Don Bosco High School

Lagawe, Ifugao

A Compilation of Ifugao Cultural and

Indigenous Games and Practices played
during the Annual DBHS Cultural Day
Celebration

By:
Abelardo D. Puddunan
Raquel B. Guyaguyon
Myrna G. Nahpadan
Jennelyn L. Cuttiyog
Jeff C. Gallman IV

March 2017
 INTRODUCTION

A part of the DBHS Mission is to ensure quality and

transformative education that is sensitive to Indigenous
culture. In line with this, the school included in its annual
activities the celebration of a cultural day which is
incorporated with the celebration of the foundation day.

In order to preserve the different cultural and indigenous

games and practices, we thought of compiling the games and
practices with the modified mechanics suited for the said
celebration. The modification of mechanics was done due to the
unavailability of materials. However, the significance of the
said games and practices were still given emphasis. For
instance, before playing the “appon di humagub”, it was
explained to the participants how valuable it is to be patient
and careful in carrying the “aluwog” for a slight mistake might
break the vessel. Likewise, the significance of the games
“bultung” and “ug-gub” were explained. As in olden times these
were used in the settlement of disputes in the “trial by ordeal”
practices.

The following cultural and indigenous games and practices

are classified according to the number of required participants.
As per involvement, there are three classifications, the
individual, dual and the group events. Uggub,hanggul, munkollon,
munpulin hi ota, munlattik, bultung, bullakan,munkutim, munlagim
hi manuk,huktingngan, munbukli manuk and mundopap hi manuk/babuy
are classified as individual events. Munbayu and mun-ulut hi
page are classified as dual games while mun-utum, munbakle,
munhaang hi latud, appon di nunbaktutu, appon di mun-alate,
bakkahan, akkad, guyyudan, tulludan, upak race, appon di
humagub, pinadakkolan hi managgam, and bullogan are categorised
as team events.
 MUN-ALATE
OBJECTIVE
To finish the race first

PLAYERS
10 players per team

EQUIPMENT
1 bamboo beam per team (approximately 3-meter in length and
5” in diameter)
Post as marker

RULES OF THE GAME

1. Players are assembled in the starting line properly
arranged by teams.
2. The bamboo beam is placed approximately seven meters away
from the starting line while the post is positioned a meter
away from the bamboo beam.
3. At the signal “Go”, the first player reaches the post and
has to walk on the bamboo beam without falling on the
ground. The player must step on both edge of the beam.
4. Once the player falls on the ground while crossing the
beam, s/he must go back to the starting line and start
again.
5. When a player finishes his/her turn, s/he taps the next
player. The other players follow the same procedure.
6. The first team to complete the goal is the winner.

MECHANICS
In case a team lacks players, the available players may
take 2 to 3 turns only just to complete the required number of
players.
 BAKTUTU
OBJECTIVE
To finish the race ahead of the other teams

PLAYERS PER TEAM

10 players from the higher grades
1 player from the lower grades

EQUIPMENT
Post as marker

RULES OF THE GAME

1. Players are assembled in the starting line properly
arranged by teams.
2. The post is positioned 10 meters away from the starting
point.

MECHANICS
In case a team lacks players, the available players may
take 2 to 3 turns only just to complete the required number of
players.
 AP-PON DI MUNKOLON HI BINGKU

OBJECTIVE
To axe the log into ideal firewood sizes first

PLAYERS
1 player per team

EQUIPMENT
1 axe per team (to be provided by the each team
coordinators)
5 logs of the same sizes (to be provided by the
coordinators)

RULES OF THE GAME

1. Players will be assembled in the playing area, and then
they will draw a number to identify which numbered log
will be assigned to each team representative.
2. A facilitator will be assigned to give the players a
signal when to start axing the assigned logs
simultaneously.
3. The first to finish will be proclaimed winner after the
firewood will be inspected by the facilitator if the
sizes are good. The other players will be ranked
according to the time spent dividing the log.
APPON DI MUN-ULUT HI “PAGE”

OBJECTIVE
To separate the rice grains from the stem or “ulut” ahead
of the other teams

PLAYERS
2 players per team (1 boy and 1 girl)

EQUIPMENT
5 bundles of “page”

RULES OF THE GAME

1. Players will be assembled in the playing area, and then
they will draw a number to identify which numbered bundle
of “page” will be assigned to each team representative.
2. A facilitator will be assigned to give the players a
signal when to start separating the grains from the stem
simultaneously.
3. The first to finish will be proclaimed winner after the
output will be inspected by the facilitator. The other
players will be ranked according to the time spent.
APPON DI MUNBAYU

OBJECTIVE
To separate the rice from the rice bran ahead of the other
teams through pounding

PLAYERS
2 players per team (1 boy and 1 girl)

EQUIPMENT
5 bundles of “page” (from the “mun-ulut” competition)
1 mortar(luhung) and two pestle(lal-u)

RULES OF THE GAME

1. Players will be assembled in the playing area, a
facilitator will be assigned to give the players a signal
when to start pounding.
2. The first to finish will be proclaimed winner after the
output will be inspected by the facilitator. The other
players will be ranked according to the time spent.
APPON DI MUNPULIN HI OTA

