National University – Laguna

Group 1 KM 53 Pan Philippine Highway, Brgy.

Milagrosa, 4027 Calamba, Laguna
Robles, Penielle
Latag, Patrick
Cartagena, Paul
Villegas, Johann
Decibar, Lauren
Llarena, Allyana
Makahiya, Ansell
Cadang, Coleen
Canillas, Crissy
Abeleda, Pauline
So, Shaun Dwight

08/23/19
 This is where the strong belief of the Bontoc lies about abundance of the
harvest. Otherwise known as the Fight for Abundance and traditionally done
during the harvest offering festival.

History
Bontocs from the northern part of the Philippines are among the tribes that
persist to preserve their culture against the tides of modernization. Their iconic
clothing such as the Bahag and exquisite head dress are not just for show; it also
proves a dedication to their roots.

During their annual crop planting, the Bontoc men also prepare for a certain
“war game” akin to our paintball or airsoft gun matches today. But this game
requires you to fully embrace the pain of getting wounded or injured. In
accordance with their celebration of lesles or thanksgiving for the good harvest
and the with the start of planting sweet potato, all the young and old men will
also play Fagfagto.

Armed with nothing but worn out wooden shields and stones of varying sizes,
men are divided into two groups and engage in a battle of stone hurling. There is
no referee or umpire in this game that sometimes last up to four days. Players don’t
stay in one spot; they can move to and from to evade or even charge straight to
their enemies to inflict maximum damage. Winners are decided when one group
will retreat to their village.

Materials

• Stones – will be replaced by balloons filled with flour inside

Mechanics
Players from the village are divided into two groups to play along the
riverbanks. One group positioned at one side of the river and one group on the
other side of it. Each group will try to hit the opposing group by throwing stones at
them. Players are allowed to move and dodge the stones but not allowed to
move away from the playing area.

Essence
Cuts and bruises are common during this bloody game and the Bontoc believe
that these wounds affects their camote tuber during harvest time; the bigger the
wounds received, the bigger the tuber they will grow.

It runs in a similar vein to the concept of sympathetic magic (ritual acts or

objects influencing a certain phenomenon) which is widely practice in primitive
tribes around the world as noted in The Golden Bough by James George Frazer.
The players don’t consider one another as enemies after the game. In fact, they
come together as friends which might be their way of showing a sort of
sportsmanship.
History
Long before we began to settle in cities, land and territory disputes were often
a problem. When our ancestors encountered these issues, instead of hiring a
lawyer, the Dumagat people played a ball game to decide who should own it.

Materials
• 1 ball
• 2 goal point

Mechanics
Mali is a game usually played by two teams and it has a bit of similarity to
American Football with a little bit of Basketball thrown in. First, a ball made of
cloth will be thrown in the air and the teams will try their best to reach or catch it
first. The player who manages to get the cloth ball must run towards the base of
their enemy to win the game.

However, things will keep getting interesting here as the opposing team will
try their best to tackle, block or pull the player with the cloth ball and defend
their base. It will take some jumping skills and agile footwork to be able to win
this kind of game.
Essence
This game is often played in Dumagat to settle disputes over a land or territorial
disputes. Hence, the party who wins in this game, will claim the rights over the
territory.

Sources:
Encyclopedia of the Philippine Folk Beliefs and Customs Vol. 1 by Fr. Francisco
Demetrio, S.J.
http://www.northphiltimes.blogspot.com/2016/03/lang-ay-festival-nostalgic-
look-at.com
“The Native Theatre” from Philippine Quarterly 1 by Dassy H. Aveilana (1952)
“Early Drama Forms in the Philippines” from Philippine Quarteriy 1 by Josefino
Constantino (1961)
“Games of Katutubo” from Roses and Thorns by Alejandro R.Roces, published on
Philstar (2009)
Filipino Foot Fighting by Perry Gil S Mallari published on FMApulse.com (2010)
Dumog article published on FMApulse.com (2009)
I Juander: The Tribal Games: Exploring Native Filipino Combat Sports aired on
GMA TV (April 29, 2015)
Retrieved from: https://www.aswangproject.com/exploring-filipino-tribal-games/
Press and Public Affairs Bureau. “House approves bill preserving indigenous
games. Retrieved from
http://www.congress.gov.ph/press/details.php?pressid=11141&key=Philippine%2
0Indigenous%20Games%20Preservation%20Act%20of%202017%E2%80%9D.
 According to the book ‘A Study of Philippine Games’ (Lopez, 1980), ‘laro’ is the
Filipino generic term for all forms of recreational play. ‘Palaro’ is the closest word
for the term game and it refers to a group pf special occasion games that takes
place during festivals and town fiestas. It can also denote to games that are
competitive in nature where each tournament is always concluded.

