The Ifugaos are undeniably among the most creative and hardworking of Filipinos. Despite the unstable and harsh condition of the land’s natural contour, they have acquired a thorough familiarity of the local drainage patterns and constructed the rice terraces using the simplest hand tools. From valley floor to mountain peak, the Ifugaos constructed sturdy stonewalls that reaches 50 feet. From the foot each terrace is slightly higher in elevation with the former, thus the steep slopes become amazing terraces. Since the terraces require an elevated water source, they construct a unique irrigation system that makes use of the streams and rivers above the mountains. They made stone-lined canals and use bamboo logs to flow water.
Farming for the Ifugaos is more than basic sustenance, they regarded it as the manifestation of their relationship with natural and supernatural forces. In fact, the core of their religion is the rite for man and for rice culture, called the baki. A native priest called mumbaki performs the different kinds of rites --rites for every phase in man’s life, and rites for every stage of rice agriculture. Some of the rituals for the rice agriculture performed by in the granary of the field-owner are the following: panal, which is done when sowing of selected rice seeds; pingil, performed when transplanting the seeds; and kulpi which is done during the rest period.
The Ifugao indigenous religion believes in a supreme being called Maknongan, the god to whom sacrifice and rites are due, and said to be the gods of reproduction and controller of man’s life. Many other gods are worshiped; among them are bagol, dalom, lagud, daya, and daggahna. From these spiritual entities, the most famous to tourists is bulul, (simply because many wooden effigies, ornate pieces like pendants with carved bulul are now available for sale). Bulul is said to be the guardian spirits of granaries and forests.
The Ifugaos believe that these gods are generous, approachable and can be influenced by the proper rites and behavior. But if ignored or treated badly, these gods can quickly get angry and may cause misfortune and injury.
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