English - Balay Mindanaw

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWuse, murder and kidnapping. A notable aspect of the balaudis that it does not convict offenders. As one of the barangaytanods in Kiudto puts it, “in the Higaunon way, no one goesto jail.” Paredes quoted Biernatzki’s (1973:19) contentionwhen he said that balaud is “chiefly a religious law,” whichmeans that it originally came from the spirits. Tatay ManuelPinaandel of Minalwang likewise affirmed this when hesaid: “The laws originated from our beliefs to a supremebeing likened to a god.” Tatay Malindahay has this to say oftheir balaud:“Our laws came from our ancestors, from Apo Pabuluson,Apo Lagawlaw, Apo Ayawon. We have many ancestors.Our ancestors were guided by the spirits. These spirits inthe mountain we call lalawag ungli. The laws were createdand handed down by Apo Pabuluson, Apo Ayawon, ApoLubagtikan, Apo Buabua, and Apo Bulahon, who was a tribalwarrior.”With reference to balaud, the Higaunons is quick to referto bungkatol ha bulawan or “golden rule,” which symbolizes“maayo nga batasan” or good attitude. In addition to bungkatolha bulawan is the nangkatasa ha lana (a cup of oil). In Minalwang,the datus added mating-aw ha batasan (pure attitude) as one oftheir guiding rules. When asked about the deeper meaning ofbungkatol ha bulawan and nangkatasa ha lana, the datus all havethe same answer, saying those are mere parables that speakabout love, love of oneself and others. Tatay Malindahayoffered an elaborate explanation:“Bungkatol ha bulawan is a symbol that means your heartis like gold that would not fade, would not change, could notafford to be a traitor, would not cheat nor take advantage ofothers. Compassionate and generous, that is the meaning ofbungkatol. Nangkatasa ha lana is also a parable which says thatlike oil in a cup, that when it overflows, it means that youhave violated the law, or may have offended others.”110