In addition, Malay (1956) pointed out that ‘Filipinos like to play game’, and
even up until the present, it is observed to be true. As part of the Filipinos pastime,
most particularly in the rural areas and during moonlight nights, Filipinos interact
with each other as a part of their recreation, socialization and relaxation after a
hard day’s work and even lead up to the growth and development of a person
as an individual.

Indigenous Games are commonly played by children, usually using native

materials or anything that can be seen and made within houses. In the Philippines,
due to limited resources of toys of Filipino children, they usually come up on
inventing games without the need of anything but the players themselves. With
the flexibility of a real human to think and act makes the game more interesting
and challenging. Because it is a tradition for Filipinos to play in a bigger and
spacious area, most games are usually played outside the house.

Even though we are highly influenced by the different colonizers; we have

developed our own culture. Our practices are unique, wonderful, has spiritual
imagery and greatly embodied by the Filipino identity. While we are gradually
going into the world of globalization and the progress it brought to the country as
well, let us be thankful that we have experience playing Indigenous games once
again as our course on college because this is already a part of our culture and
tradition for several decades that we must nourish and enrich.
 House approves bill preserving indigenous games
23 December 2018 11:13:28 AM
Voting unanimously with 206 votes and without abstention, the
House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill 8626 or
the proposed “Philippine Indigenous Games Preservation Act of 2017” which
seeks to preserve indigenous games to ensure that future generations of Filipinos
can still enjoy them.

The bill, principally authored by Rep. Salvador Belaro (Party-list, 1-Ang

Edukasyon) declares that the State, as enshrined in the Constitution, shall
recognize, respect, and protect the rights of indigenous cultural communities
(ICCs) within the framework of national unity and development.

The State shall take the necessary steps to preserve

the indigenous peoples’ games which serve as the best avenue for self-
expression and promoting peace, harmony, goodwill and camaraderie among
them.

Furthermore, it states that Article 31.1 of the United Nations Declaration

on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) enjoins all state signatories to take
effective measures to recognize and protect the
exercise of the indigenous peoples’ rights which include the maintenance,
control, and development of their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and
traditional expression, oral tradition, literature, designs, sports and
traditional games, among others.

In line with this, the bill seeks to mandate the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in coordination with the Department of Education
(DepEd), to initiate measures to preserve indigenous games in the country,
including 1) their inclusion in the appropriate part of the curriculum in the basic
education system of the schools; 2) the preservation of such games either by
documentary or other useful means; and 3) the holding of regular
demonstration of such games in national events and appropriate
school activities.

Likewise, the NCCA shall conduct research on the various sports

traditionally played by different indigenous groups within the region to ensure
the preservation and development of these games.
 The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), in coordination with
the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), and the local government units (LGUs),
shall conduct annual regional and national indigenous sports competitions.

The host LGU shall have the prerogative to choose which sports events shall
be included in the regional and national indigenous sports competitions.

As the lead agencies, the NCCA and the DepEd, in coordination with the
PSC, POC and LGUs, shall promulgate the implementing rules and
regulations of the Act 60 days after its effectivity.

Belaro said the country is rich in cultural tradition which tends to be slowly
modified by the onslaught of digital modernization.
“Part of our rich cultural heritage are indigenous games such as sepak takraw
and the like,” said Belaro.

Co-authors of the bill include Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, Jr. Minority
Leader Danilo Suarez, Deputy Majority Leader Rodante Marcoleta, Reps. Gus
Tambunting, Ann Hofer, Rhea Vergara, Anthony Bravo, Arnolfo Teves, Rogelio
Pacquiao, and Cheryl Deloso-Montalla, among others. | Eddie Galvez