“Sadanga: The Land of Kadangyans”
“Sadanga: The Land of the ‘Kadangyans’”
By AUS, Baguio Midland Courier, 20 February 1966
[See related article here]
SHOULD the supbprovince of Bontoc become a separate province, the municipality which will stand up to be its financial angel would expectedly be Sadanga – often referred to as the “Land of the Kadangyans.” The word kadangyan means “rich man,” an individual in Bontoc primitive society belonging to the opulent class.
A foresight view of the wealth that Sadanga unassumingly owns may yield the reason behind its being called a region populated by affluent individuals. For while today her kadangyans own flights of rice terraces, rows of roofed granaries, illimitable supply of basi (sugar cane wine) and herds of cattle, Sadanga’s wealth of tomorrow are its great storage of mineral ores in its bowels, timber from its virgin borderland forests and its potential tourist wealth.
Much could be appreciated in the simple lives of the Sadanga folks. Conservative and hardworking people as they are, they seasonally dish out one of the most expensive native celebrations in the Mountain Province – the chono which features prominently the mass slaughtering of carabaos. The basi which they brew from their sugar cane patches is considered “the best” in the province. It tops in the number of olog(s), a primitive dormitoary of unmarried girls. The menfolk stake periodically one of the ancient games in the province – a mock battle fought between young men with staves and shields and their version of the famous Bontoc “Fagfagto.”
In rice terraces construction, they are rated among the ablest. This is evidenced by the fact that in the hinterlands of Abra and elsewhere, their stonewall artists are favorites of people yearly hiring men to do excavation work.
In war, Sadanga’s menfolk are among the bravest and fiercest. And Mountain Province tribesmen today have yet to duplicate the feat of Sadanga’s tribesmen fearlessly “invading” a lowland urban community in seeking revenge for the alleged killing of one of the tribesmen a decade ago.
For those hit by the sightseeing bug however, here are some of the outstanding sights that Sadanga offers.
Rice Terraces
For a change in rice terraces sights such as those which are offered by Banaue in Ifugao, the Sacasacan, Belwang, Bikigan and Betwagan rice terraces are open to the visitor’s vicarious delights.
The Sacasacan and Belwang rice terraces can be reached on foot from the municipal town of Sadanga with some two to three hours of hiking and climb up the rice terraces stairways. For the Betwagan terraces, a distant view can be had from the national highway north of Bontoc. A good two-hour hike to the barrio leads to the place where a panoramic view is caught from a hillside overlooking the village.
For a wider vista of the Belwang, Sacasacan and Bikigan rice terraces, a climb up to the barrio of Sacasacan will be rewarding. From this Sadanga barrio one catches a climpse of one of the massive sights of stone-walled rice terraces in the Mt. Province extending from the rest of the mountains down to the craggy banks of the Sadanga river below. During planting seasons, a gratifying scene greets the eye with irrigation aqueducts glittering in the sunlight down the terraced mountainside. The irrigation system of these rice terraces would send present-day civil engineers wondering over how these high stonewalled rice paddies are able to withstand erosion and cave-ins without the construction aids of slide rules and laboratories.
The Sadanga rice terraces are extensions of the terraces that are found in the barrios of Mainit, Guinaang and Malegkong on the northwestern highlands of Bontoc. Malegkong is only two-hour hike from Sacasacan, a village atop the municipal town of Sadanga.
Hot Springs
The Sadanga natives have found the medicinal and refreshing effects of hot springs that abound in the region. And so, they have with their own resources impounded one of the biggest springs in the municipality just a stone’s throw away from their municipal hall. A weary traveler can take a dip in one of these pools in the evenings. The hot spring pool is full of Sadanga villagers in the evenings bathing after a whole day of strenuous work in their farms.
More of these hot springs can be found along the banks of the Sadanga river – all catering to hot water needs of the villagers.
Lumawig’s Footprints
On a brushland between the barrio of Malegkong and Sacasacan is a huge rock sitting prominently on a hilltop like a sentinel guarding the fast receding tree lines of the undulating mountain range. Here in this uninhabited placed called Sidio are found huge human footprints left on the rocks.
