The Igorot Tradition for the Dead

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Igorots keep the coffins of the dead open until it is ready for internment.  The coffin is usually made by men from wood materials around.  There are no funeral parlors so the family and the people around help each other in taking care of their dead.

 Different rituals are done from the start of the wake.  Old men have their own way of praying for the dead with the use of rice wine and meat.  The moment the men start their ritual; no one is allowed to talk or even stand up.  It is a very solemn moment and only the men praying could be heard.
 

 We call the blanket PINAGPAGAN.  This is one of the most expensive blankets for the dead of the Igorot Tribes.

The internment:  A priest blesses the dead before it is laid into the resting place.

During the wake, a pig is butchered and prepared to feed the people but the most important part here is determining if the bile shows signs of a good omen for the aggrieved family or not.  Only the old men could read what the bile would indicate.  If the men see something negative, another pig should be butchered.  This is very important since the family of the dead will suffer whatever consequences if the ceremony is not properly done.   Silence must be observed strictly as the men are performing the ceremony.

Women are in charge of preparing the food to be served.  

Although gambling seems an inappropriate way to raise money to help the aggrieved family. It has become part of the wake.  This is where most of the money comes from.  The percentage cut from the winners is a big help to pay for the expenses incurred.  I will at least lessen the burden on the family.

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4 thoughts on “The Igorot Tradition for the Dead”

  1. Unknown

    good evening ma'am,

    i am Athaliah, a senior student of Development Communication here in Benguet State University. as a part of our course, we are required to conduct a research or a thesis, and my thesis title is COMMUNITY BLOGGING AS AN EDUCATIONAL MEDIUM FOR IGOROT CULTURE. with this regard, ma'am, may i ask for your approval for me to use your blog as one of my sources and considering you as one of my key informants..

    ma'am, rest assured that the information i will be getting from you will be taken with confidentiality..thank you ma'am and God bless

    this is my email add, if you wish to contact me: seabai99@yahoo.com

    thank you again ma'am and God bless you and your family 😀

    Reply
  2. Jena Isle

    Hello Lisa,

    I'm glad I came across your blog by accident, I write for Helium too, and I have also a Kalinga blog and you have your Igorot blog, what a coincidence…And I'm with the academe too.

    Very interesting post. Do your old folks cry too in a chorus? The Kalingas wail in groups during the old days.

    You can delete the spam, so you will not receive comments from him/her anymore. They are lousy online users.

    Reply

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