The Book Launch for "Rooting Indigeneity in the Philippines: Contexts and Complexities"

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁! A new book was launched today at the University of the Philippines Baguio. This is a volume that will be very valuable not only to students and academics but to anyone interested in Indigenous studies, especially those curious about Cordilleran peoples and cultures. 

The book is called "𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨: 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨". It was edited by Leah Abayao, Carolyn Podruchny, and Jimmy Fong. Abayao and Fong, who are both Cordillerans, are professors at UP Baguio. 

From the back cover blurb of the book: "This volume brings together powerful voices from emerging Indigenous Studies scholars conducting research within Indigenous cultural communities in the Philippines and beyond, with particular attention to the Cordillera region of Luzon. Its chapters explore the vibrant histories, cultures, and lived realities of Philippine Indigenous Peoples, tracing enduring traditions of resistance to colonization and the continuing struggles for self-determination." 

For a copy, get in touch with the Cordillera Studies Center in UP Baguio. They are the publisher of the book.

Traditional Tattooing Among the Ibaloys, Kankana-eys, etc.

When the topic of traditional tattooing is on the table, we often immediately think about Kalinga and Mountain Province. We rarely associate tattoos with Benguet and the indigenous peoples within it - the Ibaloys, and the Kalanguyas, and the Karaos, and the Kankana-eys. 

However, evidence shows that tattooing was also practiced in Benguet by our ancestors. The heavily-tattooed ancient mummies found in various caves in the province drive this fact home. 

The infographic here is from an exhibit at the Museo Kordilyera many years ago. I think it was 2018. 

The text:

"Burik refers to the tattoos worn by the indigenous Ibaloy and Kankana-ey in Benguet. The term burik refers to a person who is "tattooed all over the body". Remarkably, the most enduring evidence of this practice in the Philippines is the remnants of tattoos found on mummies of Benguet dating from the 13th century A.D. Although the practice of full-body tattooing and mummification is now extinct, tattoos found on the mummies serve as a visual and material record of an ancient tattooing tradition.

The tattoos of Ibaloy men of the historic period were characterized by geometric and figurative designs on the chest, back, and sides of the stomach, buttocks, arms, shoulders, hands, finger, neck, throat, face and legs. The figurative designs included centipedes (kamajan), snakes (oleg), lizards (batingal, karat), dog (aso), and deer (olsa). These life forms were considered to be omen creatures and also perhaps symbolic representations of gods or their earthly messengers. The sun (akew) and certain plant forms were also employed as tattoo patterns."

Antique Coffee Husk Remover at the Baguio Museum

This is a coffee husk remover made from a hollowed out log which is part of the collection of the Baguio Museum. You place freshly-picked coffee on the upper part of the hollowed wood then turn the grinder. 

This could be a fairly recent invention in a historical context as coffee was first introduced to the Cordillera region sometime in the last quarter of the 19th century. It could also be an instrument first used in the lowlands. Coffee was introduced to the lowlands much earlier compared to its introduction in Cordillera's highlands.

Have you ever seen or used a coffee husker like this?

Why Most Cordillerans/Igorots Prefer Communicating Through the Ilocano or Iloko Language

In the Cordillera region, the Ilokano language is still the bridge that enables people with differing languages to communicate with each other. Languages in the Cordilleras are too diverse that we often don't understand each other on a language by language basis. Two neighboring barangays can have different words for the same thing. 

For example, a person from Western Mt. Province may not understand the languages of his/her neighbors in Eastern Mt. Province. Ifugao is home to several languages as well. So are Benguet, Kalinga, Apayao, and Abra. 

The language that allows us to bridge this language barrier is the Ilokano language. Because it's the language that majority of Cordillerans can understand and speak. 

Most Kankana-ey speakers can't speak Tuwali. And most Tuwali speakers can't speak Kankana-ey. There are multiple other examples. But thanks to the Ilokano language, there's no problem in the communication line. 

Yes, we have the Filipino and English languages as the other bridges. But Ilokano is the language used (and preferred) by most people here. 

#BuwanNgWika #BuwanNgWikangPambansa2026

Is the Lantana Camara (Kantutay, Koronitas, Bangbangsit, or Baho-Baho) Native to the Philippines?

Here's another plant that people often assume is native here because it's everywhere in the Cordilleras. This is the common lantana (𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘢) and it's an introduced species in the Philippines. It's an alien species here. It's native range is in Central and South America.

How did it get here? It was reportedly brought here via Hawaii as part of a plant exchange program between the United States and the Philippines. I need to read more on this account though for complete verification. 

But the main point here is that it's not native here. It's considered an invasive species because once it's introduced into a habitat, it spreads rapidly. It can outcompete native species for resources which means it can potentially upset biodiversity.

The 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘢 is called "kantutay" or "koronitas" in Tagalog and "bangbangsit" in Ilocano. I don't know if we have a local term for it in any of our Cordilleran languages (Kankana-ey, Ibaloy, Kalanguya, etc.) Because from where I come from, we just call it lantana.

