TITLE: ANIMISM

An Itawes Culture

Abogado, Faith-Caress C.

Bulauitan, Wendy

I.HISTORY OF ITAWES

1

Itawes inhabit the territory drained by the Chico and

Matalos rivers as well as all of Southern Cagayan from

Nasiping to the Village of Cavug, now the town of Enrile.

Except for certain nuances in their language and the flair

among-their womenfolk for ornamentation and colorful attire,

nothing basically differentiates them from the Ibanags of

whom they really are an ethnic subgroup. They got their name

from the combination of the word "tawid" meaning across the

river and prefix "i" meaning "people of".

The Ibanag language is the mother tongue of the Itawes

The Itawes are culturally and linguistically close to the

Ibanag. In many of these towns, the Itawes live with the

Ibanags and speak Ibanag. They go through the process of

linguistic adaptation which made the Ibanag and Itawes

language indistinguishable. The Itawes are known with

various alternate names such as "Itawet", “Itawit”,

“Itawiq”, “Tawish”, “Itawi”, “Itaves”, “Itabes”, "Tawit",

"Itawis", Malaueg" and "Rizal". Linguists classified

"Malaueg" and "Rizal" as dialects of Itawes language.

However, the early natives of Cagayan referred to one

another by the group description of Ibanags, or the Y-Rita

which means "those from the south". Occasionally, Y-Raya,

meaning "the upstream people" was also used.

ANIMISM

INTRODUCTION

2

The term animism is derived from the Latin word anima

meaning breath or soul. The belief of animism is probably

one of man's oldest beliefs, with its origin most likely

dating to the Paleolithic age. From its earliest beginnings

it was a belief that a soul or spirit existed in every

object, even if it was inanimate. In a future state this

soul or spirit would exist as part of an immaterial soul.

The spirit, therefore, was thought to be universal.

There has been sharp divisions of thought as to the

original concept of animism held by primitive peoples. An

British anthropologist Sir Edward Burnett Tylor in his

"Primitive Culture" (1871) defined animism "as a general

belief in spiritual beings and considered it 'a minimum

definition of religion.'" He stated all religions from the

simplest to the most complexed shared some sort of animistic

belief. According to him primitive peoples, defined as those

without a written tradition, believed the spirits or souls

caused life in human beings. They pictured these souls as

vapors or shadows going from one body to another. The souls

not only passed between human beings but into, plants,

animals and inanimate objects as well.

Tylor reasoned primitive man arrived at his animistic

belief to help him explain the causes of sleep, dreams, and

death. There naturally aroused a need to distinguish between

an individual who was awake and one who was asleep, or an

individual who lived and one who did not. Also there was a

need to give a reason for the pictures some saw when they

slept. The spirits were the early man's explanations.

Tylor was criticized by another British anthropologist

Robert Ranulph Marett (1866-1943) who was convinced that

primitive man had not developed the intellectual to form

even such simplistic explanations as Tylor proposed. Marett

suggested early religion was more emotional and intuitional

in origin. He theorized that early man recognized some

inanimate objects because they had some particular

characteristic or behaved in some unusual way which

3

mysteriously made them seem alive. He believed early man

treated all animate objects as having a life and will of

their own, but they never distinguished the soul as separate

from the body, and could enter or leave the body. Marett

conceded early man possessed the belief of animism, but it

developed from the idea that some objects seemed to be alive

like man.

It is insignificant how men and women gained the belief

that a spirit or soul resides in all objects it is

historically evident that they did. Trees and plants were

worshiped as totems or because of their usefulness and

beauty. In many cultures certain trees and plants have been

feared. In some ancient cultures "trees were generally

regarded as maternal deities or forest spirits, to be

respected even when their lives were sacrificed for human

use (pagan woodcutters never felled a tree without first

begging its forgiveness). Female tree spirits live on in

myth and folklore as dryads, the Greek version of the tree-

worshiping druid priestesses."

Plants and trees have been considered sacred by

themselves because, as some have thought, they are home to

certain spirits. Both the soma plant of India and the coca

shrub of Peru are worshiped for the intoxicating properties

of the products made from them. Field crops, thought to

harbor spirits of infertility, has been honored by ancient

tribesmen and peasants throughout Europe. Traces of these

cults can still be found.

The above describes nature worshipers among which many

occultists are numbered. They view life as being in

everything, and everything, even man, supporting life. Life

is sacred -- all life. "One of the foremost characteristics

of Neo-Paganism (or occultism) is the return to the ancient

idea that there is no distinction between the spiritual and

material, sacred and secular." Everything is still one as it

was to primitive man.

4

Animism may also be the unconscious fabrication of a

spirit manifestation by the medium. It is not a fraud as the

medium actually believes that he is channeling a spirit. It

usually happens when the medium is put under pressure to

attend a request or works in a spiritualistic circle where

spirit phenomena are expected to occur. The spirit of the

medium then fabricates a manifestation and it is interesting

to notice that the medium´s body undergoes all the usual

changes that happen in an actual spirit communication, such

as altered breathing, contortions, and such procedures.

