. They were so dedicated and disciplined that even under the sun, they continued to dance, smile, sing and yell for hours. In the evening, I saw them practicing with their costumes and props again for hours. As we went to bed, later in the night, we heard chronic sounds of drums, songs and yells on the streets. Later we realized it was the natives doing their rehearsals even if it was so cold. In the early morning of March 5 (perhaps three to four am), we again heard them going their parade and practice more and more. This element of being so serious and dedicated manifested through their prolonged period of practices, triggered my mind (that it would be a good topic) to ask this as one of my questions during my interview with the natives.
THE NATIVES and TRIBES
When it comes to natives, what I had in my mind was “a people who are almost naked, dark, curly hair, ugly faces, frown faces, smell bad, dark teeth, horrible gestures and shocking expressions”. Hence, in March 5 at 6:25 am, while I was walking to the assembly place of the tribes, I was hoping I could get along with them in spite of who they are. Partly, I was scared because of my schema concerning them and partly, I was so excited to see real and alive natives from various tribes. Now, my prerogatives had been changed, I was developed into becoming interested with the natives concerning the matter of interviewing and knowing what they have in their minds (if they are very different from us or just a bit). When I arrived at the said place, I had a hard time looking for the natives so I approaches one of the “directors of the tribes” to point the real natives. As she pointed at them, I said “really?” because they look just like us. It’s just that we wear better cloths than they do and that we look like often washed than them. Nevertheless, they look just like us on a native costume with props. I think the cloths and accessories make us different from them, but over-all, they are as humans as we are.
Generally, the most common colors among them are Red, Yellow, Blue, Black, Orange and White but they don’t have Green because for them, it isn’t a color because it’s or it represents the nature. Their accessories are different from each other with regard to their beliefs and uses on them. Some wear less and some wear earrings that pass through the faces. Their costumes do look ancient and colorful. Obviously, the women have more accessories and more colorful than men. Their props depend on the dance or ritual they are portraying – some would use household tools, farming tools, fishing tools and some would use weapons for war or defense. In their dances, you can’t see a man holding or dancing so close to the woman. They maintain their modesty and “reserveness” as what Prof. Fernandez said. Some of the dances are like drama or plays that some would show how to catch a fish, kill a python, do farming, harvesting, fighting, traveling, heal and cure the sick ones and even mourning and rejoicing. These dances just reflect, express and manifest what they do, believe, how they solve problems and what they think of something. It really is an interesting topic for research and thesis.
THE HIGAONON TRIBE WITH ITS NATIVES: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Among the nine tribes, I chose the Higaonon (Southern Libuna) as the subject of my interview. Before approaching them, I was aware that prior to interview, you have to do something. Because I was not so sure of what to do, I waited the Radio Reporter to finish interviewing one of the natives so that I could come to him and asked him what he did that he could interview. Right after the interview, I came to him and he said, I had to approach the “directress” of the tribe. Therefore, I did and the woman helped me approach and interview one of the elder and old native (for I assume the older ones know most).
This tribe’s instruments are Bantula (bamboo made into water pipe, weapon and shield used when they travel from one place to another), Dabakan (cow’s skin as the drums), and Agong and Kulintang (as other musical instruments).
This interview had two sections with its corresponding and major respondents: Isidora Calleo, 68 (representing the women in their tribe) and Sigundo Dansuli, 35 (representing the men in their tribe). The first section was the information I gathered from Isidora Calleo and the second one was the data from Sigundo Dansuli.
