‘AMMUNGAN’ SHOWCASES VIZCAYA’S HISTORY, CULTURE

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya: Ammungan Festival, the grand annual founding anniversary celebration of this province, will wrap up today its week-long celebration focusing on the rich history and culture of its native sons.

The festivities that started on May 21 commemorates the 179th founding anniversary of the province on May 24, which since 1985 has been declared by then- President Ferdinand Marcos as a special non- working public holiday.

Since 2014, former governor Ruth Padilla, wife of former congressman, now Gov. Carlos Padilla, has initiated a special program to teach young indigenous peoples (IPs) about their vanishing cultural traditions.

The province of Nueva Vizcaya, one of the most colorful and culturally diverse provinces in the country, is located within the majestic mountain ranges of the Cordillera, Caraballo and Sierra Madre.

It is home to 18 IP groups that have made it their home for centuries.

The major tribes here include the Ifugaos of the towns of Quezon, Bagabag and Kasibu; the Gaddangs of Solano and Bayombong; the Isinais of Dupax del Sur, Bambang and Aritao; the Kalanguyas of Santa Fe; and the Bugkalots of Alfonso Castañeda and Dupax del Norte.

“Ammungan” is a Gaddang word that means “gathering,” while its Ilocano counterpart is “ummungan,” which has the same meaning and is widely understood among the ethnolinguistic groups.

Padilla said the provincial government is now very actively teaching the younger generation the local dialects, native dances, songs and rituals, through the Indigenous Peoples Summer Workshop (IPSW).

“Since we started the IPSW program, we have already taught more than a thousand children of IPs who belong to the Ifugao tribes of Tuwali and Ayangan, the Igorot’s Kalanguya and Ibaloi, as well as the Isinais, Gaddangs, Bugkalots and Iwaks,” he added.

One of the highlights of the Ammungan Festival is the participation of young IPs who perform their native songs, dances and rituals during cultural shows.

In the past, the performances were left to the IP elders.

“These young indigenous peoples’ children have also been invited to other cultural events conducted outside the province,” Padilla said.

Ma. Carla Lucia Torralba, the festival’s director- general and executive committee head, chose history and culture as the main focus to promote the historical and cultural traditions of various indigenous peoples that compose 70 percent of the total population of Nueva Vizcaya.

“Highlighting the culture and history during this year’s festivity is very timely as the provincial government is exerting all its efforts to preserve the traditions of various tribes in the province,” Padilla said.