Baguio city: Five black pigs were offered to kabunyan (supreme deity) on Saturday as this capital town celebrates Indigenous Peoples Month, but a ‘mambunong’ (native priest) in leather boots became the unexpected focus of attention during the traditional rites. Mambunong Peter Aguilba, 68, led the ceremony, chanting in the vernacular to seek blessings and protection from the heavens and the ancestors for the town’s indigenous communities.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Ibaloi and Kankanaey tribes dominate this Benguet town. As the pigs were slaughtered, with sharpened wooden sticks called owik thrust directly into their hearts, Aguilba called on those who heard the squeals to join the day-long kanyaw (feast) and dance the tayao (traditional dance) to the rhythm of gongs. ‘The louder the squeal, the better, so the gods can hear the people’s clamor for peace and progress,’ he said. But beneath the celebration lies a worry.
Richard Wacnisen, the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) to the Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council) of this capital town, said in an interview that the practice of having a mambunong must continue as indigenous cultural communities still perform rituals based on time-tested customs. ‘They are a vanishing breed and we are at a loss on how many are still there,’ he said. ‘Our tribes must educate and train future native priests because our cultural practices are here to stay.’
Wacnisen, a Kankanaey, expressed fear that the decreasing number of traditional priests would leave unattended those clans and families who want their sick to be prayed over by the mambunong or to lead a thanksgiving ceremony following a bountiful harvest. Even Aguilba, a farmer from Ambiong and considered the most sought-after mambunong, cannot estimate their number. He said that no formal schooling is required for one to become one.
‘As one grows old, he needs to know the customs and traditions of his tribe, get immersed in the beliefs and practices, and be present during rituals to better appreciate one’s craft,’ he explained. ‘There are no ceremonies to bestow the honor.’
Valdred Olsim, municipal tourism officer, said his office will soon undertake research on the status of the town’s native priests and find out how many of them are still alive. Mayor Roderick Awingan agreed that an inventory of the town’s remaining traditional priests is timely to document and support them. ‘We have programs for senior citizens and centenarians. It is high time we give particular attention to our rare breed of native priests,’ he said.
Awingan said he himself could not do away with the help of the mambunong. Before he filed his candidacy for mayor in the May 2025 elections, he said he had to seek blessings from the gods and got the services of a native priest. ‘We butchered and offered a native chicken at that time,’ he recalled.
Aguilba demonstrated what a tested mambunong could do. After the pigs were opened, he inspected their livers and bile sacs and ‘read’ them to find out if any of them had a bad omen. ‘The livers were nicely spread with less bile and blood. This means the occasion can proceed as it will bring progress to all,’ he said. No science is involved, he said, only wisdom built from years of practice. He cannot recall how many rituals he has led or pigs he has seen butchered.
He noted that a mambunong must never accept money for prayers, calling it taboo that would destroy the sacredness of the tradition. As for his leather boots, he smiled and said he simply feels comfortable wearing them.
