Adivay 2008: Depap

When the son of Kabunian, Lumawig, was on the right age to marry, he has chosen a bride from the mountainous region of the Cordilleras. When the wedding was due, Lumawig carried logs of pine to the house of the bride but there weren’t enough food for the well wishers to partake. And so he called out to all the animals and the forest. The deer came running out but they weren’t good enough for Lumawig. He called once again to the animals and this time, pigs came running out of the forest. Lumawig called out to the men to catch the animals to be cooked for the wedding. All men ran after the pigs and started catching each one of them.

From such legend came the Benguet tradition “Depap” or “Chepap” when the men catch animals, usually pigs, to be butchered for a Caňao. On the 22nd of November, this tradition came to life during the Adivay celebration.