Villages will readily tell that these are Lumawig’s – the legendary superbeing of the Bontocs who is said to have once ruled the regions long ago. Near these footprints are also hoofprints which appear to be those of a wild deer and another which is like that of a dog’s. Some small holes found in the rocks are said to be made by the point of Lumawig’s spear.
Whether these are footprints of a human being who lived once upon a time in the region cannot be established. But these are surely valuable tips for archaeologists who would like to refute earlier historical findings that point to the Himalayan valleys as the “cradle of the human race.”
Natural Lakes
Sadanga is one of the regions in the Mountain Province blessed with natural lakes. Among these which can be reached on foot are the Agaedon Lake found some kilometers above the barrio of Belwang towards the Mt. Province – Abra border, and the two lakes at Sacasacan. Fresh water fishes are found in these lakes where wild board and deer once frequent to wallow when they are driven by the noontime heat.
The Angoten Cave
This unknown natural cave made newspaper headlines a year ago when a group of school pupils, accompanied by their teachers and a US Peace Corp Volunteer, went for science class excursion to the place.
Only less than a kilometer up the hills of Belwang, the Angoten Cave got its name after its first discoverer, a certain Angoten who, according to a story, was a bat hunter. It was said that Angoten strayed into the caverns of the cave while hunting bats and after which his torch went out.
For days, Angoten wandered around the cavernous portions of the cave until he decided to follow the subterranean river below. Angoten was given up for dead by his fellow tribesmen until one day, word was received by the villagers that he appeared in the town of Sagada.
Another version of the story tells of Angoten coming out from one of the limestone caves of Sagada, to be welcomed as a “god” by the barrio folk. After Angoten related his story, he was borne on the shoulders of his hosts back to his home barrio in Belwang.
Whether the story is true or not, Angoten’s exploits gave him the distinction of being the first human being to discover that one of the rivers coming out of Sagada’s limestone caves has its source in Belwang and that a long subterranean river is found inside the mountains of Bontoc.
While we wait for explorers to duplicate Angoten’s accidental feat, the cave bearing his name is one of the potential tourist spots in the Mountain Province. A waterfall lazily drops from eaves of the cave above down to the mouth of the cave. For science students, the Angoten cave is an ideal hunting ground for exhibits and souvenirs.
This is Sadanga – today’s land of the kadangyans and a great source of provincial income for tomorrow’s “Province of Bontoc.”
Having been born in Sadanga, I am happy to learn that she has been called once as a land of the Kadangyans. No doubt, she is very rich culture wise, but economically, 42 yrs after this article was published, Sadanga is still struggling to move higher in the class category in the province. She is still a 5′th class municipality and will probably continue to be so for many years. The term kadangyan in Sadanga today is not so much what it means forty years ago. Many children of kadangyans today are illiterate and are the ones left out to mend on the farm they inhirited from their parents. Those that have moved out early in search of greener pastures are mostly the ones that have better life. I wonder if the author of this article is aware of what Sadanga has become now and what is his/her comment. Despite all these, Sadanga for me is still no doubt the best place to live because of the inherent hospitality of its people, its culture and its beautiful sceneries. That is why even after 15 yrs here in the U.S, am still rooting to go back and live in my birth place as soon as my financial status allows.
go and explore the beauty of Belwang sadanga mt. Province and u can see d difference.
yah maraming tourist spot ang sadanga mt province so im inviting everybody to visit our place.
hi freddie/shirley, wouldn’t it be nice if someone created a blogsite for Sadanga?
i’m sure there are a lot of kakailyan out there who can put up or create one. my last visit to Sadanga was in the ’80s. i hope i can revisit the place in the near future. thanks for visiting… 
yap,this article is so true. i am a full blooded igorot(hehe) from the land of kadangyan as this article says and i am proud to be from this place. many of its beautiful sceneries are awaiting to be discovered. the sad thing is that the local government can not sufficiently fund its tourism department to develop and advertise these spots to be well known not only to the locals but to other visiting tourists. anyways, to all those local tourists who seek for a more challenging outdoor activity, try visiting our place and prove me right. ahehehe.
hehehe kmuzta ngy ti skuling my dearest batch!!
