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Mumbaki is an Ifugao religious specialist meaning "sayer of prayers".

Almost every adult in the region is a mumbaki who practices the tenets of the religion which they are associated with. Each mumbaki invokes prayers and rituals to various deities, though central to it is their belief in one supreme deity, Maknongan and the common sets of indigenous beliefs. These mumbakis offers prayers during wedding, thanksgiving, funeral, and other occasions. They also open the graves of their ancestors and bring home the remains for a canao. They have memorized almost every oral traditions, stories and lineages which are passed on from generation to generations which they perform as rituals.


The Movie

"Mumbaki" was seen on the big screen in 1996 starring Raymart Santiago, Rachel Alejandro, Albert Martinez and Joel Torre. The story is about the son of an Ifugao chieftain named Joseph who returns to his tribe after the death of his father (an Ifugao chieftain who was killed in a tribal dispute with the Alimit tribe). He was about to leave the Philippines to U.S. with his fiance, however was obliged to return to the Lidum tribe where he was chosen to lead the battle against the Alimit tribe.

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