Sharing the Linapet

By Bartolome Baldas Sr.

Adog has come when the Kiling(migratory) birds begin to chirp by September and signifies that there is no impending typhoon. Elder men of Gueday, Agawa in northern Besao gather at dap-ay Awaw to observe the rising of the sun at Ambaoan Bato langsayan located in the eastern horizon of Agawa. Adog is one of the 12 agricultural months of the year.

It would take about ten days to observe the surise. If the sun's rays are perfectly aligned between a towering rock called a Stone Calendar, it is time to announce the Feast of the Linapet or what is called Obayan di Linapet.

Linapet is ground rice with crushed peanuts or meat sandwiched in the middle and wrapped with banana leaves or squash leaves. In the early days however, people butcher pigs and chickens to share to elder relatives and neighbors.

During the feast, all households in northern Besao prepare linapet to share wth grandparents, parents in law, uncles, aunts, relatives and fiends. Natives of Agawa tribe always see to it that they have something to share during the feast of the Linapet.

It is at this time of the year when the northern tribes of Besao ceebrate the feast by gathering together and sharing linapet with friends and townmates who come home from any part of the word for the occasion.

The Linapet celebration is not merely sharing the indigenous food however. Along with the food sharing are principles to follow like hospitality, respect and bedience. Younger people are obliged to bring linapet to older folks especialy to parents, grandaprents, and parents-in-law.

It s also notherworthy to observe that the rich and poor, the proud and the humble, display the spirit of oneness and sincerity in accordance with the optimistic tribal celebration.

Just like any ohter Igorot community, agricuture is the main source of livelihood of the people.Their farm activities depend on the different phases of the moon, movement of the sun and strs, the onset of the rainy season and the arrival of migratory birds. Their dependence in the aforementioned occurences encourage them to search for the right time to farm, to fish, and hunt which is associated with the celebration of their cultural and spirtual practises.

Following Adog in September, Kiling in October starts the sowing of rice seeds.

(Lang-ay Magazine, 2006)