Kayvayvanan Under Fire 1

Kayvayvanan Under Fire: The Challenges of Cooperative Cogon Roofbuilding in Barangay Chavayan

“Building the Ivatan traditional house

is tedious and difficult. So as in his

contest with the soil, he resorts to his

trusted labor cooperatives such as the

kayvayvanan or kapañidungan. Thus,

every single Ivatan home is literally the

work of the community.”

Florentino H. Hornedo, 2000, p. 9

In the northernmost tip of the Philippine archipelago lies a group

of islands seemingly isolated from the rest. Characterized

by its heavy winds, crushing waves, huge rock formations and

sloping hills, Batanes is known for its natural beauty and also its

environmental pressures. For the Ivatans, the residents of these

islands, these are the conditions that have continuously shaped

their lives for centuries. At the same time, the Ivatans have also

devised ways to cope with their living environments.

The island of Sabtang is only one of the three inhabited

islands in Batanes. It is also the home to six barangays, including

Barangay Chavayan, which was nominated in the UNESCO

World Heritage list for its stone houses, with walls made of

lime (amud) and stones and with thatched roofs made out of

cogon (vuchid), a type of grass that grows in the area. A defining

feature of Batanes, these stone houses are the living vestiges

of the Ivatans’ adaptive history against the strong winds that

continue to ravage the islands and the extreme heat and cold

experienced during the different seasons.

However, what is considered by many as the traditional

Ivatan home was not a local invention. In fact, it was during the

18th century when the Spaniards introduced the technology of

using mortar made out of lime and sand for their stone walls

(Hornedo, 2000). Prior to this, the Ivatans lived in low houses

with cogon walls and roofs called jinjin, which were constructed

on cliffside settlements. As early as the 19th century, galvanized

iron (G.I.) roofs were introduced to Batanes, and in the second

decade of the 20th century, cement buildings were being adopted

for public buildings (Hidalgo, 1996). Soon enough, houses with

G.I. roofs and concrete structures coexisted with the lime-and-

stone houses.

Because of the introduction of these new materials, the

traditional stone houses started dwindling in numbers in Basco,

the main municipality of Batanes, which is almost overridden by

more “modern” forms of housing, while most of the remaining

stone houses are found in Sabtang Island. The barangay of

Chavayan does not seem immune to these developments

By Lorina Navarro, Francis Ramirez, Alejandro Sugatain

Photo Credits: Alejandro Sugatain, Claudia Rivera and Lorina Navarro

Kayvayvanan Under Fire 2

either. When we first arrived there, we noticed a handful

of houses built with materials transported from Luzon such

as galvanized iron and concrete. Second-story houses with

whitewashed walls pop out in the distance. Hybrid byproducts

of traditional and modern architectural styles are also becoming

a common sight – stone walls with galvanized iron roofs, cement

walls with cogon roofs, stone walls plastered with cement, etc.

While the main structures of the Ivatan home, namely the rakuh

(living room house), rahawung (shed used to store firewood,

farm equipment, etc.) and the kusina (kitchen) are generally

still followed, what moves the residents of Chavayan to change

their roofs is a compelling issue. This question is raised

especially in the light of the

supposed advantages that cogon

roofs have over galvanized iron

and cement roofs such as in

durability, coolness and cost.

Why do people change their

roofs? Moreover, what affects

their decisions to change them?

In weighing the factors that

may influence the Ichavayans,

it is also important to note that the

practice of housebuilding in Batanes presumes the involvement

of the whole community fostered by a bayanihan-type

cooperative system called kayvayvanan. Kayvayvanan, literally

meaning “friendship”, is chiefly used for building the foundation

of a house and also in pag-aatep (constructing the roof). It is

built on principle of reciprocation, that is one provides work for

another person, who in turn, will give back the same amount

of labor (Hornedo, 2000). Aside from being a cooperative

system, kayvayvanan is also a formal organization with a body

of members including elected officers. Kabisilya is the term

used to refer to the head of kayvayvanan. The other officers of

the organization include a secretary who is in charge of keeping

track of the attendance and the contributions of each member

and another officer called kamangelkaman, who is in charge

of making the baratay or the ladder used for climbing the roof,

removing the roof, and making sure that there is food to be

served.

