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he Bago ribe

The Bago is a tribe composed of medium built and sturdy individuals. Their group is aproduct of intermarriage between the Ilocanos of the lowlands and different indigenous

cultural communities of the Cordillera Region. They are settled between the mountainranges of Ilocos and the borders of the Ilocos Provinces, La nion and Pangasinan.

Being of Iloco!Cordillera descent, they practice simple, ordinary methods of agriculture.

Tobacco drying barns, harvests of garlic and onion are integrated in their houses. Their

farming methods and practices include a system to initiate farm wor"ers at harvest timethrough a wor"ing relationship "nown as gamal, ammuy, and bunggoy.

#ccording to them,Bagos are the hilltribe dwellers and original inhabitants in the

border regions between Ilocos and Cordillera mountains different from their

neighboring tribes and other adjacent ethnic groups whose ancestors are earlyinhabitants of the country prior to colonization.

Bago communities existed in the country before the arrival of the Spaniards. Certificate

of Ancestral Domain and Land Titleswere awarded to the Bago tribe in Bakun,

Benguet, Alilem and Sugpon, Ilocos Sur. On the process are Pugo, La Union San

!milio and "er#antes, Ilocos Sur. The Bagos ha#e their o$n language,e$amples are%

sino% naicasta &$h%, $hat happened', tape% &rice $ine', mannapo &nati#e priest',

sapo &pra%er', am(in &all', sumaa &to arri#e', napupuka &a$ake', minpintas

&beauti)ul', ambit &bab% girl', ambo% &bab% bo%', eng(nga * unga &bab%*child',

minlam(ek &cold', minsipnget &dark', minngina &e+pensi#e', nakinguab * kinbaba

&lo$er portion', tuma%a$ &to )l%', minlaba &to $ash clothes'. Some Bago argons

are- a%aket or %a$, this is said $hen disma%ed*disappointed or ama/ed, kasos and

A%e, these are also said $hen disma%ed or disappointed, ni(in, this is said $hen

one happens to commit mistake.

&enerally, theBagos speakthe dialect a"in to the0ankanae%, Tingiuans and Ibalois

however, to this day' most o) them speak the Iluko dialect $ith distinct intonation.

TheBagos ha#e their o$n culturewhich has persisted to this time despite the inroads of

western influence and the so!called moderni(ation. This culture was preserved despite of

the influence of lowland brothers. )owever, the Bago rituals, practices, customs,

s%stems and belie)s are also common to the 0ankanae%s, Tingiuans and Ibalois

though $ith little di))erence in terms o) procedures o) per)orming these rituals.

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The Bago integration with the other hilltribes and intermarriages with the Ilocanos,

Tagalogs, *isayas or +uslims is the reason for the virtual losing of its own identity.

Thats why some people claim that the Bago tribe is non!e$istent because they could not

trace their place in history.

There wereissues against Bago tribefrom the very start of its organi(ation saying that

Bagos are -ust either Ilocanos or Igorots and not an Indigenous Peoples IP/ or distinct

ethnic group because they do not have their own, territorial domain, language and distinct

culture and tradition. IPs are supposed to be are those whose ancestors were e$isted prior

to coloni(ation and were called the non Christians.

In the -ust concluded Bago Tribal Congress, the above issues and 0uestions were given

answers and clarifications.

The Bago is a tribe composed of medium built and sturdy individuals. Their group is a

product of intermarriage between the Ilocanos of the lowlands and different indigenous

cultural communities of the Cordillera Region. They are settled between the mountain

ranges of Ilocos and the borders of the Ilocos Provinces, La nion and Pangasinan.

Being of Iloco!Cordillera descent, they practice simple, ordinary methods of agriculture.

Tobacco drying barns, harvests of garlic and onion are integrated in their houses. Their

farming methods and practices include a system to initiate farm wor"ers at harvest time

through a wor"ing relationship "nown as gamal, ammuy, and bunggoy.

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Lenguas de gato

Ingredients-

1 cup all(purpose )lour, si)ted,1*2 cup super)ine $hite sugar,3hites )rom 2 eggs,1*4

teaspoon salt,1*2 cup butter, so)tened,1*2 teaspoon #anilla e+tract

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"ooking procedure-

1. Preheat oven to 234 degrees 5ahrenheit.

6. Cream the butter using an electric mi$er then gradually add the sugar. Continue mi$ing

for another 6 minutes.

2. 7tir!in the egg whites gradually and mi$ for about 2 to 8 minutes more.

8. #dd salt and vanilla e$tract.

4. &radually stir!in the flour. Continue to mi$ for about 6 to 2 minutes more or until themi$ture is well incorporated.

9. &et a piping bag and install a round tip. Place the mi$ture in the piping bag.

3. :n a ba"ing tray lined with wa$ or parchment paper, begin piping the mi$ture. ;ach

piece should be about 6.4 to 2 inches in length.