MUNICIPAL DISTRICT OF CAGAYANAN, Historical Data

This report was compiled by a committee composed of Mr. Solomon Senen as chairman, and Mrs. Liduvina V. Senen and Miss Dromina Alcantara as members. All of them are teachers in Caganayan Elementary School, Municipal District of Caganayan, Province of Abra.

In the preparation of this report, no written records were consulted as none was avaitable. The data set forth were gleaned from the memory of old people who have had intimate or first-hand knowledge of the facts.

EMILIO R. CASTILLO
Principal-In-Charge
Licuan District

The present official name of this Municipal District is Caganayan. In the old days, people called it Salantay. At that time, the natives of Caganayan had some enemies, outstanding of whom were the Ginaangs. In those days, the Ginaangs believed that if they could kill many people, they were called powerful. The custom of those Ginaangs in killing people was to hide themselves along trails, especially those going to the river and those going to the fields. When the people of Caganayan learned that those Ginaangs were to kill them, they fenced the town. The Ginaangs tried many times to enter the town and kill the people of Caganayan, but they were never successful. So, the Ginaangs thought of befriending the people of Caganayan. They made a treaty called "Calon." As a result, the Ginaangs and the people of Caganayan became friends. The old folks called "calon" as "Bayan." Then Bayan afterwards became "Caganayan."

The town of Caganayan is now about 200 years old.

Capitan Ganeb, Capitan Benius, Capitan Palangdao, and Capitan Samiat, together with their families, were the first people of the Municipal District of Caganayan.

The names of persons who held leading official positions in Caganayan during the Spanish times:

There were four teachers during the Spanish times. They were the following:

The names of persons who held leading positions in Caganayan during the American time were:

During the Spanish occupation, the people of Caganayan had a device of punishing those persons who did not obey the law, or those who commiited some crimes. It was the stock with holes for the feet. When an officer arrived, they used a big drum to call all the paople.

In the construction of the roads of the province, the people even reached as far as Tangadan, near llocos Sur. There they worked without pay. In spite of the fact that they were already working hard, they were still shipped with rattans. The people were also forced to contribute logs for the construction of bridges and buildings. They were also forced to give chickens, pigs, carabacs, and cows to the officers of tha province. A policeman whose name was Boday in those days was shot by an American officer, because he did not obey orders promptly.

During the early part of the American occupation, the Apayaos came to disturb the tranquility of the people of Caganayan. They had the same purpose as the Ginaangs. The first time they entered Caganayan, they killed one Apayao and wounded two. The two wounded Apayaos were carried back to Apayao, but they were dead on their way home. The people of Caganayan took the head of the Apayao they killed. They put this head on a bamboo pole in the middie of their plaza. There was a feast celebrated in honor of their victory. They played the "gansa." As they danced the "tadek," they carried the head of the Apayao on the bamboo pole. At the same time, the others drank wine ("Basi").

After three years, there were again many Apayaos who came to fight the people of Caganayan. Those Apayaos hid themselves on a small trail near the bank of the river going to Nagbanangan. It happened that two persons from Caganayan went to Nagbanagan to work in their fields. When they were crossing the river, they were surprised by the shooting of those Apayaos who were hiding. They shot them with their bows and arrows. The Apayaos were able to shoot to death Gawani. The other one who was able to escape was Beweg. He ran as fast as he could. He went to take his bow and arvow. He, in turn, shot at the Apayaos. He wounded one of them. The Apayaos carried their wounded companion home.

After three years, there were again some Apayaos who came to Caganayan. They had [likely "hid"] again on a samali trail near the bank of the river going to Nagbanagan. When Capitan Silgen and Itos were about to cross the river, they were frightened by the shooting of these Apayaos. The Apayao shot to death Itos. Capitan Silgen was able to escape. He immediately went back to Caganayan to report the matter to the officers of the town. Many people immediately went to meet these Apayaos, taking with them their bows and arrows, but these Apayaos were already gone. Those Apayaos took the head of Itos to Apayao, leaving the body out to pieces. The people of Caganayan wrapped the body of Itos with blankets and took it to the town to be buried. The Teniente del Barrio reported the news immediately to Lagayan. The President of Lagayan at that time was Bislao. The Teniente del Barrio was Bawalan. Bislao, the president of Lagayan, reported the incident to the Governor at Bangued, Governor Ortega.

