Dolinas
Dolinas
Dolinas
Dental structure would have given us an estimate of the age of the cadaver at the
time of death but this is already unreliable because in some, the absence of
dentition (teething) indicates this was done post-mortem, she says.
Tauro says souvenir hunters in the past had the tendency to pilfer parts of the
cadaveroften taking a tooth or a fingersuch that as far as the mummies are
concerned, scientists can no longer study a pristine specimen.
There are parts of the dead, however, that can still speak audibly through the
centuries. Tauro says the staining of the teeth suggests the active chewing of betel
nut during the natural life of the individual.
Body art
Tattoo details, remarkably preserved especially in the case of Apo Anno, are virtual
symbolic records of the life of the individual.
Abinion, who has handled Apo Anno for the past 15 years, says parts of the
mummys body art show animal figures, which suggest that he must have been a
hunter.
Detailed explanation of Apo Annos tattoos is found in The Recontextualization of
Burik (Traditional Tattoos) of Kabayan Mummies in Benguet to Contemporary
Practices, a 2012 journal article by Dr. Analyn Salvador-Amores, UP Baguio
assistant professor of social anthropology.
She writes that Apo Anno might have belonged to a group described in the Ilokano
epic, Biag ni Lam-ang, as Igorot a burikan (spotted Igorot).
Amores says the burik patterns were kin-based and had social and collective
meanings among the Ibaloy. The details on Apo Annos tattoos are similar to the
1885 monographs of German scientist Hans Meyer, Amores says. They appear on
the mummy of Apo Anno, which is estimated to be 700 to 900 years old, she says.
Widespread practice
Unlike tattooing which is an individualized practice, mummification appears
widespread when it existed in Benguet, says Tauro. This is seen in the varied ways
in which the dead were displayed, indicating that there might have been a good
number of people who knew about the process.
This is because it is likely that the people might have stumbled into the practice in
the course of their agricultural practices, says Dr. June Prill-Brett, an anthropologist
who was part of a team of anthropologists who surveyed the Kabayan mummies in
the late 1960s.
Pre-Hispanic farmers in Benguet discovered that bacterial lesions on their cattle
can be cured using the juice extracted from the patani (Lima bean), she says. By
association, the farmers must have thought: if the juice can stop the flesh from
rotting, this could be done to preserve the dead as well.
This challenges the belief that salt solution was used in the mummification process.
Salt was a trade commodity in the highlands and is valued in gold in todays
standards, says Cordillera photographer Tommy Hafalla. But he says even the
wealthiest baknang of the Ibaloy could not have used salt in preserving their
dead.
*https://books.google.com.ph/books?
id=jpkmrn9a9pkC&pg=PR7&lpg=PR7&dq=apo+anno+origin&source=bl&ots=M7yP
SWsnt8&sig=ZwvbP5DWdqdIGWb8JteU6Auju4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjMjsG_uOrKAhVEkpQKHYZJBJUQ6AEI
MDAE#v=onepage&q=apo%20anno%20origin&f=false
Since 2001, Buguias has been producing 500,000 tons of cabbage, 300,000 tons of
potatoes, 200,000 tons of chayote and 100,000 tons of carrots a month, records
from the provincial government showed.
Residents of Sitio (sub-village) Nabalicong in Barangay (village) Natubleng are
convinced the harvests are blessings from Apo Anno, Nayusan said.
Anno was a Kankanaey hunter, who was a son of Tugtugaka, a chieftain and hunter
of Nabalicong, and Cuyapon, who was believed to be a fairy and a guardian of forest
animals.
As a revered leader of his community, Anno had his body tattooed to indicate his
prominent status.
Nayusan said the community had grieved for years when the mummified body was
stolen in 1918. Annos descendants believed that the theft displeased the spirits,
who showed their displeasure by bringing heavy rains and landslides to the
Cordillera.
At a Manila carnival in 1922, the mummy resurfaced briefly but was not seen again
until 1984 when it was displayed at an antique shop and was taken to the custody
of the National Museum.
