The Ibaloi or Nabaloi is an indigenous ethnic group found in the northern Philippines.

The Ibaloi are one of the indigenous peoples collectively known as Igorot, who live in the mountains of the Cordillera Central on the island of Luzon. There are approximately 55,000 Ibaloi; most of them can be found in the southern part of the province of Benguet. The Ibaloi are a mostly agricultural people cultivating rice in terraced fields. Many contemporary Ibaloi have integrated into the mainstream Filipino culture and some are employed as miners in the gold and silver mines of Benguet. The Ibaloi traditionally practiced mummification. The process they used involved smoking the corpse for months to completely dehydrate the dead body, which preserved every part of the body including tattoos and internal organs. They would then encase the preserved body within a hollowed out log and placed in caves that are thought to be spiritual by the Ibaloi. Language The Ibaloi language belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian languages family. The Ibaloi language is closely related to the Pangasinan language, spoken primarily in the province of Pangasinan, located southwest of Benguet. Houses, generally scattered in fields or on hillsides, are raised about two meters on posts and covered with a pyramidal thatched roof. Subsistence is based on wet rice, tubers, beans, and maize, supplemented occasionally with the meat of pigs, dogs, chickens, water buffalo, horses, and cattle. Descent is bilateral. There is marked differentiation between the

rich and the poor, with a considerable concentration of power and influence in the hands of the former. The traditional Ibaloi religion centered on ancestor worship. TATTOOS Tattoos are one of the most amazing facets of the cordilleran culture including other tribes in the country. According to sources tattoos have different meaning for the two sexes. For males, tattoos are symbols of male valor, strength, rank and prestige. Females, on the other hand, would usually get tattoos at a young age to make them more beautiful and attractive and earn respect among their tribe. The traditional IBALOI BURIK includes design such as lizards, snakes, scorpions and human representations, lizards were beloved to bring prosperity. Other tribes believe, however, that a lizard approaches you before a head hunt, it is not wise to proceed into battle for you are sure to reap defeat.But after invading the place by the Americans, they prohibited head hunting with the appearance of hunting came the extinction of tattoos for there no longer existed a reason for tattooing. MARRIAGE The Ibaloi is one of the Cordillera tribes which practices the Kalon and the Kaising, customs on courtship and marriage. These have been practised by the Ibalois since the early 50s until the early 80s. The Ibaloi man need not court a woman, instead the former chooses a woman he wants for a wife and

expresses his love through an intermediary with a good reputation in the community and through parental agreement. According to Lakay Bugawi, 78 years old, an Ibaloi elder from Kayapa, Nueva Viscaya, almost all Ibaloi communities practice kalon which he thinks is good for the man because he can choose the woman he likes without direct courtship. A respected individual intercedes in his behalf including his parents who have to talk with the womans parents. During the kalon, the third party or intermediary talks about the mans good qualities so the woman gets to know the man who wants to marry her. One way to determine if the woman likes the man is when she agrees to drink the tapey (rice wine) offered by the intermediary. If she refuses, the proposal is aborted. Lakay Bugawi also revealed that because of this practice, Ibaloi men have become dependent on other persons or on their parents to court the woman they love. To begin with, many Ibaloi men are very shy to court and express their feelings of love. Ashakel pay laeng e ibadoi ja agto amtan mangashem, ambaeng ton ekwan e ayat to so ni bei, isu nga talaga emon shy kami mango. The Ibalois also practice kaising where parents enter into an agreement with the parents of one they wish their child to marry in the future.According to Lakay Bugawi, one of the reasons for this practice before was for the rich clans and families to keep their wealth within their class. Thus this arrangement happens despite the childrens wishes or decisions. Baknang koma ket para soni baknang ngo.Lakay Bugawi added that in cases where one party retracts, the latter will have to butcher a pig, cow, or a carabao and pay for all the expenses incurred during the tongtong (agreement).

