KNOW: History of 'Tinuom ni Aewag' Festival in Madalag

'Tinuom'

The local word “Tinuom” describes a local highland dwellers recipe with native chicken as original ingredients. Other foodstuff such as fish, meat, and vegetables may be cooked this way. “Tinuom” is a way of cooking where the ingredients are wrapped in a leaf. Preferably banana leaf. The wrapper mix is cooked over boiling water or grill. The other basic ingredients of this dish includes salt pepper, onion and lemon grass, the fluid from the chicken itself cooks all the ingredients resulting in very flavorful soup.

'Tinuom ni Aewag' Festival

Madalag is one of the seventeen towns of the Province of Aklan that do not have a festival. For years of research and planning, Madalag has chosen a festival that would truly represent, illustrate and correspond to the identity and way of life of all the Madalagnons. Tracing back the pieces of the town’s history, the town’s name itself tells something about life –“madaeag’’ which means the yellowish color of the water coming from the creek maearag connotes life that is green, serene, calm, unexploited, virgin refreshing and sustaining.

Madalag was once ruled by a Datu named Aewag and by this time, early Madalagnons have their own and unique way of cooking - tinuom. Tinuom is a simple process or method of cooking foods, no particular cookware is needed and no artificial ingredients are used that makes it healthy and economical. The mixture of all the ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves and securely tied. It looks like a pouch when both ends of the leaves are tied together. The wrapped mixtures of ingredients are put on top of a flaming and glowing charcoal and it takes some time to cook.

Usually, Tinuom is made of native chicken locally called Tinuom nga manok but many other kind of fish, meat, vegetables and other ingredients may be cooked this way such as mushroom, ueang, dueupingan, kaeopdop, etc.

Spices are usually simple but abundant in town- aeabihig leaves, Lemon grass (tangead) and salt. A very minimal amount of water is added to the ingredients and the natural broth coming from it slowly cooks it, making the food unique and of delicious taste.

The launching of the Tinuom ni Aewag Festival of Madalag depicts the true nature of the town and of its people’s history and aspirations. The simplicity of this dish represents and reflects the lives of most Madalagnons – quite. Calm and uncomplicated yet full of faith, hope and love. It also signifies survival, unity, sincerity and religiosity – distinct marks in the timeline of Madalag’s history.

As we launch our Tinuom ni Aewag Festival, there is a high expectation that this will put our humble town in the map and do its share in contributing progress in the province, region and in the whole country. There is more to Madalag than its name. There is more to discover and unfold with the Inapo ni Aewag. Just like the tinuom, it is simple to look at, but full of surprises when opened and finally tasted.

Source: Madalag Mayor Alfonso Gubatina