“ Ambakbak” in the ‘Peace Time’

“ Ambakbak” in the ‘Peace                    Time’

          

  By: Melyn Apilis

             Ambakbak is a kalanguya term which means volcano. This Ambakbak came from the word ‘balakbak’ means boiling. Kalanguya people named this as Ambakbak because of the smell and of the boiling water that came from the mouth of the volcano where in according to Pitlongay Attiw one of the elders of the place the sounds of the Ambakbak is very loud where in people can hear and feel even they are far from the place. The steam that came from the Ambakbak  that rises up going to the sky joining the clouds were little dark.

                Despite that it is a volcano people name the place as Ambakbak that’s why whether the volcano itself or the name of the place. The Ambakbak is found at Tukucan Valley in the municipality of Tinoc  Province of Ifugao.

       
           According to Pilay another resident of the place his father told a story about the Ambakbak where in on their time or what they called as the ‘peace time’ there place has no roads, it’s difficult to find money, and all things are done by their self unlike now that we can easily access on everything because of technology but in that time it’s not, they have to walk or hike the mountainous areas and be careful of the wild animals that came across their ways without using slippers or shoes before reaching hospitals and schools and that is the reason why they have to be initiative and resourceful. People initiate that they didn’t need to go to a hospital for medication because they found out that the Ambakbak can cure some illnesses like “gulid” (skin disease), cough, LBM, head ache and others. And that they make this as their medicines using the boiling water that came from the Ambakbak and also with the sulphur. This makes them not to destroy and value the place.

                
                  The citizens did not stop in experimenting what the Ambakbak can do for them and that they discover things not only for medications but also for cooking. People got the camote that was already put in the stick and directly hook it on the boiling water after a minutes then they can remove it now and on their surprise it was well cooked like that of what they cooked using firewood. Not only camote that can be cooked by the Ambakbak but also the eggs, meat and others.

              
             The Ambakbak is smelly; it is like a cooked egg that travels on your nose.  The surroundings of this are filled with the “gatmo” or what they called as wild blueberries which children are fun of. There are no plants that can survive on the Ambakbak because of the hot soil. The thing that people are not sure of is that if this volcano is active or inactive!

              At this time there are many changes that happen........to be continued.......

Sources:

Pilay Lansoya

MidlakMaliones- aging more or less 85

 Fernando Attiw Sr alyas Pitlongay
Dalen Apilis
Feliza Patian