According to Baket Diana Bulso, 86, of Bokod, Benguet, I was a victim of this practice which I wont forget for the rest of my life. I was not happy when I got married because I didnt love the man they wanted for me. Napilitanak laeng nga naki-asawa (I was only forced to marry him). Not all those engaged by their parents are successful because many of them also separated like me. In kaising, parental agreement is done even before the children are born and in fact many Ibaloi men and women are surprised when informed by their parents that they have been engaged by their parents. During the preparation for the marriage, the man and the woman are locked in a room for them to get to know each other more. Others even tie the couple together, Baket Bulso added. As a mother, I dont want that to happen to my children because I know the bad effect. Let them decide and choose who they want to marry and parents should not intervene, just advise the children. Mayat ketdi ta naawannen tatta, ngem uray siguro adda pay, awan ti mamati nga uubbing gapu ta moderno ita nga panawen, (Its good we dont have this anymore, but even if we did, no youth of this modern time would believe this) Baket Bulso said. According to Pastor Vergel Aneceto , from Itogon, and a member of Inter- Itogon Barangay Alliance (IIB-A), this tradition has no effect on why Ibaloi men are shy to express their love to a woman today. The reason, he says is that many Ibaloi men have no money to spend if he got married, unlike before when one had only to talk to a well-known personality in the community who will sponsor the wedding. Vergel also added that this tradition is not entirely wrong although it is bad if one is forced to marry somebody one did not love and others would even want to escape from such arrangements.

There are at least as many roads leading to matrimony as there are tribes scattered among our islands. For these tribes, customs are unspoken commandments as embodied in rites and rituals that in turn connect them with the spirit of their ancestors. Reasons are often set aside during these cultural exercises. Across the Cordillera, love comes like an invader. Picture this: a man and a woman are tied to a tree joined by cowhide wrapped around their bodies. Some end up locked in a room with only the cold mountain breeze to clothe them. Why? Each refuses to marry the other. These practices are among the courtship and marriage rituals of the Ibalois up to the sixties. Two-thirds of the southern part of Benguet Kabayan, Bokod, Sablan, Tublay, La Trinidad, Tuba, Itogon, plus the portions of Kapaugon and Abak form the heart of the Ibaloi community. For the Ilokanos, they are those who speak the language of strangers --inibaloi or nabaloi. The power of their spoken word is binding and final. Through the kaising or verbal contract, pacts for betrothals are sealed. Marriage among the children of different tribes patch up long existing conflicts brought about by field boundaries, minor qualms due to intoxication or disputes over ancestral domains. For the rich, it serves as a way to preserve their wealth.

Even the unborn are subject to it. If the betrothed children turn out to be of the same sex, the next son or daughter is paired. The ceremony is usually done before the marrying age of 14-16 years old. The holding of caao (a sacred ceremony) announces this, during which

a pig, cow, or carabao, depending upon the economic status of contracting groups, is butchered. Oral contracts are regarded with high esteem, bringing with it a familys name and status in the the Ibaloi community. If a girl already engaged to one man marries another man, her family has to pay back the expenses incurred during the parental contracting ceremony. Thus a strict rule is imposed on the betrothed children: no courtship after the "arrangement ceremony. Certain men of privilege can choose their wives as sanctioned by the process called kalun or kalon. If an eligible boy is not engaged to anyone in particular, a messenger or galun is usually an old man, so as to prevent the maiden falling in love with him. He first approaches the girls family before convincing the maiden to marry a particular man. If the girl refuses, she has to cite a litany of disadvantages in case she marries the man. In spite of this, the matchmakers spirit must never be broken. During the entire process, the man should provide the galun with a steady supply of tapey. If the galun is unsuccessful in convincing the girl, she has to pay for the tapey expenses. In negotiations, aided or not by rice wine, galuns still take the blame for any marital squabbles. Forecasting a successful marriage involves reading the moon and the stars. The whole tribe awaits for the communal feasting or ngilin. The feasting lasts for days, depending upon the financial capabilities of the families involved. A mambunong (medicine man) is summoned to call the spirits and gods to bless the food to be served: meat from freshly slaughtered cows, carabaos and pigs (chicken are used solely for rituals involving illness and bad omen), cavans of rice, baskets of camote and gabi and jars of tapey.

