IX. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
9.4 Beliefs, traditions, and practices of the Batak on wild pig
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powder or apog, and rice (optional). The seven red beads or manek symbolize the red blood of the seven wild pigs caught.
In Kalakwasan, the respondents explained that they find it difficult to catch wild pigs every time Kyudalan Napantaran call the wild pigs for confinement, hence they make an offer through sagda. The government and the scientists could not see them because they are in confinement according to one lagwasan. He added that the ones roaming around are those that are unable to reach their confinement.
One lagwasan , I you have a wild pig roaming around, and the hunters are trying to catch them, will you not call them and confined them to prevent them from being harmed? The wild pigs are confined by Kyudalan Napantaran their caretaker, he said. Another lagwasan added that they are confined for reproduction, and
whoever does the sagda . I ,
matter what the hunter does, like going to the forest to hunt every day, or hacking the whole body of the wild pig, it will still run away from the hunter because Kyudalan Napantaran will not provide for him. The harmed wild pig will probably be caught by another hunter who is more favored by Kyudalan Napantaran.
In Kalakwasan, sagda is rarely practiced because a Batak hunter could not even catch seven wild pigs. Nowadays, one is considered lucky if he can catch one wild pig. The tribal chieftain of Manggapin who is also the pagbelengen no longer performs sagda because of old age. In Tagnaya, sagda is rarely performed as well.
Old members of the IP community are the only ones who practice it, in their case the babaylan in Kalakwasan. One respondent who moved in the year 2000 to Tagnaya from a neighboring village only experienced it once. This was performed by the babaylan in Kalakwasan.
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Another respondent who is a hunter mentioned that he does not perform sagda and witnessed it only when his father was still alive. Two of the hunters never tried sagda, and just knew there is somebody who takes care of the animals. While one of them witnessed sagda before when he was little, he has no full knowledge of sagda. The Tagbanua hunters are assumed not to know sagda anymore also because they hunt without any ceremonial activities. Old members of the Tagbanua community have also passed away. Those who are left only provide treatment through the use of herbal medicine.
9.4.2 Collective hunting of wild pig
Sagbay or collective hunting of wild pig by the Batak is annually held sometime in October, after the rice harvest in August to September. It is led by the babaylan and participated by men and women in the community. October coincides with the fruiting season of balisangkad, one of the favorite fruits of wild pigs.
Three days before sagbay, the babaylan intercedes with Kyudalan/Kyudalan Napantaran/Pagkudalen and other spirits to request the provision of the wild pigs and their location. The following day, the babaylan shares his visions with the men and women about the location of the wild pigs in the forest, and when to put up the fences. Upon arrival in the dense forest, they proceed silently and fence the surrounding area with leaves. The men with their bow and arrow (busog) line up at the upper portion.
A group of women sometimes composed of 10 members, also line up at the opposite end, and slowly move forward together, distracting the wild pig with lupa leaves which are itchy and painful on the skin, causing the wild pigs to move towards the center. Once the wild pig moves forward, the men could easily target them.
Almost all wild pigs are caught in sagbay. These are equally shared by all and
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celebrated with tabad or rice wine. The event is also an opportunity to invite and meet with other IPs in the adjacent areas.
In Manggapin, this could be participated by 20 men and 20 women. The youngest respondent has not experienced sagbay anymore. One respondent last experienced it sometime in 1982 in Barangay Caramay, Municipality of Roxas. The last sagbay held in Manggapin was sometime in 1976. The men who participate in the sagbay are hunters who know how to use the busog. The women chosen by the pagbelengen could either be married or single. It is said that wild pigs are afraid of women and that they could touch the back of the wild pigs without difficulty. The women have a leader too, and she must know how to perform the sagbay. However today, women no longer know sagbay.
The last sagbay held in Kalakwasan was sometime in 1975. No one knows what are the requirements to be gathered from the forest, like the leaves used to tame the wild pig so it will not run away. The leader of the women's group holds this gayuma usually gathered by the men from the forest. Although the pagbelengen in Kalakwasan is still alive, respondents said he is already weak, and his eyes are no longer clear.
Sagbay is no longer practiced in three study sites. One respondent who is a seasonal hunter has already forgotten sagbay because it is no longer practiced regularly. He believes this is not an ordinary practice because it involves invisible spirits in the forest who take care of the animals. A few of the respondents know that there is somebody taking care of the wild pig, but they do not know the name.
9.4.3 Celebration of first rice harvest with wild pig
While tarakabut is to celebrate the first rice harvest, it involves the hunting of wild pigs called patagbo.
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The Batak in Manggapin welcomes the first rice harvest where men with their busog hunt for wild pigs for two days before the actual first harvest. The kaingin farm owner invites relatives composed of 10 families to harvest or do a tarakabut.
Rice harvested by the relatives is given to them by the owner to take home. Normally the ones who are engaged in tarakabut are the women because the men are already tasked to hunt wild pigs in the forest.
The meat from the wild pig caught is shared equally among the invited families. The rice harvested by the owner is cooked and shared by all. In the following days, the next neighbor does the same thing. The owner gets to be invited also.
Patagbo was last held in Tagnaya in 2020 but they were not able to catch a wild pig. Although Cadelina (1982) noted that tarakabut does not require a specific species to hunt based on his study in Kalakwasan in 1980 when tarakabut was held, the respondents explained that wild pigs cannot be replaced by other animals. The Batak find it practical to hunt for a wild pig especially for big gatherings in their community because it can feed many people already. Otherwise, it would require the hunter to hunt many small wild animals.