Parang something wrong with the website it is not comeplete
i’m also having trouble with it kabsat. i even find it hard to update my files. server problems siguro. thanks for visiting…
on the second thought, usto ta adi unay madiskubre ta narigat ton. ma-exploit lawa.
sabagay met ketdi a. ngem bantayanyo latta a ta ammomon, daytoy makunkuna nga globalization ket adu ti sanga na nga maususar tapno maserrek dagiti luglugar tayo even without our consent.
YZadanga said “on the second thought, usto ta adi unay madiskubre ta narigat ton. ma-exploit lawa”
I hope you are saying this ligheartedly brother. There is nothing wrong no madiskubre ti Sadanga. Isn’t this is what we are looking forward into. Saying “ma-exploit lawa” is an unfounded fear about change and only us can have control over this. We need to have Sadanga be exposed (not exploited of course) for its beauty to be appreciated and for it to progress. We need to accept change so Sadanga can rise from its fifth class municipal state to a higher one. Discovery does not necessarily lead to exploitation.
Nice comments……… nothing more to say……… sadanga is really a very beautiful place….. green green grass of home talaga………..
haloooooo!!!!!!!!!….adayshat…… ay tet ewam…..jejejejeje……
hello ka-ilyans….
just dropping by to promote this site: sadanga.webs.com
actually draft website palang… you can view and join if you want… comments and suggestions for improvement are warm welcomed…thanks…^^
mayat kabsat, the more ysadanga sites the merrier!
ilink ko site mo ditoy kabsat.
No fear of exploitation. Maapa da una na ySadanga sakbay ay mangyari sa. Yet we’d like visitors to try our place: In-emes as Maatong; inlanglanga as Sangey; inpasyar as Angoten Cave; I could go on and on. Adi aya, pareng Kuslin?
wen mayat mo ma explore na sadanga ngem dapat adi ma exploit na ilan na beauty spots tako….
lets take care of the nature…….
hi i’m Abegail i’m proud to be from a native of sadanga,my mother from bikigan and sadanga.when i saw this place i cant say anything everything is very beautiful like me””’HE”HE”but i notice something..,Sadanga napag iiwanan’ and why?cos it is not expose place’the beauty is hide for long time.Sadanga will more beauty if Sadanga will expose.(not exploit) FOR ITS BEAUTY APPRECIAT AND FOR IT TO PROGRESS..
its time to live#5 most be SADANGA WILL BE THE # ONE’
wow!!! so happy to stumble upon this site… been away from home (of course, sadanga!) for quite a long time and have been missing home terribly. anyhow, i do agree with the opinions of our kakailyan that our home is one of the most blessed place… YET, looking back ten years before it seems that nothing progressed nor developed at all… Haaaaay, sayang pay no adi tako mai-share na beauty na ili tako sina sabali i tago and that we will remain to be poor (we live in the land of kadangyans, remember?) knowing however that we have the resources to help us…
i hope and pray that our local government will do something about it and that our beautiful hometown will finally be discovered and be known to tourists…
really missing home but looking forward to a better sadanga in the future….
Oi Apopot kumsta ngay ni Fernando daytoy ag brobrowse ak pang thesis ko about Sadanga ahahaha^^!!!
Hello again,
Was just in Sadanga & Belwang last Holy Week… the place was truly magnificent and the people were very friendly. I just wish I read your articles before going there.
Here are some photos I took during our visit.
http://juanch.multiply.com/photos/album/48/Nissan_Navara_Mountain_Province_Road_Trip
….thankz! 4 d pics you’ve shared…..
great shots, sir. thanks again for sharing these with us. Gawis ay agew mo!
TY for the pics Juanch. I got relieved a bit of my homesickness by your pics. Hope you had a great time. Come visit us again sometime in June or July and you’ll be my guest.
Hi Martin.. we truly enjoyed our Sadanga/Belwang visit and we’ll be more than happy to return for a longer stay to explore the place. Is June/July harvest season where the rice terraces turn gold? (“,)
ohhh its a verry nice shot’thanks to the pic.i fetl relieved in my hometownsickness for im not been there for long time.i wish i could go also there.
your hometown sickness will be gone forever if u try visiting sadanga during “chuno”,one weeek of eating watwat and dancing with the handsome boys of sdanga””’nyaks…….
your hometown sickness will be gone fore ever nd ever if you try visiting our place during “chuno”, one week of eating watwat and dancing with the handsome boys and beautiful gurlz of sadanga,,,,,,
__..yha..”chuno” is really nice and enjoyable occasion,
it would be a nice time to meet your KA2ilians_
June is the month when you want to see the palay turns the rice terraces color gold & July is the start of the harvesting season. Hence it is preferrable to go there late May and june. Try to go to Sacasacan as well to view the Focong rice terraces, the Sadanga version of Banaue rice terraces.
iSadangaak! and am proud! ahehe.. uhm.. sadanga, my hometown is really a very nice place.. i miss maatong soh much tuloy..
