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The first ever festival to showcase the culture of the Ayangan tribe of Ifugao was held at Habbang Bridge - the boundary of Barangays Ducligan and Aduyungan. Ducligan is part of Banaue Municipality while Aduyungan is the gateway to Mayoyao coming from Banaue.

Habbang Bridge as the venue. The background is the Banaue side.

Dubbed as "Punchachamugwuan chi tribun chi Ayangan ad Habbang" (a meeting / gathering of the Ayangan Tribal Community in Habbang), the festival was initiated by provincial Board Member RicKy Dulnuan while the program was coordinated by staff of Ifugao State University. It was conceptualized as a way to bring together all the ifugaos who call themselves in their dialect as "ijadjang" or "Ifiahhe" - One of the two largest tribes in Ifugao Province. Yet, only the Ayangans in some 22 barangays of the municipalities of Banaue, Mayoyao, and Aguinaldo participated. Special guests in this first festival were Congressman Teodoro Baguilat of the lone legislative district of Ifugao and Provincial Governor Eugene Balitang. A message of ISFU President and a proud ayangan Mr. Serafin Ngohayon was read by a representative. He exhorted the Ayangan people never to feel inferior to anyone but instead persevere to be successful despite all odds.

The festival included contests in ethnic parade with street dancing, native dance, fitagwe (carrying a piece of wood with bundles of palay on each side), lottopan (staying under water the longest in minutes), fishing, chasing the greased pig, and fiaju (pounding palay into rice). Also, barangays which are adjacent to each other were grouped into clusters and each cluster put up a booth in the shape of a native Ifugao house and were graded accordingly. In the evening, a beauty pageant was held to choose the Mr. and Miss Ayangan. However, at the middle of the pageant, there was an unusual heavy downpour which flooded the venue and destroyed the temporary shelters. Thus the pageant was abruptly discontinued.

Delegates from Aduyungan

Delegates from Ducligan

Brgy. Ayangan delegates participate in a fia-i (Baki) ritual that earned them the first prize in the street dancing contest

These participants from Banao, Banaue are also serious in their own ritual.

Some of the Native Houses used in the booth contest

Photo showing Ducligan Barangay Captain Ben Tugguin giving "pa'fi" to Governor Eugene Balitang. "Pa'fi" is a time-honored practice of the Ayangan people giving a hen as a gift to a first time visitor.

Native Dance by Ducligan Delegates

See also photos of the Ifugao Traditional Rice Cultivation Practices