SAGADA, Mt. Province – Textbooks say a lot about traditions being passed on to the succeeding generation by word of mouth, but to assume that indigenous peoples have no means to record their customs other than committing these to memory may lend the process a rather simplistic view.

In Sagada, Mt. Province, where customs and traditions are steeped in symbolism and metaphor, one may find a semblance of recorded history in an unlikely object: A basket.

The takba (ritual basket), kept at the heart of every household that firmly believes in indigenous tradition, bears the life stories of local families for generations. More importantly, owning a takba affirms one’s membership in the community.

As a cultural symbol, it is woven into the community’s varied rituals, while sanctions are imposed on those who do not observe ritualistic decrees and pronouncements.

Outsiders may describe the practice as animist, but more than the belief in the transference of souls into objects, the community regards the takba as a storehouse of significant events in the lives of people, families and clusters belonging to the dap-ay (council). This is because the takba bears traces of past rituals, such as pig tails, chicken feathers and other parts of ritual animals that serve as historical reminders, or vessels containing tapey (rice wine) and set aside as offerings to departed ancestors.

Protection

Elders who lead the rituals say the takba assures them that the am-ama (ancestors) will continue to protect the community and bring about sustained welfare. No magic or sorcery is involved, they say, except only that the takba serves as a conduit between the earthly and spiritual planes, an uninterrupted correspondence between the living and the dead.

Bringing it out during important rituals, such as the begnas, is a “renewal” of the people’s relationship with their ancestors and a reaffirmation of their adherence to tradition.

Begnas is performed at least six times a year, according to the agricultural cycle. The prayerful event calls upon the community to invoke ancestral blessings for protection and well-being.

Like the transfiguration of Christ in the Catholic faith, the takba represents the ancestors during the begnas and other rituals, brought to the babawian (sacred place) and pat-patayan (home of the ancestors) in stages during the weeklong event.

In chants, the elders begin their supplication by referring to the takba as “laga din am-ama mi (woven by our ancestors).” A litany of invocations is launched for bountiful harvest, to keep the waters flowing, to rid the community of sickness and pestilence, and even for specific intentions, such as safe travel.

Above the hearth

In between rituals, it is usually kept above a household hearth (which explains its sooty display) as a way of protecting the fragile material from deterioration.

Ownership of a takba becomes a deciding factor, for instance, in case of death, particularly in determining whether the deceased will be honored on a sangadil (death chair) with all its circumstances.

History and tradition are read from the takba, not literally through its hidden objects but rather as reminder that rituals and customs are alive. The elders call this pudong – a road map for believers to stoke the flame of faith.

The simplicity of the takba’s symbolism can also be understood when a community member no longer owns one. It is a renunciation of its relevance to all things indigenous and traditional – a signal that the member no longer wishes to be part of any ritual.