,,,,come visit our plce sadanga,,,and see how beauty and how rich our place,,,,jejeje
…..!!!!!…..ryt.i also mizzz dat “chuno” i wish dat when i go back, their will be chuno.lucky for us who will be their that tym……
Sadanga is very cool place….and all of you need to visit it….and promise you will enjoy it specially many tourist spot that you will see!!!!!
LOL! i’m proud to be i-SADANGA!!!!
hi miss nelei cawaren is Rosemarei cawaren is your sister pls if you know her?im here freind pls give her my email address loreik@yahoo.com loking forward to her. thank you.
SADANGA IS GREAT”””””” IM PROUND TO BE A NATIVE OF SADANGA EVEN IM NOT BEEN THERE FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS.GO GO GO SADANGA””’
yeh…..sadanga is a nice place…let us witness the nearcoming pagey festival….june 24-25…..
yah rryt. ,aztig na hometown tlga://
hellooooooo…..sa lahat ng isadanga…at mas lalo sa tga BEKIGAN…hheeeheheeee COME and VISIT US at Sadanga mt.province you will never regret………………………………….
……..ag ipost kau man pics ti fowa-as falls ken angoten cave you….
Nice to see that people logging in here reading about Sadanga and leaving messages is multiplying. To visitors posting images of Sadanga, thanks. Reichelle, ingat kau csa kanayon.
yohoo!!!!muustaa kakailyanz.. i’m a new browser of this web page and i am glad na daming sumusuporta ni2…hehe..astig ang i-VERWANG.
to ol riends out there!!!SADANGA IS A FIRST CLASS TOURIST SPOT…sunga agawid tayon amin..OK?hehe
Me i required the picture of the tourist spot you’ve mentioned on this page.
I was born in Sadanga but grew up in Kalinga but every vacation we go to Sadanga,Nung first time kong pumunta dun when i finished my elementary it’s beautiful there,the view khit na sa poblacion lng ako,gusto ko ang view dun pakiramdam ko napakalapit ko sa nature,ang ugali nila dun gustong gusto ko,they make me special.I miss sadanga na,mtgal na rin d ako nkapasyal dun and sana mas lalong umasenso ito,Proud to be Isadanga nga kuna da…
after 28 yrs. i cannot imagine what Sadanga looks now.we left behind some stories when we were young and finished our primary school since my parents were both teachers before. as time goes by,i left her to go on with my studies in the urban areas. now, i’m trying to find time to visit the place which i once belong and still belong to it with my family. sapay kuma ta makapasyarak assa sadanga tay mailewak yang gay. i believe Sadanga,ado metten ti katutubo nga nakaadal ket sapy kuma ta iyabanti da ti asenso ken pagsayaatan ti ili tayo.
sya, anusyoungguy,et matagotago tako kayet.
i happen to browse ur website and was long time ago already.ngem ulay ta nakitak and be my guest.salamat apo.
Hi! Ronald You must be who I think you are — the son of Mr & Mrs Basawil. I hope am right. I haven’t seen you and your siblings in more than a decade. Hope you and your family find sometime to visit our hometown in the future. A lot of changes already in sadanga but the friendliness of the people/community remains the same. Hope to meet you and your family soon. Martin Apopot
its been a long time na di ako nag browse ng web.. but i’m glad na adu pay ti agbro browse …..keep supporting !!!!!!!!!!!!! go go go sadanga…..hellow pala sa mga iverwangs….
ellllow po.. i am from betwagan.. try to visit our place! i love my home town SADANGA.