OBJECTIVE
To separate the grains from the rice

PLAYERS
2 players per team (1 boy and 1 girl)

EQUIPMENT
5 cups of rice free of grains
5 plastic cups with 50 grains each
5 “liga u”

RULES OF THE GAME

1. Players will be assembled in the playing area; the
facilitator a facilitator will be assigned to give the
players a signal when to start pounding.
2. The first to finish will be proclaimed winner after the
output will be inspected by the facilitator. The other
players will be ranked according to the time spent.
 KADANG-KADANG

a. There shall be ten (10) participants per team.

b. A string measuring 1.5 meters is pulled through the hole

tied at the bottom end the shell. Two (2) pairs of
coconut stilts are needed. The coconut stilts will be
provided by the office concern.

c. Two (2) parallel lines are drawn ten (10) meters apart.
One is the starting hone and the other is the goal line.
The first player in each team puts a coconut shell under
each foot, pulling the string between the big toe and the
second toe of each foot while holding up the other end in
his hand.

d. Upon the whistle blow of the referee, the players at the

start should run on their coconut stilts toward the goal
line. Upon reaching the goal line, the players turn
around still on their stilts and return to the starting
line, where they pass on their stilts to the next players
who perform the same movements as the first player.

e. Upon reaching the starting line, the current player

should tap the hand of the next player to indicate the
completion of her part. After the first player finished
her turn, she must immediately vacate the area.

f. The one whose strings fall down must remount then

continue with the race until she finishes her turn.

g. The team that reaches the starting line first wins the
game.
HINNUKTING

a. One player per team.

b. A circle measuring three (3) meters diameter will be

marked for the players.

c. The game will have a duration of ten (10) minutes. After

the lapse of the timeframe with no winner, there will be
a five (5) minutes extension. If the 5-minutes extension
lapsed without a winner, a toss coin shall determine the
winner. The players will be given a three (3) minutes
rest period.

d. Each player’s right hand shall hold the G-string at the

waistline on the left side and the other hand holding one
foot folded at the back.

e. Each contestant will shove his opponent, using his

shoulder, out of the circle to be able to win the game.
Shoving an opponent using the elbow or the head, and
hitting below the belt is considered a foul. A player
that is out of the circle is declared a loser.

f. When any of the hand losses grip of the G-string or the

foot at the back, or the player falling on the ground, he
shall be considered disqualified.

g. The games shall start upon the whistle blow of the

referee.

h. The games shall be by single elimination.

BANGUNAN

a. One player per team.

b. Players will lay flat with their back beside each other,
the heads at opposite direction, and their right hand
holding the shoulder of the opponent with their right
foot going upward to meet the right foot of the opponent
and bring it down.

c. A game shall be played in a best of three (3) series.

d. Schedule of games shall be by drawing of lots and shall

be by single elimination.
AKKAD
a. Each shall have ten (10) participants. A person shall be
assigned to act as a post.

b. The wooden akkad will be provided by the officers in-

charge. However, each team may provide one (1) spare in
case of breakage.

c. The participants shall use the akkad made of wooden

material with a foot rest placed one (1) foot higher from
the base. Size must be considered (1 foot centers, 1 foot
and above, depending on the height of the player).

d. The distance from the starting point to the turning point

will be fifteen (15) meters. The participants will start
to race from their formed line, go around the post and
back to the starting line, hands the akkad, then give the
card number to the next player, one after the other until
all the participants of each team shall have their turn.
The last player of each team shall the card number to the
post at the finishing line. The one who falls on the
ground must quickly be on his akkad, then continue until
he finishes his turn. After the player finished his turn,
he must immediately vacate the area. The card number
shall be provided by the office in-charge.

e. The race shall start at the blast of a whistle blown by

the referee.

f. The first team to finish wins.

g. In case of a tie, a toss coin shall determine the winner.

AB-ABBA
a. Each team shall have twelve (12) participants including
the load and the post. The officer in-charge shall assign
a person to act as a post and a load.

b. Before the game starts, one member of each team must be

at his own post and the rest of the team will form a line
at a distance. The participant at the post will run
towards the line, carry the “load” on line at his back,
and run around the designated post then back to the line.
The next person at the line will do the same until all
participants had their turn.
c. The game shall start at the blast of a whistle blown by
the referee.

d. The first team to finish wins.

APPON DI HUMAGUB

A. Each team shall have 10 partcipants.

B. 5 “aluwog”, pails and dippers will be provided by the
officer in charge for the teams to use.
C. Water tank filled water will be positioned at the end of
the line with the 5 dippers
D. The game will be played for 12 minutes but no participant
should fetch water twice.(violation of this rule will mean
disqualification)
E. The 5 pails will be at the beginning of the lines.
F. The first participant will run to the water tank and fill
the “aluwog” then returns to the starting line to transfer
the load.
G. After transferring the load, the “aluwog” will be given to
the next participant.
H. The second participants will do the same; the other
participants will take turns until all members will be
finished.
I. The team to have the most volume of water transported will
be proclaimed winners.
J. In cases when the time is up but some players of a team did
not play, the play of that team will end there. The same is
true for cases when players of a team finished ahead of the
time their play will stop.