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Paper short abstract

This paper explores how rice as "serahur" fundamentally shapes the Teduray and Lambangian understanding of "being" and "becoming." It examines their unique synthesis of material and spiritual realms through rice-based meaning-making as they pursue their ongoing struggle for self-determination.

Paper long abstract

In the epic Beninarew, the Teduray and Lambangian peoples speak of "serahur," their sacred rice. This religious epic chronicles the spiritual odyssey of their cultural hero, Lagey Langkuwos (also known as Seonomon), who, alongside faithful followers, confronts malevolent spirits of greed in their quest for eternal life. The narrative unfolds in three distinct phases: the sacrifice (teresay), the struggle for justice (sefebenal), and the reconciliation that leads to lasting peace—all pathways to eternal life.

Rice weaves through these phases as a profound symbol. The first phase is embodied in rice cultivation, representing the community's vital sustenance. The final phase culminates in the ritual offering of rice—now transformed into serahur—which serves as the key to Linamasan, the celestial dwelling of Tulus, the Great Creator Spirit. For the Teduray and Lambangian, rice thus becomes both origin and destination, much like the alpha and omega of existence.

This paper explores how rice fundamentally shapes the Teduray and Lambangian understanding of "being" and "becoming." It examines their unique synthesis of material and spiritual realms through rice-based meaning-making, particularly as they pursue their ongoing struggle for self-determination. This struggle takes place against the backdrop of Mindanao's complex conflict, where they face precarious circumstances amid development paradigms cloaked in rhetoric of national unity, progress, and peace. Yet within these challenges, the process of sacralization endures, transforming ordinary rice into a powerful symbol of cultural resilience and spiritual transcendence.