Hi! Am really glad our kailians from other barangays of Sadanga municipality are reading this article and posting comments. Let us be reminded that this article does not refer only to the Sadanga poblacion and Demang but also to the other 6 brgys like Sacasacan, Belwang, Bekigan, Betwagan, Anabel & Saclit. I visited all these places and each one has its own unique beauties/charms to present. This is what makes Sadanga as a whole a unique place to live. She has lots of natural beauties, colorful and meaningful traditions and very hospitable people. She stays united even though separated by mountains and despite the different languages/dialects her people have. Kailians, let us continue to be one and develop our beloved hometown while still preserving the unique characteristics that Sadanga is known to be. Much kudos to scott and the author for this article.
glad to be of service to y’all, manong.
Being an I-sadanga is such a great honor. I’m proud to be one. Sadanga, Bumangon Ka!
Gawis kasin ay suma-ar sinan ili ay nadakran. We have different tourist spots to visit and unwind but still we have to preserve our natural resources because it is the life of the I-sadanga.
i xiangen…… intako 8 mampa…….jejejeje
nice commenting on this page….gandang araw nga pala sa mga browsers out there…add nyo naman me as your friends hee ehehe
Hi!!!,,,
it’s very true so its nice to be back home again.See you there,,,,,,,,
hi…gud morning mabalin pay maamwam nu cnu nan parents mo! my mother nem angela danngiwan baka makilala ata cla.
I am thankful and honored to be one-truly I-sadanga. Add me as one of your friends at my friendster account: holy2031543ghost@yahoo.com or Facebook: luissinggangan@yahoo.com.. you can text me at 09182823124 if you want lang naman…jejeje. Gawis kasin ay suma-ar! Its been some months away for Christmas Vacation and yet the weather is hot…sooo hot… enweiz, thanks for those who comment on this page. Likewise the owner of this blog site and the author of this article. Matago-tago tako amin! Sadanga, Bumangon Ka!
…….hello!!!! ay dida in atong na maatong?……jejejejeje
……haloooo!!! manung Luis…… “Merry Christmas”……jejejejejeje
…walaw, ySadanga ak gesh ya jejah..proud to be one =)
matago tago kau amin jeje (ta uray xiak n pumusay)
Sadanga, Bumangon Ka!
apy c karvayan arian na?
..tay en ngan na kanam mistoro? cnu pen n amam?
AAAAARRRIIIANNNEEE karvayan,,,,ke ke ke ke
….I’M GLAD….TO SEE AGAIN THE BEAUTYFULL NATURE OF BELWANG SADANGA,,,,THIS SUMMER VACATION…WLA ME MASABI KC TLGANG MGANDANG PLACE ,,,HEHEEE,,,,
xangen? heheheheheheh
owh!!!! the semestral break is already approaching and we are planning to visit sadanga with my friends to view the beatifull spots.
yeeeeeeeeesssssss…….sadanga is a very comfortable plce so when you visit the place try to visit KANDIYAWAN
…….ikandiyawan anna……ay angshan na varat yu???? jejejejejejejejeje
aahhhm wen sya na prodoct d cdi ,,je je je i laychem ??
……raychek ya nan farat da cdi kandiyawan…….jejejejeje……. ay cnu ka gyam?….ay ikandiyawan ka?……jejejeje
ahm sen pi na pasecresecret agesh anna’ je je je je ahhhm mannuel here,,je je je ,,,,,,,
…..a ah….cka pt xia manong…jejeje…..kt muzta ngy!
ahhhhm wen ,,,,je je je je je sen n gyam ,,??????/
alow i cheda napudot na maatong ?
yehee!!for almost 5yrs,, we try to visit the angoten cave and it’s really true,”gag awisan “tlaga u can see the beauty of angoten nga conconanda,and of also da MAATONG”AY Napudot sa?”wen py ade,,hehehe,,,ay wen gyam cyk ni grand Daughter ni GIVNAY,nga natay d,jan.5,09.so wla na ang pinkmatanda sa belwang.but any way ada py,,and i like also to great all people of Bekigan,matago2tako am-en,, maid kcik knan GAWIS AY ALDAW TAKO AM-EN,,,,
ai..sha pet..gyam nan eli tako et green2 grass of all………….,,
…..aw adi mo say kanan you ay kakailyan….
….mag post kayo kasi ng PICTURES of the BEAUTY OF OUR HOME TOWN SADANGA….para naman mamatida,et eyda ila en yahhhh… hekz….
wen kuma ampay hehehe,,,,,,
Ket anya ngay mangmangyari Sadanga, tatta?
