Pakde: A culture to remember

Pakde: An Igorot legacy

                Nowadays, people go with the advent of technologies and the speedy modernization. However, some Igorot people still has a burning desire to keep their culture alive. Marilyn Tecyao of Atok, Benguet explained that some cultural beliefs in relation with Benguet agricultural practices are still observed by the people in their place. 

             “Tasya’y gagawis din ani unno apit me sin mula me, masapul manpakde din umili sakbay din panagmumula. Uray nu kanam en modern et edwani, adi paylang mamaid din dati ay iyaat da ed nabaon (In order for us to have a high profit and good harvest, we practice “Pakde” before planting our crops. Though we are on the modern times, we still do such practice of our ancestors),” she related.

               
             Pakde has a significant value in the lives of the Igorot people. It may be a family ceremony or a community affair. According to Biano Baucas on his book “Traditional Beliefs and Cultural Practices in Benguet,” Pakde is the largest and most important of community celebrations among the Kankana-eys from Mountain Province and Benguet. Tecyao revealed that the ritual is very sacred among Kankana-eys. As she stressed, only men can attend on the ceremony so that the believed spiritual spirits will be more confident to grant their wishes.

Pakde has variety of purposes

                  According to Tecyao, the ritual is usually performed when the crops are becoming unproductive. She claimed that the ceremony is mainly for agricultural processes before planting or during harvesting time to ask blessing for a good harvest and to offer thanksgiving to Kabunian. When called to ensure an abundant rice harvest, the village elders will execute the ritual in May, a month before the harvest. It usually takes place during rainy seasons when lightning is most frequent.  The celebration is held for one day and one night with the preparations of the needed food, water, and tapuy (rice wine). It is always held in the evening when men are present at home for 4 to 5 hours.

                When a village elder or a respected person in the community is sick, Pakde is also conducted to ask for healing from the good spirits, ammed and kadaring. Furthermore, it is performed when a person dies. This is purposely to ask for protection and favors from the dead person’s ancestor spirits like the (good spirits).

                   Also, when a family wants to invite swerte or luck, the village elders will conduct the ceremony after bagat, a big feast. Moreover, the ceremony can be celebrated on a strange event such as when lightning strikes a tree near a house or an area where people have assembled. The Igorot ancestors interpreted the lightning as Kabunian (God) speaking.

           

How is Pakde performed?

                  The ritual place for pakde is isolated so that no one can disturb the ceremony. The site is flat, quiet and away from passersby. At the center of the place, they nailed a strong post around two inches in diameter and six feet long. The nailed twig is where the skulls and jawbones of butchered pigs are hanged. Before the ritual, the place to be used must be cleaned thoroughly. This semi-cross is called Pakdelan.

                   Aside from the Pakdelan, somlengan also is used in the practice. Somlengan is a pair of wood wrapped with reed leaves; almost a foot long in height is struck at the side of the area which is leading to the entrance of the community.  This pair of wood is used by the community priest, manbunong. He inserts parts of meat like the tail or ear of the pig to the pair of wood as a sign that the ritual is already performed.  

               Pakde is considered a community ritual because each family near the ritual place contributes a pig, rice wine, rice, camote and other materials. The expenses for the ceremony are shared by the participating people. Each household must send a representative to the event. If more than one representative of a household attends, only one share of the ritual pig is given per household. If one is absent, the non-participant should kill a chicken at midnight. This is called Talimudong, a ritual which will excused the non-participant. 

                     There are some taboos which are observed by the representatives. Few visitors are permitted to avoid noise which may stop the ritual. While the manbunong or the community priest is praying, everyone has to be sitting or squatting. Cigarette smoking and talking is not allowed to give due respect to the invisible spirits which are believed to be human friends. There must be equal sharing of food among the group. Before the participants go home at midnight, the cooked meat are sliced into pieces and shared equally among them to be brought home. Upon their arrival in their homes, all the members of the participating families have to wake up and partake in the eating of the meat because they believe that the meat contains good luck.

                   In the opening and closing of the prayer by a community elder, the names of anitos (ghosts) of their forefathers are mentioned.  And before butchering the pig, the manbunong prays and calls for the deities and anitos of their ancestors to join the ritual. At the bottom part of the Pakde, the manbunong must inspect the Somlengan or Pakdelan to find if there is something to be fixed. 

               Though few people practiced Pakde nowadays, Tecyao emphasized that reminiscing such kind of ritual is worth doing because it is a remarkable remnant of Igorot heritage.