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M/3CL SICAT, MARK BANTIYAN N.

ASIA SECTION

“PUNNUK, THE TUGGING RITUAL IN HUNGDUAN”

PRIMARY SOURCE:

In Hungduan, Ifugao, three communities—Hapao, Baang, and Nungulunan—observe three post-harvest


rituals, collectively known as huowah. Punnuk, an intense tugging match in the Hapao River, is the last of
the three rituals.

Before punnuk, the baki and the inum, are held at the ground floor of the dumupag’s house. (The
dumupag, the designated lead family in the harvest, belongs to the kadangyan, a traditional rich class
owning inherited terraced fields.) Both rituals are presided by the mumbaki (ritual specialist) who chants
expressions of gratitude to the gods for the harvest and to the forbears for the terrace fields bequeathed to
the present generation of dumupag.

The baki is a ritual divination where chickens, and sometimes a pig, are sacrificed. The bile of the
sacrificed animal is inspected for acceptability as offerings to the gods and ancestral spirits. Upon
declaring the bile maphod (very good), a male elder shouts from an elevated terrace embankment facing
the communities across wide expanse of terraced fields to announce that punnuk will be held the
following day and invites the people to prepare for the ritual.

After the baki, three jars of varying sizes containing rice wine prepared by the dumupag are brought to the
ritual area for the inum. Between chants of prayers, the mumbaki opens each jar and to dip his cup in
each, starting with the large one. After he takes the first sip of the finest wine from the small jar, others
can partake of the wine from the large jar. Shouts of revelry signal the rest of the community to join the
nightlong merrymaking before the punnuk the following day.
The punnuk features the kina-ag and the pakid. The kina-ag, the object for tugging, is made of tightly
packed dried rice stalks bound neatly with vines called a-e (Tinospora sp.). It is formed like either a ring
or a human figure. The pakid, the object for pulling the kina-ag, is the sapling of the attoba tree
(Callicarpa formosana). The preferred length of the pakid is five metres, and the preferred circumference
is ten centimetres. From an adjacent sapling, a formidable hook is fashioned at the base of the pakid
where the kina-ag is securely attached during the tugging. Gathering of all the materials and the making
of the kina-ag is cooperative work done by men.

On the day of the punnuk, three groups of participants wear their traditional attire and march to the
nunhipukana, or the convergence point of the waters of the Hapao River and its tributary. The three
groups come from different directions—Hapao from the east, Baang from the south-west, and
Nungulunan from the north-west—making their way to the nunhipukana through thickets and rice terrace
embankments. The men carry the pakid and the kina-ag, which are decorated with the dong-a leaves
(Cordyline fructicosa) while bunches of leaves are waved high to the tempo of boastful cheering of the
participants.

The playful exchange of taunts becomes more feverish as the participants approach the river. The first
two groups that arrive at the nunhipukana are the first to face each other in the tugging ritual. The
participants recite munggopah, prayers imploring the gods’ blessing for a successful performance of the
rite and for the community’s health and wellbeing.

After the prayers, a kina-ag is thrown in the river, and the opposing groups immediately strike and hook it
with their pakid. If the river current is strong, the pakid is securely hooked into the kina-ag by one of the
elders neutral to the contending groups. The tugging invites cheers from community members positioned
at the river embankments eagerly hoping for a victory on their side. The group that pulls the kina-ag, and
even the opposing group, closer to its side wins the round. The winning group then faces off with the
remaining group for another round of tugging. Punnuk can go on as long as there is a kina-ag to pull, if
the pakid remains sturdy, or until everyone gets tired.

The group that wins the most rounds is declared the victor not only in punnuk but of the entire harvest
season. The winners are euphoric because, according to traditional beliefs, the rest of the year will be one
of plenty and their rice granary will always be full. Those who do not win, however, are challenged to
fend off a lean year.

After the matches and a winner is declared, the used kina-ag is thrown into the river to be swept away by
the currents so that when it seen by the communities living downstream, people will know that the harvest
in Hapao, Baang, and Nungulunan has been completed.

Reference-->https://www.hungduan.gov.ph/punnuk-the-tugging-ritual-in-hungduan-closing-an-
agricultural-cycle/
SECONDARY SOURCE:

“The Punnuk Festival: An Ode to Harvest”

The Philippines is known for its festivals, and the region of Cordillera is no exception. One of them is the
Punnuk Festival of Hungduan, an annual celebration that marks the end of the harvest. I learned about it
through a friend who invited me to go. I was eager to learn more. And so I took a six-hour bus ride from
Baguio city and found myself surrounded by the rice terraces of Ifugao. 