Like any other organization, there are rules to be

followed once you are listed as a member of the kayvayvanan.

First is the mandatory contribution to be made per member

as determined by the kabisilya. This includes the materials

for housebuilding – the cogon which can be primarily taken from

the chamantad (farm) or the ahad (mountains). In building a

roof, the kayvayvanan provides one-half of the cogon while

The researchers pose with a tool called a pantuan. It is used to measure cogon bundles. Photo credits: Lorina Navarro

Uncle Domingo Gallo in the process of building the supporting structures for his rahawung, which was designed to become an extension of his home. Photo credits: Claudia Rivera

Kayvayvanan Under Fire 3

the owner is responsible for the other half and also the other

necessary materials such as bamboo and lumber (kayu). Aside

from the mountains, cogon is also commercially available in the

adjacent barangay, Barangay Savidug. Chintuan refers to the

unit of measurement used for seven to eight bundles of

cogon. A wooden tool called pantuan is used to determine

one chintuan. One chintuan is usually sold for around 300

to 350 pesos. It takes around 300 to 500 bundles of cogon to

build an average-sized Ivatan house. In case all the bundles

of cogon are bought, the house will cost around 15,000 pesos.

Each member also has to serve for a fixed number of

hours. Members of the kayvayvanan for the rakuh have to work for

eight hours while members of the kayvayvanvan for the kitchen

have to work for seven hours. The difference in the membership

depends from the material of the roof. One of our informants

explains that his rakuh is no longer included in kayvayvanan

because his roof is made out of galvanized iron, but his kusina

is still included because of its cogon construction.

In order to belong to the kayvayvanan, you must first

introduce yourself to the community. As mentioned, there

are those who do not consider themselves members of the

kayvayvanan, such as the newcomers who have just moved into

Chavayan, and those who do not need the assistance of the

kayvayvanan in building and maintaining their houses. A member

in need of the assistance of the kayvayvanan presents his

case to the kabisilya, whose role is also to determine whether

a roof needs replacing or not. He also decides how much cogon

is needed for the house to be built. Finally, he calls the

kayvayvanan to assemble whenever a house needs to be

constructed.

In general, around 25 people are needed in raising

a roof. One or two members from each household usually

help out in this activity. The men of the community build the roof

while the women pass the materials used for the roof or tie

up the cogon. One of our informants remarked that in the

case of housebuilding, it is harmful for the women’s health to

handle the apog (limestone) especially if they are pregnant.

There is no monetary payment involved in kayvayvanan,

although the owner of the house normally provides the food

and refreshments for the workers. When the roof is constructed

late in the day, the owner can even offer gin. The owner can

also hold roof construction on the same day of his birthday and

slaughter a pig for the guests and members of the kayvayvanan,

hitting two birds with one stone. A cogon roof can last for around

25 years before it is replaced as opposed to galvanized iron’s

one- to five-year lifespan. In case of roof repairs, however, the

kayvayvanan need not be called,

but the owners can work on them by

patching up the cogon (seksekan),

asking for assistance from friends

and relatives or hiring skilled

laborers.

In spite of the consensus that

cogon is more economical and

durable than the alternatives, why

do people still switch to cement and galvanized iron? Most of the

reasons given by our informants indicate that this is more from

practicality than anything else. At present, there is a shortage

in the supply of cogon. At the chamantad where the cogon is

grown, there are several adversaries. For one, the area is used

as a pasture by some of the locals, who need the cogon as

fodder for their goats. Aside from this, cogon is also burned

down allegedly to get rid of pests. Unlike other “crops” cogon

is not actively planted but is allowed to grow on its own so

that after one year people can harvest it. It comes as no

surprise that people look for other sources of roofing due to the

shortage. One of the more popular sources of alternatives is

galvanized iron sheets. Ten feet of galvanized iron costs around

300 pesos as opposed to the 300 pesos per one chintuan

“Kung wala ka ng

pagkukunan ng

cogon, edi umisip ka

ng paraan.”

