THE EYO MASQUERADE FESTIVAL

THE EYO MASQUERADE FESTIVAL
(From my Nigerian Diary: 16 Dec. 78)

Today is the beginning of Christmas season way back home. It will be announced by the peeling of church bells and the marching of brass bands around town to start the nine days “misa de aguinaldo” or 9 days dawn masses. I’ll surely miss it but here in Lagos Island, Nigeria in Africa another thing is going on right before my eyes. The EYO Masquerade Festival.

This used to be an annual festival called the ADAMO ORISHA PLAY
in memory of the late chief AMODO TIJANI OLUWA. This is a traditional honor to the worthy departed citizens of Lagos, Nigeria but lately it is being celebrated only once every three or four year s since there was an incident of tragic death resulting from the beatings incurred in connection with the ritual.

From random interviews that I conducted and from personal observations, I was able to fish out some stories about the festival. I was on duty last night and from the windows of Massey Street Children’s Hospital I keenly observed the activities that went on.

ASDAMA ORISHA, the Premier Eyo celebration is supposed to leave the tradition AGODO by 6:am for the OBA’s Palace to pay homage there but as early as 11:00 p.m. last night groups of young boys were already noisily walking down Massey Street with sticks about as big as a regular coconut stalk. They were all preparing for the festival. It seems that they didn’t sleep last night at all for I could hear the marching, the chunking and the shouting till I got out of bed at 4:00 a.m.

I was greatly fascinated when I saw them coming out from all corners dressed in immaculate white from head to foot with hats like the ones used by cowboys, covered by thin, soft-flowing veils in order to hide their faces. They were all carrying big sticks that they used in beating passers-by. Some beatings are friendly but others really hurt .

Someone told me that they were supposed to beat or whip only those who are wearing shoes and hats but another say it is the other way around, meaning those who are not wearing shoes and hats. A lady reminded me not to smoke as they would beat me even inside the ambulance if they see me. I haven’t talk to any true authority on the matter but I saw several people barefooted while holding their shoes.

I was scared when someone from a moving taxi shouted “Doctor, go far away quickly”. Whoever he was must have been my patient and wanted to protect me from harm. Every now and then when the Ambulance slowed down they will surround us while shouting words and pointing their sticks to my face as if ready to break the window glass of the ambulance.

In fairness, in big groups the EYOS are a sight to behold. They look like a mob of Virgin Marries with St. Joseph’s sticks. I noticed two pictures on their hats. One is that of the Festival President while the other one is that of Lagos’ Chief according to Dyango, the ambulance driver who continuously provides me with information along the way.

Their uniforms costs 50 Naira each and some has as many as four pieces because the moment the uniform gathers dirt the participant has to change as he has to appear pure and clean during the day.

I was told that no less than 20 Chieftaincy families are participating. I wish I could take pictures and make more observations but for fear of being beaten accidentally or purposely by them I decided to stay at the Hotel and wait for news items the following day..

Surprisingly not even a line was written on the news about the Big Eyo Festival the following day.

At Casualty Hospital alone, 2 persons were bought in dead as a result of severe beatings, two had their hands amputated and around 30 are seriously affected, all victims of EYO beaters.

At Massey Street even children and pregnant women were beaten as well as nurses crossing the street from the out-patient to the in-patient department .

SA HARDIN GAUDOM

SA HARDIN GAUDOM

Uwak ang sigaw
Uwak din ang tugon
Nagkaunawaan
Ang dalawang ibon

Kulay dilaw kulay pula
Kulay puti
at iba pa
puro sila gumamela
bulaklak na
magaganda

Rosas at bongabilya
Cactus na iba-iba
Puro tinik
Ang kasama
Bantay nila tuwina

Matatangkad na puno
Walang mga sanga
Mataas ding puno
puro naman sanga
May marupok may matibay
Lahat namumunga
Bakit kaya bawa’t puno’y
Ibang-iba sa iba?

Masasayang maiingay
Minsan nama’y nag-aaway
Mga ‘driver’ na naghihintay
Ng pasaherong sasakay
Sa harap ng hardin ko’y
Mga bantay
Araw-araw

Kakainip ang mag-hintay
Ang hintayin ay hirap din
Naghihintay at hinintay
Sa wakes
Ay nag katagpo rin


Amoy ng tao at hayop na mabantot
At maangot
Sinasamyo ng halaman
Upang sila
Ay lumusog
Mga singaw ng halaman
Ay sinasanghap ng hayop
At ng tao
Upang manatiling
malusog
isang uri ng bigayang
tunay na nakalulugod.

