Supermoon; Memories of Full Moons in Taloctoc

When I was a kid, nights with the full moon were memorable nights of playing hide and seek. We would play in the shadows of the celestial wonder for several hours, seeking each other in the shadows of the trees and huts in our little village.

At times, we stared at the moon- after being exhausted from playing- and asked ourselves what would we do if we would ever reach the moon one day.

During those days, it was unimaginable that anyone could reach the moon. But as we have learned later, in 1969- when Miss Gloria Diaz became the first Miss Universe of the Philippines - American astronauts landed on the moon.

Now, whenever I look at the moon, just like the previous Supermoon phenomenon, I remember those care-free nights in Taloctoc, the giggles and the wanton insouciant games, the first stirrings of emotions, and the seemingly impossible dreams that we and my friends once had.


ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER

The photo is a genuine picture of the Supermoon this month of March 2011. It was photographed by Dr. Lorenzo Bernardino. Doc Z, as called by his online friends, is a doctor in internal medicine working at the Majuro Hospital, Marshall Islands.

He is a poet and a writer, read his amazing 140 Flash Fiction, and his poems in his blog Zorlone. Now he is into photography as well. Thanks Doc, for allowing me to use your picture.

He says about himself:

Zorlone, an anagram of my name. A title fitting to this blog of mine. Words are created every time such as blogs created online. This site will showcase thoughts translated into words. Dream. Create. Inspire. Follow me in Twitter @Zorlone or visit me too at 140 Flash Fiction.

Travelling in Taloctoc and Superb Hotel Deals

It has been ages since l last went home to Taloctoc. Oh how I missed those days where life was simple and unadulterated. We used to trek the 4 hour-journey from town. There were no means of transportation except our own two feet. No jeepneys, no buses, no trains, no planes and no bikes whatsoever. We carried our meager clothing in a backpack and trekked home through a narrow dilapidated trail that passed by cliffs, rivers and waterfalls. But the enjoyment of the trip is beyond compare. We would satiate our hunger pangs with the wild guavas and berries sprinkled across the mountain tops. Oftentimes, we also picked exotic orchids along the way. We basked in the crystal clear waters before finally heading to the village.

There were times; we had to stay for the night in the mountains because of the raging river current which we cannot cross. There were no hotels to sleep in, but the stillness and blackness of the night was an incredible wonder we would savor. These are moments I would treasure forever.

Just recently, my daughter advised me to travel and visit them abroad. I had a dream of visiting Europe; perhaps Austria, or Switzerland. In terms of their significant values, these are awesome places that I find similar to my village -Taloctoc. I was going over hotel deals that would be cheap and that would offer comfort and elegance simultaneously.

There are some of them that were to my preference. One is the Boston hotel deals which I find to my liking. I love deals that would allow me to save instead of spending.

Like Taloctoc, a wonderful vacation need not be expensive.

Panagbenga Festival: I Can't Help but Post These Last Year's Beautiful Pictures

Singer-Actress Karylle, daughter of Zsa Zsa Padilla.

The Dancing policewomen

AMA's AMAZING float.

Above is the young actor in First Love

SM's Float was one of the best last year, 2010

Kalinga Women with Tattoos: The Pride of Kalinga Culture

Kalinga Women Tattoos, the pride of Kalinga culture, courtesy of Naty Sugguiyao, thanks Naty.

Kalinga Dishes - Fish Dishes

Fish Dishes

· Kalinga dishes could comprise of fish wrapped in banana leaves, placed in bamboo poles and cooked over direct flame. This brings out the succulent natural flavor of the fish.

· Fish mixed with lettuce or string beans and tomatoes, cooked with a generous amount of water. You should try this without salt. If both products are freshly collected, you would never forget the exquisite taste this will grant your palate.

· Fish could also be roasted directly over low flame.

All of these Kalinga dishes are without any condiment. You can do this at home, but make sure your raw foods are fresh from the fish pond or garden. You would be surprised at how scrumptious a fish or vegetable could taste even without salt or condimentse. They taste incredibly delicious.

Naty Sugguiyao and The Tattooed Women of Kalinga

As promised in the last post "Kalinga Culture", here is a picture of Kalinga women, one in her birthday suit, with their vivid body tattoos.

Tattoos have been one of the permanent components of the costumes of the Kalinga people. These pictures are from a woman whom I have always admired since I was still in High School.