I first interviewed Isidora Calleo who look so old and yet still energetic to dance under the scorching heat of the sun barefooted. The first thing I did was to ask the colors they have. She said to me maliga (red), puti (white), orange, yellow, and black. I asked her the significance of each color but she failed to answer it. I proceeded with the question on her outfit, costume and accessories. She said labitos (necklaces), pandong (headdress), aritis (earrings), bukala (bracelet), panyo (handkerchief), saya and linadsoy (dress or wardrobe). Then, I asked why do they wear those accessories and what are their significances to their lives. She answered “dayan-dayan” or “pang-pangarte” (for beautification or to beautify their selves). I followed the question on their dances. She was able to perform to me the steps like inaksyon (dancing forward and clapping hands), linuhod (dancing back and forth), inugsak (hopping half), iniko (dancing forward and to the sides), singkulolok (dancing while the feet move forward and a back), and inagong or binanog (a dance for courtship and wedding; this dance uses a handkerchief ). She added, after dancing that these are done during rituals and ceremonies like politics, wedding and harvest. I then asked why do they have perform and dance very seriously and disciplined. It’s not because of money (money was not even mentioned) but because of their tradition to do it and it’s their obligation to continue dance, however, only with dinatuhan or tuluman (purposes and right reasons). There must and should be a reason why they dance. Then I followed up if there are no reasons or if there are reasons but they don’t perform. The answer is “agawan o paninglan magdalo” ([you] will be punished [by a supreme high that sooner, you’ll get] sick or get a bad luck). I asked her to continue telling me their beliefs but she already forgot them. Finally, I asked about the esoteric and exoteric factor in their tribe. “What do you think of your tribe that other tribes think of it as you think?”, I asked. She replied, “Mayad ka ho mga dumano” (being hospitable to the guests or neighbors or being accommodating). She also added that in their tribe, they have to be good to their tatubalay (neighbors) and there should be no backbiting. “What do you think of other tribes that you think other tribes think the same way?”, I continued. She said that they don’t have the right to perceive and judge other tribes according to what they think to prevent from conflicts or gaps. She added that their tribe does not look for fight and ever in the history, they do not fight or look for trouble. They should remain at peace to maintain their tribe not having any mortal enemies. Then, I finally and formally ended the interview with her so that I would still have time with my other respondent. However, before that, I showed her my great gratitude and thanked her a lot for she did help me in my paper. We then took pictures with her and her company and so with their band. Before I left her, she then smiled at me and I smiled back (as a respect).
Prior to my interview with Sigundo Dansuli, I first develop rapport – I said if it’s okay for me to interview him and then I made friends with him. I open my question with very basic ones. First, I asked on the colors of their costumes and their significances. This time, I was able to get information. There are red (signify the position on the society that you are not low but high), white (the peace in their tribe), black (that no matter how peaceful they are, there are still bad things happening just for a while, pains, sufferings and all negative connotations), and yellow (the abundance and riches of their tribe and land). I proceeded with their accessories. They have atubaw (headdress: the arrow must be pointing front so that your position will not be lowered more; if one turns it back, he lowered down more himself), sakuro (a water reservoir made of bamboo) and salay (a prop that symbolizes their way of living or their job). After which, he went back to the position of their tribe in the society saying, they are considered low or the “IPs” (indigenous people). I then, a sort of, gave him a lecture that (according to what I learned from History 3) they are no longer considered IPs but one of the TRI-PEOPLE of Mindanao (Lumads, Maranao, and Christians). I added that we are all equal. In a way, his desperateness or condition was lifted up. He then thanked me for giving that information to him. Then, I continued asking him on their social rank in the tribe. He said that a datu is the one who has the highest position and it is not by the choice of the people but by blood, royal blood. The datu is the one who governs the tribe, gives rules and regulations, the one who holds ceremonies and rituals, and finally, the one who settles problems and conflicts within the tribe. Then I asked what the punishments are and how a datu does settle conflicts. He said that before, the punishments include execution of death but now, the datu no longer uses death as punishment but settles the problem very well, instead. He would find way in order that the victim would forgive the one who does the crime and that the two should and must be reconciled. Because I missed my favorite question on the dance, I inserted why they are so disciplined and serious in dancing and performing. He said that it is their obligation and for their ritual, tradition, tribe and culture, they have and must do it (again, no mention of the money). Next, I asked about their celebrations. He only gave me one and that is New Year. They have to wake up early to welcome the new year so that the bad things (problems and pains) that happened to them the previous year would no longer come back nor return but the new year would bring them joy and peace.
