A cluster of kids, whose ages range from 10 years old and above gather on stage. Clad in traditional Ifugao wear and accessories, they recite ai perform a part of the Hudhud chant sung dun the time of harvest. The little munhaw-e or lead chanter, in her high-pitched, sweet-sounding voice sings first and sets the chant’s tempo. In an alternate manner, she is joined in by the mun’abbuy or the rest of the group in performing the chant.
This is just one of the scenarios during a competition where kids, as well as elders reenact a part of the Hudhud at the 44th Gotad ad Ifugao, or the celebration of the province of Ifugao’s founding anniversary. Aside from this, an actual Hudhud competition is held between its municipalitie The winning municipality, awarded during the said festivity, wins the Hudhud Perpetual Award, aside from cash incentives.
This year, the Municipality of Hingyon received its first award, besting other municipalities, including Lagawe, which won the award for three consecutive years since 2007.
Hingyon’s ex-officio Mayor, Ramon Tinawi proudly admits that they “won out of envy against Lagawe.” Lagawe’s winning streak challenged their municipality to revive the practice of Hudhud chanting on occasions such as weeding and harvesting of rice, bone-washing (bogwa), or at funeral wakes.
“Aside from that, we try to instill among the young the familiarization of the Hudhud chants. We encourage it to be taught in our schools,” Tinawi explains.
The Hudhud Perpetual Award
The Hudhud Perpetual Award was created and launched in 2006. Since then, it has been granted annually to the municipality which regularly practices and encourages the chanting of the Hudhud on the said occasions of weeding and harvesting of rice, bone-washing, and on wakes.
The activity is part of an action plan to safeguard and promote the Hudhud chants. Initiated by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), it encourages the active participation of the community, and serious involvement of the local government and education department to promote and enhance the heritages and indigenous culture of those living in the Mountain Province, especially that in the Ifugao province.
What the Hudhud Is
There are different stories regarding t origin of the Hudhud. The most popular one is that it was told and taught to the rest of the community by two women who have heard the chanting of the epic warrior Pumbakhayon about the other Ifugao heroes such as Aliguyon and othe heroines, as well as wealth, and culture.
The Hudhud chants take days to complete depending on the occasion where it is being sung. On March 2001, the Hudhud chants were awarded by the UNESCO as one of the “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” This award is granted to cultural spaces and forms of expressions, which transmitter orally, reflects a community’s cultural and social identity.
More than a call to gods, the Hudhud chants describe the culture and traditio that can be found in the Mountain Province, especially in Ifugao. The practice seems to be a binding act that keeps the community together, reminds them of their stories of old, and devotes them to safeguard and protect the natui resources and wonders they have.
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