Humihiging ang bubuyog
Humahalinghing ang langaw
Tuko’y humuhuni
Na tila nagsasagutan
Tumitilaok ang manok
Aso’y nagtatakinan
Iba’t ibang tunog
Masarap pakinggan

Pumapatak ang ujlan
May bugso ng hangin
Parang may bantang bagyo
Ay darating
Marami na naman
Ang kalat
Sa hardin
Tumataba naman ang
Lupang nasiil

Umiirit sumisigaw
Tumatakbo
Masasaya
Mga batang sa hardin ko’y
namamasyal
masisigla malilikot
kay sarap
ng buhay

Salamat po
Paalam na
Meron kaming natutuhan
Sa inyong hardin
‘di namin malilimutan
Halaman hayop
tao’t Diyos
sama-sama
isa lamang

BABEL TOWER'S CONFUSIONS

BABEL TOWER'S CONFUSION

One day in Paradise while Adam was busy naming the animals, Eve suddenly inquired: “Why did you call that one hippopotamus?” Adam quickly replied: “Because in every way it looks like a hippopotamus, don’t you see?”

Since then aside from animals, things and all that they saw around were given names. There was a term for everything. People learned to understand one another but up to now the hippopotamus is still called as such but the new technology and the new generation are forcing the terms to be very confusing.

It seems as if both the new technology and the new generation are so mad at those who lived earlier like the senior citizens that even those considered intellectuals are suddenly considered illiterate. I was somehow hurt when my son told me I was computer illiterate.

Of course I was and who senior citizen won’t be illiterate? He told me to see the Menu, so I thought he wanted to eat as it was only in eating places where I saw Menus. He laughed as if I was the funniest joke.

Hardware to me was the corner store for construction materials and I thought software referred to plastic wares. I used to prescribe drugs during my halcyon days but now drugs are confiscated and people using drugs are imprisoned. I realized a bit too late that drugs now mean another thing and are always associated with addicts.
While my mother used pot for cooking, now they have pot sessions without my old mother’s soothed pot.

PC to me was Philippines Constabulary but they borrowed it to own a Personal Computer. So, fluffy disc, flash disc and other discs are not discs after all.

There used to be a time when OK meant all right and all right meant correct. This day ask a boy who failed the exams how he feels and will proudly say “OK lang”. Ask a girl left by his boyfriend how she is and with bright smile she will respond “Ok lang”. So OK now means it is all right t o fail or it is correct to be abandoned.

It was not too long ago when only women wear earrings but now take a good look at our young men. They decorate not only their ears but also their noses and their tongues. Never mind the maze of tattoos all over their bodies.

Rock then describes a kind of stone, not the kind of “noisy music” we now have. Trip then was when we go outing, unlike now when it means drugging.
This time a good father could be lecturing to a son about entering a relationship while the son is already bragging coming out again from his latest relationship simply because they didn’t like the same soup or the same drink.

I wonder what else are coming to town other than Santa Clause. There are already too many beauty creams and hair shampoos to make women beautiful. Every popular star is endorsing her favorite. Plastic surgeons are left and right but wrinkles are still common and so are forcibly stretched skin making the “lady” look like a wax statuette with a permanent smile. Boobs are now like inverted buttocks planted on a woman’s chest… and they are proud of them or else they won’t keep on protruding them more and more

Drug supplements are all over all kinds of counters and shelves claiming no approved therapeutic use, yet, they sell like hotcakes. Giant Tarpaulins are exhibiting so many exhibitionists endorsing this and that along highways and avenues and ‘callejons’. I first thought that Tarpaulin was a pretty girl’s name.

Cremation is not only ordinary practice now for ashes are now converted to pendants and other forms of jewelries to be divided among the heirs of the diseased.
Cancer is fast becoming a status symbol, so much so that everybody who is somebody has a diagnosed cancer in some parts of the body and who cares about the cost of treatment? While anybody who is nobody died of malnutrition if not victim of calamities after selling their organs for transplantation to the rich and famous.

