Fight for Your Father's Rights

In Kalinga during the olden times, marriages had never been attested in paper and ink. Marriages were usually conducted in front of the native folks who served as witnesses to the momentous occasion. Although there were no documents offered as proof of the union, it was considered binding and legal. Every marital rite was considered sacred never to be broken.

Nowadays though, this is no longer true, as marriage bonds are being constantly destroyed. In these instances of inevitable separation and divorce, it would be natural for the mother to assume custodial rights over the children.



But what if the mother is unfit? Wouldn’t it be natural for you - as the father - to want to transfer those rights? Being a father, you should be aware of your rights.

Establishing your rights need not be expensive nowadays. You don’t have to take the trouble of hiring an attorney.

All of your father’s rights would be taken cared of by this web-based service; from visitation rights, to child support , to custodial rights and many more legal impediments that would prevent you from assuming your parental responsibility.

It is a blessing that a certain venue is now available which could empathize and specifically understand your needs as a father.

No matter what would be done at present, people could no longer go back to that time in the past, when your word is enough assurance than all the attorneys in the world.

A CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

I have an on-going call for comments at my blog: "A Campaign for Non-Violence on Children's TV Programs" ,


Wouldn't it be wonderful to know your thoughts on this? (pros or cons)

Kindly click on the link and contribute your thoughts and win great prizes.

I won at Matt Urdan's MTMD

I won Matt Urdan's Meltwater, Torrents, Meanderings Delta's contest on Battle of the Boys Band Contest.


Visit Matt's blog and read his fascinating and thought provoking posts.

I Would Travel in Style

In Taloctoc during my childhood, we did not have the luxury of any means of transportation. When I graduated from elementary, I enrolled in high school at the nearby town, Lubuagan. We usually went home during weekends by hiking through the mountainous terrain for 4-6 hours. The seasoned hikers would take the hike only 3 hours, but for the rest of the group, including me, we took our time basking in nature and the unusual biota around us.

There were wild orchids, flowers, and many unusual plants that I have seen only in those mountains. There were small streams bubbling through crystal clear waters, and delightful, cascading waterfalls were common. Nothing could match the peace and serenity one felt at the mountain top; it felt god-like looking down at the creation all around you, and being near to the azure sky.

Nowadays, the beauty of nature is no longer enjoyed by the young as much as we did before, as transportation is already available. There are mini buses and jeepneys now that travel the route from Taloctoc to the different towns like Pasil and Lubuagan.
I plan to go home in the near future and I would like to travel in style. A toyota would do for me, a 4Runner. These cars can have all the specifications you would like your car to have, like dual power seats, trip computer, memory seats, a navigation system, cruise control, and various gadgets that would make my trip comfortable and cozy as I would like it to be.

I would still stop and admire nature for sure, even if I am not on foot. I could also camp for the day if I would have ample time to spare. Toyota cars are so spacious, I could store all what I need for a long day’s travel.

They also come in various models like Toyota prius, Toyota Avalon, Toyota camry and in different exquisite colors like, black, blue, green and many others.

I’m sure it would be an exhilarating and unforgettable experience.

Travel Destinations in the Philippines

The Philippines is known as "Pearl of the Orient". It is because visiting the Philippines would be like visiting numerous wonderful places all over the world.

First just like the vast, beautiful lands of Australia, the Philippines could provide the visitor various interesting nature tripping adventures that you could engage in. Ibiza and the Bahamas offer beaches and nature, but read on why the Philippines beaches are also worth a visit.

Here are some tourist's spots that could make your visit worth the trip:

1. Boracay, Aklan - It's an island paradise with its fine white sand and beautiful beaches. Boracay has captured the hearts of millions of tourists who had trekked to the island every year. The beach and the surrounding environment is a blast for sea lovers and nature trippers.

In fact, just recently, Yahoo Travel announced the Most Popular Beaches of 2007 and Boracay has ranked first, even besting the wonderful Bahamas islands. What better testimonial than that coming from Yahoo! Travel?

2. Tagaytay - This city is great for outdoor activities. The air is cool and clean and one can go into several activities like horse back-riding, nature tripping, or just spend time basking in the beauty of nature. This is also one of the locals most frequented tourist spots. There are available comfortable lodgings, golf courses, guided tours and many more.

