The following article was originally published last year at Sunstar Baguio. We are re-publishing it here because Linapet Day is around the corner once again and those of you with Besao roots might want to go home to join the celebrations.
It is also a very unique event — we don’t think there’s an event like this in other parts of the region — so we’re sure you would be interested in reading more about it.
Besao’s Linapet Day
Sunstar Baguio
The Linapet Day celebration is one of the rare traditions, which have never waned among the natives of barangays Gueday, Agawa and Lacmaan, all in Northern Besao, Mt. Province.
It also played a significant role in keeping the unity among the people who come from these places.
On Saturday morning, before the sun rises, folks as well as local and foreign tourists will flock to Dap-ay Awaw in Gueday to wait for the sun to rise atop a towering rock known as Ambaon-Bato in the far northern mountain of Langsayan.
Here, one would find the world-renowned stone calendar, and it is only in this area where the rising sun can be viewed in a spectacular way, described by many as “sunset in a sunrise” with the changes in color and strategic position on top of the rock.
This happens only at this particular time of the year.
As early as the eve of September 29, locals would start preparing the linapet, an indigenous bread made of ground rice with coarsely ground peanut as filling and wrapped in banana leaves. After viewing the sunrise on September 30, the
linapet is then shared with neighbors and visitors.
People who originated from these localities but are already based elsewhere, were said to annually meet on a weekend nearest September 30 to cook and partake of the linapet.
As recounted by the elders based on an unpublished paper by Leon Lonogan, the tradition started after a strange man erected two stones in Dap-ay Awaw, Gueday in the early days and instructed a respectable elder to watch out for the sun on top of the lone towering rock in Ambaon-Bato.
When this happens, he said it would be the best time to sow rice grains for a bountiful harvest. Each time of the year when the sun was viewed that way, markings were made on the stone, which eventually became the famous stone calendar.
Pigs and chicken were also butchered to celebrate the feast of the sowing season. However as the number of people increased, the linapet eventually substituted for pigs and chicken.
The linapet is a high calorie food. One serving from a half kilo of ground rice and three-fourths cup of ground peanut would contain approximately 253 kilocalories, 37 grams carbohydrates, eight grams protein and fat, 13 milligrams phosphorus, 33 milligrams calcium and traces of iron, riboflavin and thiamine.
SOURCE: Sunstar Baguio.
I take it that this will be on the 23rd of September since that is this year’s equinox?
Yeah…..I’m from Besao and this is the time wherein linapets are literally overflowing since almost all households are making such rice cakes. It’s a shame I can’t be home to celebrate it with the kailyans.
Ay imbitado nan taga Payeo/Kin-iway
or we have to gate-crash, hehe…
Looks like it’s gonna be a fun event, no matter how you view it.
Cheers and goodhealth to everyone attending, and forget about those
calories exposed by Bill.
TruBlue, you are pulling my leg.
Are you i-Payeo/Kin-iway?
I tasted the linapet with peanuts. So very yummy. Yummier than the Chinese mooncake. No offense meant to the Chinese whose Buddhist temples are definitely more intricate than ours (no koma wada di Buddhist temples tako).
i am being puzzled since the beginning…noon pa gusto ko sumali sa mga mountaineering sa besao pero i am being confused kung ang besao ba is basao din ng kalinga?is basao different from besao? i thought kasi the pronunciation makes it different..alam nyo naman peace and order sa kalinga with regards to tribe…..pls answer me
Cheryl – let me ease some of the suspense. Yes, my late dad is from those areas and he is first cousin to the late Father Kollin.
Just like you, I’m born and raised in the Baguio area. Last time I was in Besao, 1969 for two weeks, quite memorable, right after high school. Need to see the place again one of these days…
Cheers and goodhealth.
Hi Nashman,
I was also wondering about when it will be. I think they base it on the position of the sun so maybe the 23rd is a good guess. Thanks.
Hi Igor,
Nice new name; I like it, sounds very Russian/Eastern European 🙂
Ay taga Besao ka obpay? We are neighbors garud ah. Thanks.
Hi Trublue,
Siyempre ah, imbitado amin. So atin naman, walang gatecrashers eh hehe. Thanks and cheers too.
Hi Chyt,
Is it like Sagada’s binaod with peanuts and meat? Or is it only peanuts?
I guess our patpatayan [sacred trees] would stand-in for temples 🙂 Thanks.
Hi Nats,
Yes, Besao is different from Basao. Besao is a town next to Sagada. Basao yata is a barangay in Tinglayan.
I understand your confusion… the first time I heard friends talking about Basao, I thought they were talking about Besao. But they clarified that these are two different places. Thanks 🙂
Hi Trublue,
Oops just read your comment. Maybe you are relatives hehe 🙂
A question, bill, are bulols still existing?
Thanks.
Kumusta, linapet ha, the e-Ebwas in Vancouver will be celebrating the Linapet this Saturday, everybody is invited. olay no mid cuangga na ya kak-alla ngem wada nan mani na so it is going to be yummy….
Hi Manila Bay Watch,
Hmmm, I’m not sure I can adequately answer your question because I am not Ifugao. But I think bulols do still exist. Thanks 🙂
Hi Anonymous,
Wow. Its great to know that you continue to celebrate Linapet wherever you are. Ay ngan di cuangga?
Thanks 🙂
Am surprise to discover that Linapet is being talked about in here!!! Dap-ay Awaw where the famous stone calendar is located was just my playground when I was a kiddy!!September 30th is the Linapet Day…yummy yummy…havent tasted linapet for ages!!!maybe I should try and make linapet before I forget he he he he…Unfortunately,i am the only I-agawa where i’m at….so can’t celebrate the day…
Hi agawachick,
Thanks for joining us. Happy Linapet day celebration. Oray adi no ma-eesang ka dakat i-celebrate; and send us some of the linapet you will make 🙂 Thanks again.
Yeh, adiyo getken di cuangga…san black ay wadas nan payyewan ya ay ay-ayamen di ongong-ad casin. salodsodem ken allapom for more explanation. happy Linnapet day.
Thanks for the welcome bill bilig.I take it you are the owner of this site?
Nan cuangga- kak-alla,wenno kaka..siya nan kanan mi di id agawa..ngem maid et samet en men laplapet as kaka in these day and age…wen ta sannak man tet-ew men lapet he he he..everyone is welcome!!!
Hi Anonymous and agawachick,
Oh, so cuangga is kak-alla pala. I heard of the word before but never knew that it is kak-alla. Yup cuangga is a yummy addition to linapet/bina-od.
I hope we still have them in the rice fields and not extinct. Much thanks!
Agawachick, yup, I manage this site 🙂
I am from agawa but I never saw the sun ray that strikes the stone map during september 30. Since it was little bit far to go to Gueday to see it. I saw the stone map, there are some marks/lines but i don”t understand what does it means.
Its very enjoyable to celebrate linapet day on september 30. I like the linapet with sugar or salt. But not with “kaling” or eel, its hard for me to eat it.
Sometimes we make not during Linapet day its not enjoyable, you don’t feel the real linapet.
ine no men oto kau as linapet et ay eyey yo ad kin-iway ta asdi nan madagupan ngam-in d ibesao ay manglaman as linapet, pilmi ya nan imis todi amed san diket ay waday palaman ay kaling, ado nan kaling asdi gueday tay isan kaongong-a mi et dumayo kami ay men kulap as ube di iyagakaw tay kagagawis nan laga da as ube he he he , forget about it.tay ad kasin di he he he i am proud to be ipad-ang as ibesao in general. isonga sapay ta makasaak as tiempon di linapit ta adoadowek nan kaek , he he he