THE CULTURE

The old religion of Ytawes is animism. Spanish

colonizers and missionaries came to the Itawes area in 1572

onwards. During the colonial rule, they attempted to convert

the Itawes. Though the Itawes met the colonizers with

resistance, the colonizers prevailed. In the Itawes life

cycle such as pregnancy, childbirth, marriage and death,

certain taboos or sacred prohibitions reflecting traditional

animistic beliefs are observed. Wedding ceremonies are

either civil ceremony performed by a "hues" or justice of

the peace, or a church ceremony performed by a priest. A

simple wedding feast usually follows. After the wedding the

couple resides in the girl's household for at least one year

before they establish their own household.

5

6

7

Other cultures

The Itawes culture seems to be quite distinct from that

of the lbanags. The Itawes mode of dressing appears to be

likewise more colorful, red being a dominant color. The

woman used to wear beads on their heads, a practice still

found among those in the remote areas.

Farming is the leading source of livelihood. Rice is

the main staple and produced in commercial quantities. They

also raise other agricultural products such as coffee, corn,

peanuts and tobacco. In addition, they raise domesticated

animals such as poultry, carabaos, hogs and cattle. Some are

engaged in hunting, forestry, fishing and related

occupation. A few work in cigar/cigarette factories and food

processing firms.

The average Itawes family favors seems to be education-

conscious. This being shown by the good number of their

children sent to school. Many aspects of the Itawes culture

and architectural structures (old Catholic churches, ruins

of a fortress, cathedrals) reflect Spanish influence.

Based on the dialect the people appear to be the most

versatile group in the province. They speak Ibanag and

llocano, but because many Itawes live with the Ibanag,

Ibanag has become a standard language. The Itawes dialect

has other peculiar characteristics such as the frequent use

of double consonants like cc, kk, w.

Contemporary Itawes are a charming, friendly, and

sociable group whose daily mode of life is not markedly

8

different from the rest of their countrymen, whether in the

style of their houses, their occupation and religious

affiliation, all of which are signs of the Itawes culture.

Traditional customs are still practiced today. Death among

the Itawes galvanizes not only the family but also the whole

neighborhood or community into action such that the usual

church rites for the wakes and burial are observed.

The political system is the usual government structure

of local government, the barangay system, which is

administered by a set of elected officials headed by a

barangay chairman.

II.CHANGES IN THE ITAWES CULTURE:

IN ANIMISM

These days, the Itawes are overwhelmingly Roman

Catholic. They observe child baptism, confirmation, and

confession as required by the church. The Itawes believe in

saints, "santo" who supposedly serve as their guardians and

intercessors. The "santo" occupy a revered altar in every

home. Many religious practices and sacred prohibitions are

associated with the "santo". These are in relation to

sickness or epidemic, a long journey, graduation from school

or poor and bountiful harvests. "Santo" are made of wood,

ceramics, and plaster of Paris in different sizes and faces.

These days, "santo" making is a thriving craft and

considered a profitable industry. The Iglesia in Cristo and

the Jehovah's Witnesses are also in the area and were able

to convince/convert a few Itawes.

Prayer Points

9

Itawes Catholics to come to a personal faith in Christ.

Pray for their hearts to have a personal encounter with

the Lord Jesus. Pray for "santo" worship to be replaced

with true worship of the true God.

Itawes believers/churches to be strong and be a

witnessing church.

Itawes communities where the gospel has never been

proclaimed. Pray for gospel workers to come to these

communities.

Gospel workers on site for God's empowerment and

enablement. Pray for protection as well.

Ibanag believers who live nearest to the Itawes. They

could reach out to these communities without requiring

many adjustments.

III. LEARNINGS ABOUT THE YTAWES CULTURE

( CONCLUSION )

As farming has become less important as a way of life

in many places, it has become more important as a business

enterprise. Today’s successful farmers are expert not just

in agriculture but also proficient in accounting, marketing,

and finance. Farms that are not run in a businesslike

fashion have e great difficulty in surviving.

Farming was once the chief way of life in nearly every

country. People cannot live without food, and nearly all

their foods come from crops and animals raised on farms. Not

many people farm for living anymore, but farming remains the

most important occupation in the world.

10

Farming development improved by machineries that made

it increasingly productive, fertilizers helped double and

even triple the yields of some major crops.

Itawes are striving to obtain an education. In

developing countries, the number and seriousness of the

problems faced are naturally greater. People in more remote

or agrarian areas are sometimes unaware of the importance of

education. However, many have an active ministry of

education, and in any subjects education is one of the eight

millennium development goals and great improvement have been

achieved in the past decade, yet e great deal.

In Cagayan, many families send their kids to school.

They know that education in the largest sense is any act or

experience that has a formative effect on the mind,

character, or physical ability of an individual. The culture

which each generation purposely gives to those who are to be

its successors, in order to qualify them for at least

keeping up, and if possible for raising the level of

improvement which has been attained.

People in the valley dressed very simple. Old women use

the saya and kamino while men use camisa de chino or the

barong tagalong. Itawes dresses formal, shoes, hats during

holidays which can attract the attention of anyone. Itawes

thought of being “nakasta”, dressed in creative way.

Good governance, although their very strict but it

seems to be liked that way, it makes its people responsible

to their actions. Cagayan would like be Davao City wherein

peace and good governance exist.

11

Law maker would not be a good person for an executive

officer. While an incumbent would be a better person to

continue pro-poor projects in Cagayan, who have an

experience and in a better position to execute his office.

12