Kankanay House

Traditionally, Kankanay village was set on the hump of the hill whose elevation afforded a natural
defensive advantage to neighboring groups.

The are three main house types:

Binangiyan

Apa (Inapa)

Allao

Traditionally, the Kankanay village was situated on the bulge of a hill whose height afforded a natural
defensive advantage against rival tribes. Contemporary Kankanay villages are located near the source of
a stream or river, which provide irrigation water for the rice terraces. A typical village of the northern
Kankanay or Lepanto Igorot would have at least 700 inhabitants, residing in a cluster of some 150
houses. Slopes of hills or mountains are flattened so that houses can be built. Lying near this village is a
consecrated grove of trees which serve as setting for sacrificial rituals. There are three main types of
Kankanay dwelling: the binangiyan, the apa or inapa, and the allao. The binangiyan is a Kankanay family
abode that has a basic resemblance to the Ifugao house (fale), having a high hipped roof with ridge
parallel to the front. The key feature of the binangiyan is the box-like compartment – a single-room
dwelling with a spacious attic (baeg) that functions as a granary. The roof of the binangiyan is pyramidal
in form with overhanging eaves extending downward about 1.2 m from the ground. The eaves are
supported by four walls that slant outwards, toward the upper part where the roof is mortised to the
four corners. The four walls are rabbeted into the traverse beam below at chest height. Usually, four
wooden posts secure two transverse girders which likewise support three floor joists into which floor
boards are attached.

Close to the ground, there is a wooden platform stretching out to the eaves. The platform is formed by
several broad planks laid together above the ground, instead of stone blocks set on the earth. This space
is used for weaving and cooking. Stone is used as pavement around the house. The interior consists of a
sleeping area, a kitchen (with a hearth in one corner), and a storage space for utensils. The floor, about
1.5 m above the ground, is unenclosed, allowing occupant to perform chores, such as basket and cloth
weaving, making utensils, and splitting firewood. There is an opening at one side, leading to a narrow
passageway protected by a sliding door. A pigpen may be found in one of the end corners. The living
room is upstairs, which also serves as the sleeping and dining area. The attic space formed by the high
roof is used to store rice. There are no windows except a small exhaust opening in the roof for the
smoke coming from the hearth. The low eaves afford protection against heavy rains. The house has only
one entrance, the front door, the access to which is a slender removable ladder. The door panels are
lavished with vertical flutings and the beams and joists with horizontal wavelike ornamental furrows.
The provision of disc-shaped rat guards under the girders ensures the protection house granary against
rodents. The apa and the allao, which are dwellings for the poorer families, are built more modestly
than the binangiyan. Regarded as a temporary abode, the apa (also called inapa) has walls which are
perpendicular to the ground, with the four main posts standing directly in the corners. The material
used for the floor is split bamboo and lengths of runo. Even if the roof is conical, as in the binangiyan, it
is lower and closer to the ground. Regarded as even more temporary that the apa is the allao. It has a
rectangular floor plan and a gable-shaped roof that slopes down beyond the floor towards the ground.
The four-corner posts reache up to the roof. The floor is lashed to these posts and supported by wooden
piles underneath. Since construction does not require walls, the allao allows no space for an attic for
storage. The structure has no stair for the floor height is low at 0.6m high.

Environmental Situation: Bakun mountain in the north central area of Benguet

Plan:
- Traditional kankanay house is called binangiyan
- Single-room dwelling elevated at 1.5m from the ground
- Interior space is used for sleeping, cooking, eating and storage of utensils and
valuables
- Underneath the roof and above the hearth is an attic which serves as a granary
- Space underneath the house is not enclosed, it used for activities like basket
weaving, kitchen utensils making, sewing cloth or cutting firewood. Space also used
for entertaining guests and as family room. Pigs and chickens may be kept in a
corner
- Flooring is made of hardwood like narra rests on three floor joists
- Underneath the overhanging eaves, jaw bones and skulls of butchered pigs are
displayed for the visitors to see
PARTS
Structural Elements:
- The house is supported by four or more wooden posts to which the floor framing is
attached
- Walls made of hardwood, slant outwards at the top
- Wall boards are rabetted to the transverse beam above

