Remai Alejado
Online news contributor
PAGADIAN CITY: A Subanen tribal house is the newest addition displayed at the Biyahe Na! Zambosur: ZamPen Regional Tourism Showcase.
Provincial Tourism Officer Taton Padayhag witnessed the house-making activity with officers and members of Pegumpongan Megayon Getaw Nawan (PEMEGENA), a local association of Subanens in the province.
The Subanen tribal house is made of indigenous materials utilizing round timber and was made last July 14 after the group performed a ritual called as “Ggurasan Lumpaga” led by Timuay Pesio Ombasen, a subanen priest, known in their dialect as Balian.
Things used in the ritual are rice, fresh eggs, water, wine and a bowl. Part of the ritual was the pouring of fresh chicken blood at the holes where house columns will be erected, then chicken eggs were cooked and the Malangans (the ritualists) "eat together with the unseen spirits."
Ombasen explained that the ritual was made to seek permission from the unseen spirits that might have settled in the place where the subanen house is to be constructed.
With Ombasen are Timuays Simeon Codium, PEMEGENA president, Antonio Bantas and Roberto Andale.
Timuay Codium narrated that in order to have good luck and better fortune, a Subanen should erect his house during new moon and the gurasan lumpaga is usually done when the unseen settlers start roaming around their place.
"It is our way of befriending the unseen spirits so that no harm will come to whoever comes here and whatever he does," PEMEGENA Auditor Marjorie Lubosan-Paulin explained.
Zamboanga del Sur will be hosting the Biyahe Na! Zambosur: ZamPen Regional Tourism Showcase 2007 this coming September.
The 11-day event will gather together provinces and cities comprising the Zamboanga Peninsula region to promote and sell their tourism potentials and local products.
Online news contributor
PAGADIAN CITY: A Subanen tribal house is the newest addition displayed at the Biyahe Na! Zambosur: ZamPen Regional Tourism Showcase.
Provincial Tourism Officer Taton Padayhag witnessed the house-making activity with officers and members of Pegumpongan Megayon Getaw Nawan (PEMEGENA), a local association of Subanens in the province.
The Subanen tribal house is made of indigenous materials utilizing round timber and was made last July 14 after the group performed a ritual called as “Ggurasan Lumpaga” led by Timuay Pesio Ombasen, a subanen priest, known in their dialect as Balian.
Things used in the ritual are rice, fresh eggs, water, wine and a bowl. Part of the ritual was the pouring of fresh chicken blood at the holes where house columns will be erected, then chicken eggs were cooked and the Malangans (the ritualists) "eat together with the unseen spirits."
Ombasen explained that the ritual was made to seek permission from the unseen spirits that might have settled in the place where the subanen house is to be constructed.
With Ombasen are Timuays Simeon Codium, PEMEGENA president, Antonio Bantas and Roberto Andale.
Timuay Codium narrated that in order to have good luck and better fortune, a Subanen should erect his house during new moon and the gurasan lumpaga is usually done when the unseen settlers start roaming around their place.
"It is our way of befriending the unseen spirits so that no harm will come to whoever comes here and whatever he does," PEMEGENA Auditor Marjorie Lubosan-Paulin explained.
Zamboanga del Sur will be hosting the Biyahe Na! Zambosur: ZamPen Regional Tourism Showcase 2007 this coming September.
The 11-day event will gather together provinces and cities comprising the Zamboanga Peninsula region to promote and sell their tourism potentials and local products.