English - Balay Mindanaw

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWWhenever Amba Palasambag’s parents would talk, hewould eavesdrop on their discussions. “When my parentswould discuss something, I would listen to them so I willalways remember the origins of the Higaunon people andfor me to know what to do in the future.” From this, AmbaPalasambag became well versed of their culture, tradition,and their origins.As Amba Palasambag grew up to be a man and couldalready undertake tasks for grownups, he started to cultivatethe land and engaged in economic activities like fishingthrough pagsagop (with bare hands), or through pagpahubas(damming and draining a portion of a small body of water).Fishing is supplemented with hunting wild animals inthe forest, like wild pig (Sus barbatus) and barking deer(Muntiacus sp.). Higaunons have various methods of huntingwild animals and one of those is called panlaog, or huntingwith the use of a spear. Panlaog is usually done duringheavy downpour because, according to Amba, “Wild boarsare usually immobile during those times.” Another huntingmethod is panlais, which makes use of a spear trap to catchrodents, wild pigs and barking deers. Amba Palasambag, too,went into gathering of pamalayag (wild honey). What madehim go into this dangerous activity? “My father was afraidto gather wild honey, so I was forced to do it myself. I alsowanted to collect honey so we can eat something sweet.”Aside from wild animals, a viable source of protein to theHigaunon diet is frog, which they catch through pamanglo.Amba Palasambag recalled that in one of their pamangloactivities, he fell into a waterfall. He narrated:“At first, my kamuyot (an improvised backpack made ofwoven abaca fiber colored with indigenous tree saps) caught abranch of a tree. But then I eventually fell by the cliff. I went tothat area because there were plenty of frogs. I fell with my headfirst, and I got worried of the impending damage to my face. So20