THE BANAUE RICE TERRACES

Kalinga- Apayao is one of the 4 provinces consisting the Mountain Provinces. The other 3 are Benguet, Bontoc, and Ifugao. Although all of these four are categorized as "The Mountain Provinces", there are distinct cultural differences of one province that identifies it from the other.

Some of the best scenic spots in the Philippines are found in these provinces. Kalinga - for the Chico River and Mt Patukan - where the Sleeping Beauty Lies, Benguet is where the second highest peak in the Philippines is found, and Ifugao - where the well known - Banaue Rice Terraces nestles.

The Banaue Rice Terraces - is considered by Filipinos as the 8th Wonder of the World. This formidable structure had survived hundreds of years and stands as a monument to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the native farmer who had built layers and layers of rice paddies, atop mountainous terrain.



Just like the Pyramids of Egypt, one would marvel how bare hands - with minimal equipment(stone and clay) - could erect a complex structure such as these.

Although The Banaue Rice Terraces is not found in Kalinga, Ifugao is considered a good neighbour, and anything pertaining to "The Mountains" is considered Kalingan.








Allow me to introduce the Lady responsible in taking these pictures.

These pictures were photographed by Jenn of Jenn Was Here
who so generously allowed me to use them in this blog.

Although Jenn is an indoor person, she was persuaded to join a summer trip around Northern Philippines.


Jenn and an Ifugao Wood carving


Her favorite color is violet but her personal paraphernalia are in red. (Don't ask me why). Her artistic side has many facets - photography (let the pics convince you), she can cross - stitch; she can also create cards for persons she care about. Right now, she is into scrap-booking. (Jenn, how could you have enough time for all of these? and you are also into blogging!).

There is this one liner that indicates this lady has her childlike insouciance intact; she says :" My eyebrows are still virgins. They haven’t been trimmed or plucked yet."

Jenn, thanks again and more power to you!

For more pictures and articles, visit her blogs at:
Jenn Was Here
Shutter Happenings
Le Kulitszie Familie
Memories By Jenn

THE IGOROT COSTUME

Camille of Memoirs of a Med Student, is a 22 yr - old, lovely Med student who has interests in books, movies , food and - believe it or not - PC games and basketball.
Aside from pursuing Medicine, she also puts aside time to watch movies and to read books by Coelho and other well known authors. Her blog is very stimulating because of the diverse interests that Camille has. Go visit her blog at Memoirs of a Med Student.




Although she is not an Igorot in blood; she had done justice to the ethnic beauty of the Igorot costume. She is holding the traditional wooden shield in her left hand and the spear in her right. She is also wearing the colorful native beads and the headress.

This picture was taken during a visit to Baguio - the Summer Capital of the Philippines.

Thanks Camille for allowing me to use your picture in my blog.

THE KALINGA NATIVE COSTUME

One memory that stayed with me as I grew older, was the sight of topless women going about their daily chores. This is because I have spent my first childhood years in the city and I was culture shocked when my parents decided to bring me home to the barrio. I never saw anyone naked before and so I stared unashamedly at them .


In those times, in our barrio Taloctoc, women - after getting married - were allowed not to wear any blouse or upper clothing (Yes, they were topless! and no one placed any malice in it.) I would stare straight up at a mother's bare breast, bouncing back and forth as she went around with her daily chores; and no one noticed. (At present, this is not being practised anymore as people became educated about fashion from the city and neighboring towns. Should we consider this as progress?)





During special occasions and fiestas , the native costume for women is a "tapis" which is a colorful, woven, wrap around material that is usually knotted at the waist or tied at the waist. The upper body is covered with a blouse which is from a woven material too, which is cut very simply to accommodate the arms and the neck.


For the male, the g-string is used and nothing more. It is a piece of long rectangular woven material too, that is tied around the man's waist down to his lower body covering his private parts.


They were simple "clothes" for simple people with simple joys and wants. I was not able to capture the bright colors of the Kalinga costume, but hopefully , in the future I will.

"TASHA'S TAKE" - WINNER OF "THE KALINGA MAN" CONTEST

I am happy to announce the winner for the "Comment on The Kalinga Man" contest. Drum roll.....and the winner is - "TASHA'S TAKE", also "THE BIG PICTURE" !

Her comment is the most appropriate and the most creative. I like how she described the daily chores of the young kalinga man, and how the young man would have aspired for an excellent education. Read Tasha's comments below.

My input; The Kalinga man was able to achieve that education in a prestigious university in the city. He brought pride to the native folk by gaining honors and accolade because of his academic and non academic accomplishments.

He is proud to belong to the cultural minority - The Kalingas- and wear this identity like an honor badge.

In this picture, a cultural festival was celebrated in the city. The Kalinga man - already successful with a family of his own - took off his city clothes and proudly donned his native Kalinga costume.

Some would not dare bare their almost naked bodies to show the world that they belong to the cultural minority, but the Kalinga Man is different - he takes pride in it because he knows that there are lots of reasons to be proud of his origin; and that belonging to a certain group of people does not define you as a person. It is what you become that counts.

