https://www.nationalmuseum.gov.
ph/2021/10/28/panay-bukidnon-and-
their-continuing-belief-system-related-to-their-subsistence-activities/
#:~:text=In%20particular%2C%20agricultural%20production%20is,are
%20easily%20caught%20at%20night.
The Panay Bukidnon, a people who reside in the mountainous regions of the Panay Island
in the Philippines, profess to an appreciation of their culture and the environment in a
rather zealous manner. Their agricultural practice of kaingin or shifting cultivation, for that
matter, is both an economic and cultural activity whose practice is intertwined with their
cultural heritage. The farm cycles are set up according to nature. They say these natural
signs result in better harvest. Closer to this explanation, their interaction with nature
communicates more on knowing how to farm but on viewing the wider picture which is
protecting and respecting nature.
This is particularly visible in the fishing practices among the Panay Bukidnon. They fish at
night, especially when the lunar overlays are in its sati phase, which is the time of
abundance fish. This is a practice that is ridged in a belief structure where such an action
resonates with the natural forces. These customs were not invented overnight, succeeding
generations passed them on, further expanded by a rich oral tradition that reinforces their
identity as the caretakers of the land. To this end, the ornaments of lunar phases and tidal
movements are in tune with their farming activities which speaks of environmentally
sustainable practices that see them develop.
https://www.pssc.org.ph/wp-content/pssc-archives/Philippine%20Sociological
%20Review/1967/Num%201-2/11_Agricultural%20Rituals%20in%20a%20Philippine
%20Barrio.pdf
Even today, within several communities in the Philippines, agricultural rituals invoke
spirituality and cosmogony while at the same time expressing a communion with the soils.
In various regions such as Leyte and Samar, these rites are closely associated with rice
farming, which is not only a food source but rather a deep-seated cultural value. Due to
this, there exist certain calendar dates and lunar cycles when certain ceremonies are
performed for the sowing, transplanting, and harvesting. For instance, in Leyte, before
sowing of seeds, the farmer performs certain ceremonies and prayers to wish for a good
harvest. They even blend the rice with their seeds that had been blessed during Holy Week.
This paints a picture of how deeply their agriculture is intertwined with their spirituality.
The Ancestors and Mother Nature are personified by the rituals of rice growing while
people also display a great deal of dependence on their communities’ traditional
knowledge. On harvest days, there are ceremonies conducted to ensure the spirits of the
land bless the yield. During such occasions, in Tacloban, the mistress of the ceremonies is
made to utter some prayers and carry out some imitation acts such as sowing of herbal
plants that symbolize expectations of good yields. These activities show reverence for the
deities required and perform social functions as well, as the community joins together
within the unit to have special meals prepared in appreciation of the work done and the joy
that comes with harvest. Such congregational activities.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1188072
As far as the Budan Harvest Festival is concerned, it is conducted by the people of Misamis
Oriental, who are located in the Philippines. In essence, the Budan Harvest Festival is a
religious holiday that celebrates a successful crop harvest. At the festival, they call on their
ancestors for protection during the dawn of the new day, preparing their spirits for the
farming work. Afterwards, people who travel from different areas pay respect to the spirits
and offer food at the altar during lunchtime. During the celebration, they perform songs as
well as pre-arranged signs to honor Buddhism and their ancestors. By around 3 pm,
agricultural work begins. The effort put in is overwhelming, as people offer rice and kava
during the process, followed by song performances to mark a successful ramp-up.
According to folklore, Jabak's spirits, along with other spirits, remain active until the end of
the festivities. The festivities finally conclude with a dance known as the Barnahu song.
Participants of the celebration exchange cheers in between.
https://jacobimages.com/2016/01/the-ati-tumandok-people-of-panay-island
The terms Ati and Tumandok are examples of culture and history since they belong to one
of the earliest peoples living in such area. The culture of Ati is rather close to the concept of
‘being one with the nature’ they used herbs as medicine and their way of hunting was
quite effective. Even though for several centuries people were adopting different religions,
including Christianity, many societies still have rituals that pay respect to the land and the
resources.
In recent years, the Ati community has faced significant challenges due to rapid
modernization and the encroachment of tourism on their ancestral lands, especially in
Boracay island. Boracay used to be an ideal place for the Ati’s habitat, but the island has
now become a tourist hot spot, which has cut down the Ati’s land to a meager 2. 1 hectare.
With displacement has come the struggle for recognition and rights, as so many Ati find
themselves marginalized within the broader society. However, the youth of today is getting
more and more involved in the process of retrieval of cultural identity as well as integration
into the modern Filipino society.
The ability to change is also evidence of the stamina of the Ati. The youth of the Ati are
now attending schools and working in different fields including tourism and health services.
