The Whispering Pines of Sagada

About the legend

Being

Family memory and weather signs

Cultural meaning

On the limestone cliffs of Sagada, the coffins of honored elders rest high above the valley. It is often explained that they were placed high to bring the dead nearer to the gods and to keep them safe from wild animals. The honor was never for everyone: it was kept for respected leaders who had served their community.

Fun fact

Visitors to the valley under Sagada's hanging coffins are asked not to shout, and to keep a respectful distance.

Cultural notes

Sagada is a town in Mountain Province, in the Cordillera of northern Luzon. Its Kankanaey communities are known as the Isagada; the Kankanaey are one of several Cordillera peoples often grouped under the broad name Igorot. The hanging coffins on the cliffs of the valley often called Echo Valley are only one of their burial customs. Others were laid to rest in limestone caves such as Lumiang, and today most families use a cemetery. Sagada's town government asks visitors to respect the culture and never to touch or disturb coffins or burial places.

About this retelling

Original contemporary story An original contemporary story about weather, memory, and elder knowledge in Northern Kankanaey Sagada.

A new story written for Filipino Tales: Amaya, her family and the plot are invented, while the pine forest, the cliffs and the hanging coffins are real. Grandma's saying that the wind carries the memory of those who came before is this family's own way of speaking, not a documented belief in Sagada. The faces Amaya sees in the mist are her imagination and never guide anyone; the weather and what her grandfather taught her lead the way. The reading text names no ethnic group and does not explain the burial custom, so children meet the coffins only as quiet resting places.

Sources

• Felipe S. Comila, "The Disappearing Dap-ay: Coping with Change in Sagada", in The Road to Empowerment, vol. 2 (International Labour Organization, 2007) (International Labour Organization)
• Philippine News Agency, "Sagada braces for tourists influx, issues guidelines" (2019) (Zigzag Weekly)
• Discover the Philippines, "Hanging Coffins in Sagada" (Discover the Philippines)

Themes

• Listening
• Respect
• Remembrance

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