History of Kalinga
The name "Kalingga" is believed to have
been derived from the Ibanag word
"kalinga" and the Gaddang word
"kalinga", both meaning headhunters.
The Spaniards picked up the term
because of their headhunting tradition,
and the Americans followed suit. The
Kalingas have numerous songs, such as
the salidummay, the dong-dong-ay, the
oggayam, the ading, the wasani, the
paliwat, the owawi, and the dandanag.
But its enduring and distinct rite is the
"Bodong" that has become an institution
for peace up to this day. Kalinga is
classified according to bodong-holding
groups or ili, or sub-tribes, namely the
Tinglayans, the Lubuagans, the
Tanudans, the Pasils, the Balbalans, the
Pinukpuks, and the Tabuks. (Source:
Igorot, the Cordillera Schools Group.)
The Province of Kalinga, is a landlocked
province of the Philippines in the
Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon.
Its capital is Tabuk and borders Mountain
Province to the south, Abra to the west,
Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the
northeast, and Apayao to the north. Prior
to 1995, Kalinga and Apayao used to be a
single province named Kalinga-Apayao,
until they were split into two to better
service the needs of individual native
tribes in the provinces.
There are many sub tribes in the
province. The strong sense of tribal
membership and filial loyalty results in
frequent tribal unrest and occasional
outright war. Due to the mountainous
terrain and warrior-culture of the people,
the Kalingas were able to maintain their
culture despite the attempted occupation
of the Spaniards, Japanese, and
Americans. Unknown to many, the last
stand of President Emilio Aguinaldo, the
first president of the Philippines was in
this province, in Lubuagan, which he
proclaimed the national capital , and
where the Aguinaldo Museum
commemorates him and those events.
The Kalinga people are the most
extensive rice farmers of the Cordillera
peoples, having been blessed with some
of the most suitable land for both wet
and dry rice farming. Like the Ifugaos,
the Kalingas are one of the extensive
terrace builders in the country. The
Kalingas are also skilled potters with pot
making concentrated in the lower Chico
River Valley. They are also excellent in
basketry, loom weaving and metal works.
The Extinction of Ethnic Expertise
As with most cultural practices, time
changes peoples perception of traditions,
and can result in prejudice. What once
was beautiful is now considered too bold,
and therefor can hinder ones chances of
change from rural life. I dont condone
the actions Lasoys mother took by
forcing her to have tattoos, but when a
national dying art is literally on its last
legs before extinction, it is hard for me to
understand why a revival of the
traditional tattooing has not taken off in
Kalinga Province?
People are often scared of something
that is different, and full sleeve and chest
tattoos are not popular culture
elsewhere, but we dont live in a world of
division like we used to anymore.
Information and education can be widely
distributed about diversity at the touch of
a button. Maybe more can be done on a
national level to promote an
understanding of ethnic differences and
pride in the Philippines? and possibly
some sort of financial incentive training
program could be offered to a new
generation of Kalinga mambabatoks, to
learn from Whang-Od before she passes
away?
The point is something can be done to
save this rare and beautiful ethnic art
form, but where and how needs to
happen now, because it is not yet too
late.

