Kabenguetan Press Release
The Association of Indigenous People of Benguet (Kabenguetan), a 300-member strong community of the indigenous peoples from Benguet, Philippines, is hosting the 9th Adivay celebration from July 1 to 3, 2023 at the Valens Lake Conservation Park in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.
The Adivay (to come together) is a biennial gathering of the Kankana-ey, Ibaloi, Kalanguya and other ethnolinguistic groups from the Northern Philippines (collectively known as Igorots) that have migrated to Canada and the United States to celebrate culture, tradition and to unite as a community of settlers in Northern America. It mirrors the annual Adivay originally celebrated by the Benguet Province in the Philippines.
An anticipated 200 to 300 participants will grace the occasion which will be highlighted by the biggest Bindiyan Dance on July 2 – the main day of the 3-day camping. The Bindiyan Dance is a community circle dance originally from Kabayan, Benguet where the community performs 8 to 12 positions symbolizing the stages of a bountiful rice harvest.
Participants will also partake in traditional food such as the watwat that is prepared by butchering pigs that are seared over fire, sliced and cooked in tasty soup. Other pork delicacies include the pinuneg, dinawis, and snacks like lukto (sweet potato) and sticky rice dessert.###