3. Baguio City Is the Summer Capital of the Philippines. This is because during the sweltering heat of summer, only Baguio maintains that bearable temperature. The city has also several interesting places to see. The Asin hot springs is an hour ride from the city proper. This place is usually frequented by believers in the healing power of the hot springs. "They're really hot; you can boil eggs in them.) You have also the Pink Sisters, a very quite and calm place to have a self-retrospection. This is where the best Yam and pineapple jam are made by enterprising native women. You can go horse back-riding too at mines view park; a park where you can see the breath-taking view of the neighboring towns where previous mines were located.

4. Banaue Rice Terraces, Ifugao Going further north, you can visit the Banaue Rice Terraces. This has gained notoriety because of the recent tragedy that occurred there but lawmakers are more vigilant and careful now. For Filipinos, these rice terraces believed to be the 8th Wonder of the World and had been nominated for the Online voting

of The New 7 Wonders of the World. This structure can only be appreciated in person. It bears witness to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the native Ifugao in "carving" layers and layers of rice paddies right into the mountain and up to its acme, seemingly building a stairway to heaven. It is awesome and beautiful scenery.

5. Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro You would me amazed at the treasures of nature that has been in hiding in Puerto Galera , like Milton's Paradise Lost"; Roaring waterfalls, bubbling rivers , flora and fauna that you may have never seen could be a total blast for any visitor. You would feel like you came from another totally different place.

6. Chico River, Kalinga The last, but certainly not the least is the Chico River a long, winding river situated in the heart of the hinterlands of Kalinga. Although this is situated in the heart of the mountains and transportation is sometimes difficult, it is still a must see for adventurous visitors. Water rafting is becoming popular as more and more foreigners frequent the river to experience the thrilling and exciting activity. Aside from this, the towering, verdant mountains can provide enough adventure for those seeking for more. Just like Puerto Galera, Mother Nature abounds with its gems.

There are still various wonderful places to visit. There are the strawberry farms of Benguet, the Sleeping Beauty of Tinglayan, the Callao caves of Cagayan, the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, and many others.

This article was published at Helium.com

Boracay picture by wili_hybrid

A Perfect Video Production Service

The beauty of nature in the far flung mountains of Kalinga had always inspired in me my propensity towards creativity.



As a kid, I started composing. I was the story-teller of the class. As a freshman in high school, I had won the Short Story Writing contest in school with my very first short story entitled - "The Falling Star".

My luck continued to college and thereafter as some of my short stories found their way in the pages of local magazines like Mr. & Mrs., MOD, Women’s Journal and Home Life.

I have not been writing for them, for several years now, as I am focused presently on Online writing with Helium, Triond and Associated Content.

One of my ardent wishes now, is to produce a video or a short movie. I didn’t know how to go about it though, so this dream remained a pipe dream.

It was serendipity perhaps that I came across Video Production Service and found out to my pleasant surprise that this interactive video production service has everything I have been hoping for; from the simplest 2D, 3D, logo animations, to text treatments and stylized effects for world class presentations, to simple website animations. They could help you with your needs regarding any type of video presentation about any topic under the sun.

If you have already a video and would want to give it a professional and excellent touch, then all you have to do is to avail of the services of their expert editors to make the video worthy of an international audience. They could also provide the actors for your videos if you still don’t have actors.

If you want them to do everything for you, then they could! They could do everything from shooting, to editing to final touches to make your video presentation worthy of an “Oscar”; and take note; they are willing to shoot anywhere.

Don’t think this service is only for the big time video makers or businessmen; this service is also for small website owners. You could benefit greatly from it. They could help you with your website’s interactive programs. If you have problems in installing those HTML, XML, ASP and all those codes for your video and animated presentations, just contact them and rest assured that highly trained personnel would attend to even the smallest of your website’s flash animation problems.

I promise myself that someday I will be producing a video about one of my stories, and I will surely avail of their expert and excellent services.

Head Hunting in Kalinga, is This True?

When I was 5 years old, I witnessed a man who had been a victim of a tribal dispute. There in front of me was a dead man; his head was sewn to his neck as it was totally severed from his body apparently with a razor-sharp bolo.

Back then, there was no “bodong” (peace pact) between my village and another village so it was a full blown tribal war. The death toll was rising and more and more grieving families wanted revenge for their loved ones.

Headhunting was then the method of revenge of one village to another. It did not matter whether you’re a relative or not of the deceased, as long as you belonged to that village then you had to be careful.

