Fire Mummies of the Philippines: The Kabayan Ibaloi Mummies

Introduction

Life and death have always fascinated human beings as the ultimate mystery of the universe. Cultures throughout the world have speculated about these issues and constructed rituals and religions around them. The Ibaloi tribe of Kabayan is no different. Like the Egyptians and several other ancient cultures, this tribe mummified the dead from their elite social sectors. This was done on the assumption that these persons had the ability to live after death, much like the Egyptian dynasties. However, one fundamental difference between the Ibaloi tribe and the Egyptians is the method of embalming. The Ibaloi used a method that preserved the whole body of the deceased without removing the internal organs; instead, the organs were dried within the body. This method earned the mummies the title of "Fire Mummies." They are also known as the Kabayan mummies, after the town from which the ritual originates.

It is important to recognize that these mummies are not only significant in terms of their historical and tourist value, but also in terms of their cultural value. The Ibaloi tribe still exists within the Kabayan region and conducts rituals at the burial caves. There is therefore a continuous necessity to regulate tourism in such a way as to balance the need to capitalize on tourism against the need to protect the heritage and culture of the Ibaloi. This challenge remains today, as the mummies face continual danger from vandals as well as environmental elements such as insects, water, and general decay.

Discovery and Location

The fire mummies of the Philippines were found in caves in the Kabayan area — hence they are also known as the "Kabayan mummies." The town is located in the Benguet province of the Philippines, north of Manila. The mummies were well preserved and were originally found in the Timbac, Bangao, Tnog­chol, Naapay, and Opdas caves (Deem, 2010).

Specifically, their discovery was the result of industrial activity in the forests north of Manila (World Monuments Fund, 2010). Loggers discovered mummified remains along with hundreds of coffins and skulls. The caves remained untouched until the 19th century, after which their status as a National Cultural Treasure did very little to protect them from vandalism.

One of the mummies became known as the "smiling mummy" because all its teeth were intact (Deem, 2010).

When the mummies were discovered in the early 20th century, many were stolen because the caves were generally unprotected. As a result, Monument Watch — a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of monument sites — declared the site one of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world (Deem, 2010).

Dating and Origins

According to Deem (2010), dating the mummies is an area of considerable scientific contention. One group of scientists believes the Ibaloi made the mummies between 1200 and 1500 A.D. across five towns in the Benguet province. Others place the mummification practice at around 2000 B.C. The practice died out during the 1500s, when the Spanish colonized the Philippines and discouraged mummification.

The Mummification Process

Although ongoing tests and new discoveries continue to refine current understanding of the fire mummies, it appears that only tribal leaders were mummified. Interestingly, the ideal was to begin the mummification process shortly before a person's death. The individual would be given a very salty drink to begin the process. After death, the body was washed with fresh water and placed in a chair positioned over a glowing fire — hence the title "fire mummy." This elevated "death chair" was constructed on a ladder facing the traditional stilt house of the Ibaloi. The body was tied to the chair with a scarf and covered with a death blanket, and the fire would dry the fluids still remaining in the body.

According to OWF (2008), a jar was also placed beneath the chair to collect these fluids. The body would then be placed in the sun to speed the drying process. Once this was completed, the outer skin was removed and the internal organs were dried. Notably, the skin removal process did not affect the color of the mummy's skin or any permanent markings such as tattoos. Even today, some of the mummies display elaborate tattoos, because only the outer layer of skin was removed (Cordillera Blogger, 2007).

To dry the interior of the body and its internal organs, tobacco smoke was blown into the mouth of the corpse (Deem, 2010). The final step of the process involved rubbing herbs onto the body, including the juice of pounded leaves such as diwdiw, besodak, kapany, and native guava (Cordillera Blog, 2007).

On the eve of the last day before burial, the family of the deceased would perform a ritual known as the sabusab. This involved slaughtering chickens and offering them to the dead. Like the Egyptians, the Ibaloi believed that their elders lived on after death, making it essential to preserve their mortal remains.

Investigators today suggest that the mummification process could have lasted many weeks or even months before completion. According to some accounts, the process could have taken as long as two years (OWF, 2008). After mummification, the mummy would be taken to one of the caves and buried in a pinewood coffin. Some of the caves were man-made and dug out from solid rock, while natural caves could also serve as burial places.

According to local experts, documentation of this process was largely lost after colonization. Colonizers discouraged mummification, considering it a "health hazard." What is known about the process today has been handed down through oral tradition (Cordillera Blogger, 2007).

Conclusion

The discovery of the fire mummies in the Philippines has placed the town of Kabayan firmly on the map. Many tourists each year travel to the town to see the mummy caves, despite the steep climb and remote locations. This is vital to the economy of the town and the country as a whole. The problem, however, is that many of the mummy caves remain in various states of disrepair and lack adequate security.

Security within these regions is vitally important in order to preserve not only the heritage left by the ancient Ibaloi tribe, but also to protect the mummies themselves from vandalism and environmental deterioration.

Furthermore, the current Ibaloi tribe considers the mummies and caves sacred and vital to their way of life. Many rituals are still practiced at these caves. To ensure the tribe's continued right to carry out their ritual practices, it is important to conduct tourism activities in such a way that they do not impose upon those practices.

One might conclude that the relationship between tourism and tradition in this regard is a somewhat uncomfortable one. Conflicts could arise between a tourism-driven desire to showcase the heritage of the mummies, create jobs for local citizens, and promote the country's economy on one hand, and the tribe that uses this heritage for their rituals on the other. Nonetheless, this is not the greatest problem facing the mummies. Most importantly, funding is required for improved security at the caves, as well as the chemical cleaning and preservation of this remarkable heritage. It would be tragic, for example, if the smiling mummy were to lose its teeth as a result of poor maintenance.

Strategies such as the comprehensive preservation and management program undertaken in partnership with the World Monuments Fund, and UNESCO's declaration of the site as endangered, go a long way toward supporting conservation efforts in the area. This is not to say, however, that enough has been done. Conserving the mummies is a continuous battle against the elements and against human curiosity. It is nonetheless encouraging to see that efforts to promote conservation are being made even today.

Along with Egypt and other ancient nations, the Ibaloi tribe has provided the world with an important heritage that illuminates the evolution of the human conception of life, death, and what might occur after death. The mummies therefore serve not only as a spectacular attraction to visit and photograph, but also as an important indicator of the origins of our ideas surrounding the most fundamental issues of human existence.

A world without the fire mummies of the Philippines would be an impoverished place. It is therefore vital that all stakeholders — including the Ibaloi tribe, the Philippine national and local governments, security personnel, museum specialists, and scientists — continue the collaborative efforts they have shown to date to help preserve the mummies.

In conclusion, the concerted efforts by these individuals are remarkable, especially given the accomplishments achieved to date. In this way, the mummies teach the world not only about history and ritual, but also about the human drive to work together toward a collective and important goal. The mummies can therefore be said to embody the greatness and potential of the human spirit.