Celebrating Lagun and the Feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Maura Lipanda, Risajean Berdesola, Mercy Pakiwag, and Thelma Compade

In ancient times, the Pulangiyēn community of Sitio Bendum, Busdi, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon celebrated Lagun, or taking some fruit of the crops planted in the taligba or garden. The Lagun was a great event for our ancestors, a collective thanksgiving for the first fruits that would later become food on our tables. Farmers gathered in one house to celebrate, holding a ritual of thanksgiving to the guardians of the crops and the land.

This same spirit continues today as the APC community celebrated Lagun together with the feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola to conclude the month of July. For our children and teachers, it was a day to give full attention to this important tradition and to reflect on how it lives on in our lives.

The day began with a Mass that wove faith and culture together. Just as our ancestors expressed gratitude through ritual dances, the celebration opened with dugsu, a prayer dance, and during the offering the children danced again. This reminded us of how thanksgiving has always been a shared expression of both spirit and culture.

In the old days, those who joined the feast brought chickens, sometimes a pig, as part of the ritual. Today, our students brought different fruits from their farms and gardens as their offering, continuing the same act of gratitude.

One student, Jeno Almahan, shared his reflection on how Lagun teaches care for the land – reminding us not to cultivate it continuously so that its nutrients are preserved. Like our ancestors who planted in balance, Jeno emphasized the importance of diverse crops and root crops, which remain vital for food security during disasters.

As part of the celebration, the children in each grade level prepared a food stall in their classrooms. These stalls showcased a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and crops grown in their farms such as tubo (sugarcane), baungon (pomelo), citrus, saging (banana), kapayas (papaya), pinya (pineapple), binggala (cassava), lutya (taro), sayuti (chayote), ube (purple yam), kamuti (sweet potato), kamais (corn), kalamunggay (horseradish), udlot sa sayuti, kamuti, ug tinangkong (young, tender shoots or leaves of chayote, sweet potato, and Chinese spinach vines), pako (fiddlehead fern), tangkong (water spinach), and dabung (bamboo shoots).

Assisted by their teachers, the children also enjoyed cooking different cultural dishes: baki (forest frog), dabung (sauteed bamboo shoots), pancit (noodle dish), tinulang manok (native chicken stew), adubung manok (chicken sautéed in soy sauce), salads of papaya and fiddlehead fern, and sweet desserts such as buko (young coconut) salad.

The colorful stalls became places of learning, sharing, and joy as students proudly presented the fruits of their labor and their knowledge of food preparation. These dishes were later shared by everyone during the community lunch in the school, turning the celebration into a true feast of gratitude and togetherness.

Our ancestors also spoke of pangalawat (asking and receiving) and handuga (sharing what we have with others) as signs of generosity and compassion. In the same way, the present celebration in the school included sharing food, displays of harvests, and songs from the youth, showing joy, unity, and cooperation. The children were clearly proud and happy as they showcased the fruits of their farms.

Farming in the past followed the rhythm of panuig and tibunglay. From January to July, fields were planted with corn, rice, beans, ginger, sugarcane, pineapple, and bananas. From October to December, the land was planted with sweet potatoes, taro, cassava, and vegetables. Today, this wisdom was echoed in talks given to the children.

Danilo Deloso, a member of the tribal council, reminded them of the importance of choosing vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins, saying, “If we do not eat well, our minds will not work, and we will not have strength.” Similarly, Teria Aurestilla, a resident of Bendum and barangay health worker, spoke on valuing health through glow, grow, and go foods, showing that nourishment can be found in what we cultivate around us, not just in expensive food.

In both past and present, Lagun is not only about crops but about community. The ancestors’ tilagun was a time of collaboration, cooperation, and thanksgiving. The APC celebration, too, became a day of strengthening bonds.

In the afternoon, elementary and high school students joined in sports and fitness activities, showing that joy and health are part of the harvest we celebrate. As teachers, we also realized that this day deepened our own friendships and cooperation, just as the elders once came together as one in gratitude.

For all these blessings, we give thanks to the Lord and to Amay Pedro. The APC community truly enjoyed the time and space to celebrate, and we look forward to continuing the Lagun and honoring the wisdom of our ancestors while living this out in the present.