There were times when we took cover in the forests when the avenging tribal warriors from the other village came to extract revenge. Children were the most affected, in my young mind, it was a traumatic experience. I could still hear the cries of people around me as everyone scrambled for safety. Women and children were brought to safety, while the men geared up for war.

A lookout/crier would be assigned every night and would warn the people when danger is near so we could all ran for cover.

My grandfather once told me that there were vicious tribes who even bring the head with them to their village and would dance around it all night long. But, I thank God; I had never witnessed such event.

My native folks were really gentle people but they were extremely protective of family and territory. No villager would venture into another without proper information and permission. I grew up amidst these dangers.

Great efforts were made to reconcile the tribal differences with what we call the “bodong” (peace pact). It was an agreement forged with native rituals from both villages.

Little by little as education was brought to the young and some pursued higher education, a semblance of peace started to be established, as they began to realize that there is nothing to gain by these continuous slaughter, of even, innocent people.

As I grew up to become a teen, there were some villages that still went on with their tribal wars but by then, they were using guns. These were the villages which just wanted domination and not peace.

Slowly though, through the efforts of well meaning elders and socially responsible villagers, the “bodong” began to be established between each of the villages. It was a long drawn out process though with lots of impediments along the way.

Up to this time, the “bodong” is still the key that is keeping most of the villages in peace. Although, this agreement was and is not executed in the presence of an attorney, it was, and is, a lasting and well respected pact that every villager observed.

I still have to go back to my roots eventually in the future. But I know the Kalinga people are peace-loving and have a strong noble spirit of unity and responsibility for one another.

I would like to invite you to my village –Taloctoc, the paradise I had known as a child; the tranquil verdant mountains, the clear, rambling Chico river, and the unadulterated air in the atmosphere.

Intakkon od Taloctoc, Kalinga! (Let’s visit Taloctoc, Kalinga!)

Unique, Delectable Dishes of Taloctoc, Kalinga

The dishes in Taloctoc several years ago when I was a kid (now, don’t ask me the exact number of years, lol) are totally different from those of today.

Dishes then were fresh and simple. What you can taste is the genuine quiddity of the food being cooked.

Take for example fish; fish which we caught with our barehands from the Chico river, were not mixed with any ingredient which could mask the taste. They were simply wrapped in banana leaves, placed in small bamboo poles and then cooked over slow fire. This brings out the real taste of the fish.

If you are able to taste this, I know you would agree that nothing could beat the savory taste of a pure, unadulterated fish dish.

Luscious, green leafy vegetables which we plucked from our nearby gardens were just cooked in boiling water. The broth that comes out from the freshly harvested vegetable dish tasted like no other.

Nowadays, the broth from a vegetable dish are so full of condiments, you could not really savor the vegetable flavor in it.

There were rare times that the old folks wanted something fancy; they would add then a little coconut oil or coconut milk to the dish and sprinkled it with pepper. That tasted like a "blast"!

Native folks often said: “Mampiya, impon agammo de amam.” (It’s delicious; you could forget your father-in-law.)

I have watched also how men butchered pigs and cows, cut them into pieces (I didn’t see it gross at that time) and just boil them until they were tender. No salt, no condiments, nothing whatsoever – just plain water. And, my! It was one of the best tasting meat dish I have ever tasted; natural, pure and savory.

At times during summer, the men went monkey or deer hunting. This is in preparation for the rainy days. They cut the meat into small, thin slices and allow them to dry under the sun. This will make the meat, dry and preserved.

When rainy days came, all they did was to cook the meat until tender and then mix vegetables, or sometimes they just roast it. Even then, the natural taste of the meat was still intact.

What was amazing was that, no one ever got sick of cancer. It was most probably because what of people ate. The dishes that were cooked came directly from nature without any preservatives or food colorings added. These preservatives and additives have been proven to have ill effects on people, so be wary of what you eat.

I miss these Kalinga dishes. Perhaps, in the near future when I can find time, I would visit Taloctoc and once again catch my fish in the river and cook it in the riverbank with my bamboo poles!

Hello Guys, Let's All Welcome My Sister!

Let’s all welcome my sister to the blogging world!

She has 2 blogs: Candid Mom Reviews and Diary of a Start-Up Mom. My sis Marylyn is the sweetest of the lot; she’s not as “talkative” as I am, but she’s definitely smarter!

But I don’t mind, as it makes me proud to know that she is doing well in whatever goals she sets herself to achieve.