Protective Elements:
- Pyramidal in form, is mortised to the four corners of the slanting walls
- High and pointed, it is thatched with runo, pudong and cogon grass
- Eaves of the roof extends downward to about 1.20m above the ground, as a result,
the roof covers or conceals the house walls

Circulatory Elements:
- Detachable bamboo stair placed at the entrance is used to access to the house
- When Kankanay leaves the house, the stair is removed and placed crosswise
against the closed sliding door
- Windows are not provided except for a small opening above the door which serves
as an outlet for the smoke coming from the hearth

Cultural

Like most Igorot ethnic groups, the Kankanaey built sloping terraces to maximize farm space in the
rugged terrain of theCordillera.
Two famous institutions of the Kankanaey of Mountain Province are the dap-ay, the men's dormitory
and civic center, and the ebgan, the girls' dormitory where courtship between young men and women
took place.
The Kankanaey differ in the way they dress. The women soft-speaking Kankanaey's dress has a color
combination of black, white and red. The design of the upper attire is a criss-crossed style of black, white
and red colors. The skirt ortapis is a combination of stripes of black, white and red.
The women hard-speaking Kankanaey's dress is composed of mainly red and black with a little white
styles, as for the skirt or tapis which is mostly called bakget and gateng. The men wore a g-string as it is
called but it is mainly known aswanes for the Kanakaneys of Besao and Sagada. The design of
the wanes may vary according to social status or municipality.

Religious Beliefs and Practices

The supernatural world of the Kankanay is replete with male and female god figures, as well as spirit-
beings, who comprise a hierarchy of deities under one supreme entity called Kabunian, creator of all
beings and living things in the world
 Next to Kabunian is a descending order of lesser gods and spirits. The male gods are Lumawig, Kabigat,
Soyan, Okalan, and Balitok. The female gods are Moan, Daongen, Angtan, Bangan, Gatan, and Oboy.
Their names are recited and invoked by the Kankanay in various rituals, so that they may intercede for
people and facilitate the granting of favors needed or desired.
Manteneng is a ritual which begins the planting phase.
Legleg is performed to improve the growth of the plants.
an-anito
Kabunian - mainly responsible for the welfare and general well-being of all those he created. He is also
looked upon as the supreme master who taught humans everything they need to know for life, such as
making fire, the cultivation of rice, and marriage rituals.
Manteneng - Here, the owner of the rice field plants the first two or three rice seedlings, and recites a
prayer asking the spirits of the field to help the plant grow tall. Only after this will the other workers
begin the planting of the rest of the seedlings.
Legleg - This is done whenever the bonabon seedlings show telltale signs of withering. A chicken is
killed, and is offered to the spirits of the field, trees, rocks, and other things in the surroundings believed
to have been angered or displeased. Four or five long feathers of the chicken are pulled out and stuck
into the site where the bonabon are planted. An-anito - similar to the legleg, except that it is
performed to seek intercession for an ailing person

First Type: Binangiyan

For the prosperous members of the community
Similar to the Ifugao House
High, hipped roof with the ridge parallel to the front
Roof drops down from about 1.5 m from the ground
The house itself rests upon a structure consisting of 3 joists and on 2 girders on four posts Close to
the ground, there is a wooden platform stretching out to the eaves
The interior is consist of sleeping area, kitchen and storage space for utensils The space formed by
the roof and the walls become useful for storage
The floor, which is about 1.5m above the ground is not enclosed enabling the members of the
household do chores
Living room is located upstairs and also the sleeping area and dining area
Attic is used to store rice
There are no windows except a small opening at the roof that serves as a smoke vent
Only one entrance ( Front door) accessible using a detachable ladder

Second Type: Apa (Inapa)

 Dwellings for the less fortunate Built more simple compared to the Binangiyan Like the poor Ifugao’s
abode, apa has walls built perpendicular to the ground with the four main posts standing directly at the
corners The materials used for the floor are split bamboos and lengths of runo Although roof is
conical like the binangiyan it is lowered and closer to the ground

Third Type: Allao

Dwellings for the less fortunate
Has a rectangular floor
Gable shaped roof slopes down beyond the floor and thus simple structure has no needs for walls