Back in college, I was a student journalist. I'm now a freelance photographer, taking as many gigs as
possible in order to earn a living. But I want to do more than just go from one gig to another. I want to
connect with people who seek similar passions, people who want to tell meaningful stories. Luckily, I
found comfort in a small community of artists in Baguio City. And together with them, I had the privilege
to witness the Punnuk Festival this year. An experience that reminded me of who I wanted to become.

The festival starts with a march and a round of chantings within the terraces. The participants carry with
them apparatuses needed for the ritual. This includes the pakid, a hooked shaped wood used for tug of
war in lieu of rope. They also bring the kina-ag, stalks of rice bound neatly with vines. The rice is used to
form a human-like figure. Three barangays are involved in the Punnuk Festival: Baang, Nunggulunan,
and Hapao.

They march to the nunhipukana, or the convergence point of the waters of the Hapao River and its
tributary. After the prayers, the kina-ag is thrown in the river, and the opposing teams strike and hook it
with their pakid. Men, women, young or old, and even visitors are invited to join the tugging ritual. The
group that pulls the kina-ag closer to its side wins the round. The day ends with a feast of boiled meat and
broth. 

The celebration was simple, yet enchanting. I had moments where I wanted to leave my camera and just
soak it all in. But at the same time, I wanted to capture the moment. My latter desire won. As I stood
there, submerged in cold water, armed with fogged-up lenses, I felt connected to everything. 

This celebration was not only worth seeing, but it is also worth protecting. The Ifugao people call
themselves i-pugao which roughly translates to "inhabitants of the known earth". They value kinship,
family ties, and their cultural beliefs. I hope the next time you visit the Cordilleras you get to see it
through the eyes of the people who call it home.

I've lived in the mountains for my whole life, yet, there is so much more to see, so much more to learn.  I
have a long way to go when it comes to storytelling, but everything starts with a step forward, and this
was mine.

____________________________________________________________

Story and photo by Chickle De La Rosa


Ifugao’s post-harvest ritual ‘Punnuk’
amazes tourists, DOT head
Posted onAugust 2, 2018 by Philippine News Agency
HUNGDUAN, Ifugao — “Punnuk”, a post-harvest  ritual of the
Ifugaos continue to amaze tourists and even local visitors.

The rite which has been practiced for decades, passed on from
generation to generation, remain an attraction  especially with its
unique activity called “guyyud”,  which means  pull.

The Punnok ritual is performed among members of the  Ifugao 


communities, branded as one  of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) in 2015.

The ritual is done every after a  bountiful harvest of rice.

The ritual is performed in the river amid strong waves by members


of the communities from Barangays Baang, Nunggulunan, and
Hapao.

Pablo Cuhayon, former mayor of Hungduan town, said what makes


the ritual unique is that it is done in a river by the villagers, donning
their traditional g-string and tapis and holding their traditional
“Pakid” and “Kinaag”.

“Pakid” is a hooked sapling used in the tugging rite, instead of a


rope. “Kinaag” is a human-like figure made of rice stalks.

Punnuk,  is a thanksgiving ritual. It signals to the people that they


can start trading their produce and consume their agricultural
products.
The Kiangan Museum is an ethnic museum which serves as a showcase of priceless Ifugao artifacts
and ancient traditions. It stands on the historic PVAO compound facing the war memorial shrine.
Kiangan Museum was previously administered by PANAMIN until it was officially turned-over to the
National Museum on May 30, 1984.

The museum is a two-story concrete building that stands on the historic Philippine Veterans
Administration Office (PVAO) compound facing the War Memorial Shrine. The shrine symbolizes the
victory of the Allied Forces against the Japanese invasion forces during World War II. The people of
Kiangan still practice the Hudhud chant, a 40-episode epic that was declared National Cultural
Treasure on November 14, 2001. It was included in UNESCO 痴 list of 閃 asterpieces of the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanity・on May 18, 2001.

Banaue has no shortage of culture and heritage. Their elders keep traditions
going, including the spectacular rice terraces. However, there are people who are not
satisfied with talking to elders. For people who want to know more about Banaue, make
sure you visit the Banaue Museum.
The Banaue Museum is owned and operated by the same people that run Banaue View
Inn, which can be seen right beside the museum. It houses a collection of artifacts that
come from generations of Ifugaos who have lived in Banaue.

Most of the artifacts in the collection belong to Henry Otley Beyer, an American
anthropologist who is known as the Father of Philippine Anthropology. The museum
contains some of the oldest artifacts related to the tribes of Northern Luzon, like spears,
necklaces, and old wood carvings.

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