PAMULALAKAW 2022
PAMULALAKAW 2022
by Fr Jovito Dales, SSC
Last March 14, 2022, Monday, the Higaonons performed the annual Pamulalakaw, a solemn ceremony that involves the ritual slaughter and offerings of chickens and goats to Magbabaya (Creator God) and to the Holy Spirits that live in the Cagayan de Oro River. The Higaonon tribe is one of the more than 110 tribal groups in Mindanao. It is one of the least known ethnolinguistic groups that inhabit North-Central Mindanao. They occupy the mountainous regions of Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon plateau, the mountain borders of the provinces of Agusan and Lanao in the east and west, respectively. Different religious organizations participate in this annual ceremony. Parishioners from Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Barra, Opol also attended the event. I really appreciate the welcoming attitude of the Higaonons, making us feel comfortable as we participated silently with their ritual and the delicious banquet afterwards. In light of the devastating effects of Sendong in 2011 that claimed thousands of lives and damaged millions worth of infrastructures and residential houses, the Higaonons felt that Pamulalakaw is even more important to perform annually to attain that balance of nature, thereby preventing catastrophic natural disasters. What is striking about them is their deep sense of connectedness to nature, something that I hardly feel and experience in our Catholic tradition. Fortunately, Pope Francis’ Laudato Si is eventually paving the way for Catholics to regain that sense of connectedness with all of God’s creation, the way indigenous people do.
The sumptuous lunch was followed by tree planting, another activity that enables us to deepen not only our sense of connectedness with all of God’s creation, but also for the care of our Mother Earth. There was excitement and fun as we planted various kinds of Lawaan trees together with the Higaonons who joyfully assisted us. Pamulalakaw is an annual event which we all look forward to participating, year after year.
Columban Missionaries, priests, lay and staff, and some friends joined the Pamulalakaw rite in 2022
Fr Jovito Dales (right) with Datu Ontong, Chieftain of the Higaonon tribe in Dansolihon, Cagayan de Oro City
Pamulalakaw Rite 2022