I have looked upon her as a model to emulate; a valedictorian of her class, she is "beauty and brains"and everything I have envisioned a perfect woman should be.

Back then, my young heart have often imagined her to become my future sister-in-law. lol.

But fate has other things in store for her. I am talking about Naty Sugguiyao from Lubo, Tanudan.

Naty Sugguiyao is a well traveled, highly educated Kalinga woman, and who, herself, dons her tattoo proudly to show her ancestry.

She was interviewed on National TV, been invited to present Kalinga Tattoos abroad, written about in the Philippine Daily Inquirer and is a Provincial Officer at National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP.)

If that is not enough, then you may want to buy a book on "Kalinga Tattoos" where she was one of the proponents and models simultaneously.

Naty is the lovely lady in the violet dress.

Kalinga Culture: The Kalinga Native Costume

The Kalinga native costume is composed of a tapis (woven rectangular cloth, worn on the lower half of the body for women). In the olden ages, this was the only costume of Kalinga women. I still witnessed the time of topless women. In our village in Kalinga, during the 1960s, married women went topless once they got married.

Nobody looked at them with malice. The malice lies in the eyes of the beholder. The men in turn wore "bahags" or g-strings, a thin and long cloth which is worn around the man's private parts, with both ends hanging from his body. Tattoos were also in fad.

Nowadays, people wore upper shirts and pants. Some old folks though still prefer to wear the old native costume. Tattoos are also still adapted by the younger Kalinga generation as a way of being proud of their ancestry.

WATCH OUT FOR THE PICTURES NEXT POST.



These pictures were taken by Nats Dalanao, an engineer cum photographer. Thanks Nats for the pictures.

Kalinga Tradition: An Ordinary Day in Taloctoc, Kalinga (when I was a child)

An ordinary day in Taloctoc, Kalinga when I was still a child had been so simple, that I wonder now how I had turned my life into a complex hurly-burly. I have made my life complicated. With all the gadgets like cell phones, laptops, video cams; and instant services (almost everything is instant) instant coffee, instant noodles, instant hamburger, fast foods; life passes by in a blur.lol. I can’t savor life anymore, as I should.

I don’t get to enjoy any longer the quiet evenings in the tranquil Chico River during dawn or dusk; the joy of looking down a mountain top and basking in Mother Nature’s incredible wonder. Oh, I miss all these things and more.

A day in Taloctoc during summer had been so uncomplicated, that its simplicity had made it uniquely fascinating. I was 9 years old then, and school was over for the year. I was not yet completely adapted to the village life during that time, because I had come from the city where I stayed during the early years of my childhood; so, it had been an entirely new challenging world for me.

I remember how I would fetch water from the creek down the mountain because I was staying overnight with my grandparents in the kaingin. This was because I was not as sturdy as the rest of my peers, who trekked to the kaingin day in and day out without suffering DOMS. Ha ha ha.

Those days were most memorable for me because I have experienced feeling “Godlike” atop my mountain hideaway, where everything was peaceful and calm; all I have heard were the cacophony of chanting cicadas and the chirping of birds around me. I usually woke up early in the morning and watched as the sun rose from the mountain top, slowly revealing its splendor amidst the white fluffy clouds drifting by. It was a breathtaking view that I would always remember.

I remember gazing down at the tiny huts below and thinking of myself as some sort of God. At an early age, I had loved reading so I had imagined I was some Greek Goddess watching mere mortals below as they labored and toiled.

After I had enjoyed the sunrise and the cool breeze playing on my face, I then proceeded to gather mushrooms from the tree stumps in the kaingin. Then, I would fetch water from the small creek at the bottom of the slope, until I have filled the big drinking pot. I carried a bamboo pole which was at least 3 feet in length on my bare shoulders, just like what the boys did, and I had taken pride that I had slowly adjusted to barrio-life in Taloctoc, Kalinga.

I had my battle-scars to show, so to speak: feet and hand blisters, hardened soles, darkened skin, etc. I oftentimes, had hidden my tears of pain in the night, afraid that someone would see them, and brand me a “sadot” (lazy bones.)

Those were the days, days that are forever etched in my memory. I suffered [physically but I consider them wonderful days of yore that I would always treasure forever.

Coming next, more Kalinga traditions and Kalinga culture.

Photo CREDIT: NATS DALANAO, THANKS NATS.