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First Adivay Festival kicks off in Benguet

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (Feb. 25) — Benguet’s first Adivay started this week here at the provincial capital in a parade participated by representatives from the 13 towns, local officials, and sponsors. “Rediscovering Benguet” is the theme of Adivay 2005.

Adivay is an Ibaloi term meaning “to gather and have fun.” The 9-day affair, which started on Feb. 25, aims to promote Benguet as a tourist destination. Photos of scenic spots, products, and indigenous practices from the towns of Itogon, Atok, La Trinidad, Bakun, Buguias, Kabayan, Kibungan, Mankayan, Tuba, Tublay, Sablan, Bokod, and Kapangan were displayed in creative exhibits at the Benguet State University (BSU) fair grounds.

Starting Feb. 27, cultural performances will be hosted and staged per municipality.

Products for sale include an array of highland crops, strawberries, fish (tilapia), flowers, basketry, woven cloth, mushroom, and other items and products native to the said towns.

Photographs of the Kabayan mummies, including a restructured, mummified head were displayed in this town’s booth. Photos of scenic and historical spots from the 13 towns were displayed, such as the Paterno caves in Tublay, and the Eagle’s Den and Peeping Monkey mountains in Kibungan.

Ways of life

Indigenous practices were readily told at the exhibits, such as by Lakay (elder) Luis Doa-anes from Kibungan. He said he still prefers the traditional kubo (native hut), which is runo-thatched (bamboo reeds), with wooden flooring and walls. No nails are used to fasten the planks, only smaller, rounded wood, such as the one on display at the Kibungan booth.

“These huts are still very practical, should one decide to relocate his house. It is easy to take it down and re-assemble”, he said.

To Lakay Dao-anes’ left is a folded mat, and a dalikan (stove made of stones) in one corner of the hut. Atop the dalikan, bundles of palay are left to dry in the su-ulan. The su-ulan is a structure built over the dalikan to store crops and dry meat. At night, Lakay Dao-anes builds an anido (fire) at the dalikan to ward off the February chill.

In other booths, kinuday (smoked meat or ham) hangs from the su-ulan, smoked by roasting Benguet coffee beans, such as in Tublay and Kabayan.

The old man continued to share practices in child birth to a group of Nursing students from the St. Louis University (SLU) in Baguio City. To the students’ surprise, he relayed that women, though pregnant, continued to work in the fields until their eighth month.

“There were no nurses. Some women gave birth on their own or with the assistance of family members, even the husband”, he said. Like in other indigenous communities, the umbilical cord is cut with sharpened bamboo, an inch from the infant’s navel. “There is no need to knot the umbilical cord; it will soon dry and fall off”, he said.

Research developments

Developments in BSU’s research and extension are also on display at the university’s open gym, such as the breakthroughs in high-yielding varieties of roses under Benguet conditions. Information on agricultural technology is also on exhibit.

Adivay 2005 is sponsored by the provincial government, the municipality of La Trinidad, the Benguet Tourism Council, Private Sector Representative Atty. Damaso Bangaoet in partnership with line agencies in the province, PLDT, SMART Communications, Globe, Caltex, Masferre, Narda’s, and Mekeni Food Corporation. # Abi Taguba Bengwayan for NORDIS

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