Benguet elders, who were accompanied by local officials to the museum in Manila,
confirmed the mummys identity from its tattoos. In May 1999, they accompanied
the mummy home.
A three-day feast was held in Apo Annos honor before the mummy was entombed
in a cave in Nabalicong. A rainbow appeared in the sky at the culmination of the
eventan auspicious sign, according to the elders.
Since the return of Apo Anno, the community folk of Nabalicong and its
neighboring villages have noted bountiful harvests and good income, Nayusan
said.
This set shows my first encounter of Apo Anno in 1985 and our coverage of the famed mummys return in
1998 from the laboratory of the National Museum to the mummy's original resting place in Sitio
Nabalikong Buguias, Benguet. Many stories were told about the lost and fabled mummy of upland
Cordillera and Apo Anno's return is just but a short segment of what we came to know about the
indigenous people of the Philippines. I took the photo of Apo Anno shown lying inside a wooden box in
1985 which became the subject of a media expose penned by a provincial correspondent. I first came
across the famed Benguet Mummy Apo Anno in 1985 when I visited Gerry Navarro, a friend working at
the National Museum. A former schoolmate who also works there called my attention.. "Arthur, yung
kababayan mo nasa ibaba sa lab.." and so the newsman instinct in me led me to see the mummy and
take a single snapshot so as not to distract the guard who let me in not knowing that I had an intention to
take a photo inside. I narrated the presence of an Ibaloi mummy (not knowing that Apo Anno belonged to
the Kalanguya-Kankanay area of Benguet) to my Kumpare Mike Michael A. Bengwayan who at that time
was a correspondent of DepthNews and so we developed an expose of the presence of a mummy at the
National Museum. In 1998, reports bared that through the intercession of then Central Bank Governor
Jaime Laya and Museum Curator Fr. Casal, Apo Anno was brought home to his original resting place in
Sitio Nabalikong, Buguias following traditional rites and rituals. Wikipedia's version...In 1995, Mr. Sario
Copas then councilor of Buguias passed a resolution in the municipal council for the recovery of the Apo
Anno. However, the resolution was not heard. It was only in 1998 during a seminar-workshop on the
conservation of Benguet mummies held in the Benguet Provincial Capitol that Mr. Copas who became a
provincial board member reasserted the return of Apo Anno to Buguias. From there, the staff of National
Museum in Manila gave the reassurance that the matter would be discussed with their Director. Mr. Copas
filed the petition at the provincial board, and the Provincial Resolution No. 98-527 dated October 28, 1998
was passed and unanimously endorsed by the provincial board, and then approved by then Governor
Raul Molintas.Apo Anno was eventually returned to Benguet in the same year. In May 1999, the mummy
was sealed from public view."Thishttp://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Image%3AApo_anno.jpg wiki
photo shows both my feet and tripod while documenting in video the homecoming ritual of Apo Anno.
Today, a spouse of a former official is claiming the credits for having masterminded the return of the
mummy.
*http://www.traveltothephilippines.info/2012/01/24/apo-anno-cave-in-benguet/
The search is over, Apo Anno is back to his original resting place in Sitio
Nabalikong, Buguias Benguet. The mummy of Apo Anno was believed to have
been stolen from his cave and sold to different handlers until he eventually
landed and stayed at the National Museum in Manila for fifteen years.
From the oral tradition of Benguet, Apo Anno is believed to be a demigod. His
father is a human being, a hunter named Togtogaka, while his biological
mother is Kuyapon, a Tomongao (mountain spirit) in human form at the time
when she & Togtogaka conceived Anno. Because of his human scent,
Kuyapons father did not want him; hence, Kuyapon gave the child to
Togtogaka. Togtogaka then took home the child to his wife, whom he cannot
bear a child with. As such, Anno is said to be a gift of the goddess to the
couple.
No clear accounts state whether or not Anno got married and had children.