The Kalinga are called the peacocks of
the north
because of their attention to appearance
and dressing.
Kalinga is a landlocked province of
northern Cordillera, Philippines.
Kalinga means enemy, a name that the
bordering inhabitants
called this tribe because of their
headhunting attacks.
The name stuck and became accepted by
the natives themselves.
IMPORTANT TERMS TO REMEMBER
ABOUT KALINGA'S WAY OF LIFE:
Bodong
- refers to the system of peace pact or
peace council used in the province of
Kalinga in the northern part of the
Philippines.
Kayaw
- refers to the head-hunting sorties
made by the Kalingas.
Pagta
- peace pact holder or code covers all
criminal and civil offenses committed
against another tribe.
Pangat
- a leader of a certain tribe who holds
the peace agreement with another tribe.
Podon
- Southern Kalinga dialect which
means to bind together.
KALINGA WAY OF LIFE:
The term "Kalinga" has no derivative
from any of the Kalinga dialects spoken
in the Kalinga area. The name has simply
been given to the people living in the
mountains by outsiders. Some Ibanag
writers claim that Kalinga is a term for
warlike people in the mountains. Since
the Ibanags of Cagayan have long been
engaged in trade intercourse with their
neighbors in the western highland region
of the province, it is safe to say that the
Ibanags own the word Kalinga. Besides,
Kalingas were also known to have been
head-hunting in the lowland areas along
the western river banks of the Cagayan
River now known as Kalinga.
There are even suggestions that the
Kalingas came from the Ibanag "race."
Those who are of this belief or theory
point to the fact that many Kalinga
names of persons are also found among
the Ibanags of Isabela and Cagayan, like
for example, "Simangon", "Panabang",
"Manawag", etc. Physical features of the
"lowland" Kalingas also support the
theory that many of the tribal groups of
Kalinga are of Ibanag ancestry. On the
other hand, the Kalinga dialects also
believe the fact that the Kalingas come
from the so-called "Ibanag race." To
Kalingas, Ibanag is totally Greek, and
Ibanags regard Kalinga the same.
The Kalingas are spread over the present
eight Kalinga municipalities of Rizal,
Tabuk, Pinukpuk, Balbalan, Tanudan,
Pasil, Lubuagan and Tinglayan. A Kalinga
tribal group also inhabits the
southernmost area of the Apayao region.
Recent statistics reveal that the Kalingas
constitute about 85 percent of the total
population of the former sub-province of
Kalinga.
The Kalingas as a tribal nation have 17
known sub-tribes each having its own
dialect and customs. It is in their
multilingual diversity that the Kalinga
tribal community is often referred to as
the "Babel of the Philippines." In spite of
the number of dialects spoken by each of
the sub-tribes, the Kalingas can
understand each other even if they speak
or communicate with other Kalingas in
their own distinct dialect.
The Kalinga "Bodong" institution governs
the lives of all Kalinga ethno-linguistic
groups, even up to this day. Bodong is a
Kalinga word for peace pact and a peace
pact is a bilateral non-aggressive pact
between the two communities" (Scott,
87). Strictly speaking, Bodong (Northern
Kalinga dialect) or Podon (Southern
Kalinga dialect) means "bind together."
The Bodong refers to an agreement
between two parties to make peace and
to bind themselves with the maintenance
of peace between the communities they
represent.
In the early days, Kalingas made head-
hunting as part of their lifestyle. They
would launch massive raids on their
enemy's villages and take home heads of
their victims as trophies. These jaws of
the heads of their victims were used as
gong handles. These head-hunting
sorties were called "Kayaw." Kayaws were
resorted to by Kalingas because of
revenge, to get even with the enemy.
They were not launched against their
tribal enemies for territorial expansion
but purely redeem their pride lost to a
pillaging enemy.
As had been stated earlier, the Kalingas
are grouped into many sub-tribes, each
having its own dialect, customs and
traditions. These differences in culture
and dialects often cause trial
misunderstanding that lead to inter-tribal
armed warfare. It is the lex
talionis principle that gave birth to the
Bodong.
Today, the Bodong is still an inseparable
part of the socio-economic life of the
Kalingas because it governs not only the
security relations between two tribes or
among tribal groups, but also the trade
and commerce of Bobong parties. Its
"Pagta" or code covers all criminal and
civil offenses committed against another
tribe. Among the provisions of the Pagta
which is still observed among Bodong
parties is the "automatic retaliation"
provision, which allows an aggrieved
tribe to avenge the killing or wounding of
a fellow tribesman on the aggressor
tribe.
The Bodong has been criticized by non-
Kalinga ethnolinguistic groups as
"anachronistic." Present-day Kalinga
leaders, especially those educated and
acknowledged religious leaders, frown at
the Bodong as an active agent of tribal
killing. There are Kalinga intellectuals
who view the Bodong institution as an
unnecessary and counter-productive
practice. Some advocate the total
scrapping of Bodong as a bilateral rule of
the inter-tribe relationship. But the fact
remains that many of the Kalinga elders
still religiously cling to the Bodong
precepts, reminding their youngsters that
the Bodong has been an influential
institution in the promotion of
government programs in Kalinga
"nation."
The Kalingas are a hospitable people and
in spite of the frequent tribal violence
that erupt between and among Kalinga
tribal groups, they still live up to their
time-honored practice of guaranteeing
the safety and comfort of their guests. In
tribal wars, warring parties do not harm
any of the tribe or non-Kalinga tribe who
has no involvement and participation in
the cause of the tribal conflict.
As with other cultural communities who
have been modernized in their way of life
through the process of acculturation, the
Kalingas are slowly leaving behind their
old practices in favor of western culture
brought in through education and
intermarriage as well as association with
the cultural majority.