Her Candid Mom Reviews is a blog about almost anything under the sun, from groceries to her kid’s daily adventures.

The other blog is the Diary of a Start-Up Mom which deals with internet resources and opportunities.

Do pay a visit to her blogs.

My First Trip Through Kalinga‘s Winding Roads

I was finally going to the City of Baguio for my college education.

It was a totally upbeat experience for me and the night before I left, I could barely sleep because of excitement.

I was fifteen at that time, and for the first time in my life, I would be traveling alone.

Morning finally came and all the native folks came to see me off at the Chico River.

There were native cakes and sweets that they brought along supposedly for me to bring along, but my mother gently told them I had enough luggages to carry on my 6 hour trek to town.

I had hiking companions but they had their own loads to carry for they were also studying in town in the Convent's High school.

My mother repeated her advices which I heard a dozen times. “Keep your money safely tucked away.” “Don’t wander away from the others.” “Be friendly but careful.” etc. etc.

I gave my parents, siblings and relatives one last hug and waded through the knee deep water.

It was still summer and the usual raging currents of the Chico River was only a gurgling flow for a change.

The trek to town went well, except for my tired muscles.

But this was soon forgotten as I boarded the bus finally for Baguio City.

It was a long, arduous trip and we had to sleep overnight at Bontoc before we could proceed to Baguio.

I marveled at the beauty of nature as our bus chugged and roared its way along the narrow winding road of Lubuagan to Bontoc.


Photo by Mendhak

The road was so narrow that they had to erect checkpoints where the road was wider, so that when another bus was on the road, it had to wait for the other oncoming bus at the checkpoint, to avoid head on collision.

The towering, verdant mountains were majestic and awesome as we slowly inched our way amidst them.

I watched as beautiful flora and fauna passed before my very eyes through the bus window.

The dizzying precipice made me faint and weak so I tried to look towards the mountains instead.

At nightfall, we arrived at Bontoc. I was surprised to find out that there was only one hotel available for all of us (4 people to a room), and I was not used to sleeping with strangers, so I selected one tiny room apart from the rest.

What happened next was unexpected. While I was sleeping, I heard a tiny scraping sound.

I was startled when I looked up for there was a man climbing through the small aperture that divided my room from the others.

He was grinning and was motioning for me to open the door and we’ll have a night cap.

I knew then he had other intentions in mind.

I couldn’t move or even scream. I stood there just looking at him with so much fear.

When I was able to gather courage, I spoke in a croaky voice: “If you’ll come down there, I’ll scream.”

“I just wanted to talk to you,” he stopped.

“We can talk in the morning,” I said, pretending to be brave, but my knees were trembling and I tried to control the tremor in my voice.

I was only 15!

I breathed a sigh of relief when he finally said: “Okay, I will talk to you tomorrow. I like you.”

I could not sleep for the rest of the night. If only the room that I stayed on was safe then all I would have done was to lock the door.

The man attempted to speak to me that day but I had stayed close to a friendly woman who gladly gave me company for the rest of the journey.

I arrived in Baguio the following evening with so much relief and gratitude that nothing untoward happened that night.

The University’s ladies’ dorm was my first home away from home, where my adventurous stint in college began.

From then on, whenever I travel, the first thing that I made sure of was the room where I would be sleeping.

I heard that presently, there are several hotels there already; and that visitors could have a pick of the best accommodations comparable to the Baguio City Hotels.

After retirement, I plan to travel to Europe to visit my daughter in Spain.

I found this free site - Hotel Combined - which provides access to the different hotels abroad in almost all countries.

I was happy to discover that I could compare the prices of hotels and lodgings just in this site alone.

Holiday Inn Atrium Hotel Singapore


I plan to go via Singapore and then perhaps drop by Paris and

then Rome and finally Spain.


Wouldn’t that be exciting? It has been a while since I traveled last. Anyone who would like to join me?


And I would never forget that long, troublesome evening in my teenage life, for as long as I live.

Read These Interesting Articles from Helium

Reasons to visit the Philippines

The Philippines is known as "Pearl of the Orient". It is because visiting the Philippines would be like visiting numerous wonderful places all over the world.
First just like the vast, beautiful lands of Australia, the Philippines could provide the visitor various interesting nature tripping adventures that you could engage in. Ibiza and the Bahamas offer beaches and nature, but read on why the Philippines beaches are also worth a visit.
Read more...


