IT COULD not have been more than eight minutes after the hour of nine on Thursday morning, October 6, when we reached the very lawn of the Cortel communal house in Sallapadan, Abra. Lydia’s dependable four-wheeler safely brought us there from Mambug, Santiago, Ilocos Sur, where she had been a barangay captain for twelve years even earning the title ABC.
All safely up to that day thanks God. We went to Sallapadan to attend the scheduled purposive visit “ðanun” to be made on our niece Dei where an outright betrothal (“solwak” in Tinguian) might probably follow if the visit would be successful. Outside of that, we did not know much about the coming affair and about the sparsely gathering throng. I had been to Barangay Bilabila but that was thirty years ago.
Bidden into the house, I right away entered only to see that Dei was indeed there. Though still in casual wear, she looked conspicuously radiant. In controlled smile she warmly hugged the two of us. Siblings Major Arbie and first Kagawad Eric were soon kept busy welcoming arrivals and introducing new faces. Dominant in the figures of municipal officials were no other than Mayor Nenita Mustard Cardenas and Vice Mayor Garde Cardenas, both confident- and jolly-looking. Punong baranggay Freddie Pataray served as master of ceremonies seconded by Reynold Cabannag and Nomer Bernal, barangay captain Daipan of Gangal and IPMR Bello Valera.
Elderly ladies chose to be seated inside the Cortel house but noticeably listening to the discussions being carried on outside, something characteristic of Tinguian gatherings called amung. People must listen, participate. Because all social functions are pervaded with the religious aura. The upcoming generation must imbibe the good tribal customs and traditions now being transmitted by their elders.
After accepting his empowerment, Mantenedor (MC) Freddie greeted everybody and elicited from the parties concerned to explain what caused them to invite the people then and there gathered. An elderly lady readily stood up before the audience seated in a roundtable formation (that is the case in every Tinguian amung) and divulged their heitherto unknown or unclear intention for coming from far-off Candon, Ilocos Sur to this part of southern Abra.
She introduced herself as Remedios Guinaban Naungayan, who came to publicly manifest “our children’s intention for marriage and so came here to formally ask the acquiessence and agreement of family and other relatives.” She clarified that she became an in-law of the Naungayans in Candon but is really from liccuan-Baay, a close relative of former mayor Johnny “Ammeng” Guinaban, who happens to be my matrimonial godson. Happy moments!
At this juncture, the “children” were called by the MC to show themselves to the gathering where they confirmed to the truth of their “mother’s manifestation and joined in the socio-ritualistic affair that ensued.
They also assured that the decision to mutually choose each other to be husband and wife in the future was essentially theirs and not just parental. There came to be heard in such traditional preparation the terms danun, mampuunan, sab-ung, mallausan or paglaktawan, and others more. But they were explained only in their genrally understood meanings without specification as to quantity or quality since the real marriage ceremony was yet to come.
It was also noted that the rules had to be adjusted to the fact the prospective couple were not only mestizos of Tinguian and Ilocano but themselves of two sub-Tinguian tribes of Gobang and Masadiit or something, not so sure of the latter. Puun or poon was to be a female (horned) animal in Sallapadan but a rice field in Malibcong, Abra. In In Candon, just lot, not specifically rice field. A sizeable area was promised strongly.
When the lighter and supposed to be more joyful part of the celebration (because it practically appeared as a celebration) was reached, the couple were given the floor to say what they had in mind and at heart.
Oji Naungayan, now the man, riskly stood first to reveal their decision to make their final vow in December 2019 upon his next scheduled vacation as a seaman “in order to have more time together to fix things with my original family and my new family.”
For her part, Dei Cortel Balweg, now the woman, was obviously fighting to maintain her radiance, hitherto perfectly reflecting the bright solar form,but now taking in a modulated misty hue. I know she glanced at me, thankful, but I was just a surrogate; her thoughts and emotions must have been full of her very parents, Mama Azon, alias “Rio”, and Papa Condring, alias “Philip Salvador”. Good girl indeed this our niece Dei! Early orphaned but worked successfully to attain a full college degree at SLU.
Yes, worthy Cordillera daughter of a great Cordilleran who’s who thought of Cordillera autonomy as the marriage of the science of the mainstream lowlanders and the communalism or love of the ili of the highlanders. Can only say, “Love you, darling! Go on, God bless your next plans!!”
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