When a bodong is forged, the binodngan or the members of the two tribes between which the peace pact was constituted are expected, for the sake of peace and harmony, to follow the laws or the “pagta,” and in case they violate these laws, they shall be held responsible for their transgressions. However, in all binodngans, certain individuals are charged with the special, albeit heavier, responsibility to enforce or execute the “pagta.” They are called the peace pact holders or “nangdon si bodong”.
Peace pact holders are the eyes, ears and mouth of the bodong. They have the duty to prosecute with dispatch the cases brought before them and they are expected to confer with the umili and the elders in making decisions. They shall not allow the severance of the bodong without complying with the provisions of the pagta.
Because they carry huge responsibilities, including economic duties, peace pact holders have to meet certain requirements before they are chosen as such by their tribes.
In most cases, males are chosen as peace pact holders on account of the fact that, in the past, it is the males who actually go to the battlefield to fight in behalf of their tribes. For most members of the various Kalinga tribes, the males represent the stronger gender as they have the capacity to protect their tribes against physical harm.
Although physical strength is desirable for a peace pact holder to possess, in this present age as in the olden times, peace pact holders must be individuals who are respected in their communities and come from well-to-do families. The respect given to peace pact holders translates into an authority that enables the community to abide by their decisions. Thus, for peace pact holders to retain the respect and confidence of their fellow tribe members, they have to be upright in their dealings, show strength of mind in their decisions, and display compassion and empathy towards others.
Peace pact holders must also be financially capable considering that they are always expected to be the host during a bodong celebration or during the warming up of the bodong or what is called the dolnat. They are also expected to be the host of traveling binodngan, with the responsibility to feed, offer them shelter, and insure their safety and well-being.
However, the possession of the above traits is not a guarantee that one can become a peace pact holder. As a matter of tradition, peace pact holders become as such by virtue of inheritance. It is usually passed-on to the eldest son, and it is a rarity that it is passed-on to a daughter.
Nevertheless, despite the strong preference given to male children even up to this modern era, some females have risen above the tradition and played the roles as peace pact holders.
In the above case, when the eldest son or the other sons beg off because the requisite traits are wanting, the daughter, who possesses the desired characteristics and capacities, may inherit the position. In some tribes, however, it is a condition that the husband of the daughter must come from their own tribe.
Another way by which a woman can become a peace pact holder is when it is passed-on to her on account of the death of her husband, who was the previous peace pact holder. She will hold it until she dies or until she is already unable to perform the responsibilities that is expected of her.
Outside the process of inheritance, a woman can also become a peace pact holder when the council of elders of her tribe selects her.
Yet another way is when two tribes desire to reestablish a bodong, which was previously severed due to patoy or killing. In this instance, the elders of each of these tribes may select, as a matter of preference, the new peace pact holder—who may be a woman—from the relatives of the victim or the culprit (as the case may be).
Although some elders in some tribes are still strongly bound by tradition and still prefer males as peace pact holders, many women and even men, who are highly regarded in their respective tribes, have expressed that more women should be given the chance to become peace pact holders because they can be as effective as men. In fact, one peace pact holder observed that, when it comes to negotiation or settling issues involving younger generations, women peace pact holders are more effective because they tend to be more patient and compassionate.
While gender parity in this aspect of Kalinga society is still far-fetched, it is important to emphasize that Kalinga women have, indeed, broken through a tradition that has been dominated by men for centuries. And while some members of the Kalinga society may have not noticed it, many of today’s pagtas between tribes have recognized the indispensable role of women in the attainment of peace, security and development, and thus encourage women to be bodong holders and to actively participate in all bodong undertakings. This declaration of principle, which now guides the practice of bodong, is a most welcome development that will enable more Kalinga women to assert their leadership roles in grassroots conflict resolution and peacebuilding mechanisms.
31 October 2021