This is a balance between the old and the new, their desire there to lot improve in life and
yet not forget where they come from. The attempts made to enhance the awareness of the
people about their culture and their rights are very important for the survival of the Atongs
in the present world of change and cultural influence.
https://academic.oup.com/socrel/article-abstract/25/4/231/1665848?
redirectedFrom=fulltext
As far as the Budan Harvest Festival is concerned, it is conducted by the people of Misamis
Oriental, who are located in the Philippines. In essence, the Budan Harvest Festival is a
religious holiday that celebrates a successful crop harvest. At the festival, they call on their
ancestors for protection during the dawn of the new day, preparing their spirits for the
farming work. Afterwards, people who travel from different areas pay respect to the spirits
and offer food at the altar during lunchtime. During the celebration, they perform songs as
well as pre-arranged signs to honor Buddhism and their ancestors. By around 3 pm,
agricultural work begins. The effort put in is overwhelming, as people offer rice and kava
during the process, followed by song performances to mark a successful ramp-up.
According to folklore, Jabak's spirits, along with other spirits, remain active until the end of
the festivities. The festivities finally conclude with a dance known as the Barnahu song.
Participants of the celebration exchange cheers in between.
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/more-articles/arts-fest-features-intangible-heritage
The 5th Tam-awan International Arts Festival (TIAF) held in Baguio City this time focuses on
the theme “Cordilleran Story: Rituals and Beliefs” on the rich intangible heritage of the
Philippines. It indeed becomes a cross-regional cum multi-cultural medium of the practice
of the peoples of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and the call to safeguard these oral and
cultural practices. This is under the aegis of the National Commission for Culture and the
Arts (NCCA), and the purpose of the event is to integrate local cultures through
performances, rituals and dialogue that explain the significance of those cultural practices.
The cordilleran group will also present important cultural senga ritual invoking mountain
deities’ blessings during significant life events. The Visayas Cultural Group led by Indigenous
People’s Teacher, Elsie Padernal participated in the event and carried out the Panimo ritual
- a crucial practice related to the harvesting of rice that venerates the ancestors to fend off
sickness in the family. This ritual demonstrates protection of nature and reverence for
ancestor spirits, thus demonstrating the extent to which cultural practices permeate all
aspects of life and community health.
The events comprised of discussions on the diverse culture and rituals of people like the
Higaonons by Datu.lture but also an important effort that gets younger generations to
recognize and appreciate their rich heritage.
https://lorenlegarda.com.ph/dayaw-features-harvest-rituals-in-luzon/
The significance of the Dayaw Festival lies in its showcasing of the distinctive celebration of
the rich harvest of communities residing in Luzon. The lack of integration of these
communities into the contemporary world means that loss of these treasured practices,
that were initially thought to be of utmost importance for ritualistic agricultural centered
festivities as well, is rather unlikely. Regardless of the fact that the event did put a lot of
emphasis on the products of agriculture, what is more important is the people themselves
and what the agricultural rituals mean for them: which is mainly unity and homogeneity.
During the event, traditional melodies and songs accompanied dances and ceremonies
intended to honor the land, the spirits and the ancestors forging a stronger bond between
the people, the traditions and the surrounding environment.
As for the offerings, how can we forget rice, or more importantly, the ceremonial practices
celebrating the growing and harvesting of rice which is even more important to many
western tribes. These are immensely simple practices that comprise of rituals to prayers to
a single offering that followed worshiping plant and growing cycles that should naturally
come first. Interesting discussions were conducted, once again demonstrating the
significance of the targeted audience, on how to transform deep ancient cultural rituals
into a relatable context for the audience. All of which puts twice the weight behind the
words of the audience demonstrating the undertones of the culture.
The key aspect that needs to be recognized about the Dayaw Festival is that it sheds light
on the exploitation the indigenous population continuously suffers on a daily due to the
ever changing world. This shifting narrative allows for the inclusion and consideration of
other cultural practices that fuse multiple harvest festivals into one single event to make it
more inclusive.
https://ifugaoheritagegalleries.ss.ucla.edu/rice-rituals/
The Ifugao, a subset of Filipinos, have an array of rituals surrounding rice which factor
heavily not only into the agricultural aspect but most importantly, their identity as well.
These rituals reflect the farming of tinawon, a local species of rice, and they span across the
entire farming process, from the planting of seeds to the harvesting of crops. Each aspect
of the farming process is accompanied by important rituals which include sacrifices, prayers
and songs that the community uses to honor nature and their ancestors. Their relationship
with the land is intertwined with the veneration of their ancestry – it is both practical and
spiritual.