*tch
adaysat yah….heloo every one…
ahhhhhm muztahhh et pi ,,,ahhhhhm kwad mu et pi i parte na lufong,,,????????? ke ke ke ke ke ke
mayat lattah ade ..napigsa kme pylang…,,hhehe…
yeah..nice to be a sadanganian!!!
Go “kailyan”,take proud we’re sadanganian,that our land SADANGA is so dear…let’s raise up our voice and be recognized,that we’re not only tha land of kadangayans but a land of peace and unity…
…..hello!!!!!!!
salamat tay wada nan website ay para sina isadanga ket amok ay rayden tako amin ay mang ipromote as ili tako. gawis no iparkat tako amin na pictures ay available sina inlawlaw na sadanga tay umipailiw kan datako ay wada as rayasan. One day we will be home together to celebrate the greatness of our own beloved SADANGA.
ahhhhm yeeeezzzzzz dats true about sadanga ,,,and i miss it so much ,,i would like to go home and feel the hot of ma-atong ,,je je je ,,i deda napudot gayyam??
AHHHHMMMMMM reuest ,,, gumaeb kayo ,,official website na gamin,,na ili takoo,, i sadanga ,,,,whre we can see the real beauty of our hometown,, je je je je ,,,ingatsss lagi kakailyan ,,,,and lets dream SADANGA as the best,,,
…..yah!!!! Sadanga is nice!!!! yes!!!! sembrek mi 8 as 16….. nice to visit again my hometown Sadanga!!!!!
“Land of the Kadangyans”
…Agkaxem!!!
Sadanga’s menfolk are among the bravest and fiercest.
…NO FEAR!!!
…agree!!!
Jajeje…papay axak lang maila na article anna.
…kailyanz, visit gesh kanu na
http://www.i-sadangaak.ning.com
My first time to rea the article, its beed quite long time no Net visit so far… well thiers no place like Like <<<<<<>>>>>>>> Amed nu totkcho kau ash sa baguio adu na kavkav maurnong ket ma atong yanga na makavalin manga a…. Only in Sadanga…Will just leave the notions on kadangyans!!!!!!!!
just came across this site.. well ur right thiers no place like SADANGA>>>>
no comment hehehe! sadanga is a beautiful place to visit. I miss maatong, “natural spa”….
Am glad that our beloved town has a site. Its also heartwarming to know that you, kailyans, are very much captured by our place. Hope that more will be joining for the search of better Sadanga and for more articles about Sadanga.
guys, i heard that chuno will be held again next December.
Vivian says “Am glad that our beloved town has a site”
Dawin say “salamat tay wada nan website ay para sina isadanga ket amok ay rayden tako amin ay mang ipromote as ili tako”
I am not quiet sure if you are referring to this website as the site for the Sadanga. I hope we are limitting our post or discussion to the article above. Scott might start to censure us. there is a website for Sadanga : I-sadangaak.ning.com or you can visit my facebook for some pics of Sadanga. thanks.
no worries, manong Martin. i still have to find an objectionable comment from our readers hehe. will add the Sadanga website to my links. Cheers
Nice!
Is fagfagto being performed in Sadanga?
Juz asking.
Need some input for a proj.
No & Yes. No we don’t perform fagfagto in Sadanga but yes we practice the same concept and it is called Mengmeng. Fagfagto is done in the riverbank in Bontoc, whereas we do the mengmeng in the mountains Sadanga vs. Sacasacan) and also in the riverbank(Demang vs poblacion kids) after the planting season. This practice brings back good old memories of my childhood. They say it is the training ground for the braves. Lots of kids & adult gets hurt but no hard feelings, only fun & memories.
wen manung. i was referring to the article. now i know na . i’ll visit it right away. thanks na lang sa lahat kasi we love our hometown, Sadanga. Hope to see everyone there this christmas.
eow to kakailyan nga isadanga
just by browsing kakailyans message it gives joy.sadanga s uncomparable 2 its uniqness n unfatomable kakailyan hold up high are very own tawid sadanga.ingagawis tako amin antoman na maisok itan tako ay ruta mangiyanapan sina puto above ol a humble heart matter where ever we ar.manang jc