From Ritual to Dialogue: The Evolution of Indigenous Land Conflict Resolution Mechanisms

Abstract

Indigenous communities have long depended on culturally rooted systems to manage disputes and sustain social harmony. This study examined the historical development of land conflict resolution in Liwon, Asipulo, Ifugao, focusing on traditional mechanisms, their transformation, and the cultural values that continue to guide community-based justice. Using a historical research design, data were collected through interviews with elders and supported by secondary sources. Findings revealed that land disputes were traditionally resolved through elder mediation, bultong or ritual wrestling, and uggub or dart ordeal, all of which emphasized ancestral authority, communal participation, and reconciliation. These mechanisms gradually changed after Asipulo became an independent municipality in 1992 and as cadastral surveys, land titling programs, and formal legal procedures were introduced. Ritual-based systems shifted from judicial use to cultural expression, while the tongtongan emerged as a hybrid process combining traditional dialogue with barangay-level legal requirements. Despite these transformations, values such as pihyew or moral restraint, binnaddang or collective cooperation, respect for elders, and the prioritization of harmony remain central to resolving conflicts. Future research may explore how other Indigenous communities adapt their conflict resolution systems amid changing legal and cultural environments.