KANKANAEY GROUP (BENGUET)

The Legend of Apo Anno

A Long time ago, Tugtugaka, a brave chieftain of Nabalicong set out to hunt a white deer, which had
eluded many hunting trips and had posed a big challenge to many hunters. Tugtugaka got obsessed with
the deer and spent many countless days and nights, which greatly exhausted him. Then one day, his dog
sensed the white deer and the hunting ensued. After covering a great distance of running and tracking,
the deer was finally trapped against a waterfall. Spear in hand and ready, Tugtugaka poised for a good
strike when he heard a soft and powerful woman’s voice “Don’t hurt my pet.” Bewildered, Tugtugaka
saw a young woman bathing by the crystalline waterfall. Tugtugaka was so awed with her beauty and
nakedness, as he did not understand why he didn’t notice her earlier by the waterfall. She continued:
“My name is Cuyapon, and that deer is my pet. Don’t hurt it lest you get the ire of the folks. This place is
our home.” Tugtugaka was so puzzled. He saw neither sign of dwelling nor of human activity.
As she was dressing, “I see that you are a brave man, and I suppose, you are a good leader of your
village,” she commented. “Come inside, you are hungry and in need of rest. You are exhausted. We can
also talk so that you will understand my folks,” she said as she led him to a small cave opening.
Tugtugaka was even more surprised when, as they reached the cave opening, it became a spacious
entrance, and inside, a room only meant for a princess. All around are serenity and a paradise. Soon, he
realized what he entered is no ordinary world and Kuyapon is no ordinary mortal! She is a fairy who
becomes visible when she likes. At the end of the meeting, Tugtugaka left for home with a sackful of
meat more than what he could have obtained from the white deer. “Keep our encounter a secret,” he
was advised.
From then on, Tugtugaka visited the fairy regularly and they fell in love with each other. Realizing that
their love is to be blessed with a child, Kuyapon instructed Tugtugaka: “Don’t come back until eight
moons and a half from now.” After laboring wait, Tugtugaka returned to find Kuyapon delivering a child.
It was a healthy baby boy. He was advised: “Go home and come back only after eight moons and a half
from now. You have to take out our child since he cannot live here. His mortal blood destroys the air of
peace of our world. But take good care of him as I do in my spirit way. He will grow to be a good hunter
and a worthy father of your village. Give him the name Anno, for he will shadow his generation with
abundance and good will.”
Anno was then taken by Tugtugaka and raised to be a brave man and a good hunter. As a leader, his
saga includes repealing the “buso” (headhunters from another place and other enemies), yet he was a
peaceful man and abhorred waging war even against the “buso” which earned him the respect of his
villagers and other tribes. He used to hunt along the river now named after him, the Agno River.
As Anno was in his advanced age and sensing death is near, he asked to be buried in a place now called
Nabalikong. The people protested about his coffin; a large hollowed log would be too heavy to be
carried over a mountain. “Just float it on the river, it will be carried by the river to the site,” he
instructed. The people were puzzled because the burial cave is higher than the river and the river does
not pass through the burial site. “You will find people to help you there and animals and food to eat,” he
further said. Nevertheless they followed his instructions and indeed, the coffin floated all the way to the
burial site. They also met people to assist, the food and animals as he said. Since Anno has a high status
and is a regarded man in the village, he has to be mummified; mummification is a long process. Right
after his last breath, they opened his mouth and forced him with strong brine solution. They even used
their mouth to pump the solution into his stomach. After three days, his body was bathed with different
kinds of herbs alternately every day. After the bath, the body was sun-dried. The process went for at
least three months. Every day, his animals were butchered for food of the people doing the work. After
it had dried and hardened, his body was put in the coffin to be interned in a cave. His generation
flourished and peopled many villages far and wide from Benguet to Ifugao and Vizcaya.
 A. BACKGROUND
One of the most famous and revered mommies of the Philippines and among the kankanaey people
from the Cordillera. Apo Anno was considered as both a revered ancestor and a demigod according to
kankanaey legend.
The Nabalicong people have memories passed down throughout the community of the disappearance of
the Apo Anno’s preserved body. Documents have proven that it disappeared somewhere around 1918
to 1920 when the Americans started to erect structures in the Benguet region.
Soon after, there were evidence of him being shipped to the U.S where he was put on exhibits.
According to Linda De Leon in her article, “The Mummies of Benguet” on Aug. 8. 1976, Apo Anno was
exhibited in a museum in Seattle, Washington in the late 1940.
1984- Ms. Conception Cortes donated the mummy to the National Museum in the Manila. She
purchased the mummy in 1973 that belonged to the late Don Antonio Jimenez of Vigan, Ilocus Sur.
1960- a letter from a museum in the USA came to Beguet seeking the assistance of the
municipal government of Buguias and Kabayan to help locate the Kin of Apo Anno so his remains may be
brought home.
-No action happened with regard to the letter since the expected descendants did not follow up
due to fear and their inability to understand the paper works they had to accomplish.
1995- Mr. Sorio Copas then councilor of Buguias passed a resulotion in the municipal council for
the recovery of the Apo Anno.
However the resulotion was not heard.
1998- Mr. Copas reasserted the eturn of Apo Anno to Buguias Provincial Resolution No. 98-527
was passes and then approved by Governor Raul Molintas.
-Apo Anno was returned to the people of Benguet.
1999- The mummy was sealed away from public view where he can live out his afterlife and
finally peacefully rest.

-Apo Anno is back to his original resting place in Sitio Nabalicong, Buguias Benguet.

B. Poetic Devices- Figure of Speech

- Hyperbole – a figure of speech consists in representing as much greater or smaller than they
really are, with the intention of producing a more striking effect that a plain statement can.
“Tugtugaka got obessed with the deer…”
“Don’t hurt my pet (deer).”

C. Theme, Tone and Mood

Theme: Legend, Myths, Short Story
Tone: Formal
Mood: Romantic, Calm

D. Cultural/ Traditional Practices

The story depicts the cultural beliefs and traditional being done during the old times .Hierarchy
is common during ancient times, the stronger and abundant you are, the higher chance that you’re
going to be chosen as the chief in the tribe on handling the resources and community or your blood line
tells you if you’re the next leader.
People believe on supernatural beings, like fairies, dwarfs, gods and goddess, giving then respect
by harnessing nature and giving them offerings by hunting native boars and deer that are offered. Men
are protectors and hunters of community and they seek a good quality and enough food of food for
their family.

E. Summary
The Legend of Apo Anno was a story from Buguias, Benguet that tells the story of a legendary
being that until now was praised and believed in. It tells about the different cultures of the people of
Benguet where there is Hierarchy, mummification and their believes in gods and goddesses. In the
historical background, the mummified body of Apo Anno was given to different exhibits but now is in its
current and original place

Members:
Dave Sawangin
Valery Bugtong
Raela Gaki
Marvilyn Pistola
Viebres Salio-an