Bontoc

Cultural Practices- I am also a ifontoc

person and sometimes I follow most of
this cultural practices:
1. Rituals for the dead- Whole
family members or relatives will
butcher the pig for mang-mang
(pag-uumungan), in the morning
1st butcher pig the first day of the
dead. The dead person is covered
with a cloth called chop-pong or kaw-it. In the afternoon amam-a or the elder or
like the mambunog will announce the dead. After the burial, several pigs must be
butchered. The amamas will serve the uncooked meat and the people will preserved it
by doing the inasin or they will put asin in the meat then they will soak it in a batya then
they will babad it. At least one is butchered, cooked and served in the
house where the wake was held, to women and children only. Another
pig is butchered, cooked and served in another house for men only.
Unmarried men must not eat of these pigs. Chickens must be butchered
for them. The morning after the burial, meat leftover from the pigs
butchered the day before is cooked and all relatives get together to eat. The neighbors and
friends who provided food during the wake for immediate members of the family are now
returned.
2. Marriage- He has but one wife and is usually faithful to her. Unfruitful unions generally
lead to a divorce, separation being accomplished by mutual consent between husband and
wife. In case either party to a marriage deserts the other, he or she must pay a fine of one
or more plots or other valuable property. If either party dies, the other must not remarry
for at least a year.
Details about their way of life- The Bontocs (alternatively spelled Bontok) live on the banks
of the Chico River in the Central Mountain Province. They speak the Bontoc language. They
formerly practiced head-hunting and had distinctive body tatoos. The Bontoc describe three
types of tattoos: The chak-lag, the tattooed chest of the head taker; pong-o, the tattooed
arms of men and women; and fa-tk, for all other tattoos of both sexes. Women were
tattooed on the arms only. In the past, the Bontoc engaged in none of the usual pastimes or
games of chance practiced in other areas of the country, but did perform a circular rhythmic
dance acting out certain aspects of the hunt, always accompanied by the gang-sa or bronze
gong. There was no singing or talking during the dance drama, but the women took part,
usually outside the circumference. It was a serious but pleasurable event for all concerned,
including the children.[4] Present-day Bontocs are a peaceful agricultural people who have,
by choice, retained most of their traditional culture despite frequent contacts with other
groups.
Extra Notes: Bontoc is politically subdivided into 16 barangays.

Alab Proper, Alab Oriente, Balili, Bayyo, Bontoc Ili, Caneo, Dalican,
Gonogon, Guinaang,
Mainit
Maligcong
Samoki
Talubin
Tocucan
Poblacion (Bontoc)
Calutit

Bontoc municipality officials

Mayor : Pascual A. Sacgaca
Vice-mayor: William A. Aspilan
Councilors:
Eusebio S. Kabluyen
Benjamin M. Ngeteg Sr.
Jerome B. Tudlong Jr.
Ignacio F. Afidchao
Constancio A. Miranda
Herman C. Farnican
Wilbert A. Padngaran
Anthony O. Sumcad