Mt. Kalatungan

The Igmale’ng’en Forests of the Talaandig in Portulin, Bukidnon

Demographics and Geography

The “Igmale’ng’en” sacred forests of Laindag is located within the ancestral domain of the Talaandig Tribe in the village of Portulin in the Municipality of Pangantucan within the province of Bukidnon. Bukidnon is a land-locked province in Mindanao, the second biggest island in the Philippines. The sacred forests occupy a total area of 3,470 hectares, characterized by steep to rolling topography with a sizeable stand of primary forest combined with some secondary growth forest. The site is geographically located at latitude 4°22’33.36”N and 128°21’58.70 longitude.

The Talaandig tribe is one of the 110 groups of indigenous peoples in the Philippines. The Talaandig people are mostly concentrated in the northern and western part of the province of Bukidnon, Mindanao Island, Philippines. Their territory is marked by the Kitanglad and Kalatungan mountain ranges.

The Talaandig community in Portulin has a population of 465 individuals distributed in 93 households. The community is located high up in the Mount Kalatungan mountain range of north central Mindanao, approximately 1200 meters above sea level (MASL).  There are several major rivers in the place such as Bagik-ikan River, Ootah River and Dumagook River that flows from northern towards southern part of the community.

Culture and traditions

The sacred forests are of extreme importance to the Talaandig as they represent everything that is pure and strong and their continued existence ensures the community’s continued existence and survival.  For the Talaandig, the sacred forests of Mt. Kalatungan are home to the tallest and hardest trees, it is where the cleanest waters will always flow, where the waters never runs dry and where the deer and wild boar will always roam and, most importantly, where the “Kalumbata” [1] will always fly free.

The Igmale’ng’en continues to play a central role in the day to day affairs of the community. With its continued existence, rituals are sustained as the spirits are assured of a place to rest. The forests still continue to provide the raw materials such as medicinal herbs for the village healers and timber for the construction of the village “Tulugan” or altar. Most importantly, the oral tradition of the Talaandig made up of chants, poems and songs continue to flourish as the sacred forest provides the platform for the unique interaction among the spirits, deities and the Talaandig.

Biodiversity and ecological significance

The Igmale’ng’en forests are under pressure from migrant communities surrounding Mt. Kalatungan.  Fortunately, to date, they are still almost intact and occupy a sizeable portion of the Talaandig territory. The traditional rules governing the sacred forests are for the most part respected by the community members and play an important role in the overall resource management rules of the ancestral domain. The existence of the sacred forests plays a vital role in the conservation and protection of the biodiversity of Mt. Kalatungan.

Hardwood species endemic to Mindanao can still be found in very high density in the Igmale’ng’en forests, while the most endangered avian specie in the country the Philippine Eagle (Pithecopaga Jeffryi) locally known as the “Kalumbata” which is the tallest and one of the largest raptor in the world and is in the 2007 Red List of the IUCN, still maintains several documented nesting areas in the forests of Barangay Portulin. Also common to the area are the local Philippine Deer (Rusa Alfredi) and the Philippine Wild Boar (Sus Mindanensis) along with several species of mountain rodents.  While the presence of this fauna is confirmed by personal witnesses, no comprehensive resource inventory has been undertaken within the sacred forests as this activity would be considered a taboo.

Mining, illegal logging and the poaching of flora and fauna poses the biggest threat to the continued existence of the sacred forest of the Talaandig.  As the population of migrant communities surrounding Mt. Kalatungan increases, attempts to illegally cut timber and set-up traps have also doubled. The demand for more lumber as well as the high price for exotic game has encouraged migrants to take the risk and enter the sacred forests.

The declaration of Mt. Kalatungan as a National Park by the National Government has given an additional layer of legal protection to the sacred forests and thus will help protect it from further destruction. However, the rights and role of the Talaandig community in the management of the sacred forest must not be sacrificed and their relationship and stewardship role with the Igmale’ng’en which has been in place since time immemorial handed to them by their ancestors must be respected now and in the future.

