RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

The Ibanags believe in unseen souls and spirits that they also called as i ari nga masingan who live in the
world of farmers.

Minangilu or minannanad (folk doctors) is the one who became the mediator between the spirits and
the people.

The sickness and diseases are considered to be the cause of stumbling souls.

FOODS USED BY THE IBANAGS IN THEIR RITWALS

Patupat Ibanag (rice cake)

Coconut oil (denu) and lemon juice- is used by the doctors called minannanad (folk doctors) to massage
a person’s palm to find out the cause of the disease.

Tiny cup of cocoa and rice cakes- food offered to a soul in a ritual called mattunak.

FOODS

The lifestyle of the Ibanags is centered on their foods. Their foods come in a variety of shapes, colors,
flavors, shapes, and presentations

Indigenous Ibanag foods can be described as aromatic, tasty, delicious, and nutritious foods.

Ibanag foods can be classified as mappaganas ta accacan or appetizers, maca-macan or staple food and
paddulse or dessert.

MAPPAGANASTA ACCACAN (APPETIZERS)

-For the Ibanags, appetizer is important since one should be stimulated to savor the food served on the
table.

-Mappaganas means to stimulate one’s gustatory gland to eat.

-The best and most sought-after appetizers are the onion salad (salsa na sebolyas), pickled pepper (sili
nga artem), lemon juice (daggo na dalaya)

-Onion leaves salad (salsa nga kutchay,) which is a concoction of onions mixed with fish paste (bagoong)
and chopped ginger with sliced tomatoes, is a favorite appetizer among the Ibanag.

-Ibanag appetizers are simple and economical which came from indigenous plants available in the
surroundings.
MACA-MACAN (MAIN DISHES)

are classified according to its sources which are aya-ayam (animals), mana-manango (fishes and
shellfishes), and gula- gulay (plants)

A. Aya-Ayam (Animals)

-These animals are baka (cow), nuang (carabao), kazzing (goat), karneru (sheep), kitu (dog), utta (deer),
bavi (pig), pabu (turkey), manu (chicken), ayong (monkey), and patu (duck), gansu (goose).

-Meat is the focal point of the main dish.

-To the Ibanag, the substances sourced from meat give strength to the body (mappasican), lengthen
lifespan (mappaapaddu ta attolay), refines way of living (malladda y attolay) and mappasikan ta bagga-
baggi.

B. Mana-Manango (Fish/Water Animals)

-are the other main source of the Ibanag’s staple food  The Ibanag’s vanity for fishes exemplifies the
vast variety of fish taken from the water.

-These fishes are ludong (mullet), kurilaw (Manila Sea Channel Catfish), agua/pasga/purung/vugasin,
sapsap (toothed ponyfish), mori (goby), tabbalay (spangled emperor), ifun (goby), caggu (clam), kiwo
(eel), larangan (glassy pershlet), akaya (crab), lasi/aramang ( tiny shrimp), cusifan/padaw (lobster), patta
(catfish), dalag (mudfish), basikul (whelks), liddak (periwinkle), ala (freshwater clam), agurung
(periwinkle), vunganga (whelks), berabig/birabid (whelks), kabibi (clam) and gurami (fresh water fish).

C. Gula-Gulay (Vegetables)

-The Ibanags are experimental, creative and ingenious when it comes to plants. All plant parts are
considered as vegetable food.

-The mayan or underground crops used as vegetables are camosi (sweet potato), rabanus (radish),  The
stems, leaves and flowers of plants are likewise considered edible foods. These are afutu na dupo
(banana blossom), alibabag (alucon, Llk.), anta (string beans), apape (balsam pear), balangac (swamp
cabbage), Calabasa (squash), catuday (sesban), cubay (Malabar nightshade), don saluyu (jute), camosi
(sweet potato), lanteng/maralisto/baleva (eel grass), marunggay (horse radish), nasi (spiny amaranth),
paku (edible fern), papait (sarsalida, lbn), pichay (pechay), rabung (bamboo shoot), sili amiling (Chile or
red pepper).

-Fruits and seeds of plants are also considered food (maca- macan) among the Ibanags. These are amale
(butterfly bean), anta (string beans), anta (string beans), apape (balsam pear), balatung (green gram),
Baranghenas (eggplant), bassaw (hyacinth bean), bichuelas (bush snap bean), cabatengga (vegetable
gourd), cabatiti (sponge gourd), Calabasa (squash), candoli (white squash), capaya (papaya), cardis
(pigeon pea), gulapitan (lima bean), marunggay (horse-radish), nangca (jackfruit),saluyu (Okra), sili
amiling (chile pepper), sili macopa (sweet pepper).
PADDULSE (DESSERT)

-is the concluding part of the meal process

-Fruits that abound within the area or the community or within one’s reach are what is served as
paddulse.

-These fruits are taken afresh from the trunk, washed, peeled or pared, sliced, mashed, halved or cut.
They may be eaten raw or cooked.

-Fruits are valuable sources of minerals like ion, calcium, phosphorous, potassium and magnesia. Most
fruits contain vitamins A, B and C, sugar and water.