Community programs that can promote youth development

Community programs that can promote youth development
Youth development should be the primary consideration of any community because the youth are"The Hope of the Fatherland" (Jose Rizal).
It is right and proper therefore, that community programs should promote youth development.
What community programs could do this? The below mentioned are some suggestions of useful and relevant programs:
Read more...


Human rights and democracy in East Asia

INTRODUCTION:
Human Rights and democracy go hand in hand. A country cannot say that it is observing human rights if democracy is not instituted.
The cry for democracy and for action against human rights violations is common in East Asia, Japan, North and South Korea and China and Mongolia, Vietnam, Philippines, and the other South East Asian countries.
Read more...

The Kalinga Ricefields

All Photos taken by Van93312




Built from soil and stones by bare hands, coupled with the native's ingenuity.

Recommended Blogging Code of Conduct

This article has been published at Helium.com

A code of conduct is almost always established in any civilized, social community. The blogging world is similar to these social structures.

It is in this context that an international blogging code of conduct should be promulgated to set the ground rules for proper blogging decorum and conduct.

Photo by liewcf
Although bloggers observe an unspoken rule in the blogosphere, several blogging communities established their own rules, because of a few, bad eggs who threaten to spoil the booming and dynamic blogging industry. Several groups like the HP bloggers, the Blogging Wikia and many more have established already their own ethical standards. Websites have their own guidelines that you have to accept and comply with before they accept you.

The rules of conduct that they have adopted have basically the same thrust - the respect for self and respect for others. i.e. be cautious and responsible of your words, respect the intellectual property rights of other people, etc.

Many are against this idea as they feel that it is a violation of human rights and that some unscrupulous people might take advantage of this to advance their own selfish ends; but this can be minimized by promulgating basic ethical norms that every blogger should follow no matter what diverse culture he comes from.

The Ten Commandments would be a perfect example. The commandments are clear, precise and concise. There are various religions but their faiths adhere to the basic tenets of the Ten Commandments.

This Code of Conduct that every Blogger should follow must set clear boundaries between what is decent and indecent language, of what is bad behavior and good behavior. It should set clear laws and sanctions on the violation of intellectual property rights. It should also be a venue for the prevention of bloggers from exploitation, harassment, and spamming and identity theft. These are genuine crimes that only a Universal code of conduct could address and monitor. Integrity and honesty then would prevail.

by cambodia4kidsorg

Including these following aspects in the Code of Conduct for bloggers would make it more significant:

1. no discrimination as to sex, race, or creed we all live in this earth.
2. honest and sincerity these have their just rewards
3. the desire to help and support each other ensuring the welfare of others is ensuring your welfare as well.
4. no criminal activities crime does not pay
5. love others as you love yourself

These all boil down to following the Golden Rule; "Do unto others, what you want others do unto you."

Happy blogging!

THE "TADDOK" - A KALINGA DANCE

The "taddok" is the native dance of Kalinga.

The men beat gongs as they skip their feet with the tempo and dance around.

The women dance the "tanggi"; hands wide open and at shoulder level while they skip too to the tempo of the gongs.

They dance round the plaza and may perform certain dance formations to add variety to the otherwise monotonous steps.





The taddok is usually performed during festivities and fiestas.


They also conduct taddok contests to make the festivity livelier and well participated in.


The native folks wear their best costumes and create different variations of the steps to win.


The picture above is of young men having fun with their "costumed" peers.


The young women in a pose, before the taddok.

Earning $ 12.54 From MyLot During My Free Time For Only 19 Days

I'm happy to announce that I've earned $12.54 as of today at the MyLot forum.

I spent just a few hours after work at MyLot but I'm satisfied with my earnings. I have never earned more in other PTC sites or money making sites.

I don't even have referrals, now if you'll sign up and be active, then I'll be earning more.

Most MyLotters are very intelligent people and I find my discussions well replied to and commented on. There are several categories that you could discuss.



It is a very satisfying venture because I got to do what I enjoy and earn at the same time.

Sign in and join in the fun.

A TOTAL OF $ 175 CAN BE WON AT MELTWATER.TORRENTS.MEANDERING DELTA (MTMD) OF MATT URDAN

This blog takes a breather from Kalinga culture, by featuring

Matthew S. Urdan's ongoing contest entitled Page Rank Olympics.

