History of Kalinga

The name "Kalingga" is believed to have been

derived from the Ibanag word "kalinga" and the
Gaddang word "kalinga", both meaning
headhunters. The Spaniards picked up the term
because of their headhunting tradition, and the
Americans followed suit. The Kalingas have
numerous songs, such as the salidummay, the
dong-dong-ay, the oggayam, the ading, the
wasani, the paliwat, the owawi, and the
dandanag. But its enduring and distinct rite is the
"Bodong" that has become an institution for
peace up to this day. Kalinga is classified
according to bodong-holding groups or ili, or subtribes, namely the Tinglayans, the Lubuagans, the
Tanudans, the Pasils, the Balbalans, the
Pinukpuks, and the Tabuks. (Source: Igorot, the
Cordillera Schools Group.)
The Province of Kalinga, is a landlocked province
of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative
Region in Luzon. Its capital is Tabuk and borders
Mountain Province to the south, Abra to the west,
Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the northeast,
and Apayao to the north. Prior to 1995, Kalinga
and Apayao used to be a single province
named Kalinga-Apayao, until they were split into
two to better service the needs of individual
native tribes in the provinces.
There are many sub tribes in the province. The
strong sense of tribal membership and filial
loyalty results in frequent tribal unrest and
occasional outright war. Due to the mountainous
terrain and warrior-culture of the people, the
Kalingas were able to maintain their culture
despite the attempted occupation of the
Spaniards, Japanese, and Americans. Unknown to
many, the last stand of President Emilio
Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines
was in this province, in Lubuagan, which he
proclaimed the national capital , and where the
Aguinaldo Museum commemorates him and
those events.
The Kalinga people are the most extensive rice
farmers of the Cordillera peoples, having been
blessed with some of the most suitable land for
both wet and dry rice farming. Like the Ifugaos,
the Kalingas are one of the extensive terrace
builders in the country. The Kalingas are also
skilled potters with pot making concentrated in
the lower Chico River Valley. They are also
excellent in basketry, loom weaving and metal
works.
The Extinction of Ethnic Expertise
As with most cultural practices, time changes
peoples perception of traditions, and can result in
prejudice. What once was beautiful is now
considered too bold, and therefor can hinder
ones chances of change from rural life. I dont
condone the actions Lasoys mother took by
forcing her to have tattoos, but when a national

dying art is literally on its last legs before

extinction, it is hard for me to understand why a
revival of the traditional tattooing has not taken
off in Kalinga Province?
People are often scared of something that is
different, and full sleeve and chest tattoos are not
popular culture elsewhere, but we dont live in a
world of division like we used to anymore.
Information and education can be widely
distributed about diversity at the touch of a
button. Maybe more can be done on a national
level to promote an understanding of ethnic
differences and pride in the Philippines? and
possibly some sort of financial incentive training
program could be offered to a new generation of
Kalinga mambabatoks, to learn from Whang-Od
before she passes away?
The point is something can be done to save this
rare and beautiful ethnic art form, but where and
how needs to happen now, because it is not yet
too late.

The Kalinga are called the peacocks of the

north
because of their attention to appearance and
dressing.

Kalinga is a landlocked province of northern

Cordillera, Philippines.
Kalinga means enemy, a name that the
bordering inhabitants
called this tribe because of their headhunting
attacks.
The name stuck and became accepted by the
natives themselves.
IMPORTANT TERMS TO REMEMBER ABOUT
KALINGA'S WAY OF LIFE:
Bodong
refers to the system of peace pact or peace
council used in the province of Kalinga in the
northern part of the Philippines.
Kayaw
refers to the head-hunting sorties made by
the Kalingas.
Pagta
peace pact holder or code covers all criminal
and civil offenses committed against another
tribe.
Pangat
a leader of a certain tribe who holds the
peace agreement with another tribe.
Podon
Southern Kalinga dialect which means to
bind together.
KALINGA WAY OF LIFE:
The term "Kalinga" has no derivative from any of
the Kalinga dialects spoken in the Kalinga area.
The name has simply been given to the people
living in the mountains by outsiders. Some Ibanag
writers claim that Kalinga is a term for warlike
people in the mountains. Since the Ibanags of
Cagayan have long been engaged in trade
intercourse with their neighbors in the western
highland region of the province, it is safe to say
that the Ibanags own the word Kalinga. Besides,
Kalingas were also known to have been headhunting in the lowland areas along the western
river banks of the Cagayan River now known as
Kalinga.
There are even suggestions that the Kalingas
came from the Ibanag "race." Those who are of
this belief or theory point to the fact that many
Kalinga names of persons are also found among
the Ibanags of Isabela and Cagayan, like for
example, "Simangon", "Panabang", "Manawag",
etc. Physical features of the "lowland" Kalingas
also support the theory that many of the tribal
groups of Kalinga are of Ibanag ancestry. On the
other hand, the Kalinga dialects also believe the
fact that the Kalingas come from the so-called
"Ibanag race." To Kalingas, Ibanag is totally
Greek, and Ibanags regard Kalinga the same.
The Kalingas are spread over the present eight
Kalinga municipalities of Rizal, Tabuk, Pinukpuk,
Balbalan, Tanudan, Pasil, Lubuagan and
Tinglayan. A Kalinga tribal group also inhabits the