Another interesting about this tribe is the panuyo (an early marriage settled, approved and planed only by the parents of the groom and bride). Sigundo Dansuli was a victim of this. He was still 18 and his wife was 13 when their parents married them both. During their coupled life, they knew that they didn’t like and love each other, thus they didn’t have a child. Good thing a new rule was approved that panuyo will no longer be exercised, thus the two divorced. Divorce is acceptable to their tribe. He then re-married to the one he really loved, and now he’s a father of three children. He pointed then his first and second wife to me.
Then, I proceeded with stories on ghosts and he gave me the kakak (can only be heard but not seen) and manghak-uking (a bird that its face looks like a cat, it bites). They considered these creatures as monsters or ghosts because of their horrific and horror voices.
Then, I asked him about their job and work. Most of them are farmers. They plant crops like gabi, camote, bingggala (camoteng kahoy) and vegetables. They work not only to get money but also to have food. He said that the people before were just fine in eating the binggala but their children do not like it; they look for rice.
Finally, I asked him about their dos and don’ts in their tribes and so with their belief concerning life after death. These are the following:
1. Do not do commit crime or rub during the night without a light or lamp, otherwise, you will become an ant or bee or a pig after you die.
2. Do not sit without a seat; don’t “fake-sit” like sitting on the air because it will bring you bad luck.
3. Do not have a chair without a table or table without a chair for it will bring bad luck.
4. Do not eat within a cooking pot for you will be lost in the woods.
5. Do not eat near or at the door because you will become a hindrance or an obstacle to the people. As a result, they will always hurt you.
6. Do not eat turning your back on the cooking pot. It means that when you backbite, you think the person does not hear or know but actually, he does, so be careful.
7. Do not walk through the kitchen while eating because you will get stumble at the forest.
8. Do not eat on the cover of the cooking put because as a result, you will become a madman and you will always get angry with frowning face.
Then, I used a three-generation test on the data on Dos and Don’ts and life-after-death belief. The first generation is Sigundo Dansuli, 35. For him, he partly believed in these things and when he was younger, the people strongly believed in these. The second generation is Lordan, 25 and Kirino, 21. For them, they know these things but don’t believe in them. The third generation is Timothy Dan, 15 and Ronald, 16. For them, they don’t have any idea on these. Moreover, after I asked them, they even laughed about these beliefs, they looked at each other and saying how could a man when after death becomes an ant or a bee or a pig, then they laughed. Feeling satisfied, I thanked first Sigundo Dansuli (I also showed a great gratitude to him) then Lordan and Kirino, and finally, Timothy and Ronald. I told them that they are a great help this paper.
THE CONCLUSION
My trip to and stay in Malaybalay, Bukidnon had helped me in some various ways. Through the interview, I learned that people with varied environment, setting, timeframe and atmosphere would differ in many aspects. There are things that you believe while they don’t, there are things that they believe, and you don’t. Because of these differences in race, culture, tradition, language, and beliefs, there are many people in chaos and in war for they do not know how to settle and handle these things. All we have to do is respect and understand one another to keep us at peace. After the trip, I go beyond its objectives and goals. I know have a deeper meaning and understanding of culture and tradition affecting the people and through it, people create something, and that is their beliefs. Because of these beliefs and lore, they continue to live and survive. I also understand the role of folklore in the tribes, especially to the Higaonon. Folklore serves as their social restrictions, education, and political constitutions. Thus, through the field trip and interview, I was able to get into the thoughts of men, pick up their beliefs and these have become integrated to the field of folklore, folks with common lore. I will never forget such an experience that helped me comprehend the folklore and humanity of human kind within a tribe; and no matter how old and new a generation is, according a philosopher, “folklore continues to be created and recreated… a dead fossil that refuses to die.” I thank Prof. Puno for such a course that paves the way to interact and be acquainted with that living fossil!