From the oral memories of the community of Nabalicong, as well as,
documents pertaining to disappearance of the preserved body, Apo Annos
mummy disappeared around 1918 to 1920 when Americans were starting to
erect structures in Benguet. Accordingly, Iloko cargo carriers transported the
mummy from Benguet to Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
Linda De Leon in her article The Mummies of Benguet published in
thePhilippine Panorama on August 8, 1976, stated that the Apo Anno mummy
was also exhibited in a museum in Seattle, Washington sometime in the late
1940s.
In 1984, Ms. Conception Cortes donated the mummy to the National Museum
in Manila. She reported that she purchased the mummy in 1973 and that the
mummy belonged to the late Don Antonio Jimenez of Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
Sometime in the 1960s a letter from a museum in the USA came to Benguet
seeking the assistance of the municipal government of Buguias and Kabayan
to help in locating the kin of Apo Anno so that his remains may be brought
home. However, no action happened with regard to the letter since the
expected descendants did not follow up the case due to fear and due to their
inability to understand the paper works they had to accomplish.
In 1995, Mr. Sario Copas then councilor of Buguias passed a resolution in the
municipal council for the recovery of the Apo Anno. However, the resolution
was not heard. It was only in 1998 during a seminar-workshop on the
conservation of Benguet mummies held in the Benguet Provincial Capitol that
Mr. Copas who became a provincial board member reasserted the return of
Apo Anno to Buguias. From there, the staff of National Museum in Manila
gave the reassurance that the matter would be discussed with their Director.
Mr. Copas filed the petition at the provincial board, and the Provincial
Resolution No. 98-527 dated October 28, 1998 was passed and unanimously
endorsed by the provincial board, and then approved by then Governor Raul
Molintas.
Apo Anno was eventually returned to Benguet in the same year. In May 1999,
the mummy was sealed from public view.
http://www.wowphilippines.tk/2015/01/apo-anno-cave.html
for the mummy stolen from his ancient burial cave sometime in the 1920s. Apo Anno
has come home to his final resting place in Nabalicong, Natubleng.
The plight and preservation of these Mummies are very real, against vandalizing visitors
and thefts that would lead these revered Ibaloi ancestors to the black market. It's good
to know that our government pays a close watch, we were only allowed as it is to visit
these caves along the slopes of Mt Timbak, it is known that these caves century old as
they were, that dates back even before the Spaniards came to colonize the Philippines
and spread Roman Catholicism. The Mummy caves of Mt Timbak are famous along to
with many other sites in Benguet Province, simply because it is here that these sacred
Mummies where opened to the public's awareness, hence the looting and vandalism
came. I've heard accounts of Mummy caves even in Mt Pulag, and knowing that most of
these caves are unprotected, it serves well that the elders of the Ibaloi tribes kept mum
of
these
sites.
The Mummies fascinated me, seeing the human remains of a revered Filipino ancestor.
I only have but utmost respect, safe in fetal position in their wooden coffins, with prayers
offered
by
our
guide
before
they
were
opened
to
us.
Perhaps one of the most famous Mummy from Benguet is Apo Anno, a true legend of
folklore and is even thought to be a son of a goddess. His remains is now safe in it's
sealed cave in Natubleng, Buguias, Benguet.
http://www.pala-lagaw.com/2013/03/benguet-fire-mummies-of-philippines.html
Photo was taken at the home of our guide in Mt Timbak. We registered before
we were escorted to the burial sites of the mummies, the house has a very
nice view of the Mountains before it, including Mt Pulag, and this dirty
kitchen was homey with charm akin to it.
Mt Timbak uniquely stands out for the very rich heritage that it hoards. This is the home of the so
called Fire Mummies of the Philippines, aka Kabayan Mummies. That says a lot about the rich
culture of the Ibaloi's, but due to danger of losing this, it was listed in 1998 World Monuments Watch,
a nonprofit organization that calls to action and challenge government authorities responsible for
important cultural resources to identify sites immediately at risk, and to stimulate public awareness of
the tremendous need to preserve and create sustainable uses for significant heritage made by man.