Chunks of meat are served to guests who are then expected to bring home what they cannot eat and share it with other family members. This ceremony reflects the Ibaloi sense of gratitude to community members who have showered kindness on the couple prior to their marriage. These are the same people who watched the two to grow up, stumble trough adolescence, and finally share a night together in celebration of their togetherness (even before they are married). During the marriage ceremony, the couple is accompanied by an elderly man and woman who have never been widowed, and the newlyweds are blessed by several children who act as sponsors. The mambunong blesses the couple, pouring water on their heads, knees, and toes to signify the ritual of purification. With this, a new life for the Ibaloi couple begins. Despite the introduction of church weddings and formal banquets in hotels and function halls, the Ibaloi families to this day consider their marriage rituals to be more sacred and meaningful than those of the lowlanders. Getting advice from prominent guests and relatives is far more significant than the celebration itself. Although the Ibalois are known to live simple and frugal lives, elaborate rituals performed on a wedding day signify respect and recognition for the family. Cleansing the mind

and spirit the Ibaloi way is more important than modern wedding practices in any form. Ibaloi Dress The indigenous body covering for the Ibaloi men was the kubal or bahag (G-String). The original kubal was called tinuto, after the name of a tree bark. It is of different types,

depending on the social status of the wearer. The padasan is a black G-String used only by the rich. The kolibao has white and black colors in straight horizontal lines. The pinlak has plain white colors in straight horizontal lines. The sinalibubo has a combination of red, white and black thread linings. The younger people wore the lunas, a G-string of red or white color. Other than the wearing of a kubal, the Ibaloi men were naked. The women are, as they were, better and more fully dressed. From the age of twelve years, the women wear a piece of cloth called libet or tapis and the kambal. The libet, which is literally full-waisted and long, is wrapped around the waist to serve as skirt. It is made of Ilocano, loom-woven material with colored stripes of red, green, black, yellow and white. The Ibaloi's favorite colors are green and yellow, and the rest are just are added. In most cases the colors run horizontally in parallel lines when the clothes are worn, producing a plaid effect that gives a pleasant impression of stability, solidity, and serenity. Sometimes the women wear the balkes, a kind of belt used to hold the libet in place. For blouse or upper shirt, the women wear the kambal or sadey, or sadi. The sadi is a kind of jacket worn to complete the dress ensemble. Sometimes the Ibalois wear a blanket flung over their shoulders like a shawl to keep themselves warm, especially during the cold season. These are called shindi or dil-li and tinwang for the common people. The rich ones wear what is called sinakwit and al-laddang. For headwear the Ibaloi wears a turban-like piece. That of the men is called kundiman, while that of the women chengnget is of two varieties, the shinalibubo and the binayyek. These are pieces of bright-colored cloth, twisted and tied around the crown.

For body decoration, the women wear necklaces of beads and smaller ones around the head. They also wear gold earrings, armlets or bracelets, and leglets. To enhance their beauty, the women have their arms and legs tattoed. The tattoo on the bodes of the men are in effect records of their headhunting and battle exploits, which raise their prestige, especially among the women, and make them desirable and acceptable as husbands. The Ibaloi men used to carry spears, but these have been replaced generally by a long heavy bolo placed in a sheath carried by means of a belt. Ibaloi Literature Backward as the Ibalois were compared to their Christian brothers in the lowlands, they have developed an oral literature of their own. They have riddles for fun and fables for entertainment. They also have short stories and legends. The riddles and fables are not just problems and animal stories. They reflect the societal experience of the Ibalois. Many of their legends pertain to their mythical world and reflect the influence of their beliefs and practices. The origin of the world, the beginning of man and woman, the derivation of the names of municipalities, barrios, and other place names. as well as of plants and trees are the subjects of their legends. The Ibaloi stories are short and simple, each with a clear plot. The Ibalois have not thought of classifying their narratives. However, stories handed down from generation to generation are called Ul-ulit. The term ul-ulit, which is also an Ilocano word, refers to things

that are repeated time after time. As used by the Ibaloi, the word means "twice told tales retold manyfold". Their poetry consists mostly of songs, ballads, elegies and prayers. They may be hunting songs, war songs, love songs, feast songs, dirges, lamentations for the dead. For epic, their Kabuniyan and Bindian rank with the Lam-ang of the Ilocanos, the Hudhud of the Ifugaos, and the Lumalindao of the Gaddangs. Musical Instruments The Ibalois have musical instruments used to beat time for their dances. Following is a footnote description of the Ibaloi musical instruments by Otto Scheerer: The chief ones are the sulibao and the kimbal, two cannon-shaped wooden drums of about equal size but beaten differently, each by one man; the first, a little sharper in tone, receives with the inner side of the outstretched united four fingers of both hands a continuous, quick succession of double slaps, both slaps being short but sounding ones, to be represented approximately thus: Right-left, right-left, right-left, right-left. The kimbal is struck in the same manner but with the difference that only the right-hand slap, simultaneous with the right hand slap of the sulibao player, resounds, while the left-hand stroke is applied so as to cut short at once and stifle the vibrations. The bass accompaniment furnished by the kimbal to the sulibao has therefore the following monotonous sound: Right', right', right'.

