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THE IBABASUK RITUAL OF THETALAANDIG TRIBE IN LILINGAYON

VALENCIA CITY.

Camongay, Camille
Chavez, Ryanmark
David, Regine
Paloay, Prince Joshua D.
Santander, Eneil Dreen G.
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INTRODUCTION

The Ibabasuk ritual is a significant cultural practice of the Talaandig tribe, an

indigenous group from the Philippines with a rich history, vibrant culture, and

enduring traditions. The Talaandig tribe, which is also recognized in Bukidnon, has

strong connections to their ancestral land. Even though there has been a significant

increase in modernization and transformation, the tribe's ties to their land remain

unshakable. They have continued to preserve and promote their indigenous

customs, beliefs, and practices. The Talaandig tribe is part of the seven native tribes

in Bukidnon that gather to showcase their traditions through rituals, music, songs,

and dances at festivals. The Ibabasuk ritual is performed when they establish a farm

to give them strength and more crops during farming. Farming or Ibabasuk seeks the

assistance of the salsalan spirits to empower the farmer and his tools, as well as the

talabugta spirits to ensure the well-being of the crops. It is important to gain the

approval of all relevant spirits in order to achieve a bountiful harvest. Talaandig tribe

is known for their commitment to keeping their traditions alive. Their rituals are a

testament to their resilience and unwavering commitment to preserving their

heritage.

Background of the Study

The Talaandig tribe, an indigenous group located in the Bukidnon province of

the Philippines, is known for its rich history, beliefs, and practices that have been
Tribe's Rituals
preserved despite modern influences. One of the significant is the

Ibabasuk ritual, performed when establishing a farm. This study aims to delve

deeper into the Ibabasuk ritual of the Talaandig Tribe, understanding its significance,
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process, and impact on the tribe. This research hopes to provide a comprehensive

understanding of the Talaandig Tribe's culture

Research Question

The purpose of the study is to fully understand the Talaandig people’s

Ibabasuk Ritual practices in Lilinganyon, Valencia City.

1. What are the experiences of Talaandig people performing the Ibabasuk

Ritual?

2. What are the most critical challenges the Talaandig people face in

performing the Ibabasuk Ritual?

3. What are the most critical consequences of performing the

Ibabasuk Ritual of the Talaandig Tribe?

Significance of the Study

The Ibabasuk Ritual, widely known and practiced in Barangay Lilingayon,

Philippines, holds great significance for indigenous people. They believe that

performing this ritual before or after farming helps them seek the blessings and

support of the spirits of nature. Through Ibabasuk, farmers seek strength for

themselves and their tools from the spirits of salsalan and pray for the health of their

crops from the talabugta spirit. The ceremony aims to gain the approval of all the

supernatural beings necessary for agriculture in order to achieve a fruitful harvest

and to have valuable knowledge and insights from studying these traditional

practices can help researchers understand the traditional Ritual of Indigenous

People. This understanding can serve as a foundation for farmers to increase their

harvest yields. These old customs rely on the materials found in nature, and they

hold special significance that has been handed down through the years. The skills
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needed to perform the Ibabasuk Ritual have been handed down through the ages

and are still being practiced today

Scope and Limitations

This study was conducted in Barangay Lingayon, Valencia City, Bukidnon.

The target respondents of the study are the talaandig people who live in Lilingayon,

who are likely to provide information regarding the ritual practices that talaandig

people use in rituals . The coverage of this study is to interview the 7–15

respondents, the Talaandig people.

Related Literature

Based on Talamdam's research in 2008, before a farmer begins preparing the

land for tilling, he follows a specific routine. Firstly, he ensures that his bolo or tools

are sharpened. In case he accidentally gets injured, he believes it to be a sign of

misfortune. Secondly, if he or anyone else sneezes while heading to the farm site, it

is seen as a bad omen. In such cases, he goes back inside the house for a few

minutes before continuing his journey to the farm.

It is the way of performing the ritual because it needs several signs to

The Talaandig Tribe's cultural history is

preserved through the performance of the "Ibabasuk" ritual. It upholds their rituals,

beliefs, and values, guaranteeing that they are carried down through the

generations.
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The Talaandig Also known as “The lowland dwellers (Bisayans and other

migrants) who refer to the people living in the highlands or mountains as "Bukidnon"

primarily refer to the indigenous inhabitants of the province of Bukidnon. The

second-highest peak in Mindanao, Mt. Kitanglad, is located in the hilly Bukidnon

topography. The Manobo (Matig-Sulog-Tigwa) and the "Bukidnon" are the two

primary indigenous groups in the province of Bukidnon. The latter is further divided

into two sub-groups: the "Talaandig," who are dispersed throughout the south central

and western portions of Bukidnon, and the Higaonons, who live in the province's

eastern section and are also dispersed throughout Misamis Oriental's highlands,

which are next to the Bukidnon plateaus. Scattered groups of people live near the

Agusan-Bukidnon border. From a linguistic perspective, Talaandig is a dialect of

Binukid, one of the principal branches of Proto-Manobo. This explains why Manobo

and Binukid share a large number of cognates, which allowed them to communicate

considerably. The Talaandig got their name because their subsistence strategy

involves shifting farming, and the word andig means slope. They live on the

mountain slopes. However, like the Manobo, many Talaandig are dwelling in

barangays; while some still choose the highlands. The Talaandig chosen for this

study are the people who live in the barangays of Sungko and Lilingayon in the

Bukidnon municipality of Lantapan. Like the Manobo tribe of Agusan, the Talaandig

were originally swidden farmers who relied on root crops in addition to hunting and

foraging. Nowadays, the sedentary Talaandig work their fields to produce cash crops

like rice, corn, and coffee. Numerous Talaandig who adopted have completed

college education. Some are working as government employees; they include

teachers, lawyers, and political leaders. Still, the Talaandig remain at the bottom of
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the socioeconomic ladder because, like other indigenous tribes in Mindanao, they

have been disregarded.

