Benguet kicks off ‘Cañao’ fest

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The indigenous peoples of Benguet from the 13 municipalities and visitors as well as tourists witnessed the offering of around 30 pigs in celebration of the 123rd founding anniversary of the province at the Wangal Sports Complex in Buyagan, La Trinidad, Benguet Thursday.

The day is also regarded as the "Adivay Festival" of Benguet.

"Adivay" is a local term for a community coming together as one. The festival is a month-long celebration extending until the month of December with indigenous and various community activities hosted by the provincial government and the locals.

Before the program and the "grand cañao," officials of the provincial government and municipal government units and staff of different departments with the participation of representatives from other local governments like Baguio City filled the main streets of La Trinidad town during a parade from the Provincial Capitol to the Wangal Sports Complex in Buyagan.

After that, representatives from each of the 13 municipalities showed their prowess in the "Depap ni otik" or catching of pigs to get their share of pig to be butchered, cooked and be shared among their "kakailyans" or village mates.

Key officials led by Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas kicked off the traditional "tayao" or the indigenous dance of the Kankanaey and Ibaloi etholinguistic groups of Benguet while the "bunong and owik" where the pigs where offered to the Almighty marked the start of the whole-day Grand Cañao.

Booths of the municipalities and visiting delegations were set up in the sports complex where the people as one community partake in the sharing of food while continuous beating of the gongs and solibaos — or indigenous percussion instruments — and indigenous songs and dance filled the festive atmosphere where YBenguets took part.