Why Sus-uwa?

SAGADA - Sus-uwa is a ritual in Sagada done on the conduct of a Senga, a thanksgiving cultural practise of an undertaking whether on some stages of the construction of a house or the graduation of a child. Sus-uwa is also observed by a parent or a sibling to a member of the family who died.

        The ritual is a prayer and the setting is solemn, with no one talking, sneezing, coughing, talking, walking and even a fart is prevented from breaking out so not to break the flow of the prayers.

        A cooked part of a chicken or a pig with a bit of rice on a plate and a bowl or cup of soup is placed on the floor. The door is guarded so no one will come in while the ‘amam-a’ (elders) do a monotonous prayerful incantation of good health and good luck among members of the family who did the Senga and that Kabunyan take care of the household members.

        The sus-uwa could last for 10 minutes to 30 minutes depending on the incantation of the elders. 

        The setting is solemn and prayerful.

        Now comes the subject of the Sos-owa to be done in reference to the re-imagination, repainting, re-touching of a mural originally done by artist Santiago Bose at the wall frontage of St Mary School in the 1980s.

        The Sos-owa as it is titled on a poster shall be held on March 8, 2020. With the many years that passed, the paint and the sketches of the figures weathered, withered and urecognizable with some figures still visible at the frontage wall of St Mary School.

        The original painting then showed figures of persons closely huddled together and each holding a ‘kalasag’ (shield) and standing in front of rice terraces. There is also the picture of a woman holding a ‘labba’ (basket) and in another section of the mural, a  figure of a ‘tinagtago’ (carved form of a human being) among other features.

         Whatever story the mural told, other features are not so clear to see with the passing of time and the weathering of the paint. Though the message of the mural must have depicted the beliefs and cultural practises of the iSagada who nurtures and guards the ricefields, the waters and the forests, one with the waters and the earth, fire and wind, plants and animals and the spirits guarding these.

         So we come to know that the painting was and the repainting now is supported by Boy Yuchengco, son of  philanthropist-businessman Alfonso Yuchengco who donated the construction of the now St Mary School building after the earlier school building made of pine wood was burned in May 1975.  

          Bose died in 2002. His artist friends from Baguio and other Cordillera artists now do the repainting with some added features including a rainbow in the current 2020 project.  

          After the Sos-owa in the morning to be ceremonized by some elders of Sagada I come to know, is a concert at the ballground with Lolita Carbon known for her environmental and social concern songs.

          The softball ground was then the site where the Asin folk band once played their most nostalgic concert one happy  night in the ‘80s and people of Sagada were treated to a groovy and euphoric moment of all sorts with Asin’s  popular Kapaligiran, Balita, Cotabato, Tuldok among other hits.

          That was in the 1980s. Fast forward. Its now 2020.  Some 40 years ago and with less other members of Asin band. Now only with Lolita and her husky voice. Must still be husky and beautiful now with the mellowing of time. Lolita comes with a reggae band called Weather the Roots and another group called Aman Sinaya.

          This time, it’s a concert in the afternoon that comes after a prayer ritual to be held in the morning of March 8. Yes, March 8 not really in celebration of International Women’s Day but a day maybe because it’s a Sunday for people to rest and give thanks to the Lord.

          The concert comes with an event titled Sos-owa. Any Sagada-Igorot who knows his or her culture shall ask why ‘sus-uwa’ when the setting is a folk-reggae- concert with drums, guitar and percussion and the mood likely to be is lively, danceable and groovy. Quite ironical to the solemn, prayerful, still and monotonous incantations of elders in a cultural ritual termed sus-uwa.

          A Facebook chatbox among some iSagada kailyan are hesitant of the title of the concert  ‘Sos-uwa’. And they suggest it better be called ‘liwliwa’ as it is more lively. Though others say a ‘liwliwa’ does not come with drums and gongs as the instruments are played during a feast. And better that it be titled ‘day-eng’ meaning music.  While another  said,  it better be called ‘sapsapit’ as it shall tell the story of a subject.  

          And so the issue went on about using a cultural term inappropriate to an event, the concert. Though ‘sos-owa’ is alright for the conduct of the unveiling of the mural ritual. Obviously, the program held in Sagada was not conceptualized and titled by an iSagada sus-uwa pronounced with U's said with puckered lips and not sos-owa with rounded O's.

          Nevertheless, its one's option to be in a prayerful mood to watch the concert publicly held in the afternoon at the soft ball ground separate from the venue of the unveiling of the mural ritual done in the morning at the SMS quadrangle at the same day. An event the many alumni of Saint Mary School will know what the event is all about.