The members of the three communities, Hapao, Baang and Nungulunan, do not know when it all started. But from generation to generation, the tradition of huowah has been kept alive, a ritual after the time of gathering in the fields that includes dances, prayers and different competitions. And the last one is to pull the rope, known in the local language as Punnuk. A day before the test, roosters and pigs are slaughtered, and a sorcerer looks at the animals’ livers to decide whether the ideal conditions for the competition are present. The night before, the men who will defend the honor of each community drink a fermented rice drink amid dancing and singing. On the day of the competition, the three groups dress in traditional clothing from the region. Nothing in modern clothes, of course. And they walk to the point of the Hapao where the tournament is usually held, a specific place where a tributary joins the main river, which causes there to be three banks: the territories of each community. It is a magnificent visual spectacle as each group arrives from a different direction, singing songs as they cross the beautiful rice fields of this part of Luzon Island.
Once the groups reach the river bank, the first duel is between those who have arrived first. Those who have had the most fun are left waiting, watching their future adversaries. Once the rope is thrown into the water, a group of elders who act as neutral judges decide if the waters are too dangerous to descend. There have been deaths in the past when someone was swept away by the current in an area with lots of rocks, so now these judges decide whether to move the competition to a safer area. It is also these judges who can decide when it all ends, as the show lasts many hours. Whoever wins the first pull, knocking their opponents into the water or bringing almost all the rope to their shore, faces the group that has been watching. And so on for hours, with the winner competing again and again until he loses. In the past it was used to compete until the three ropes used were broken; now the judges can decide that enough is enough, if they see that the men can no longer say a word. The winning community will be the one with the most wins. For yours to come out victorious usually means having good fortune with the harvests throughout that year. To end the day, the remains of the ropes are given to the river, which carries them away.
Punnuk is a sport full of religious meanings that has survived almost unchanged at the hands of the Spanish, Japanese or American conquerors. One of the changes, by the way, has been that in recent years it has also been practiced by women from the three communities. If in many places pulling the rope is a fun game, here it is a matter of honor.