The hollow "tub-tub, tub-tub" produced by both deep-mouthed instruments can be heard for a distance of 8, 10, or more miles along the valley. Together with them are played two gongs, one called kalsa the other pinsak. They closely resemble brass pans, and are held up with the left hand and struck with a wooden peg in the right. Their "tinkle-tinkle" is rather discordant with the heavy sound of the drums. The clacking of two iron batons, called palas, struck one against the other, completes the tatoo. The other instruments of the Ibalois are the galza, a bronze-made gong; the pinsak, similar to the galza but smaller in size; the palas or takik, a two piece iron struck against each other to produce a tinkling sound; the pakgong, a bamboo instrument struck against the palm to produce a vibrating sound. The split tip of the bamboo produces the sound. The instrument is played by the women on their way to the field, to ward off evil spirits. The kudding, or Jewish harp is made of bamboo or copper and played against the lips of the mouth. The kulsing, is a kind of bamboo flute for children; and the tuladi, is a nose flute. The Ibaloi dance is accompanied by the indigenous musical instruments; the gimbal, galsa, solibao, and takik. There are two kinds of Ibaloi dance movements. One is called ginalding, which emphasizes a slow, smooth, and graceful movement. Here, four galsas, one solibao, one gimbal, and one takik are played. The other dance is called ginambuyao. which is faster and more snappy, resembling the kankanay dance in Benguet and western Bontoc. The steps of the men are called tayao, while those of the women, sarong.

When the dance couples are pure Ibalois, they would dance the ginalding. If one of them is kankanay, then they would dance both ginalding and ginambuyo. When the tayao is for the adibi or pakan ni gidschel, there would be two pairs of dancers. If the tayao is for pasang or dila ni too (dance for the humans) then the dancers would be old men and women, also in two pairs, and this time, they would wear a turban on the head. Blankets are offered to dead ancestors before they are used by the dancers. Ibaloi Music Ibaloi music follows just one style, the bacdiw (sometimes called bahdiw). It is sung alternately by different persons. Phrase by phrase it is sung, and phrase by phrase it is reechoed by the asbayats of the women. The badio is composed extemporaneously by a person exhilirated by drink. Its aim is to give advice, bring about cordial relations, or simply narrate some experiences. The last part of the singer's statement is caught up by the women present around him, who sing it as a refrain. The dujung is an elegy or lament sung by people seated around the death-chair of a rich man. The singer extolls the virtues of the dead, and each statement is repeated by the others. Any other song that is not a bacdiw or a dujung is a cansion. Only a man exhilirated by wine at a canao is allowed to sing the badio. A sacred song is sung only in connection with the religious ceremony to which it belongs. No one would be willing to sing the dujung, unless in connection with ceremonies for the dead. The kansion is usually sung at

the wake of the dead or in religious rites because the tempo is lively and gay and its light mood contrasts with the solemnity of a wake. Woodcraft and Metal Craft The Ibaloi is an inborn artist. He is an expert chiseler of wood and an skilled metal craftsman. The Ibalois have been known early as woodcarvers. They used to carve wood containers for their food. Among their products are: the shuyo or abuyo (wooden bowl), the bakalong or sakduag (wooden laddle), the irus (wooden spoon), the pakkong, used in feeding bigger pigs, and the batbatan (tray) for the piglets, the dusungan and the al-o for pounding rice, and bakong, a wooden cloth box. The dungon is a wooden coffin made by chopping the whole tree trunk and shaping it accordingly. As to metalcraft, the products of the Ibalois included the wasay (axe), which has a narrow blade; the itak (bolo), the taed (knife); the gabjon (hoe); the pala (shovel); and the sinapsap (a kind of sickle without teeth). The Ibalois used to wear gold earrings, necklaces, bracelets, armlets, and leglets. But one enterprising American who went to Baguio during the early days of the Baguio township bought the articrafts and had them melted into gold nuggets, an act that was deplored and condemned by the wife of an American anthropologist researching in Baguio and other parts of the Mountain provinces. Reflecting Ibaloi art are the various basket weave designs. Among these are the kulbong, a design for big baskets made of hard materials and used to carry vegetables and fruits; the seded weave consisting of finer bamboo splits manufactured into a container for cooked