If you are old and well-to-do you will soon be afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease because they cannot afford to be “uliyanin” or be back to their childhood.
Worst of all the new cell phone lingo and text grammar could be a modern Tower of Babel confusing language that will eventually break nations when different nationals can no longer LOL or ROFL coz dey smply cnt w8t a bit l8tr or hv 4g10 to say muwah n BTW I wl TTYL-

WHEN A DAY MOVES AHEAD

WHEN A DAY MOVES AHEAD

When tomorrow becomes today, today becomes yesterday and yesterday becomes part of history… things go on in a very different manner.
A day passes-by, a new day is born, and life suddenly turns very, very interesting. We regret for the things we failed to do, for the things we didn’t learn, for the things we forgot to share. They are all gone now. There is no miraculous way of retrieving them back.

The new days are offering new gifts, new visions, new ideas, and new blessings. Let us not be tied to the past. Let history be a dignified record of our unintended follies and accidental successes, for the new day is inviting us to new challenges, new ventures, new missions, new pictures to paint to become new memories and new pages in history when the present tomorrow again becomes today for a new cycle when everyone again leaves a yesterday to history.

Come to think of it. The cycle of life is so intriguing but so real that must be respected. Everything else on life has a cycle. Water flows, evaporates, condenses, solidifies, liquefies, fall as rains and flows again no matter how devastating it does along the way.

Plants are living, animals are living, humans are living so, what makes them different? Plant lives but is fixed to its place. Plants die in the spot where they live. Animals eat them – from their fruits to their roots they are eaten. Then they are digested to become nutritious parts of the animals that ate them. That way plants become free and can now move through the animals that digested them.

Animals live and move and so are the human beings. What makes them different? Animals only move around their pastures or when they are guided and only humans who are rational can effectively guide them.

Like the animals that eat plants, humans also eat cooked or uncooked animal meats. They are digested and become nutrients that support the metabolisms of human beings to continue existing. Now with the human being, both plants and animals still live and can now move and reason out through man.

We all know most of all that God lives and moves and reasons but God doesn’t eat man the way animals eat plants and man eats animals. He is All Powerful, All Knowing and for man to be like Him, man must die and his soul returns to God who gave it to him anyway.

Now, everything… plants, animals and humans all live and move and reason and turn all knowing through Him who started it all when He first said: “There must be light!" And that light reminds us that we must live today since yesterday is gone and tomorrow is still nowhere. Let us cherish today before it becomes yesterday…