The Talaandig tribe, an indigenous group in the Bukidnon province of the

Philippines, has a unique ritual called Ibabasuk that they perform when establishing

a farm. During this ritual, they grate corn and cook it to make a dish called "baki" or

"binaki". It is believed that while someone is grating corn, they cannot be interrupted

until they have finished cutting seven corn cobs. These corn cobs, along with raw

corn and chicken blood, are then offered to the spirits in seven pieces. Additionally, a

chicken egg and a small portion of baki are cooked directly on the embers and

offered to the spirits known as "bata ha tag baya hu kagnas", who protect the plants

from infestations.

The Talaandig Tribe also engages in various other practices such as crafting

tools and agricultural implements, preparing food, creating art, playing music,

dancing, chanting, and singing. They also have traditional marriage ceremonies. For

instance, they make a special health wine called "kalagmanis" from tubu or sugar

cane juice, and preserve cassava known as "ag kud ha tinapayan". One of the most

notable aspects of Talaandig culture is their dances, including saut, kalasag, in

agong, bina nog, bin aylan, toba, tin ambul, Inagaw, tag sala, kag anahaw, and

maninikup. These dances are a way for the Talaandig people to express their culture

and spirituality. Talaandig people also pass down their traditions to the younger

generation. Children learn about their heritage through interactive sessions and
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practical activities, which help them understand their background and develop skills

to preserve their customs. The school curriculum focuses on sustainability,

environmental protection, and community participation, among other important

topics.

The Ibabasuk ritual is one of many cultural practices that start from this tribe’s

attachment to their land and associated beliefs through which all activities should be

maintained for community welfare and identity purposes as they seem to be actively

passed on to several children . Therefore, preservation of the customs and honoring

cultural heritage also becomes pathways out of helping these people due to their

self-dictating on their own aboriginal belonging.

Sources:

https://ncca.gov.ph/

https://mindanews.com/feature/2011/06/traditional-farming-practices-of-the-

bukidnon-tribe/

Citation:

ArroyoR (2023)http://tiikmpublishing.com/proceedings/index.php/foe/article/view/

1267

Cole, F. C. (1956). The Bukidnon of Mindanao (Vol. 46). Chicago Natural History

Museum. Retrieved on March 9, 2017 from https://bit.ly/30H3VWY

https://mindanews.com/feature/2011/06/traditional-farming-practices-of-the-

bukidnon-tribe/#gsc.tab=0
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Research Design

To gain a deeper understanding of the cultural practice known as The

Ibabasuk ritual of the Talaandig tribe involves defining the research objective to

understand the cultural significance of the ritual, formulating research questions on

its historical background such as the experiences, challenges, and consequences of

performing the Ibabasuk Ritual, conducting a literature review on indigenous rituals,

employing an ethnographic research approach with data collection methods such as

interviews and observation of the participants, ensuring ethical considerations and

cultural sensitivity, establishing a time frame and necessary resources, focusing on

validity and reliability through data analysis techniques, planning to disseminate

findings to interested parties. In order to deepen our understanding of this cultural

practice, it is possible to conduct a comprehensive and enlightening ethnographic

research study by following these steps, which are tailored to the unique context of

the Talaandig tribe's Ibabasuk ritual.

The Sample

The study participants were 10 Talaandig people who performed the

Ibabasuk Ritual. They are the Talaandig people who live in the Barangay Lilingayon.

The interviews will be conducted in the place of Talaandig people in Barangay

Lilingayon. Farmers who plan to start preparing the land to be tilled would first

observe things at home.

The Instrument(s)

The Ibabasuk Ritual of the Talaandig Tribe in Lilingayon, Valencia City, is

,
frequently studied using popular research tools including surveys, observations,
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interviews, and secondary data analysis. An in-depth investigation of participants'

knowledge, convictions, and experiences with the ritual is made possible through

interviews.

Data Collection Procedure

A number of key steps are involved in the data collection process for this

study on "The Ibabasuk Ritual of the Talaandig Tribe in Lilingayon Valencia City".

First, we have conducted a thorough literature review in order to acquire information

about the Talaandig tribe and its culture as well as Ibabasuk ritual from scientific

sources. The next step is to define the research objectives and identify the research

participants, including members of the Talaandig tribe who have knowledge of the

Ibabasuk ritual. We need to obtain informed consent and respect the cultural

sensitivity of the community in order to proceed. The collected data shall be

recorded, organized and analyzed using quantitative analysis methods like thematic

or content analysis at the time of collection. A comprehensive report containing an

introduction, methodology, results and discussion should summarize the findings of

this research. Finally, the findings may be communicated via presentations,

conferences or publications to the Talaandig Tribe community, interested parties and

audiences with appropriate permission and acknowledgement.

Plan for Data Analysis

Our plan for data analysis is to gather data , which includes conducting
know about
interviews with tribe members who performing the Ibabasuk Ritual
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and reviewing existing literature about the tribe and the ritual. We would gather data
using
our research questions. We used qualitative Research in our article to

conduct and compare the Ibabasuk Ritual with similar rituals from other tribes or

cultures, looking for similarities and differences. Our data should also be interpreted.