camote or aba (gabi); the ginalut weave where the edges are tied to a piece of rattan; and the digao weave of the winnowing basket. Blankets used by the Ibalois were not woven by them, but their designs followed specifications dictated by them. The koabao blanket has black and white linings or stripes and is made of cotton. It is used by the rich, those who had butchered five pigs. It is usually worn for the sarung dance of the women. The banshala or kolabao has black stripes on both edges of the blanket and in the center; it is used by the common people. The shindi has black, red, and white stripes and is used primarily for the tayao, the male dance. The aladding is the most expensive blanket and is worn only by the rich people. It has a peculiar smell similar to that of snake. Ibaloi Gods and Beliefs The Ibalois believe in a supreme being they call Kabunian. He is believed to be the master of the universe. Bugan is the wife of Kabunian. The mambunung, or shaman, prays to these gods during rituals. Aside from these gods are the kaamedan, or spirits of ancestors. The Ibalois call upon these spirits to watch over them in their daily undertakings and to give the living success and prosperity. The kaamedan are believed to have gone heavenward and are with Kabunian. The Ibalois also believe in spirits of early nature. These are called an-anitos (evil spirits). They live in the mountains, big trees, big rocks, creeks and rivers, and ravines, in fact, almost everywhere. Those who live in rivers are called nayaki or ampasit; the others are called timmengao. They are believed to cause harm to the living.

The dead are buried. If a man dies, they let him face the west towards the direction of Ilocos. The Ibalois believe that the soul of the dead man will journey to the Ilocos, which they consider to be a paradise. The natives go to the Ilocos from where they obtain their provisions of salt, cattle, carabaos, sheep, pigs and dogs, clothing materials, blankets, and so forth. So the spirit of the dead man, by makign him face the west, will travel to the Ilocos to have a better life. On the other hand, a dead woman is made to face the east because the Ibalois believe that her soul will travel to the uma (cleared forest or mountain side) where they plant.

Bokod is a 4th class municipality in the province of Benguet, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 12,913 people in 2,242 households. The municipality is bounded on the north by Kabayan, on the south by Itogon, on the west by Atok, and on the east by Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya. Bokod is the second largest municipality of Benguet with a land area of 396.40 square kilometer or 13.40% of the Benguet's total land area. Bokod is politically subdivided into 10 barangays.

Ambuclao Bila Bobok-Bisal Daclan Ekip Karao Kawal Nawal

Pito Poblacion Tikey

Points of interest

Ambuklao Dam Mount Kamaltakan Badekbek Sulfur Springs Palansa Panoramic View Bila Mountain Saddle Ekip Mossy Forest Palpalan Waterfalls Adwagan River Bobbok Second Growth Pine Forests Binga Dam (formerly owned by crony Catalino Tan) Mt.Pulag

badekbek (Bokod Benguet) Located at Daclan Bokod Benguet. Its a spewing boiling pit of I dont know. We found out that this is close to the visitors center in Ambangeg where you have to register before you climb Mount Pulag. Badekbek means "boiling" or the sound of anything boiling in the Ibaloi language. Some images were taken at Ambuklao Dam on the way home.

Besao is a 5th class municipality in the province of Mountain Province, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 7,295 people in 1,735 households.

The municipality of Besao is believed to have derived its name from the Ilocano word \Buso\ meaning headhunter. The people then of the neighboring towns specifically those from the Ilocos Region believed that the early \Besaos\ were headhunters. The word later on evolved as it is now called Besao.

Besao is presently composed of 14 barangays, namely: Agawa, Ambagiw, Banguitan, Besao West, Besao East, Catengan, Gueday, Kin-iway, Lacmaaan, Laylaya, Padanga, Payeo, Suquib and Tamboan.

On January 18, 2008, a Philippine Serpent Eagle was rescued in a forest in Barangay Laylaya, Besao, Mountain Province. It suffered a right wing gunshot wound damaging a bone (similar to a bird caught at Lake Banao, [Besao] in 2000). Another serpent eagle rescued in the Cordillera died 3 days after it was brought to the custody of the PAWB years ago.