The plight and preservation of these Mummies are very real, against vandalizing visitors and thefts
that would lead these revered Ibaloi ancestors to the black market. It's good to know that our
government pays a close watch, we were only allowed as it is to visit these caves along the slopes
of Mt Timbak, it is known that these caves century old as they were, that dates back even before the
Spaniards came to colonize the Philippines and spread Roman Catholicism. The Mummy caves of
Mt Timbak are famous along to with many other sites in Benguet Province, simply because it is here
that these sacred Mummies where opened to the public's awareness, hence the looting and
vandalism came. I've heard accounts of Mummy caves even in Mt Pulag, and knowing that most of
these caves are unprotected, it serves well that the elders of the Ibaloi tribes kept mum of these
sites.
The Mummies fascinated me, seeing the human remains of a revered Filipino ancestor. I only have
but utmost respect, safe in fetal position in their wooden coffins, with prayers offered by our guide
before they were opened to us.
Perhaps one of the most famous Mummy from Benguet is Apo Anno, a true legend of folklore and
is even thought to be a son of a goddess. His remains is now safe in it's sealed cave in Natubleng,
Buguias,Benguet.
Apo Anno was eventually returned to Benguet in the same year. In May 1999, the mummy was
sealed from public view.
More of Apo Anno from WikiPilinas
Visiting These Mummy caves is a sidetrip to trekking Mt Timbak (Mt Singakalsa), and like to hike up,
to see the caves is to walk the slopes of the mountain for a good 15 to 20 minutes, with a good aerial
view of the town of Kabayan Benguet. Fences are built over the sites that are open to visitors. One
needs an Ibaloi guide to these graves, fortunately it's not very difficult to locate the house of the
guide , locals are very friendly and easy to talk with, seems like everybody that lives here knows
everyone around within a mile of their surroundings. The house of the guide is near the jump off to
these hills. A scenic place, very good to the eyes and filled with pine trees all over. Some of the pines
are bath in clouds, some even have Spanish mosses that can only be seen in high altitude areas.
Photo of our guide walking down the path as he leads us to visit the burial
caves.
Photo from the outside of one of the Mummy Caves, our guide requested
that we do not take photos of the actual Mummy, but that we are allowed to
see it. For your eyes only.
*** Blog updated as of November 2, 2014. Added a few photos from a return visit to Mt Timbak (Mt
Singakalsa) February 2014. See the set of photos below this.
This time, our guide is a girl who walked ahead of us. A little less friendly than Vince who was our
guide last year.
Registration fee is Php 30.00 fund that as I understand is to be used for the effort to preserve the
heritage.
Wishing to visit the Mummies, You can reach out to the Guide Vince
Gapuz at
0919-8524410
or
add
him
in
Facebook
at www.facebook.com/vince.gapuz
Thanks to Mervin of pinoyadventurista.com for the contact info.
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Natubleng_Burial_Caves
Natubleng Burial Caves are natural burial caves in Natubleng, Buguias, Benguet. However, at present people
refer it to the most popular burial cave in the area, known as the Apo Anno Cave, the final resting place of the
most famous mummy in Benguet, Apo Anno. Another natural burial cave in Natubleng is the Shogen Burial
Cave, which is in need of further studies and exploration.
Contents
1 History of Apo Anno
Genealogy of Anno
From the oral tradition of Benguet, Apo Anno is believed to be a demigod. His father is a human being, a hunter
named Togtogaka, while his biological mother is Kuyapon, a Tomongao (mountain spirit) in human form at the
time when she & Togtogaka conceived Anno. Because of his human scent, Kuyapons father did not want him;
hence, Kuyapon gave the child to Togtogaka. Togtogaka then took home the child to his wife, whom he cannot
bear a child with. As such, Anno is said to be a gift of the goddess to the couple.
No clear accounts state whether or not Anno got married and had children.