Governor Ortega reported the news to the Governor at Vigan. From Vigan the news reached the Governor at Laoag. Those three Governors sent soldiers

The late Don Blas Villamor was sent to Apayao as Governor in order to promote peace and order. It took him two years to befriend those early inhabitants of Apayao. After two years of the administration of the late Don Blas Villamor as Governor of Apayao, a sub-province of Mountain Province, he sent those early Apayaos to Caganayan for "Calon." Those Apayaos paid Caganayan three "tibor' {Chinese jar). This was the end of the fighting between the Apayaos and the people of Caganayan.

During the Japanese occupation in the month of December, 1952 [1942; WWII ended in 1945], Japanese soldiers from Alawa caught the people of Caganayan unaware because they arrived at about the middle of the night. The approximate number of Japanese soldiers who came from Alawa was 100; and the number of their cargadores was about 200. They housed themselves in the houses of Catalina, Vidal, Simon, and Layngan. As soon as they arrived, they looked for people, but in those days, there were only a few persons in town. The people hid themselves in the mountains because they were afraid of the Japanese soldiers. The first persons they caught were Boguey and his wife and Layos. They imprisoned those three in the house of Gumpad. After a while, they found Bawalan. While these Japanese were looking for people, they also sent their cargadores to collect all the chickens they could find in town. When the cargadores had collected all the chickens, they cooked them. They ate their supper in the middle of the night.

The next morning, one group went to Balaling to make their camp. The other group made camp [at] Mangalao. Three more groups remained in town. These Japanese soldiers who remained in town killed three pigs in the morning and two in the afternoon. Those Japanese soldiers were asking for Madamba, a guerrilla leader. Edan, Kellang and Ibang were severely punished for being suspected as soldiers. Lemag was also punished severely for they could not make him tell the truth if there were soldiers in Caganayan or none. The following morning, they took Bawalan as guide to Naglibacan. At first, Bawalan refused, but they insisted, anyhow. Mr. Bawalan did not direct these Japanese soldiers along the true trail going to Naglibacan. When they were already in the woods, they were lost, they followed another path, the way going to the jungles. Those Japanese soldiers were very angry with Mr, Bawalan, because they were already lost in the thick forest.

The next morning, they came to Caganayan. Those Japanese soldiers stayed in Caganayan for a week. The approximate number of animals killed during their stay was 36 cows, 100 pigs. They consumed all big chickens in the town. They ate 15 cavanes of rice. They destroyed many trunks. They got blankets and clothes for men. They destroyed plenty of coconuts.

Again, after a month, there arrived a company of Japanese soldiers. The purpose of these soldiers was the surrender of guns and ammunition. This group of soldiers was successful because the people of Caganayan surrendered six shotguns on receipt.

Again, after about a month, there came a company of Japanese soldiers under the command of Suga, a cruel Japanese. They took with them an interpreter, a P.C. Filipino. This group of soldiers asked who, of the people of Caganayan, were soldiers. The people refused to tell the truth. So Suga and his companions began to punish some of the people. Many of the men went fo catch big fishes in the river. They gave them all to Suga, but still he was not satisfied. As a matter of fact, he punished the people more, until at last one of them who could not endure such punishment told Suga that Biyoc was a soldier.

Immediately, Suga ordered for the presence of Biyoc. He told Biyoc to surrender his gun or any other ammunitions he had. Biyoc could not give anything. So, these Japanese soldiers punished him severely. They let him drink many jars of water. Though he was punished severely, he did not surrender anything. When Suga and his companion were tired of torturing him, they sent him to get anything to surrender. Then, Biyoc got the chance of hiding in the mountains. He never returned to the Japanese soldiers who had been waiting for him. After three days, those Japanese soldiers got tired of waiting. They asked rattan from the people of Caganayan to whip their horses and they went home.

