A Narrative Research: The Golden Noodle Soup of the Ibanag in the Philippines

The Ibanag tribe is one of the oldest ethnic groups of Northern Luzon in the Philippines. They dominate the majority of the ethnic groups in the province of Cagayan. Sinanta is one of the few existing cultural dishes of the Ibanag people of the province of Cagayan. It is a unique dish that comprises different ingredients found in the area and is only produced by the Ibanag people. This study aims to know the ways and practices done by the Ibanag people in preserving the cultural practice of making sinanta, and the challenges they face in the gradual vanishment of the practice. This study utilizes a qualitative method incorporating a narrative type of research. Four respondents were purposefully selected to share their stories and experiences about the production of sinanta. A purposeful selection of respondents was used to fully exhibit the subject of the research with the only criteria that the respondent must be a local of the province of Cagayan. The narratives of the respondents presented six themes namely: sinanta as a cultural identity, culture of sharing, the traditional ingredients, the contribution of observational learning and cultural transmission in preservation practices, the harm brought by trending dishes and modernization, and continuous practice and direct passing of knowledge. This study finds sinanta as a unique element of the people’s culture and that it should be preserved and passed to the younger generations.