In 1984, Ms. Conception Cortes donated the mummy to the National Museum in Manila. She reported that she
purchased the mummy in 1973 and that the mummy belonged to the late Don Antonio Jimenez of Vigan, Ilocos
Sur.
Apo Anno
Sometime in the 1960s a letter from a museum in the USA came to Benguet seeking the assistance of the
municipal government of Buguias and Kabayan to help in locating the kin of Apo Anno so that his remains may
be brought home. However, no action happened with regard to the letter since the expected descendants did
not follow up the case due to fear and due to their inability to understand the paper works they had to
accomplish.
In 1995, Mr. Sario Copas then councilor of Buguias passed a resolution in the municipal council for the
recovery of the Apo Anno. However, the resolution was not heard. It was only in 1998 during a seminarworkshop on the conservation of Benguet mummies held in the Benguet Provincial Capitol that Mr. Copas who
became a provincial board member reasserted the return of Apo Anno to Buguias. From there, the staff of
National Museum in Manila gave the reassurance that the matter would be discussed with their Director. Mr.
Copas filed the petition at the provincial board, and the Provincial Resolution No. 98-527 dated October 28,
1998 was passed and unanimously endorsed by the provincial board, and then approved by then Governor
Raul Molintas.
Apo Anno was eventually returned to Benguet in the same year. In May 1999, the mummy was sealed from
public view.
References
Isikias Picpican. The Igorot Mummies. Rex Bookstore, Inc. 2003. Accessed November 1, 2011.
Citations
Bridge Cosme. Photos: Apo Anno Cave & Apo Anno. Nabalicong, Buguias, Benguet. May 14-16, 1999.
Permission obtained from photographer November 8, 2011.
http://www.philstar.com/nation/2013/01/10/895422/probe-launched-over-benguets-stolen-mummies
A mummy off the Timbac caves in Timbac village, Kabayan, Benguet called "laughing mummy" because
of its wide open mouth cavity, is among the treasured cultural heritage of the Kabayan people which they
are seeking to protect amid an investigation on the alleged stealing of the national government the
Marcos regime declared these mummies as "national treasures." (Artemio Dumlao)
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet The governments tribal rights body, the National Commission on Indigenous
Peoples (NCIP) is probing proof on stolen rights of the indigenous peoples in Kabayan town in Benguet
over stolen mummies, which is part of their cultural heritage.
Putting blame on the national government as the thief of the mummies after it declared them as
national treasures, Kabayan Councilor Salvador Araoco said it seems like the national government
stole the rights of the municipality as the rightful owner of their mummies.
During the Marcos regime, some mummies went on missing, some until today.
NCIP Regional Director Sancho Buquing, who claims he only heard of the issue recently, vowed to probe
on the missing mummies and the alleged stolen rights of the people.
NCIP, he said, will investigate the apparent lack of consultation of the IPs on the declaration of mummies
as national treasures.
He added that mainstreaming culture should be limited for the preservation and protection of cultural
heritage.
Apo Annos body was stolen in 1918 and was believed to be exhibited overseas.
Benguet folk reportedly tried to locate the mummy but they failed to find it.
In 1967, when it rained continuously for 45 days, the people of Buguias vowed to locate the body of Apo
Anno.
In 1998, negotiations started for the retrieval of the mummy and in 1999, Annos body was brought back
to its resting place in Nabaligcong, Buguias.
Apo Anno is a wellknown cultural image of Benguet because of his great deeds when he was alive as a
great hunter, traveler and a tribal mediator.
http://tl.answers.com/Q/Ano_ang_buong_kwento_tungkol_sa_Benguet_Mummy
Ang kuwentong ito ay tungkol sa isang mummy sa sitio Nabalicong, barangay Natubleng munisipyo ng
Buguias, Benguet na kung tawagin ay "APPO ANO". Ayon sa oral na panitikan ng Benguet si Appo
Anno ay isang kalahating diyos at kalahating tao.Si Appo Anno rin ay ang pinaniniwalaang
pinakaunang Tribal Leader ng Benguet na priniserba ang labi.