After a month, there came again one company of Japanese soldiers who made their camp in Caganayan. Their camp was situated in the eastern part of the town. These groups of Japanese soldiers were good in drinking wine. They even slapped and kicked Mingnay, the present mayor at that time, only because he refused to give basi, for these Japanese soldiers were already very drunk.

Tanabe was the captain of these last groups who came to Caganayan. When they had been playing basketball one day, Tanabe even slapped a woman, whose name was Guibol, because he could not pick up the basketball immediately. This poor woman was going to carry water. After two weeks, these group of Japanese soldiers went away and they never returned again. The people were very thankful.

After the World War II, the people of Caganayan never received anything as payment for their lost animals and other property.

It is the custom of the people before they begin working in their kaingin to observe a bird called "labeg." This bird can sing two kinds of songs which are bad and good.

The next day, when he goes to work and he hears a deer growling, the growling of the deer signifies sickness, so the person who goes to work during that day has to return and wait for the next day.

If a person goes to work and hears a cat mewing, it is a bad day. He returns to his house or else, if he does not do so, he gets sick or dies.

A man who goes to work and finds the red bird "labeg" singing a melodious song like the clink-clank of the blacksmiths hammer, and flying to the tallest and robust grasses, considers it a good day to begin work for the harvest that year will be plenty.

When the bird named "toptop" sings very early in the morning, the people go to work because it is a pleasant day to begin a work and harvest is abundant.

To prevent their crops from being destroyed or eaten by animals, they fence the kaingin. At the time they are fencing the kaingin and a May beetle enters the kaingin or the place they are fencing, the person working stops for it is bad. The crops will be eaten by animals.

When corn can be roasted, getting rattan from the forest is prohibited, because corn harvest the following year will not be good. It is also prohibited to pound corn during the time of harvesting because [the] corn harvest will be very poor the following year. So, the people eat roasted corn or sinelat. After all the people have harvested the corn in the kaingin, the people may then pound corn.

After the corn harvest, the people give a feast in honor of the unseen spirits. They prepare 5 buyo (betel nut, betel leaf and lime) green coconuts, tobacco and one centavo. All of these things are placed on a bamboo platform called "salucang." After putting the necessary things on the "salucang," they at once place the "salucang" in the carabao coral.

Before harvesting rice, it is the practice of all the people to oil the rice stalks before they begin harvesting. They cut five rice grain stalks. These five rice grain stalks are placed on the floor of the granary before placing the bundles of rice in it. Cooked and uncooked chicken is bad to be brought to the rice field. If they insist on bringing chicken in the field, they believe that harvest will decrease.

Mang-ag-gac — Each family head has to leave a portion of the rice harvested out, and not to be kept in the granary. This is eaten for a period of time. When the people have eaten the rice and they kept out of the granary, the Lacayana or the oldest woman goes to get rice before, to be pounded before the other people can do so. The Lacayana does all the Anting-anting in order to make rice crops last throughout the year.

The Paibal or Buni is done when a child is born. The parents of the child prepares one small pig to be slaughtered and some rice, They feed all the children who happen to go to the house.

Couttship is done by the parents of the boy and girl. If a boy wants to marry a girl, he tells his parents about it. The parents tell this matter to the girl's parents. The boy and girl cannot talk about this matter.

The marriage is done through parental consent. At the first visit of the boy's parents to the girl's parents, they are not expected to decide on anything. Instead, they leave a "kiling" with the girl. The "kiling" is left in the house of the girl so that the second time the boy's parents go an answer is expected.

The "Kiling" is a precious bracelet. If the girl likes the boy, the "kiling" is left [and] it becomes hers. If the girl does not like the boy and the parents like very much to have their children, anyhow, they decide to have them be married just the same. The boy's parents present dowries. The dowries are in the form of beads cash "palalian" amounting to ₱2.50, "panglooban" ₱1.00, "legtan" ₱1.00, "namugawan" ₱170.00.

There are other instances in which boy has to pay. When the girl goes to the boy's house and they cross rivers ,the boy must pay one "manding" for every river they cross. He also pays one "manding" for every step of the ladder. Other fees are "lam'mac" or diapher ₱1.50, landet, ₱0.50, Pangrautan, ₱1.00; Panglooban, ₱1.00; and Panginuman, ₱1.00 and ₱10.00 as dowry to the girl's mother.