southernmost area of the Apayao region. Recent

statistics reveal that the Kalingas constitute
about 85 percent of the total population of the
former sub-province of Kalinga.
The Kalingas as a tribal nation have 17 known
sub-tribes each having its own dialect and
customs. It is in their multilingual diversity that
the Kalinga tribal community is often referred to
as the "Babel of the Philippines." In spite of the
number of dialects spoken by each of the subtribes, the Kalingas can understand each other
even if they speak or communicate with other
Kalingas in their own distinct dialect.
The Kalinga "Bodong" institution governs the lives
of all Kalinga ethno-linguistic groups, even up to
this day. Bodong is a Kalinga word for peace pact
and a peace pact is a bilateral non-aggressive
pact between the two communities" (Scott, 87).
Strictly speaking, Bodong (Northern Kalinga
dialect) or Podon (Southern Kalinga dialect)
means "bind together." The Bodong refers to an
agreement between two parties to make peace
and to bind themselves with the maintenance of
peace between the communities they represent.
In the early days, Kalingas made head-hunting as
part of their lifestyle. They would launch massive
raids on their enemy's villages and take home
heads of their victims as trophies. These jaws of
the heads of their victims were used as gong
handles. These head-hunting sorties were called
"Kayaw." Kayaws were resorted to by Kalingas
because of revenge, to get even with the enemy.
They were not launched against their tribal
enemies for territorial expansion but purely
redeem their pride lost to a pillaging enemy.
As had been stated earlier, the Kalingas are
grouped into many sub-tribes, each having its
own dialect, customs and traditions. These
differences in culture and dialects often cause
trial misunderstanding that lead to inter-tribal
armed warfare. It is the lex talionis principle that
gave birth to the Bodong.
Today, the Bodong is still an inseparable part of
the socio-economic life of the Kalingas because it
governs not only the security relations between
two tribes or among tribal groups, but also the
trade and commerce of Bobong parties. Its
"Pagta" or code covers all criminal and civil
offenses committed against another tribe. Among
the provisions of the Pagta which is still observed
among Bodong parties is the "automatic
retaliation" provision, which allows an aggrieved
tribe to avenge the killing or wounding of a fellow
tribesman on the aggressor tribe.
The Bodong has been criticized by non-Kalinga
ethnolinguistic groups as "anachronistic."
Present-day Kalinga leaders, especially those
educated and acknowledged religious leaders,
frown at the Bodong as an active agent of tribal
killing. There are Kalinga intellectuals who view
the Bodong institution as an unnecessary and

counter-productive practice. Some advocate the

total scrapping of Bodong as a bilateral rule of
the inter-tribe relationship. But the fact remains
that many of the Kalinga elders still religiously
cling to the Bodong precepts, reminding their
youngsters that the Bodong has been an
influential institution in the promotion of
government programs in Kalinga "nation."
The Kalingas are a hospitable people and in spite
of the frequent tribal violence that erupt between
and among Kalinga tribal groups, they still live up
to their time-honored practice of guaranteeing
the safety and comfort of their guests. In tribal
wars, warring parties do not harm any of the tribe
or non-Kalinga tribe who has no involvement and
participation in the cause of the tribal conflict.
As with other cultural communities who have
been modernized in their way of life through the
process of acculturation, the Kalingas are slowly
leaving behind their old practices in favor of
western culture brought in through education and
intermarriage as well as association with the
cultural majority.

THE TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE PRACTICES OF

THE LUBUAGANS OF KALINGA:

KALINGA: Music and Dances

BINUTBOT: The Famous Gongs of Kalinga.
Gangsa or gong players, usually warriors, play
the binutbot to dance the tachok and joined by
the women. The men display masculine prowess
while the women imitate the movements of birds.