LOCAL TERMINOLOGIES IN ALFOSNO

N. LOCAL TERMINOLOGIES IN ALFONSO
1. AHOY – a very common expression used in ordinary conversation. Ex: “Ikaw
ahoy…”
2. KATALAMITAM (also KAALIASUD, KAAL-AL, KAMATI-MATI, KADAKDAK, KAALAM) – always
involving oneself.
3. TUGA (also GIGI, GALGAL) – very lousy; stupid
4. PANDARAWISAW – pertaining to the male sex organ
5. AMPIYAS – rain showers entering windows
6. SINSAY – to change route and stop-by for a while.
7. PANGHILOD – rough stone used when taking a bath.
8. SINGKARA – an expression of superlative.
9. BASAYSAY – slang of bahay, meaning house.
10. HIRAT – an expression of joy upon others misfortune or failure.
11. KABALYAS - a kind of shoulder bag used by farmers.
12. PIRAIT – pressed between two hard objects.
13. HALARUKAY – carelessly roaming around.
14. KATINGOT – a very small piece.
15. BUYANGKAD – careless sitting position.
16. SAMUUL – to put a big thing in the mouth.
17. PURUNGGO – broken pieces of glass or porcelain.
18. BARAKA – a market place.
19. BUSILIG – slang for the eyes.
20. GULAMUT – slang for the hand.
21. KUKUTI - slang for the head.
22. ALIK-IK – a funny suppressed laughter.
23. MATANGAS – sarcastic.
24. ALIBUYBUYIN – attracts many lovers.
25. LATOK – low-legged table.
26. KARIMUT – running very fast.
27. BURARA – messy.
28. ALIPARU – butterfly.
29. PIRINGKUT – crushed.
30. ARMITI – to take care.
31. TUKATUK – sleepy.
32. SIG-IK – pressed in a crowd; very limited space.
33. KALAY – very lazy.
34. ALIBADBAD – nauseated.
35. GURDU – to disturb.
36. HILIM – seriously ill.
37. NATALDAHAN – gratified with shame.
38. HILATA – lying down.
39. BURA – a wedding.
40. ULBU – pig case.
41. BALANGAW – rainbow
42. GUYAM – ant
43. SWIKOS – wooden shoe
44. ALIPORES – follower
45. BULINDASIN – temperamental
46. UKUYABIT – to climb
47. SAGUNSUN – to fetch
48. DUSUNG – coward
49. PUSAW – stagnant water
50. BULIGAW – confused
51. PANSAW – to wade
52. PULAW – vigil
53. TIBAW – 9t day of death
54. ISTIMA – entertain
55. GARUTAY – flirt
56. HINAW – to wash
57. BAYNAT – recurrence of illness
58. MATUBAL – very dirty
59. ANTIWAS – dangling
60. HIMAD – slow moving
61. ADA – lousy/stupid
62. BURINGO – earthbound entity
63. PIRITAY – a fairy wearing red
64. BIBINGA – broken pieces of porcelain
65. PULI – insistent (makulit)
66. NAKAKAANI – expression of dissatisfaction
67. KASILYAS – toilet
68. ‘SANG KATERBA – big quantity
69. MIL-AK, MIL-AK – millions
70. LIBAN – to step over; pass through
71. TAGULAYLAY – scandalous act of crying
72. TALANDI – flirty girl or woman
73. HALIPAROT – jerky and flirty woman
74. BISA – to kiss the hands the Alfonso way
75. KILO (LIKO) – curved
76. UTO (BILYON) – easily fooled, deranged
77. ALAK-ALAKAN – back of the knee
78. KABILANIN – cannot easily adjust
79. BUGNOT – hot-tempered
80. HINTUTUBING – dragon fly
81. TULIRO – dizzy
82. BARIBAT – mentally unstable
83. TUNGGO – doing nothing
84. KALIKAW – uneasy hands
85. TALAK (ARAK) – talking very loud
86. BUTURIN – distended belly
87. ULILI – dizzy
88. INGOD – to pout
89. HAGUNOT – loud whizzing sound
90. URIKIT – nervously confused
91. URIPOL – spending unreasonably
92. KADAMPILYAN – same company
93. LAPANAT – shouting forcibly
94. BANDOY – moronic
95. HANGOS – rascal
96. BARASUBAS – bad man/swindler
97. AY AWAN – I don’t know
98. NAKAKAANO – who cares
99. NAKAKASORA – disliking someone
100. TINGKAYAD – squatting position
101. NGIMAY – numb
102. MAALIS-IS – warm and humid
103. SIKMAT – scolding style
104. BALISBISAN – side of the house
105. SANGKALAN – low stool/chopping board
106. SARAMPIYON – measles
107. TUNGAYAW – cursing
108. BUNGISNGIS – laughs easily
109. KALAARAT – forceful talking
110. ULAHIPAN – centipede
111. KAURUPUT – in company
112. KAPIRANGGOT – very small
113. SUMISIBOL – finger infection
114. SINISIRINGGI – convincing forcibly
115. KAM-AW – a clay container
116. BANG-AW – out of his mind
117. BALISAWSAW – dysuria
118. HIMIMINGOT – an insect that stings
119. SILAB – fire/burning trash
120. KURKULA – estimate
121. IYAIS – infection of the underarms
122. PURIL – stunted growth
123. LASMID (ISMID) – frowning
124. MINAMANTAK – can you imagine/
125. ISISI (ISALYA) – pushed quickly with force
126. MALAROY – very soft
127. KAAPUNGOT – included in talks
128. KAHALIDUTDUT – including oneself
129. AGIHAP – mycotic facial infection
130. NANGANGAPA-NGAPA – trying to find the way
131. BARAMBAW – a fool
132. ANTAY – wait
133. HIYAW – shout
134. NAPAGDISKITAHAN – a suspect
135. ANDUT – offering forcefully
136. TUNGKAB – removed badly from
137. UG-UG – to shake a branch
138. SINGAW – mouth sore
139. KARIPAS – running very fast
140. SAGALSAL – noisy flowing
141. ULA (WALA) – NONE
142. TINGKORAW – let me see
143. MATUMAL – few buyers
144. KULINGGI – to play with
145. PUGALSAK – carefree
146. HITAD – flirt
147. SANDUNDU – under the care of
148. URABA – to climb (UKUYABIT)
149. BIYABIT – carrying carelessly
150. LABINIT – using strong force
151. TAGUKTUK – sounds of walking
152. KUNSINTI – tolerate
153. SAGUNSUN – to fetch
154. KULUNTOY – dehydrated looking
155. HIRIKLAT – strectched outwards
156. SUKANOT – frowning
157. LAPIRAT – too soft and spreading
158. LAHIHI – irresponsibly shy
159. LAIRA – tolerating a mess
160. UGAGA – incapable of order
161. URIRAT – inquiry
162. SINAMBARGA – quickly carried away
163. SAMPILONG – slapping the face
164. ARINGKING – thrown farther away
165. TAYUD – square cloth for wrapping
166. NILAMIRAT – softened by hands
167. HALUNGKAT – finding between files
168. HALIKWAT – same as halungkat
169. BULATLAT – to search (BUTADTAD)
170. SAGISUD – heavy dragging walk
171. HILAHUD – one leg lagging behind
172. LAHOY – weeping of lesion
173. KUYAKOY – alternate leg movement
174. BUTIKTIKAN – too crowded
175. MAASKAD – unpalatable
176. ATUGAK – a loud crying
177. BINUBULYA – driving away
178. KINAKANTIW – prompting
179. KISIG – cramps
180. PUPULA-PULANDIT – jerky and carefree
181. SANG-UD – obstructed
182. HALIHAW – carelessly moving around
183. HAGUPHUP – swallowing with sounds
184. LUPALOP – slang for land
185. KURIRIT – very small, dwarfed
186. BUTINTING – toying on objects
187. HAGIKHIK – giggling
188. IRIT – panickly shouting
189. HINGASING – tired and panting
190. HARUBA – going around foolishly
191. KUBABAW – to on top
192. KUTABTAB – chilling
193. HIBAHIB – dead-tired
194. PILANDUT – comes out suddenly
195. PAGUKPUK – hammering sounds
196. SAGITSIT – frying sounds
197. YAMUYAM – the left over
198. LAGIBAS – no longer fresh
199. NGASAB – unethical chewing
200. KINUKURIBDIB – nervous