The boy gives a dowry to the relatives. One "Maguilasan tibor" costing Php100.00; one "malaya tibor" costing ₱100.00; one "sa-wit tibor" ₱100.00; one "gumtang tibor" ₱100.00; one "day-cong" ₱100.00, and money amounting to ₱180.00.

The girl prepares lil the things necessary for the parly — one carabao or cow, rice and two jars of wine. They contribute one jar of wine only.

During the day of the wedding, two jars are placed near a table in the open air. One "capitan" and one "Capitana" are assigned to look after the distribution of these jars of wine. Near the table is the secretary who lists down the names of the people who give money as their "pal-luad." There is a crier who sits beside the secretary. This crier calls out the names of people who give money and gifts on the "patilambo" or big bowl. Some are dancing the "tadec" while others are eating. There are speeches of prominent people. When all the people have given their "paluad," the bride and the groom receive the money.

When someone is dead, they slaughter one cow or carabao and feed the people. They cry without tears in front of the dead. This is what they call "Sang-sang-ngit." When their sang-sang-ngit is finished, they drink wine.

During the burial ceremony, they lay the dead person upon the ground. The ceremony is done by the oldest folk in the town. ("Panglacayen”) After the ceremony of the "Panglacayaen," he appoints two persons, a man and a woman, to speak. The woman represents survivors.

The speaker who represents the dead speaks first, making apologies if she had committed errors while she or he was still alive. She appeals to the people and relatives so that they will teach and take good care of the orphans.

The man who answers say she is already forgiven and she must not worry about the orphaned children. After the speeches, the dead is buried under the house.

They have the "wacsi" after the dead has been buried. "Wacsi" means forgetting the dead. The widow must take part in the joys of the world. She dances, sings, and attend social gatherings. In the "wacsi," there are speeches, dancing and singing.

Feasts are given when someone is to become a mayor of the town. The mayor is the one to prepare rice and several heads of cattles. The wine is given by the people in town. While these things are being prepared, they send invitations to all towns or places where they have relatives. The "Capitan" of each town where the invitation is given goes to attend the feast. If the capitan of each town cannot go, he has to send a delegate to represent the town.

The program is in the form of dances, speeches, or "og-ogayan." This program lasts for three or four days, eating, dancing, and singing. The Mayor is the first to dance. There are ten women or "cacapitanas" to face him in dancing the "tadec." When the Mayora dances, she is being faced by 10 "cacapitan" also. When the dance is finished, they shake hands with all the people in the crowd. The clothes they wear in the feast are Tinguian costumes. They wear a crown of feathers.

Punishments — Husband and wife can separate although they may have children. A man or woman who wants to separate from his or her spouse pays an amount of seventy pesos, slaughters a carabao or cow, and furnishes enough rice for the whole town during the feast and a jar of wine. The jar must contain 4 cans of wine.

If both the wife and husband mutually agree to separate, the expense sare shared equally by both.

If a man and woman are found talking with each other, whether guilty or not guilty, the man is fined ₱10.00. If a man has done an immoral act on a woman, he has to pay ₱65.00. This amount is given to the woman. They call this dote.

In addition to the ₱85.00 that he gives, he has to give one jar of wine and a cow or carabao to be slaughtered. The woman's share is rice alone.

When a person gets sick he asks, the "Bunian" to cure him. The "bunian" is a woman who has "anito" friends. The "bunian" asks the following requirements for the "buni," one small pig, 3 bundles of rice and rice to be cooked. When all of these things are prepared and brought near the sick person, she begins to yell and utter words. The Anitos tell the right grass or leaf as a medicine of the sick person. The leaves told by the Anitos are believed to cure the sick person.

If most of the people in the town are sick, they de the "sagubay." "Sagubay" is a means of putting away the sickness of the people caused by the anitos. The things needed in "Sagubay" are a chicken, 2 bundles of rice, a five centavo piece, and a spear. During the "sagubay," the people cannot be out of the town. They have to stay in their houses for a number of days set aside for the "sagubay." They surround the town with rattan. These rattans serve as a protection for the people from being made sick by the anitos. At every gate, the people piace a "salucang." In the salucang, they place buyo, coconut, tobacco and a five-centavo piece.

