Dog-eating and my culture by Bing A. Dawang

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http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/03/11/letters1103.html

 

Dog-eating and my culture by Bing A. Dawang

 

 

Just before World Animal Day, which coincides with the

feast of St. Francis d'Assisi, the patron saint of

animals, a local newpaper defended the dog meat trade

in the Philippines, in particular in Baguio City and

the Cordilleras, by claiming that dog eating is a part

of the Igorot indigenous culture.

 

 

 

As a full-blooded Igorot, I take offense.

 

 

 

The newspaper quoted Isikias Isican, said to be

curator of the St. Louis University museum, as saying

that there is a clear cultural basis for butchering

dogs because they were " butchered by Igorot tribes

before going to war, or to cure certain afflictions. "

 

 

 

Isican generalized that dog-eating is a part of Igorot

tradition by recalling that in 1904 a few Igorot men

and women were displayed at the Louisiana Purchase

Exhibition ( " world's fair " ) in St. Louis, Missouri.

Described as as heathen pagans, they butchered a dog

as part of the show.

 

In the same article Hanzen Binay, formerly defense

counsel for several dog meat traders and now a Benguet

prosecutor, questioned the wisdom of the Philippine

Animal Welfare Act. Objecting that the law was

supported by British animal advocates, Binay asked

rhetorically why Britain does not respect the Igorot

culture.

 

 

 

As an Igorot, I vehemently do not accept dog eating as

my culture. I was not raised to eat dogs. Dog meat is

not a part of my diet, nor has it ever been. I find it

insulting that Igorots are branded as dog-eaters, not

only in the Philippines but abroad. It is a shame, and

because Igorots are Filipinos, dog-eating is a

Philippine national shame.

 

 

 

It is true that in ancient times some Igorot tribes

butchered their dogs before going to war. It was the

belief of the then pagan Igorot that the spirits of

the sacrificed dogs would guard them in battle.

 

 

 

At times of tragedy, the family dog might also have

been sacrificed to appease the spirits, and to assign

the soul of the dog to guard the spirits of the living

family members.

 

 

 

Dog sacrifice always connoted bad luck, tragedy, or

death. When a family butchered a dog, who had to be

the family dog, not just any dog bought from nowhere,

the family was not feasting but either mourning, in

extreme pain, or involved in some other activity

connected with death.

 

Dogs were not butchered as drinkers' fare, nor as a

daily or regular part of the Igorot diet. Igorot

families much preferred to avoid the circumstances

which might lead them to sacrifice their dog.

 

 

 

Dog sacrifice for religious purposes is allowed under

the Philippine Animal Welfare Act. But the act also

requires that dog sacrifices must be recorded and

reported. Five years after the law was passed, the

Bureau of Animal Industry has yet to receive any such

reports from the Igorot elders.

 

 

 

Igorot culture has greatly changed since 1904.

Headhunting, for example, was also part of the Igorot

culture and way of life a hundred years ago. We now

recognize and reject that practice as murder.

 

 

 

This is adaptation. This is cultural evolution. We

discard bad customs and traditions, and adopt good

ones from other culturesand as an Igorot, a Filipino,

a law-abiding citizen, and a lover of dogs, if I see

anyone butchering and selling dogs for meat, I will

not hesitate to bring criminal charges.

 

 

 

Incidentally, anyone who believes that the Philippine

Animal Welfare Act was passed chiefy through the

lobbying of British citizens, or Americans, or members

of any nationality other than Filipino is misinformed.

 

 

 

 

Foreigners helped, but most of the work was done by

Filippinos, represented by Philippine groups,

including the Philippine Animal Welfare Society,

reorganized in 1986 by Nita Hontiveros-Lichauco, and

the Philippine SPCA, formed on December 13, 1904 (the

year of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition), now headed

by Edgardo Aldaba.

 

 

 

We have in common, besides our cause, one hero: the

dog Dagul, an askal, whose kind are commonly captured

and butchered. Dagul, however, was adopted by Wilmar

Castillo and family. Dagul rewarded their compassion

in May 2003 when he alerted Wilmar Castillo to an

avalanche of mud just in time to save the young man's

life.

 

 

 

Honored with the Lewyt Award for Compassionate and

Heroic Animals, as described in the September 2003

edition of ANIMAL PEOPLE, Dagul and Wilmar Castillo

demonstrated the relationship that we believe should

exist among humans and dogs. Kindness toward dogs and

other creatures is fundamental to my culture.

 

 

 

[bing A. Dawang is editor of The Junction regional

newspaper and is a founding officer of Linis Gobyerno,

Inc., G/F PCEC Bldg., Happy Homes Campo Sioco, Baguio

City, The Philippines; telephone 6374-448-0645; fax

6374-620- 0641; <www.linisgobyerno.org>.]

 

 

 

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