ETAG in Sagada is the native's traditional way of preserving meat. A slab of meat of cattle, carabao, pork, and hunted game is cured in salt and then air-dried under the sun or smoked for several weeks or longer.
Sometimes, a slab of etag (sinmaleng) has been kept in airtight containers or "gusi" earthen pots for months and years. The longer the etag is preserved, the taste and flavor become better.
In Sagada and elsewhere in Mountain Province, people relish eating etag especially when it is well cured and properly preserved – an excellent and quality product. So during a feast celebration, you would not wonder if people ask, "more etag please."
It is also during community gatherings, when the old folks or elders are gathered that you hear them declare, "Adi Tako Bukodan di Gawis," to all that is good and pleasant. It comes as an encouragement, rebuke, or both.
Well cured and preserved etag, is one of those generously shared with the family, clan, and tribe during gatherings to repair houses, fix irrigation canals, plow, plant, and harvest the fields, or served during community feast days, weddings and wakes. Households are encouraged to preserve and serve etag during meal times, especially when there are visitors who want to have it.
In Sagada and Mountain Province, for that matter, "Adi tako Bukodan di Gawis," is an ancient adage that Dr. Cameron P. Odsey, (OIC) Regional Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) translated into English as follows: "No one person should own what is good, it is to be shared."
The meaning of the expression, indeed, means just what it says. In a world of difficulties and suffering, it is despicably filthy for one person alone or the few, to have and/or own all the best and good things. Etag is a favorite dish hereabouts. Thus, the more of it you produce, you are able to share what is good.
In encouraging the locals to produce more etag, it does not mean we are a community or people of etag. In the context of how our ancient folks may have encouraged its production and used the expression, "Adi Tako Bukodan di Gawis," is rather patriotic. Aside from its intent to encourage or rebuke, it is also a statement of responsibility or a duty for each and every member of the village to think about and live by each passing day.
To render the quote in an art form, a painter would get his satisfaction shaping an image with brush strokes of the Igorot village, like a bee colony or hive.
In this colony, every individual member could not exist on his or her own. The energies of every bee are bent and shared for the survival and welfare of the hive. Therefore, in the village, the human passions of good and evil are properly balanced in a manner to avoid harming others. Any harm done to the community forest and natural resources harms the village and its people. Any harm done to a villager harms the whole village too.
The marginalized communities of the Cordillera, as coverage areas of the CHARMP2 and now Scaling-Up of the CHARM Project are faced with numerous development problems. But like their ancestors, local citizens following through as a cohesive village unit, and employing this ancient practice, can yet transform the obstacles before them into blessings.
As a principle, "Adi tako bukodan di gawis," encompasses the sharing of all that is good, including such virtue as brotherly love, goodness, justice, and concern for one's neighbor and the protection and survival of the whole village. That is the duty for each man and woman as an esteemed member of the village. That is how their elders formulated the ancient oral laws that were incorporated into the culture and traditions of the people.
As an agricultural and rural development project for the Cordillera's indigenous peoples (IPs), the CHARMP2 has formulated or developed best practices in project implementation, and on coaching by Dr. Odsey, we utilized the quote, "Adi Tako Bukodan di Gawis," as a guiding principle in preparing the Scaling-Up of the CHARM2 Project Knowledge Management Plan.
In developing "best practices", the CHARMP2, now Scaling-Up of the CHARM2 Project is pursuing its role as a learning institution with its beneficiaries in evolving, documenting, and sharing the best or rural development efforts so that "No one person should own what is good, it is to be shared," among the people.
One of the CHARMP2 Best Practices now being shared with the hope that it will truly emerge as a "Success Story" of rural development in the highlands is Livelihood Assistance Fund (LAF). It is a community-based credit program for smallholder farm families.
In this community credit program, farmer associations (livelihood interest groups or LIGs) through the project are first equipped and empowered to identify appropriate livelihood ventures and formulate their business plans. An intensive training in the community of more than three months to capacitate the farmers on their livelihood, business planning, leadership, bookkeeping, and financial management is undertaken. At the same time, the project in coordination with the beneficiaries, also identify a Community Financial Institution (CFI) that will serve as the conduit of funds from the project to the beneficiaries.
The CFI also serves as "big brother" to the LIGs by monitoring, training and coaching the association in using their fund based on their business plan and budget. The CFI submits regular reports to the project in relation to this partnership.
By properly using the LAF in the community or village business, the LIGs would have sustained living through an ancient Igorot principle and practice of mountain living, "Adi tako bukodan di gawis."When a community acts as one, the obstacles in life are transformed into blessings.
You know what? I came to thinking and composing this article during a community meal where etag is served during the turnover ceremonies of the LAF fund to beneficiaries in Balugang, Sagada, Mountain Province. Indeed, "Adi tako Bukodan di Gawis."