The Kalingas are the brave inhabitants of the

southern half of Kalinga-Apayao province in
northern Luzon. Known as the peacocks of the
Cordillera, the Kalingas are especially proud of
their fabulous dressing tradition, their music and
dances.
KALOOBs repertoire gives a glimpse of two
important Kalinga institutions: the peace pact
known as vochong or bodong and the palanos or
wedding ceremony.

music with menfolk beating gongs with their

palms.

ALISIG: Wedding Ritual.

The man-aalisig or priest officiates in an age-old
wedding ritual.

CHALIJOK: Dance of the Harvest.

A playful dance rendered by men and women
imitating the movements of an eagle. This
festival dance is also performed at harvest time.

PALPALIWAT: Driving out the bad spirits.

A ritual for driving out the spirits -- including the
effects of drinking. Usually with humorous and
pithy statements.

SALIP: Courtship Dance.

A courtship dance centered on the use of kain,
a hand woven Kalinga cloth used as clothing or
blanket. To the accompaniment of crowd singing
of Ela-lay, the man thrusts his arm initiating the
movements of roosters while the woman
simulates the movements of a hen. The dance
ends when the woman finally gives the kain cloth
to the man.

TACHOK: Drum Dance.

Merriment starts with the Tachok dance, followed
by the Salip to the accompaniment of Tuppaya

Banga
Tribe: Kalinga
"Banga" literally mean pots. The Banga or pot
dance is a contemporary performance of
Kalinga of the Mountain Province in the
Philippines. This dance illustrate the languid
grace of a tribe otherwise known as fierce
warriors. Heavy earthen pots, as many as seven
or eight at a time, are balanced on the heads of
maidens as they trudge to the beat of the
"gangsa" or wind chimes displaying their stamina
and strength as they go about their daily task of
fetching water and balancing the banga.

attract the attention of a hen while the female

imitates the movements of a hen being circled by
a rooster.

Lumagen / Tachok
Tribe: Kalinga
Origin: Luzon
When the Kalinga gather to celebrate a happy
occasion like the birth of a firsr-born baby boy, a
wedding, or a Bodong(peace pact), the Kalinga
Festival Dance (Tachok) is performed. This is
danced by the Kalinga maiden. The dance
imitates birds flying in the air. Music is provided
by gangsa, or gongs, which are usually in a group
of six or more.

Ragsaksakan
Tribe: Kalinga
This dance portrays the walk of the industrious
Kalingga women, carrying water pots on their
heads and wearing the colorful hand-woven
"blankets of life" around their necks. Their walk
imitates the climb up the Rice Terraces in the
Mountain Provinces of the Philippines.

Salip
Tribe: Kalinga
Tribes in the mountain provinces of Luzon
preserve their identity, customs and lore. Their
dances celebrate important events in life such as
birtg, wedding, victory in war and thanksgiving. A
Kalinga wedding dance is an important
celebration. The bridegroom offers the bride the
protection and comfort of his blanket. He
simulates the movements of a rooster at love
play, aspiring to attract and seize his love. The
brides friends are ready to help prepare the bride
by offering "bangas" (earthen pots) filled with
fresh water from the mountain spring.

GEOGRAPHY
Kalinga is nestled on an elevation of 300 to 5,000 feet
above sea level with a northsouth assemblage of
mountain ranges within the Cordillera Central. It has
been dubbed as the Prince of the Highlands in the
Philippines.
POLITICAL
SUBDIVISIONS
The province is composed of eight (8) municipalities:
Balbalan, Lubuagan, Pasil, Pinukpuk, Rizal, Tabuk,
Tanudan, and Tinglayan.

Salisid
Tribe: Kalinga
The Salisid is a courtship dance, performed by a
male and female (and thus is sometimes called
the "cayoo" dance). The dance starts when each
of the dancers is given a piece of cloth called a
ayab or allap. Usually the most important people
in the village are the second to dance after the
host has signified that the occasion is formally
open. The background and meaning in this dance
is evident. The male simulates a rooster trying to

LANGUAGE
Ilokano is the dominant dialect spoken in the lower
parts of Kalinga, specifically in the municipalities of
Tabuk and Rizal. The Kalinga dialect is spoken in other
municipalities. Filipino and English are widely
understood in all parts.
INDUSTRIES
Loomweaving, rattan basketry, and banana chips
processing in Tabuk; animal feeds production in Rizal;
rattan furniture in Conner and Luna; gold jewelry
manufacturing and coffee pre-processing in Tabuk, also
the trading center.