A cool $175 cash is at stake and the rules are very simple:

Copy pasted from Matt's Blog

(Start)

"RULES:

1. Register for the Page Rank Olympics by leaving a comment at Matt's post with your current Google PR and Technorati Ranking. All PRs and Technorati Authority Rankings will be verified on Saturday night.

2. Write a post on your blog about the contest and the Olympic Games.

3. Link Matt's post to your own post.

4. Comment back on Matt's post that you have made your own post about the contest and the Olympic Games.

5. Matt will link to every participating blog, and author an Olympic-oriented post referencing every participating blog. All participating blogs are encouraged to do the same.

6. Use whatever graphics you want.

7. The blog that has the highest increase in Google Page Rank and Technorati Authority at the close of the Olympic Games on August 24th Wins.

8. Prizes will be awarded on August 31st, 2008.

PRIZES:

Gold Medal: The blog that increases the most in both Google Page Rank and Technorati Authority will win a $100 Grand Prize.

Silver Medal: The blog that has the highest increase in Technorati Authority will win a $50 Prize.

Bronze Medal: The blog that has the 2nd highest increase in Technorati Authority will win a $25 Prize.

(END)

So there you are folks, visit Matt's blog to read more and leave your message of participation.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

Going Beyond Kalinga to The South

I have not posted any topics outside of the Kalinga culture, but with this article , I'll make an exception.

This is because I find this original pictures so awesome, I just can't help but blog about it.

These are some of the most visited tourists spots in the country.

Just like the Banaue Rice Terraces, they have a splendor of their own, untouched by time and technology.

These pictures were taken by Sir Paul - a very adventurous and well travelled academician from Central Luzon.

Due to his scientific presentations he is able to visit various places all over the country.

He was able to tour around the Crystal Cove of Boracay of Panay, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, Tagaytay, Baguio, Palawan, Davao and several more beautiful tourist spots.

Sir Paul is also a food enthusiast; he relishes tasting new and scrumptious delicacies wherever he goes.

Being a scientist and an academician, he not only basked in Mother Nature's biota but also finds time to "study" and learn from the flora and fauna of the places he visited.

Relaxing by the refreshing beach of
Puerto Galera.

The view is awesome - worthy of a

Van Gogh!

Sir Paul, you should come and visit us in Kalinga.

You'll find several things there that would spark your interminable quest for new discoveries.

Welcome to Entrecard - Bill of "From The Boondocks"

A warm welcome for Bill Billig of "From The Boondocks".

This blog had fascinated me since I first visited it in the early days of March, because of its multifarious features and posts that truly speak of Kalinga culture and tradition. Aside from featuring these it also updates the reader on current events in Kalinga.

Bill Billig, the author of the blog is a seasoned writer who can graphically and fluently discuss not only Kalinga culture and practices but also any challenging topic under the sun.

Even before he decided to become an entrecarder I've been a constant visitor to his site.

Now that he is a member of our entrecard communtiy, I'm sure he will be having more interested visitors and readers.

I'm glad that he finally opted to be a part of our entrecard community.

Welcome Bill and enjoy your stay here!

Thanks for an Arte Y Pico Award from Jenn

I was awarded the ARTE Y PICO AWARD from Jenn of Jenn was here.

Jenn is gracious enough to award me this. I want to give her the award in return. She deserves it.

Together with Maiylah's Snippets , Gattogiallo's Shots, Jennifer Robin of Robin's Woods , and Strider of Life's Quest

I consider them as my favorite Photo blogs.

For works of art that are not photos, I am a fan of Francis Scudellari's drawings in Caught in the Stream,



These blogs are worth a visit because their unique eye for visual arts is amazing. Their photos speak of the dynamic, ever changing world around us.

BE A PART OF THIS NOBLE ENDEAVOUR

Photo by FreeWine

Books are treasure troves.

Almost all successful and famous persons I know have been "wide readers".

I have always wanted to share inspiring stories with readers.

It is a dream I know I have to fulfill in this lifetime, or I'll never rest in peace in the other realm.

This book project I will be embarking on would be entitled : "Inspirational Thoughts and Stories from Bloggers All Over the World."

The projected time of completion and publication of the book would be 1 year.

If you have an inspiring article, story or poem that you know could brighten up someone's day or that could enlighten and give hope to people, send them and earn 5,000 ENTRECARD CREDITS.

These are the criteria:

1. The contributor must be an Entrecarder.

2. It must be original and never been published.

3. The length of the article or story should not be less than 1,000 words.

4. If it is a poem, it should not be less than 15 lines.

5. If contribution is accepted, one (1 ) complimentary copy of the book where your article will be featured, will be sent to you (free of any charge ) as soon as publication is completed.