Mariano Gecha,

kabisilya

Kayvayvanan Under Fire 4

bundle of cogon. In addition to the decrease in costs, it is also

much easier to assemble galvanized iron in terms of labor and

resources. If someone wants to put up a makeshift rahawung in

a hurry galvanized iron roofing becomes an expedient choice as

it is cheap and its construction requires one person at the least.

On the downside, galvanized iron is easy to rust in Chavayan’s

seaside environment unless repainted annually, and it is also

vulnerable to storms. Alternatively, others choose cement houses

because in terms of maintenance, they say they require the

least amount of work, but they are also the most expensive to

build (P319 per bag of cement). Although it is more dangerous

in cases of earthquakes, you don’t have to regularly replace

it, it is very durable against storms, and it is very unlikely

to be infested with termites. With a cogon roof, if poorly

constructed, it is possible that there will be leaks, you have to

constantly repair damaged parts, and it can be vulnerable to

storms. In this case, the practice among Ivatans is to carefully

fasten their cogon roofs with rattan and cover them with a rope

net (sagep).

It may seem that changing the roof material affects

the social structure of Chavayan in the sense that one of its

community practices is becoming less frequent in favor of more

individualistic forms of housebuilding, and many have in fact

denied membership in the kayvayvanan because of their roof

types. Cogon is very critical to maintaining the kayvayvanan,

as this organization is almost always associated with cogon

roofbuilding although it has also shown flexibility towards

constructing cement roofs. Some of our informants have

mentioned that cement houses, which are costly in terms of

labor and especially capital, can still be a part of kayvayvanan

so long as the owner still provides the materials for the house.

In this new scenario, however, the materials are no longer freely

taken and given, and money has entered the equation. Thus

the reciprocal obligations and relationships derived from cogon

construction are less clearly stated.

In spite of the new housebuilding technology and

practices, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the sense of

community in Barangay Chavayan is dying out. It manifests itself

in cooperative practices

outside the organization

of kayvayvanan. This

is evident in observed

practices of the residents

seeking to help out if

necessary, kayvayvanan or

none, such as in the pabaha, which occurs when a non-member

of the kayvayvanan, such as an owner of a galvanized iron roof,

chooses to freely lend his help in cogon housebuilding. Outside

the practice of roof construction, there are other forms of self-

help traditions such as the payuhwan, which involves close

friends performing smaller scale farm jobs (Hornedo, 2000).

There are also other types of cooperatives not explored in our

paper such as for fishing and boat-making.

Practicality aside, the kayvayvanan, as set of relations

and practices is a also tradition rife with symbolic meanings,

reinforcing community-wide reciprocal relationships and

values while pursuing the need to adapt to the environmental

conditions. Through housebuilding, we get a glimpse of the

Ichavayan’s indigenous knowledge of architecture, including

each detail of the support structures of a house. Unfortunately,

much of the knowledge and relationships derived from this

practice are compromised, much like the reserves of cogon

after they were razed and exploited. In the supposed problem

of the changing roofs from the locally gathered to the externally

procured materials, it is therefore very pressing to address the

sustainability of the cogon resources in relation to preserving

the definitive trait of Chavayan – not merely their stone houses

but more importantly their spirit of community.

“Indeed, their world view of

houses and human settlement has

evolved, without rejecting the

indigenous.”

Cesar A. Hidalgo, 2006, p. 393

ReferencesHidalgo, C.A. (1996). The making of the Ivatans: The cultural history of

Batanes. Pasig, Metro Manila: Cognita TRC.Hornedo, F.H. (2000). Taming the wind: Ethno-cultural history on the Ivatan of

the Batanes isles. Manila, Philippines: University of Santo Tomas Pub. House.

Navarro, C.M. (2009). Batanes: Cooperative practices of its people. QuezonCity: Giraffe.

This article is based on the paper “Raising the Roof: Investigating the Reasons

behind the Changing Roofs in Chavayan” by Navarro et. al originally submitted

for the course Anthro 196 (Field Methods in Social Anthropology) under Edwin

Valientes of the University of the Philippines Department of Anthropology.