Author : Maata, Ben

Summary : Lapat is a traditional practice of a bereaved Isnag (indigenous people of Apayao) family where material resources (e.g. a cultivated swidden field or fallowed field, a portion of the mountain, river, or a portion of the forest) are declared off-limits to people to show their respect and value for a dead family member. The Lapat is identified by a symbolic declaration that all persons outside the family member are barred from entering, using, or holding any of the material resource declared as prohibited or off-limit by the bereaved family. The family decides the duration of Lapat, which may be from 1 to 30 years. Under Lapat, the surroundings and ambiance is regarded as "sacred", thus exploitation of resources in the area is temporarily halted.