6. As the blog's owner, I will screen and select entries for inclusion in the book. You will be notified through your EC dashboard if your contribution has been accepted or not.

7. You can send up to three entries in any of the categories.



6. For any question, feel free to send a message throught my EC widget/dashboard.
( Gewgaw Writings) or leave a comment in this post.

SEND YOUR ARTICLE NOW, AND BE A PART OF THIS NOBLE ENDEAVOUR TO INSPIRE THE WORLD WITH YOUR WORDS!!!

THE KALINGA RICE

Photos by: Jenn Was Here

The Kalinga rice is a complete meal in itself. I would never forget the wonderful, tasty aroma of this.

I miss the "gaddiw" (fish), the "isna" (rice)and the "kamote" (sweet potato) which has never tasted as delicious as those that I have eaten in Kalinga.

ALL PICTURES COURTESY OF JENN OF JENN WAS HERE. These pictures were photographed by Jenn of Jenn Was Here
who so generously allowed me to use them in this blog. Again Jenn, thanks a lot.

THE COCONUT TREES OF TALOCTOC

Photo by: Maiylah of Maiylah's Snippets

One of the most peculiar things about the barrio of Taloctoc that had remained in my memory after all these years - were the coconut trees that dotted the backyards of every nipa hut in that small village.

One can see a few avocado or santol trees but -always- there would always be a coconut tree in each backyard.

The children were used to scaling the tree like it was just a guava tree.

We had even "Coconut Climbing" as one of the games played during fiestas and celebrations.

Coconut oil is also found in every home. It is a part of the "First Aid Kit" of every household. It is made used of as a balm for burns, stomachaches, headaches, arthritis, muscle aches and so many more medicinal purposes.

It is with coconut oil that medicinal herbs were soaked and preserved and were eventually used by native healers.

It also adds delicious flavor to food like in vegetable dishes. Native cakes or sweets were mixed with coconut oil to enhance their flavor. The clear tasty, liquid that comes from fresh coconuts are excellent beverages.

What's definitely amazing is that every inch of this tree proved to be extremely useful for the villagers.

The bark had been used to built "bridges" (yes coconut bridges-they're sturdy-mind you!)

The leaves when fresh, could be turned into household decors and when they had dried, could be made into stick brooms.

The outer part of the fruit are trimmed into husks.

The inner hard part of the husks are polished and made used of as bowls. (You should see one of them -unbreakable bowls -very durable whether with hot or cold dishes..and water tasted different when using one of these containers.)

Well, for the roots - (no they're not useless!), they are planted again for propagation.

Indeed, whenever I see a coconut tree . I remember Taloctoc - my small paradise!


ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER:



Maiylah has her own wonderful blog entitled : " MAIYLAH'S SNIPPETS.

She is a good writer and photographer rolled into one.

She takes her own photos for her blog and has a beautiful collection of them.

Visit her blog and immerse yourself in her brand of vivid photography and good posts.

Read The Adventures of the Kalinga Man...(Fiction)

CHAPTER 1- UMMA AYAM SINSANA (WHERE ARE YOU NOW?)

The mournful chant reverberated through the small four walls of the hut…” Aieeeee”.
Guinnaban - 9 at that time - was cowering in the eerie shadows. He was staring at the wrinkled woman wailing for the gaunt, pale corpse laid on the long table. The head of the corpse was at a grotesque angle, nearly severed totally from his body.

“ Uma nangwa kansika anna?”” ( Who have done this to you?) the woman wailed even louder.

“Aiieeeeee”….. everyone joined in and the hut became a cacophony of mournful cries.

The barrio captain motioned to the elders for a conference and they filed outside, their faces grim and murderous. When they were outside, a heated and frenzied debate took place.

Finally the barrio captain raised his arm and said, “ Intakkon no, umma uwayon yo, ittod tako kanida de kingwada.”( Then what are we waiting for? Let’s avenge his death.)

And so a full blown “tribal war” had began.

READ MORE OF THIS...

CHAPTER 2 - UMMA AYAM SINSANA (WHERE ARE YOU NOW)

As soon as they arrived in Lubuagan, Guinnaban was baptized to Christianity by Fr. Belucci and named Benedict, after St. Benedict. To Guinnaban, the name symbolizes hope and courage - and he liked the sound of it!