May isang mangangaso na ang pangalan ay Tugtugaca, minsan siya ay nangangaso sa hangganan ng
Buguias( Benguet) , Ifugao, at Mt. province. Nakakita siya ng isang "makawas" (usa) at sinundan niya
ang bakas nito sa hangaring ito ay makuha. Nakarating siya sa isang lugar kung saan may malaking
bato,na may siwang . Dahil sa pagod, sa paghahanap at gutom nagpahinga siya. Mayama'y biglang
dumilim and kapaligiran at bumuhos ang malakas na ulan. Si Tugtugaca ay tumigil at sumilong sa tabi
ng malaking batong may siwang. Nang may lumabas na babae sa may siwang , niyaya siya nitong
lumilim sa kanyang munting tahanan. Pinaunlakan ni Tugtugaca ang binibini. Doon siya nagpalimas ng
magdamag.Kinabukasan tumila ang malakas na ulan, sinabi ng binibini na pagkatapos ng siyam na
buwan balik ka dito.
Nababaghan si Tugtugaca sa sinabi sa kanya at siya'y nagpaalam.
Bumalik si Tugtugaca sa lugar na iyon . Nagkita sila ng binibini at ito'y nagwika sa kanya na" Kunin mo
siya ayaw sa kanya ng aking ama, hindi raw siya nabibilang sa amin dahil sa may halo ang dugo niya
ng tao" at ibinigay niya ang sanggol kay Tugtugaca. Tinangap niya ang sanggol. Binilin sa kanya ng
binibini na alagaan ang anak nito. Ang babae ay isang "tumengao" o engkantada ng kagubatan na
nagngangalang Kuyapon Nagpaalam sila sa isa't isa.
Tinawag ang sanggol na "Anno" sa kanyang paglaki. Siya ay napabantog sa kanilang lugar at mga
kalapit nito. Isang magiting na mangangaso. Marami siyang natulungan.Sa kanyang pagpanaw binilin
niya sa kanyang matatalik na kaibigan mga kamag-anak at nsasakupan na kung siya'y pumanaw ibalik
siya sa lugar na kanyang pinagsilangan . Ang lugar kung saan may malaking batong may siwang sa
"Nabalicong". Nagbilin na rin siya kung paano ang gagawin sa kanyang labi.Nang siya'y pumanaw
Pinaliguan siya ng mga iba't ibang dahong pampreserbatib na matagtagpuan sa kapanahunang yaon.
Siya ay Pinausukan at inilagay sa isang kabaong na yari isang napakatandang puno na matatagpuan
sa pinakagitnang gubat ito ay "tinagawtawan ay kaew" (kabaong na hindi korteng kabaong sa
modernong panahon, ito ay isang malaking puno na binutasan sa loob gamit ang paet o mga materyal
na pangbutas at panglilok) . Ang kanyang kabaong ay may disenyong makawas at itoy mabigat.
Ibinalik siya sa kanyang pinagsilangan, doon ay nagtalaga ng tagabantay sa kanyang labi mula sa
kanyang kanunuan at ang pagbabantay sa kanya'y nagpasalinsalin sa henerasyon ng kanyang lahi.