From the book TINGKORAW: Alfonso's History and Legend by jett e. avinante m.d.

ANO, BAKIT, SAAN ANG PAG-IBIG?

ANO, BAKIT, SAAN ANG PAG-IBIG?

Ang pag-ibig ay mainit nguni’t laging nanlalamig;
Ang pag-ibig ay panalong laging talo’t nagigipit;
Ang pag-ibig ay totoong sinungaling na malimit;
Ang pag-ibig ay may sakit na lagi ring masigasig.
Ang pag-ibig ay matayog, abot ito hanggang langit;
Kapag bumagsak na tunay, sayad-lupa sa pagsisid.
Ang pag-ibig ay malawak kasing lapad ng daigdig;
‘Pag lipas ay kumikitid, kasing nipis ng sinulid.
Ang pag-ibig ay matapat na sa bulaan ay galit;
Pag-ibig ay kabuuan nguni’t saan ang pag-ibig?

BATANG DAMDAMIN

BATANG DAMDAMIN

Sa isang Botika, tindera’y maganda,
May binili ako’y mura ang halaga…
Aking itinanong kung bakit nagmura,
Sagot niya’y dahil ako’y matanda na.

Doon sa McDonald ako ay kumain,
Malaki ring bawas sa aking bayarin,
Bakit? Ang tanong ko, at sagot sa akin:
Kabilang na kayo sa “Senior Citizens”.

‘Di ako matanda, medyo ma-edad lang,
At may pagbabago na nararamdaman.
Ang binabasa ko’y lumiliit minsan;
May mga salitang ‘di maintindihan.

At natitiyak kong ang ngipin ko’y akin;
Mga salamin ko’y malinaw itingin.
Nagbawas na ako sa mga pagkain,
Nguni’t ako nama’y hindi uliyanin.

Ang dati kong buhok nalagas na tunay
Kaya’t ‘di na dapat lagyan pa ng kulay.
Ako nama’y hindi matandang hukluban,
Bagama’t nakalbo’y nagka-edad lamang .

Kung nagsasalita’y ipinauulit
Ang aking sinabing tila ‘di narinig;
Maraming ang bintang… ako ay makulit,
Gayong hindi naman ako naminmilit.

Maraming higit pang mas bata sa akin,
Kulubot ang mukha’t hindi makakain.
Gayong mas higit pa kung pagpaparisin
Ang bilang ng taon na aking narating.