The abrupt change of environment though had made him and his family uncomfortable. There were sad moments that they thought of going back to the simple life in the barrio as it was difficult to adjust to the ways of the progressively booming town. The good priest however, insisted that they stay on as he knew Benny had the intellect to pursue a much needed education.

The following school year, Fr. Belucci enrolled him at the Parish secondary school.
On the very first day, Benny was already taunted by his classmates. “Hey, what’s your name?”

“Benedict” he would reply.

“Benedict? that's a fancy name, huh? Far from your ugly, Kalinga name.” then the group roared with laughter.

READ MORE OF THIS...

CHAPTER 3 - UMMA AYAM SINSANA (WHERE ARE YOU NOW?)

“ Mr. Benedict Lomiwan is hereby voted as president of the class,” the instructor announced.

It was barely his third week in the University, but everyone in class already knew him. It would be impossible not to! He always got the highest scores in their quizzes - even in algebra - which everyone considered “very difficult”.




It was in Algebra and English that he excelled - a deadly combination. Some students were good in Algebra but not in English, and vice versa. Only Benny, did good in both and that made him an “Outstanding” student. He knew that by being in the Dean’s List of scholars, he would do justice to the sacrifices of his parents and Fr. Belucci. He had enrolled in A.B Political Science as he had plans of becoming a lawyer someday. College exposed him to the various cultural minorities in the country and people were less discriminating because of ethnic origin.

READ MORE OF THIS...

CHAPTER 4 - UMMA AYAM SINSANA (WHERE ARE YOU NOW?)

" I call this meeting to order", there was a hush inside the stuffy room, and everyone fell silent.

" The authorities have already threatened imprisonment should we refuse to give in to their demands." the presider was a stern, swarthy man in his early forties.
We have enlisted the support of our University students to create public awareness of what the government is trying to do." he motioned to Benny.

" Our plan is to campaign among our peers in the University to support our cause. Progress should be permitted but not at the expense of our families and homes. The Dam will be obliterating parts of Tindayan and Sakyan and the entire municipality of Mangala , Liba and Taloctoc... " as Benny was saying these, there was a lump forming in his throat.

" Apparently, we don't get the benefits of this enormous project," a female voice continued. " We need to join forces, forget about our thirst for vengeance and make a concerted effort to fight for what we hold dear - our ancestral homes."

READ MORE OF THIS...

CHAPTER 5 - UMMA AYAM SINSANA (WHERE ARE YOU NOW?)

The zephyr breeze caressed her upturned face and diffused into the thin moisture of sweat that seeped through her skin.. She gasped, seemingly in need of air. Her eyes were closed, like a maiden in repose. She had delicate, gossamer wings on - flimsy, undulating appendages - that were gently flying her higher and higher up the clouds. She moaned and her thighs quivered as each exquisite rivulet of sensation coursed through her body.
Photo by: Theogo
Benny, kissed her mount of Hedon once more as another moan of pleasure escaped from her .
The building desire that Benny felt had reached its crescendo. It was more than he could bear now. His mouth on hers, he gently lowered himself into Julia. When skin touched skin - two became one - and their bodies were lost in the miasma of pleasure and ecstasy.

READ MORE OF THIS...

A HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU!

THIS BLOG HAS WON THE 1ST RUNNER UP IN THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED "OKAY KA, PINOY KA" ON BROOD ONLINE CONTEST FOR FILIPINO BLOGS.
TO ALL THOSE WHO VOTED FOR MY BLOG .
THANK YOU!

ACCORDING TO BROOD ONLINE, AND I QUOTE:

"Prime ClassTraders bags the first ever Search for "Okey Ka, Pinoy Ka!" Blogs with a total of 50.83 points and gets ahead two closest rival, The Clamor of Kalinga (49.50) and Taboan Mindanao (49.17). Prime Class Traders took the edge in the online votingwith 65 votes for 12.5 points total while Taboan Mindanao was the top pick of the judges with 46.67 points. "

Thanks to the Judges:
Woobie - a seasoned blogger and author of Evilwoobie.com; TeamPZ - entertainment blogger of Mind Relaxing Ideas; and Julia Aquino - one of the most successful celebrity-entertainment blogger in the blogosphere. Her blog Julia Aquino in blogspot is one of blogs success stories.

UNQUOTE.
For more information about the results, visit BROOD ONLINE.