Initiators of at a minimum of seventeen distinct rice rituals throughout the year are strictly
trained mumbaki, a form of ritual specialists. Such rituals often happen in isolation of larger
communities or the family household, hence the importance of close knit societal bonds
and collective responsibility. Special prayers, for example, are made before seeding crops
(panal) in order to assure a plentiful harvest however this does not apply to post harvesting
grains such as rice specifically during bakle where thanks are expressed for the crop yield
throughout the previous year. To carry out such rituals and organize work on the rice
terraces, tumonak or agricultural leaders, are in charge who more or less are able to
maintain such custom practices but with modernity emerging as a prominent threat, all
these customs are at risk and would suffer a severe disruption.
https://ethnobiomed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13002-016-0124-9
The Ifugao, who are located in the mountains of Northern Luzon in the Philippines, have
rice as their main staple. Rice, agriculture, and their culture are inseparable. For the Ifugao,
also known as the people of the rice, customs and farming tools may have altered but
practices of growing, planting, and harvesting rice remains unchanged. In fact,
The finger knife, along with the dag and finger blade knife blades embodies the Ifugao
people's rich past, culture, and most importantly their religion, which promotes the
Ninuno’s closed relationship with the attachment to the land, and growing their crops
during every farming season. It’s also used during limiting the selection of their most
important and staple food and dry grain, tinawon, which would be as critical to their food
security and preservation of their culture.
In every Ifugao family, It is customary to offer thanks to their Ninunos, the people of the
land, who blessed them with a good harvest, after letting every family member participate
in a ceremonial act to honor the land. For the Ifugao, due to the high significance given to
the finger knife, the act of harvesting as a whole is felt as a ritual and is done slowly and
thoroughly, thereby, establishing a deep spiritual connection with the land they belong to.
Nevertheless, we cannot ignore the fact that agriculture, tourism, and modernization have
a significant amount of impact on these people and their life.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
333398052_A_Research_on_Peasants'_Harvest_Festival_Promoting_the_Development_of
_Rural_Festivals_Content_Analysis_Based_on_Web_Text
The research on peasant harvest festivals highlights their role in promoting rural
development and cultural identity. These festivals serve as vital expressions of community
solidarity and bring families and neighbors together to celebrate the fruits of labor.
Through various activities like traditional dances, music, and communal feasts, these events
not only glorify agricultural practices but also strengthen social ties within the community.
Moreover, harvest festivals play an important role in maintaining local customs and
traditions. They offer the younger generations a chance to be involved in their cultural
heritage, promoting pride and continuity. Incorporating elements of folklore and local
history makes these festivals educational experiences that bring participants closer to their
roots.
Besides their cultural importance, they also enhance rural economic growth through
tourism and income from local business operations. As local communities promote their
unique agro-products and traditions, they are able to contribute to economic growth while
developing sustainable agriculture. In total, peasant harvest festivals represent an
important tool in the preservation of cultural identity, community, and rural development.
https://academic.oup.com/socrel/article-abstract/25/4/231/1665848
They play an essential role in everyday living and cultural activities of people inhabiting
Misamis Oriental and the northern Bukidnon Province. The activities of harvesting rituals
are quite strongly associated with kin ties and obligatory relationships within debt and
connection networks from spiritual influences in making interconnecting relationships
complex to each one. At the core of these practices are rituals at harvest time, a spiritual
meal with a ritual leader impromptu in their prayer for the spirits. Not an empty ceremony
for farmers' families who seriously see a real obligation to the crops so as not to reap
empty ones.
The importance of these ceremonies goes beyond crop yields; they help fortify the bonds
within communities and strengthen cultural identity. Through such ceremonies, families
show appreciation for their fortunes while acknowledging their interdependence with each
other and with the spiritual world. This harvest ceremony is a collective activity that unites
the people, giving them a sense of belonging and unity in their community.
But coexistence of these traditional practices with Catholic beliefs raises questions of
cultural integration and identity. Rather than prohibiting these rituals among Catholic
practitioners, there is a call for deeper exploration of their roles within the community.
Understanding the nature and functions of these harvest rituals can provide valuable
insights into how indigenous beliefs coexist with other religious practices, ultimately
enriching the cultural landscape of the region while preserving its unique heritage.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311983.2024.2338329#abstract
Significance of agricultural rituals in forming community identity and social cohesion
among rural populations. Agricultural rituals, most of which are harvest-based, are
important expressions of cultural heritage that link participants to their ancestors and the
land. They provide an opportunity for communal gathering, reinforcing social ties and
shared values within the community.
In addition, it shows the evolution of these practices in assimilating modern pressures
while at the same time retaining cultural elements. Such adaptability keeps agricultural
rites contemporary and enables communities to cope with shifts in the social and economic
settings. As such, through the dynamic relationship between tradition and modernity, the
study puts emphasis on the relevance of these practices in relation to cultural continuity
and strengthening resilience among rural societies.