Bakit mga baytang sa mga tahanan,
Tila matataas ang mga pagitan?
Minsa’y hinihingal kapag humahakbang,
Gayon din ang kalyeng, matarik, maluwang .

Hindi ako huli sa pamangki’t apo,
Kasama ko sila’t tanggap nila ako.
Mga kabataa’y napapatawa ko...
‘Di ako matanda, gumulang lang medyo.

Kaya wag sabihing ako’y matanda na.
Isip ko’y sariwa’t puno ng ideya.
Buhay ko’y payapa, masaya’t masigla...
Iyan ang sekreto upang lumigaya.

‘Di baleng humina ang aking pandinig
Basta’t ang isip ko ay nasa matuwid.
Kaya lamang tao ay nagkakasakit
Ay kung laging ito ang laman ng isip.

Isiping malusog ang ating katawan.
Damdamin at puso ay masisiyahan.
Kahi’t maragdagan, araw, linggo’t buwan
Lagi tayong batang masigla ang buhay.

SANGHIYANG

“SANGHIYANG”

“Sanghiyang” is coined from two Tagalog words, “Isa” (one) and “hiyang” (compatible), meaning, compatible whole or “nagkakaisang kabuuan”. In Alfonso, “Sanghiyang” is a cultic ritual preparatory to the rite of Ancestral Offering, Mediumistic Healing, Ritual House Blessing (Basang-Gilagid), and Dance on Fire (Sayaw sa Apoy).

As noted by Alejandro Roces, “it used to be a Pagan rite but was later imbued with Christian connotations and biblical justifications” as it is claimed to be a hang over of Noah’s offering of Thanksgiving after the Universal Deluge (Genesis: Viii:20).

As a prelude to the Thanksgiving Ritual, “Sanghiyang” is usually performed during the month of January by different families. There used to be so many “magsasanghiyang” who can perform the ritual but many of them have already died and only a handful of their descendants inherited the capability to do the ritual.
In every “Sanghiyang” ritual there is always an “altares” where they arrange statues of Saints, Angels and the crucified Christ together with whatever religious icons they can still add.

In front of the “altares” is a low-legged table locally called “latok” where they arrange the different offerings that they call “dulang”. The “dulang” is full of foods, such as “pinaupong manok, suman, maruya, boiled eggs, rice and other goodies and drinks with their confusing symbolisms either from the Old or New Testaments. A very eye-catching offering are the “Tau-tauhan” biscuits of 7 “tao”, 7 “kabayo” and 7 “kumpay”. These are for the elementals which are generally represented by the 7 dwarves.

The biscuits are made out of ordinary flour and water without any added ingredients. At the end of the celebration they are buried together with pieces of the other offerings.

The more affluent the sponsor of the “Sanghiyang “ the more offerings there are and the more “magsasanghiyang“ join the ritual with their own style of chanting and dialoguing with the Superpower through the use of a pendulum usually made of necklace that hangs one or more antique medallions serving as their “agimat “ or amulet.

Sumptuous foods are offered to everyone but first initiated by the “Walong –Gulang” who represents the family of Noah who where saved during the Universal Deluge.
A very simple “Sanghiyang” could also be performed preliminary to mediumistic healing with only a little rice, one boiled egg and “maruya”.


Among articles and write-ups coming out of books and magazines, I often encounter that “SAYAW SA APOY” is also called “SANGHIYANG”. This is wrong because based on what I have personally seen and according to those who are involved in doing them, “SANGHIYANG” & “SAYAW SA APOY” are two distinct rituals.

“Sayaw sa Apoy” is only a part or additional show to glamorize the performance of the “Sanghiyang” which could be performed separately. “Sayaw sa Apoy”, however, cannot be done without first doing “Sanghiyang” as preliminary ritual.
“Sanghiyang” is actually a preliminary ritual for Ancestral Offering based on the Old Testament. This is always done in preparation for other rituals such as Fire walking or Fire Dancing. “Basang-Gilagid”, guiding to eternal rest one who died, or healing someone bewitched.

It is also performed before searching for a lost item, such as jewelry and other valuables. After it, the “Barka” (or Magsasanghiyang) dialogues with the Superpower through her “Timbangan” (pendulum).

From the book TINGKORAW: Alfonso's History and Legend by jett e. avinante, m.d.