Nan Nataguan Tako A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Musics, Dances & Festivals I am an Igorot. My cultural awareness and belongingness is a serious personal issue that I seek for a group to belong. I became aware of the problems and issues confronting my region and found myself immersed in understanding and participating in advocacies that promote the wellbeing of the Cordillera people. I learned to appreciate our rich cultural heritage which is mostly tied to the tongue for Writer: oral transmission and such has yet to be Maria documented, published and adopted. Catbagan- Aplaten Abstract Title : Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Musics, Dances and Festivals Writer : Maria Catbagan-Aplaten Introduction : I am an Igorot. My cultural awareness and belongingness is a serious personal issue that I seek for a group to belong. I became aware of the problems and issues confronting my region and found myself immersed in understanding and participating in advocacies that promote the wellbeing of the Cordillera people. I learned to appreciate our rich cultural heritage which is mostly tied to the tongue for oral transmission and such has yet to be documented, published and adopted. Book Objectives: The aims and objectives of this book are to: a. Provide a glimpse of the Geography, History, and the People of the Cordillera Region; b. Show the different traditional attires of the Cordilleran; c. Preserve our interest in our native songs and dances; d. Promote the teaching of the Cordillera music, dances, and practices; e. Learn and appreciate the rich cultural heritage of the Cordillera region; f. Substantiate the different music and dances thru their basic movements and modified formations; and g. Present the different traditional festivals of the region. Book Summary: This book is an attempt to document and provide basic information about our rich cultural heritage. It focuses on five areas particularly: 1) Geography, History, and the People of the Cordilleras; 2) Traditional Attires; 3) Music; 4) Dances, and 5) Festivals. It was a result of my ten years of participation in seminars related to Cordilleran culture; visits to the different provinces of CAR, and my directing the HAPIYOH MI Cultural Group of the University of the Cordilleras which I founded in 2000. Chapter 1 of the book gives us a glimpse of the history and people of the Cordilleras. Each of the six provinces that make up the region is provided with Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/ Maria Catbagan-Aplaten basic facts and short historical background to serve as easy reference for readers. About the people, I incorporated the complete copy of the speech about the Igorots of honorable Lambert Sagalla, one of the pioneer members of IGO or Igorot Global Organization and the essay of Dr. Henry Scott entitled “The Origin of the Word Igorot” to enlighten us fully about who we are us people. The second chapter is focused on the traditional attires of the region. After three years of directing the cultural performing group of then Baguio Colleges Foundation, I directed a cultural show in February 2003 entitled Nan Nataguan Tako which showcased the traditional attires, music and dances of the Cordillera. It was produced by Ms. Sonia Aplosen Daoas who was the Vice President for Administration of BCF at that time. The collections of Madam Sonia were used in the parade of Cordillera traditional attires which was the first part of the said Cultural show. With her expertise on the traditional attires of the Cordillera Region, we were able to identify and label each of the clothing and accessories used in the show. The said document was used in describing most of the attires found in Chapter 2 of this book. The third chapter is on traditional music of the Cordillera. It gives a thorough discussion on the different musical instruments used in the region; Classification of Cordillera songs; and Hymns and March. I have also included some of the all time favorite Cordillera songs like Montanosa and Nan Layad, both sung and popularized by Lourdes Fangki. Chapter 4 is on Cordillera dances. A major source of information for this chapter was the series of workshop output of DECS particularly the Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports (BPESS) which started in 1992. It was spearheaded by Dr. Josephine Flores, who travelled to the different provinces of the Cordillera in 1986 to research and video tape the different dances and games of the place. She designed a seminar-workshop funded by DECS where she shared the information gathered from her travels. By virtue of the DECS Regional Memorandum No. 169 s. 1992, 52 participants both from private and public sectors attended the said regional seminar- workshop held on November 16-17, 1992. A follow up on this training was conducted on June 1-5, 1993. It focused on Cordillera Dances: Choreographic and Rhythmic patterns. Eighty-two participants from the different