"Sinsinnucat" is a means of driving the anitos from a school or a house. They say that anitos who stay in a schoolhouse disturb the teacher and the pupils because they throw stones or they make the boys and girls dumb. The Anitos’ names are Omel and Lewat. Lewat is an anito who disturbs the mind of a bright pupil and Omel makes the bright pupils dumb. To get rid of them, the "sinsinnucat" is done in the schoolhouse. The things required in this are one hen, 2 eggs, palitao. The chicken is dressed and cooked preferably without salt. The eggs are hardboiled. They serve all of this together with alcoholic drinks or coconut water for the unseen spirits.

In summer, they believe that when the moon shows up and a bolo surrounds it, a rich man dies. If the new moon's position is unbalanced, it signifies rainy days to come.

The kinds of instrument they play are gansa, tambol, cal-laleng, unabil, kuliteng and bing caca.

Their common expressions are "Bo-it" and "Ay-ke."

They have a different way of naming the months. January — Lodao, February — Bacacao, March — Kit-kiti, April - Manaba, May — Adacay, June — A-cal, July — Camaduyong, August - Wa-ju, September — Bis-Bis, October - Luyong, November — Bot-bot, and December — kuiang.

Their most common stories are those of "Lam-ang" and "Ines Can-noyan," "Wadagan and Dalima-man."

The father of Dalimaman was Madilagan and the mother was Dinawagan.

The father of Wadagan was Aglayang and the mother was Ganinawan. The father of Dalimaman and the mother of Wadagan are brother and sister. The mother of Dalimaman and the father of Wadagan are sister and brother. Wadagan and Dalimaman are cousins.

The birthplace of Wadagan was in Cadalayapan and the birthplace of Dalimaman was in Natpangan. When Wadagan saw Dalimaman, he fell in love with her. So he told his parents all about his love. The parents of Wadagan went to Dalimaman's house to tell her parents that their son Wadagan wanted to marry their daughter Dalimaman.

The parents of Dalimaman consented because Wadagan's parents were able to give the exact dowry of Dalimaman. Visitors from near and far, including the people in the town, were surprised at the riches of Wadagan.

Once he said the magic words, treasures appeared immediately on the table.

The wedding of Wadagan and Dalimaman was very grand. The people feasted to their satisfaction, sang the salidum-may, gave speeches or og-ogayam, and drank wine. Very soon ,they had a child. The child was handsome. They named him Can-ag-ca-caba-goan. They loved and took good care of him. At last, he grew big and wanted fo travel. One day, he asked permission from his parents to let him go for a walk in the nearby towns. At first, his parents would not consent, but because they loved him dearly, they let him go. His parents advised him to return home soon.

The first town he visited was Cabotobotan. In this town, he found beautiful ladies. All of them were gathered in one place and they were all busy spinning. Canagcacabagoan was surprised and happy to see the ladies. He introduced himself to them. He played with them and afterwards, when he thought of his parents, he bid them goodbye and went home.

When he arrived home, he told his parents about the beautiful woman he wanted to marry. The mother said, she would consent if the woman he liked was as beautiful as she was. Since the woman she would like to marry was not as beautiful as his mother, Canagcababagoan forgot the woman.

On his next trip, he passed by a great stone wall house. He heard a sweet voice that made him stop. He listened for a while. Then he knocked at the door of the house and entered. He introduced himself to the woman he found. Her name was Guinalingan and her hometown was Casilnacan. Guinalingan entertained him, sharing there for many days until at last he remembered to return home and see his parents. At once he asked permission from Guinalingan to let him go to see his parents. Guinalingan permitted him to go home, but she asked him to return to her very soon.

Canagcababagoan went home. Upon his arrival, he told his mother that he was in ove with a beautiful woman. The mother said, she would consent if she was as beautiful as she was. Canagcababagoan, thinking the woman was not as beautiful as her mother, did not say anything but kept silent. He could not forget this woman, and so he bade goodbye to his mother and went away.

