SVS won First Price in Khangsa Festival

Khangsa Festival Held

Bontoc. Many spectators witnessed the 1st Khangsa Festival of Bontoc Ili that was held on August 29, 2010 at the Bontoc municipal quadrangle here.

Participants of the fest were the 11 sitios of Bontoc Ili that were clustered into four and all school institutions within the four central barangays of Bontoc.

The Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC) won 2 first prizes in street dancing- khangsa inaninit and khangsa in the cultural presentation; the Saint Vincent’s High School garnered 1st prize in the street dancing- ayoweng si karsa; and cluster 2 won the first prize in the ayoweng si lakan.

The 1st prizes were pegged at P6,000.00 each while P3,000.00 was given as token to each of the participating groups.
The clusters that participated in the occasion were: 1-Chakchakan, Falling and Lanao; 2-Fatayan, Palop-o, Amkawa and Foyayeng; 3-Filig, Chakalan, Chao-ey and Chakkong; and 4-Pattig, Omfeg and Pokisan.

According to Bontoc Ili kagawad Limmayog and Foman-eg, they said that the ayoweng si karsa was a famous practice long time ago until it seemed forgotten in the late 50s. In this cultural practice, two separate groups of ladies and males chanted along the national highway from the municipal building to the rotunda and back to the municipal building. More often this was where a fafalo (unmarried male) is paired to a minamadkit (lady) he wants to be his sweetheart. This is usually done after fertilization of the rice paddies (tonek), planting rice seedlings (toned) or rip rapping (toping) of a rice paddy or portion of pathway, etc.

Bontoc Ili barangay chairman Saturnino Fanaang Jr. revealed that the festival was aimed to have some of the Bontoc cultural practices be recognized, appreciated and preserved. He further said that some of the cultural practices of the Bontoks are the results of what made up the younger Bontoks today.

Bontoc Ili is one of the 16 barangays of Bontoc. Some residents of Poblacion, Samoki and Caluttit traced their roots from Bontoc Ili.By: Francis B. Degay

Similar to the fagfagto, ayoweng si karsa has become "extinct". Congratulations to the SVS team for presenting the ayoweng si karsa. Ayoweng si lakan, if it's not being practiced presently, may have also become "extinct".

d'bontokinian wrote:Similar to the fagfagto, ayoweng si karsa has become "extinct". Congratulations to the SVS team for presenting the ayoweng si karsa. Ayoweng si lakan, if it's not being practiced presently, may have also become "extinct".

Thanks for sharing sir. i´m familiar with fag-fagto and yes it became ¨extinct¨ and i noticed the young generation love to perform it during cultural and street dancing. I don´t exactly recall if I have seen one of these ayoweng si karsa and ayoweng si lakan... What´s exactly the difference or what could be the distinction between them?

just asking,
dunior

Can't speak about the ayoweng si lakan as I couldn't recall having witnessed it. But as to the ayoweng si karsa described by Francis Degay in his write up above, yes, as a kid (five or six years old at that time) I've witnessed that on occasion, where the group of mamagkits and the fafallos behind them, take a leisurely stroll through the kamalin (that's the national road) singing. I don't know why it's termed ayoweng though, but may be that's the right Bontoc term to the singing. I've even witnessed some kids(brats) my age darting through the group trying to pull or tug at the ends of the wakes of the mamagkits or the wanes of the fafallos in playful pranks. Yes sir, those were the days, heh heh heh.

d'bontokinian wrote: I've even witnessed some kids(brats) my age darting through the group trying to pull or tug at the ends of the wakes of the mamagkits or the wanes of the fafallos in playful pranks. Yes sir, those were the days, heh heh heh.

HAHAHA... your days can´t be compare to ours sir. That I missed during my younger years. Having been born and raised away from ili ay Fontok kalalaychan, I really have to learn our culture so I could have something to share to my children and great grandchildren if ever... It´s the only pamana I got from my forebears. I´m really learning from all this sharing sir. Thanks!

SVS, as a school of living traditions is probably in the position to "revive" some of the forgotten culture through its participation in cultural activities, like in the Lang-ay or in the Khangsa Festival as mentioned here earlier, as well as in school dramatic plays.

wowh!! congratulations ahhh garud!!!
keep up the good work!!!!
make us(alumni) proud of the next batches!!! ^_^