places in the Cordillera attended and others demonstrated the dances that were documented. Finally, another Regional Seminar –Workshop on Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/ Maria Catbagan-Aplaten the Finalization of Cordillera Dance Steps and Rhythmic Patterns was held at the NEAP, Teachers Camp, and Baguio City on October 4-8 1993. Together with the Hapiyoh Mi members, we further studied the traditional dances that were documented during the said seminar-workshops, adopted some, and integrate it with the group’s vast repertoire of Cordillera dances. It was easy for the group to understand and learn since the members are genuine sons and daughters of the Cordillera. It is accompanied with a DVD to further enhance the learning of the dances. One of the latest developments of the region is the holding of festivals. Brief descriptions of the famous festivals in the region are discussed in Chapter 5. Writer’s Prayer: It is of great expectation that this book entitled Nan Nataguan Tako: Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festivals are of help to anyone interested in knowing by heart this wonderful people of the highlands called Igorots. Any error in the explanation, interpretation and notation that have slipped past various skilled and knowledgeable people who participated in the completion of this book are obviously mine. A Note on the History of Hapiyoh Mi Cultural Group The UC Hapiyoh Mi Cultural Group is an institutional performing group of the University of the Cordilleras Center for Creative Productions. The members are students of the university whose roots are from the Cordilleras, the region that the university carries in its name, thus the inherent and common aspiration for promoting and preserving the rich culture of the Cordilleran people. In so doing, the values attached to every custom and tradition as depicted in the group’s presentations are imbibed and perpetuated. Since its inception in 2000, then as a Society and Culture class presentation of a group of Cordilleran students under Ms. Maria A. Aplaten, the original objective of conveying the cause of cultural preservation is still imminent in the current performances of the group. The performers in that Society class became the first members of the group when the university institutionalized it in 2003, adopting the name “Kalasag”, a Kankanaey Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/ Maria Catbagan-Aplaten term, which means “shield.” After growing in number and experience, with several turnovers of membership, the group was renamed as “Hapiyoh Mi”. It’s an Ifugao term for “Our Shield” – a symbolism of the group’s desire to safeguard the living heritage of the Cordilleras. The UC Hapiyoh Mi Cultural Group specializes in the Cordilleran traditional arts, songs, dances and playing of musical instruments indigenous to the Cordilleran region, which comprises the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and the City of Baguio. The region is the home of several ethnolinguistic groups like the Bontocs, Ibalois, Ifugaos, Isnegs, Kalingas, Kankanaeys, and the Tingguians. The continuous socialization and interrelationship with each other developed many shared beliefs and practices, which resulted to commonalities in their social organization and cultural life. Embracing all of these multifaceted but distinct cultures in the group’s performances, depicting the authentic and true forms of the culture, the group has now been considered the premiere Cordilleran performing arts group in the region and in the Philippines. With the support of the University of the Cordilleras, they have performed in several venues, festivals and concerts in and outside of Baguio City. They had also won several awards and distinctions, among which are citations from Rotary Club and Lions Club, the awards from WOW Philippines – DOT-CAR Festival and the Panagbenga Festival of Baguio City from 2004 to 2010, and more recently the award as national runner-up in the CHED Academic and Cultural Festival Sayaw Pinoy creative folk/ethnic dance competition. They are also a favorite performing group in programs and festivities for the local government; in tourism activities; and in national corporate events. At present, the group remains to be under the leadership and expertise of its head trainor and adviser, Ms. Maria Aplaten, who is a Kankanaey herself from the Bontoc tribe. Nan Nataguan Tako: A book on Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festival/ Maria Catbagan-Aplaten Nan Nataguan Tako (Cordillera History, Attires, Music, Dances and Festivals) CHAPTER 1: THE CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION: GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY AND PEOPLE I. Geography II. History of the Creation of Cordillera Administrative Region III. People: A. Who is a Cordilleran? An Igorot? (Essay) B. Are You an Igorot? (Essay) C. The Origin of the Word Igorot:(The Original Essay Written by Henry Scott) D.