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Updated: May 24, 2025
These blocks furnish favorite lounging places for the women. The people live most of the time outside their dwellings, and it is there that the social life of the married women is. Any time of day they may be seen close to the a'-fong in the shade of the low, projecting roof sitting spinning or paring camotes; often three or four neighbors sit thus together and gossip.
A'-fong is the general name for Bontoc dwellings, of which there are two kinds. It is the home of the prosperous. The family dwelling primarily serves two purposes it is the place where the man, his wife, and small child sleep, and where the entire family takes its food. The fay'-u is built at considerable expense.
When it is so left one and sometimes two runo stalks are set up in the earth on each side of the door leaning against the roof and projecting some 8 feet in the air. This is the pud-i-pud', the "ethics lock" on an Igorot dwelling. An Igorot who enters the a'-fong of a neighbor when the pud-i-pud' is up is called a thief in the mind of all who see him he is such. The family
The belief is that the person's spirit is being enticed and drawn away by an anito. If it is not called back shortly, it will depart permanently. The following ceremony, called "ka-taol'," is said near the river, as the other is in the mountains: "A-li-ka' ta-en-ta-ko is a'-fong ta-ko' tay la-ting' is'-na." Freely translated this is: "Come, come with us into the house, because it is cold here."
The man or woman of each household acts as mediator between any sick member of the family and the offending anito. There are several of these household ceremonials performed to benefit the afflicted. It is as follows: "A-li-ka' ab a-fi'-ik Ba-long'-long en-ta-ko' is a'-fong sang'-fu." The translation is: "Come, soul of Ba-long'-long; come with us to the house to feast."
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