MALIGCONG GHOSTS

Stories of the unknown have always fascinated man ever since, how they affected the social,psychological and even their political decisions. The interference of these spirit entities are regarded as a blessing or a curse,depending on the outcome of the offering and the corresponding requests. Every place have their own ghost story to tell,maligcong, a member of the igorot tribe is one among the many who, until this day believe on a number of ghosts that are active in their locality. The Anito is considered a friendly ghost because they believe these are the spirits of their departed kins. when a person is about to die, his soul is seen among the rice terraces, a Fotattew holding a torch of fire. The natives believe that the soul of the person who is about to die is making his last round of inspection of his properties.According to those who witnessed these apparitions, they will know who the guy who is about to die when the fire holding ghost will go back to the house of this person. The anitoes dwell at the papattay, located at the upper portion of the community among the old trees. The elders who are entrusted the priestly duties come to this place called the papatayan to offer animal sacrifices to appease the anitoes. After the rituals were performed the elders believe that good health, harvest and blessings will follow when these things were accomplished. As there are good and bad spirits the maligcong people believe in the presence of bad ghosts called the Gegedchay,these are nasty spirits who dwell the precipice near the community. when these Gegedchay enter somebody and posses the person, its called Sadsadayyan, the person's eyes are red and glaring,he becomes uncontrollable and dangerous. The Pacheg is a ghost that steals the soul of a person who are in their sick bed. residents claim that whenever a person is very sick the pacheg would appear, his height is enormous of about twenty feet with human form, It stays near the house of the sick person and ran away carrying the soul of the sick person.
However these ghost whether they are good or bad can cause sickness to any person who cross their way. The only way to know who caused this ailment is to consult an elder of the community, usually an old woman,she becomes the medium between the living and the spirit world. She will give the instruction for the sacrifice as demanded by ghosts. Chickens, pigs or dogs are the favorite sacrificial animals. These are butchered and parts of it were reserved and brought to the place where the sick person met the ghost, with other items demanded by the ghost.
I mentioned just a few ghost that play major roles in the life of these maligcong igorots, how they manage life surrounded by a demanding spirit world. However some are trying to rid themselves of the ancestor worship by embracing the Christian faith. Yet the ghosts still span around manifesting themselves in many forms and ways planting fear to whoever believes in them.




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