THE TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

PRACTICES OF THE LUBUAGANS OF
KALINGA:

KALINGA: Music and Dances

BINUTBOT: The Famous Gongs of Kalinga.
Gangsa or gong players, usually warriors,
play the binutbot to dance the tachok
and joined by the women. The men
display masculine prowess while the
women imitate the movements of birds.
The Kalingas are the brave inhabitants of
the southern half of Kalinga-Apayao
province in northern Luzon. Known as the
peacocks of the Cordillera, the Kalingas
are especially proud of their fabulous
dressing tradition, their music and
dances.
KALOOBs repertoire gives a glimpse of TACHOK: Drum Dance.
two important Kalinga institutions: the Merriment starts with the Tachok dance,
peace pact known as vochong or bodong followed by the Salip to the
and the palanos or wedding ceremony. accompaniment of Tuppaya music with
menfolk beating gongs with their palms.

CHALIJOK: Dance of the Harvest. ALISIG: Wedding Ritual.

A playful dance rendered by men and The man-aalisig or priest officiates in an
women imitating the movements of an age-old wedding ritual.
eagle. This festival dance is also
performed at harvest time.

SALIP: Courtship Dance.

A courtship dance centered on the use of PALPALIWAT: Driving out the bad spirits.
kain, a hand woven Kalinga cloth used as A ritual for driving out the spirits --
clothing or blanket. To the including the effects of drinking. Usually
accompaniment of crowd singing of Ela- with humorous and pithy statements.
lay, the man thrusts his arm initiating the
movements of roosters while the woman
simulates the movements of a hen. The
dance ends when the woman finally
gives the kain cloth to the man.
Banga
Tribe: Kalinga
"Banga" literally mean pots. The Banga
or pot dance is a contemporary
performance of Kalinga of the Mountain
Province in the Philippines. This
dance illustrate the languid grace of a
tribe otherwise known as fierce
warriors. Heavy earthen pots, as many as
seven or eight at a time, are balanced on
the heads of maidens as they trudge to
the beat of the "gangsa" or wind chimes
displaying their stamina and strength as
they go about their daily task of fetching
water and balancing the banga.
Lumagen / Tachok
Tribe: Kalinga
Origin: Luzon
When the Kalinga gather to celebrate a
happy occasion like the birth of a firsr-
born baby boy, a wedding, or a
Bodong(peace pact), the Kalinga Festival
Dance (Tachok) is performed. This is
danced by the Kalinga maiden. The
dance imitates birds flying in the air.
Music is provided by gangsa, or gongs,
which are usually in a group of six or
more.
Ragsaksakan
Tribe: Kalinga
This dance portrays the walk of the
industrious Kalingga women, carrying
water pots on their heads and wearing
the colorful hand-woven "blankets of life"
around their necks. Their walk imitates
the climb up the Rice Terraces in the
Mountain Provinces of the Philippines.
Salisid
Tribe: Kalinga
The Salisid is a courtship dance,
performed by a male and female (and
thus is sometimes called the "cayoo"
dance). The dance starts when each of
the dancers is given a piece of cloth
called a ayab or allap. Usually the most
important people in the village are the
second to dance after the host has
signified that the occasion is formally
open. The background and meaning in
this dance is evident. The male simulates
a rooster trying to attract the attention of
a hen while the female imitates the
movements of a hen being circled by a
rooster.
 POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS
The province is composed of eight (8) municipalities:
Balbalan, Lubuagan, Pasil, Pinukpuk, Rizal, Tabuk,
Tanudan, and Tinglayan.

LANGUAGE
Ilokano is the dominant dialect spoken in the lower
parts of Kalinga, specifically in the municipalities of
Tabuk and Rizal. The Kalinga dialect is spoken in other
municipalities. Filipino and English are widely
Salip understood in all parts.
Tribe: Kalinga
INDUSTRIES
Tribes in the mountain provinces of Luzon Loomweaving, rattan basketry, and banana chips
preserve their identity, customs and lore. processing in Tabuk; animal feeds production in Rizal;
Their dances celebrate important events rattan furniture in Conner and Luna; gold jewelry
manufacturing and coffee pre-processing in Tabuk, also
in life such as birtg, wedding, victory in the trading center.
war and thanksgiving. A Kalinga wedding
dance is an important celebration. The
bridegroom offers the bride the
protection and comfort of his blanket. He
simulates the movements of a rooster at
love play, aspiring to attract and seize his
love. The brides friends are ready to help
prepare the bride by offering "bangas"
(earthen pots) filled with fresh water
from the mountain spring.

GEOGRAPHY
Kalinga is nestled on an elevation of 300 to 5,000 feet
above sea level with a northsouth assemblage of
mountain ranges within the Cordillera Central. It has
been dubbed as the Prince of the Highlands in the
Philippines.