Portulin as an ICCA

As far as can be remembered by the elders of the community, their Igmale’ng’en or sacred forests have been defined by their ancestors and have been in practice for generations. The Talaandig believe that the boundaries of their sacred forests have been designated by their ancestors through spirit-guides or “apuhan” who were responsible to sanctify the sacred forests as a source of spiritual strength and power. Moreover, these areas are considered resting places of the spirits both of their ancestors as well as the acknowledged deities of the Talaandig people. The sacred forests are of extreme importance to the Talaandig as they represent everything that is pure and strong and their continued existence ensures the community’s continued existence and survival.

Local Management and Rules Governing the ICCA

The extents of the sacred forests are known to all members of the Talaandig community. Information regarding the boundaries of the sacred forests and the relationship of the community to them is transferred to the younger generations by the community elders and shamans during the chanting that accompanies the rituals that are regularly conducted during occasions such as the start of the planting season and during the thanksgiving for a good harvest.

Resource utilization in the sacred forests is limited to the gathering of materials used for rituals and whenever certain forest products are required by the shaman for healing sick and ailing community members. Some hunting is allowed provided the shaman has  been informed and the proper offering to the spirits are undertaken.  No human habitation  allowed    within the sacred forests.  Whenever activities are conducted by the community where passage through the forest is required, strict rules are followed.  These include speaking at a very low volume, refraining from using any foul language, refraining from pointing at any unique flora and fauna that one might encounter in the forest and refraining from leaving any foreign objects in the area covered by the sacred forest.

It is believed that rules for the interaction with the sacred forests are defined by the forest spirits and are then passed on (whispered by the spirits through dreams according to some elders) to the Bailan or shaman. These rules are strictly enforced by the village “Bailan” or shaman through the intercession of the village Datu or Chief. Conflicts arising from the perceived transgressions against the sacred forests are resolved by the Datu through dialogue and through the offering of ceremonial sacrifices to appease the spirits. Punishment for a proven transgression against the rules is left to the spirits who are believed to cast a spell on the offending party. However, also when other persons, such as village children, are afflicted with various illnesses, the problems are mainly attributed to the spirits as a result of the disturbance.

Thus it is very important for the Datu to immediately identify the perpetrators of an offense against the sacred forests and initiate a dialogue and a healing ritual with help of the village shaman to appease the offended spirits. This will ensure the safety of the innocent villagers from any illnesses and sustain the mutual coexistence of the Talaandig with the spirit guardians of the forests.

Each community or groups of communities composed of the same clan of the Talaandig People is headed by a “Datu” or chieftain who has his own “Sakop” or jurisdiction.  All sakops have their own specific Igmale’ng’en or sacred forests. The basis for the establishment of these sacred forests are basically the same, however the bio-physical characteristics might vary from time to time. The rules and terms of management among these Gaops[3] are also similar with little variations owing to geographical differences.

The restrictions related to the sacred forests proved to be a challenge during the survey and delineation of the extents of the Ancestral Domain Claim of the Talaandig Traditional Territory because a sizeable number of outsiders had to enter the sacred forests in order to conduct the survey. As a compromise, a series of rituals had to be conducted by the local shamans and elders to ensure that the rules set by the elders will be followed and for the spirits to be appeased and not bestow bad luck to the surveyors and the community alike for disturbing the peace within the sacred forests.

Value, Effectiveness and Sustainability of the ICCA

Neighboring non-indigenous communities still exercise some caution and avoid the   Igmale’ng’en forests of the Talaandig. While they may not necessarily believe in the spirit-guardians of the forests, most of them would rather avoid them as a precautionary measure. Stories about spirits dwelling in the forests that are spread by word of mouth among the villages surrounding Mt. Kalatungan have developed into local folklore with details that deviated from the original concept and belief of the Talaandig. This has acted as a very strong social deterrent against the poaching of timber and wildlife in the sacred forests.

• [1] Local term for the Philippine Eagle (Pithecopaga Jeffryi)
• [2] Local term for the Philippine Eagle (Pithecopaga Jeffryi)
• [3] The term means “jurisdiction”.