WATCH: Erwan Heussaff visits Hungduan in Ifugao, witnesses post-harvest ritual ‘punnuk’

Image: Instagram/@erwan

Erwan Heussaff recently went to Hungduan, Ifugao. It was a trip that could easily be described as one of his most memorable, as Heussaff  had the opportunity to immerse himself in Ifugao culture, including witnessing the post-harvest rituals.

“New episode of Greater Philippines is up on youtube. This one is all about my time spent in IFUGAO,” wrote Heussaff on Instaram last Aug. 20. “We were lucky enough to attend the Punnuk Rice Harvest Ritual.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmszBh9gD0l/?taken-by=erwan

Heussaff took to his YouTube on the same day to share a video of the post-harvest rituals of the Ifugaos he was able to capture. Heussaff came all the way from Maguindanao, traveling around 18 hours to get from south to north.

In his video, Heussaff shared some scenes from the baki and inum, two of the three rituals performed by the communities of Hapao, Baang and Nungulunan after harvesting. The baki pertains to the sacrificing of chickens and sometimes pigs whose biles are used as offering to the gods, whereas inum pertains to the drinking of rice wine. The third, punnuk, involves a tug of war among the three communities the following day. Collectively, the rituals are called huowah.

According to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Courier of Asia and the Pacific, the baki and inum are held in the house of the dumupag (the designated lead family in the harvest). The rituals are then presided by a mumbaki, or the ritual specialist, who chants and prays to the gods.

In Heussaff’s video, the mumbaki can be seen presiding over the ritual. The rice wine is prepared in jars, with the mumbaki taking the first sip from the smallest jar followed by the rest who partake in the wine from the large jar.

The mumbaki presiding over the baki and inum  (Image: Screengrab from YouTube/Erwan Heussaff)

Pork prepared by the community  (Image: Screengrab from YouTube/Erwan Heussaff)

Rice wine used for the inum ritual  (Image: Screengrab from YouTube/Erwan Heussaff)

Heussaff described the wine as a “delicious, sweeter sake.”

The next day, Heussaff joined in on the punnuk. The punnuk involves the three communities who march all the way to the nunhipukana, the convergence point of the Hapao River and its tributaries.

“Three tribes descend from the hills chanting at the top of their lungs waving leaves and branches
towards where Hapao river converges with one of its tributaries,” narrated Heussaff in the video. “All three tribes here, they’re all taunting each other, making noise…”

As per Heussaff, the tug of war ensues in the middle of the river. Instead of ropes, the Ifugaos use a pakid, made by intertwining saplings of the Otoba tree.

In Heussaff’s video, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat can also be seen joining in on the fun and taking part in the tug of war.

Heussaff said, “After winners are declared, the human shaped kinaag (a humanoid figure made of rice stalks) is thrown into the river to be taken downstream by the currents letting other villages know that the harvest in this area has come to an end.”

The kinaag, which is thrown into the river after the punnuk  (Image: Screengrab from YouTube/Erwan Heussaff)

“I’m so happy that I was able to observe it this year,” said Heussaff. “It really, truly felt like a privilege.”

Heussaff’s video of the Ifugaos’ post-harvest rituals may be viewed below.

Erwan Heussaff goes on a gastronomic journey to Mindanao 

LOOK: Erwan Heussaff sends Anne Curtis flowers a thousand miles away

Erwan Heussaff reminisces about 8-year-old conversation with Anne Curtis