So in this picture, he had gone to the festivity in his native costume, not only to show the world that he is a Kalinga, but also to share his rich culture and tradition. (Taddok) dances, Salidummays (songs). He has a burning fervor for life!

He had his camera with him and was taking pictures of his family and friends. While doing this, a close friend saw the unique, beautiful contrast of culture and technology in the Kalinga man's pose... and had clicked, in return, this perfect shot!

I have decided to award 4 (four) winners - 1st, 2nd and 3rd ( 500 EC, 300 EC and 150 EC) and a special award (her comment made me smile, and yes the Kalinga man is more updated than me and perhaps you (lol) - 100 EC) . For the rest of the participants -(50 EC each)

I have also mentioned all the participants in a blog roll in this post. My way of saying thank you, in behalf of the Kalinga man and of course, also from me.


FIRST PRIZE

tashabud

The Kalinga Man

As a youngster, he wakes up at the crack of dawn to feed the chicken and the pigs. Then he takes the carabao to pasture before going to school. As the youngster becomes a teenager, he goes to the forest to cut down trees with an axe. As he continues to do this chore, he starts to build those beautiful muscular arms of his. He gathers the fallen trees and makes a big pile. He bundles the pile with vines he collects from the forest, and then he swings the bundle over to his shoulder and carries it all the way home for mother to use to cook the family's supper. By doing this repeatedly, he builds and strengthens his beautiful muscles more.

(picture from me)
"The Kalinga Man and his daughter"



The Kalinga man seeks to better his life, so, he asks his parents if he's allowed to further his education in the city, away from his remote jungle home. His parents agree and send him away with a woven backpack to carry his things. He then enrolls at one of the country's most prestigious universities. He becomes educated in the ways of the modern civilization, and learns how to use and manipulate all kinds of electronic gadgets, including the camera. In order to supplement the money his parents sends him for school and living expenses, he works as a photographer for a local studio that provided him the camera to take pictures of foreigners who are touring his city.

SECOND PRIZE

Pinoy Around the World

This picture is a perfect illustration of how modern technology and indigenous way of life can be perfectly married. The sight of a Kalinga man in his native attire wielding a camera to capture the beauty of his surroundings is not commonplace, but it does not mean that it is not practicable. By all means, he has all the right and he has the know-how, i suppose, to be using that intimidating piece of gadget.

THIRD PRIZE

lina

This is to show that tradition and technology need not be separated and alienated. If one choose being traditional and proud of it, doesn't mean he shun technology and be un-knowledgeable about it. A nice photo.

SPECIAL AWARD

Tix•R•Us

The tourist already snap the sexy and buff Kalinga man in his traditional outfit, and now they want altogether picture of themselves without someone absent behind camera and the Kalinga man he volunteers to take picture for them, cuz actually he has a better digital camera than theirs back in the old village and what's more the Kalinga man has a blog that gets more hits than either you or me.

AND THANK YOU TO ALL WHO JOINED

Ken Armstrong
Pinay Mommy faeryrowan Robert A. Henru
MAGGIE AT COFFEESHOPMAFIA Kiran

desperateblogger My Bug Life

Kim

Alexys Fairfield

Asuka Miss Manilenya

Miss Write lis

Strider Shinade

THE MOM WITH BROWNIES

Gebeleizis noni Liz .

BillyWarhol CDO

TILL THE NEXT CONTEST FOLKS.

THE KALINGA MAN

LAST DAY FOR "THE KALINGA MAN" TO BE IN THE FOREFRONT. COMMENTS ARE STILL BEING ACCEPTED. TOMORROW WOULD BE JUDGEMENT DAY.

Contrast of tradition and technology.

I WILL GIVE 500 ENTRECARD CREDITS TO A SELECTED READER WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO COMMENT AND DESCRIBE THIS PICTURE CORRECTLY AND CREATIVELY.

THE KALINGA MAN AND HIS SON

FATHER AND SON

THE KALINGA COUPLE

My brother and sister in law in their traditional native costume.

THE CHICO RIVER

The Chico river holds many unforgettable memories for me - some good, some bad.

The very fist time I went home from the city when I was 5 yrs old, the river appeared to me as both dangerous and exciting. This is because, my father carried me across the river, atop his shoulders. I enjoyed the "ride" but at the same time fearful that I would topple any moment and be swept with the raging currents swirling around me. The river looked enormous to me then, because all I have seen in the city was a small pond found at the backyard.

When I started primary school, the river served as a vast picnic ground for me and my classmates. During recess and school breaks, we would rush to the river with our pans and pots; wash them, take a swim, go fishing, pick guavas and blackberries and then sometimes cook and stay all day long, just basking in the stillness and beauty of the place. The water was clear, clean and refreshing and the riverbank was of fine gray sand with shiny boulders in between. It was paradise to me.

When I went to the nearby town for my secondary education, the river nearly claimed my life twice. The first time was when we went home amidst a storm and the raging current almost swept me downstream. Thanks to a brave peer, who had been alert enough to rescue me. The second time was when we were diving and my head was struck by a jutting rock that had left me unconscious. Again, friends came to my rescue.

It has been years since I have seen the river. What does it look like now? Someday, I will visit the place and see for myself.