Noong isang libo siyam na raan nanakaw ang mummy, nagpasalinsalin sa iba't ibang tao hanggang sa
makarating sa Michigan Museum. Noong dekada sisenta ninakaw ang kabaong nito na may tatak na
usa noong kasagsagan ng bagyo. Kinuha daw ito ng isang Ilokano at dinaan sa Cervantes, ibinenta sa
isang collector Nang magkaroon ng programa ang Amerika na ibalik ang lahat ng mga bagay na hindi
pag-aari nito sa bansang pinagmulan kabilang si Apo Anno.at Sa panahong din yon, napapunta ang
sources:
http://www.traveltothephilippines.info/2012/01/24/apo-anno-cave-in-benguet/
http://hoparound.net/HopAround/public/tourist/poi_level3_view.page?level3Id=738
http://article.wn.com/view/1999/06/21/The_return_of_Apo_Anno_Stolen_mummy_back_home_in_the_Phi
lipp/
http://waynasdi123.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-legendof-apo-anno.html
The Legend of Apo Anno
A Long time ago, Tugtugaka, a brave chieftain of Nabalicong set out to hunt a white
deer, which had eluded many hunting trips and had posed a big challenge to many
hunters. Tugtugaka got obsessed with the deer and spent many countless days and
nights, which greatly exhausted him. Then one day, his dog sensed the white deer and
the hunting ensued. After covering a great distance of running and tracking, the deer
was finally trapped against a waterfall. Spear in hand and ready, Tugtugaka poised for a
good strike when he heard a soft and powerful womans voice Dont hurt my pet.
Bewildered, Tugtugaka saw a young woman bathing by the crystalline waterfall.
Tugtugaka was so awed with her beauty and nakedness, as he did not understand why
he didnt notice her earlier by the waterfall. She continued: My name is Cuyapon, and
that deer is my pet. Dont hurt it lest you get the ire of the folks. This place is our home.
Tugtugaka was so puzzled. He saw neither sign of dwelling nor of human activity.
As she was dressing, I see that you are a brave man, and I suppose, you are a good
leader of your village, she commented. Come inside, you are hungry and in need of
rest. You are exhausted. We can also talk so that you will understand my folks, she said
as she led him to a small cave opening. Tugtugaka was even more surprised when, as
they reached the cave opening, it became a spacious entrance, and inside, a room only
meant for a princess. All around are serenity and a paradise. Soon, he realized what he
entered is no ordinary world and Kuyapon is no ordinary mortal! She is a fairy who
becomes visible when she likes. At the end of the meeting, Tugtugaka left for home with
a sackful of meat more that what he could have obtained from the white deer. Keep our
encounter a secret, he was advised.
From then on, Tugtugaka visited the fairy regularly and they fell in love with each other.
Realizing that their love is to be blessed with a child, Kuyapon instructed Tugtugaka:
Dont come back until eight moons and a half from now. After laboring wait,
Tugtugaka returned to find Kuyapon delivering a child. It was a healthy baby boy. He
was advised: Go home and come back only after eight moons and a half from now. You
have to take out our child since he cannot live here. His mortal blood destroys the air of
peace of our world. But take good care of him as I do in my spirit way. He will grow to be
a good hunter and a worthy father of your village. Give him the name Anno, for he will
shadow his generation with abundance and good will.
Anno was then taken by Tugtugaka and raised to be a brave man and a good hunter. As
a leader, his saga includes repealing the buso (headhunters from another place and
other enemies), yet he was a peaceful man and abhorred waging war even against the
buso which earned him the respect of his villagers and other tribes. He used to hunt
along the river now named after him, the Agno River.
As Anno was in his advanced age and sensing death is near, he asked to be buried in a
place now called Nabalikong. The people protested about his coffin; a large hollowed log
would be too heavy to be carried over a mountain. Just float it on the river, it will be
carried by the river to the site, he instructed. The people were puzzled because the
burial cave is higher than the river and the river does not pass through the burial site.
You will find people to help you there and animals and food to eat, he further said.
Nevertheless they followed his instructions and indeed, the coffin floated all the way to
the burial site. They also met people to assist, the food and animals as he said. Since
Anno has a high status and is a regarded man in the village, he has to be mummified;
mummification is a long process. Right after his last breath, they opened his mouth and
forced him with strong brine solution. They even used their mouth to pump the solution
into his stomach. After three days, his body was bathed with different kinds of herbs
alternately everyday. After the bath, the body was sun-dried. The process went for at
least three months. Everyday, his animals were butchered for food of the people doing
the work. After it had dried and hardened, his body was put in the coffin to be interned
in a cave. His generation flourished and peopled many villages far and wide from
Benguet
to
Ifugao
and
Vizcaya.