His plan was to see another town. His plan was to go to Nagtintinalaan, the hometown of Indisan. Before he went to Nagtintinalaan, he first dropped in Casilnacan to visit Guinalingan. When Canabcababagoan was in the back porch of the room, he heard Guinalingan talking. Canagcababagoan appeared before her and Guinalingan was comforted. Guinalingan thought he would never see him anymore. She said to him that she was so anxious to see him and also to chew buyo. Canagcababagoan climbed the betel nuts, palm and got some ripe and unripe betel nuts. She kept the betel nuts Canagcababagoan gave. She did not know that Canagcababagoan gave the unripe betel nuts to her.

After a day, Canagcababagoan asked permission from Guinalingan so that he would go to see his mother. Guinalingan did hot know his plan so she permitted him to go.

He went to Nagtintinalaan to see Indisan. Canagcababagoan had not seen this woman. He had only pictured her beauty from the news he had heard of her. When he reached Nagtintinalaan, he came to the house of Indisan. The house was surrounded by four guards. The first guard he saw was a crocodile. When he saw the crocodile, it opened his mouth. The crocodile was so hungry that it came nearer and nearer to him. He remembered that he had a piece of meat in his lunch box. He got it and threw it to the crocodile.

Indisan could not do anything, so she was forced to entertain him. Canagcababagoan introduced himself to her. He gave her buyo, and they were happy.

Canagcababagoan asked permission from Indisan to go home to see his parents that he may prepare the things needed for their marriage feast.

The man reached home. He told his mother [that] he was in love with a beautiful woman named Indisan in the town of Nagtintinalaan. He described her, and was able to convince his mother that Indisan was as beautiful as she was.

When he had told his mother about his purpose, he returned to Indisan’s house. When he reached her house, they made invitation buyos. These buyos went to the different towns by the aid of Canagcababagoan's magic power. One buyo went to each of the following towns: Natpangan, Casilagcan, Cabotobotan, Calaskigan, Cabalitan and Gogonawan. The representative of Natpangan was Canagcababagoan's mother, Casilnacan was Guinalingan. This girl, upon learning the bad attitude of Canagcababagoan, cursed him. The man from Calaskigan was Aguimlang; Cabalitan was Agondalian; and Gogonawan, Al-lolocotan. All of the invited guests went to Nagtintinalaan.

At this time, Indisan was crying because Canagcababagoan would leave her. It was because he cut his hand and it would not stop bleeding. Before he took his last breath Canagcababagoan, told his wife Indisan to float him on the water when he died. When each representative arrived, they found Canagcababagoan dead. The mother pitied Indisan very much for she was so similar to her. They grieved over the death of Canagcababagoan.

They put this man on a bamboo raft and floated him on the river. Indisan put an embroidered sheet and some beads on Canagcababagoan's raft. The bamboo raft floated down the river until, at last, the dead body came to the place of the anitos. The anitos wanted fo eat him. There was a woman named Al-lalocotan who went to the river to wash kitchen utensils.

The Anitos would like to eat him again but they were not able to eat him. Since the sons had the intention to eat him, the father of the Anitos uttered some magic words and Canagcababagoan fell asleep. Upon looking at Canagcababagoan, he knew he was the son of his nephew Wadagan. He awakened him. He asked about his parents. Canagcababagoan told the name of his parents. Bagat-talaoan gave him a house, and sent him home,

On his way home, he passed by the house of Indisan. He dropped the beads in the room of Indisan. He did this because he wanted to inform Indisan that he had risen from the dead. Indisan did not believe that he was alive, although the beads that dropped in her room were similar to those he gave him. Canagcababagoan dropped the embroidery blanket. At this time, Indisan believed that her husband Canagcababagoan had risen from the dead.

He went home and told his parents about all that had happened. His parents were very happy to see him. They returned to Indisan’s hometown and celebrated the greatest marriage feast. After that, they returned to Natpangan, the hometown of Canagcababagoan and stayed there ever after.

Transcribed from:

History and Cultural Life of the Municipal District of Caganayan, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections. The pagination in this transcription is as they appear in the original document.