Wild Figs in the Mountains of Benguet

This is a wild fig tree that we often encounter during hikes in Benguet's mountains. Local terms for it include 𝘁𝗲𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗴, 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘆, 𝘁𝗲𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗹, and 𝗹𝗮𝗶. It's a major source of food for native wildlife like birds and mammals so this tree plays an important role in keeping ecological balance.

It's edible for humans but it has a rather bland taste so it's usually just ignored. During a trek in Bokod, a local showed us how to make them more palatable to human taste buds. He said pick the very ripe ones. He means the fruits na medyo squishy when you press them and parang nagse-separate yung skin if you apply pressure. 

He then cleaned the skins, cut up the flesh in small pieces, then mixed them with good amounts of muscovado sugar. Tastes nice because the muscovado gave it a sweet flavor. He also said that wild figs can be preserved by pickling them in a jar.

The Imbayah Ritual of the Ifugao People as Depicted in a Diorama at the Baguio Museum

There is a colorful diorama at the Baguio Museum that depicts the activities and ceremonies performed in the 𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗵 ritual of the Ifugao people especially in Banaue. This is a multi-day ritual that celebrates the elevation of a person or family from commoners to "kadangyans" (wealthy class).

The Imbayah Festival of Banaue was conceptualized and named after this important Ifugao ritual.

Affordable Abra Miki in Baguio City at the Skyz Toss and Bites Restaurant

In this cold and rainy weather, everybody's craving for hot and spicy soups. So we went to one of our favorite eateries in Baguio City that serve great Abra miki. And that is Skyz Toss and Bites at the rooftop of the Porta Vaga Mall. Marami yung serving and the bowl only costs 99 pesos. Sulit siya. Try niyo rin. 

Dried and Preserved "Bunog" on a Stick from Bokod, Benguet

Dried and preserved 𝗯𝘂𝗻𝗼𝗴 on a stick. This is one of the products on display by the Bokod booth during the "Panungkalan Trade Fair Expo" at the Benguet Capitol a few days ago. This was a trade fair that featured locally-made products from the 13 municipalities of Benguet.

A 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 (𝘏𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢) Spotted in Benguet

This is a 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 (𝘏𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢). They're very common in the Cordillera region. They can grow really big thus people are often scared of them. But don't worry, they are basically harmless to humans. They have venom but not significant enough to harm a human.

Unlike other spiders, they don't spin webs to catch their prey. They use their speed. They are extremely fast runners which make them efficient hunters for prey like cockroaches and small lizards.

Dehydrated and Preserved Truffles (Buo) in Benguet

Dried and preserved "buo" on display last month during the "Panungkalan Trade Fair Expo" at the Benguet Capitol. Preservation is a great idea as the "buo" is only abundant for a few months. You have to wonder though how much the taste changes after dehydration and preservation.

The Fruits of the Rattan (Calamus manillensis) Known Locally as "Littuko"

These are the fruits of the rattan (𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴) displayed on a trade fair at the Benguet capitol. It's known locally as "littuko". It's very acidic and it's considered as one of the sourest fruits in the world.

You can eat it as is (raw). They are also commonly preserved and pickled. Some use it as a souring agent when cooking soups and stews because of its intense tartness.

The La Trinidad Valley Today and as It Was Described in the Past

Evening falls over the La Trinidad valley. It's a stark contrast to the descriptions of the valley from historical accounts by Spaniards and European travellers who saw this valley more than a hundred years ago. 

They describe a swampy valley dotted with little farms and huts by Igorots. They describe a lagoon or a lake where wild ducks and grouse play. They describe a sky that would sometimes go dark because of migratory birds. They describe a crystal-clear river where the Igorots wash their golden-brown skin. 

They describe hills with trees where the Igorots got their timber for building houses, sticks for fencing their farms, and wood for their kitchens. They describe little fires at night that seem to reach out and dance with the stars above.

Reading Resources on Igorot History and Their Historical Struggles as Indigenous Peoples

Context matters, indeed. If the admin of the Taga Lakandula page is genuinely interested in learning the context why I and many others are saying that he's wrong in telling indigenous peoples to 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿 their indigenous attires in political demonstrations, here's a friendly advice for him: read more on Igorot history.

It would be great if he reads more on the issue to widen his perspective. I say this because based on his posts and responses, it's apparent that he has a black-and-white perspective on the subject. He seems to think that you can just create a line to separate the cultural from the political. As if it's as easy as separating apples from oranges. 

That is insulting given the fact that for centuries, the problems that the Igorot people have faced (and continue to face) always have political roots. Like what everyone has been saying and trying to explain to Taga Lakandula, everything is political. 

In this digital age, among the best ways to get context on issues about indigenous peoples is to read papers, documents, and books that tackle such issues. That said, I urge the admin of Taga Lakandula to read more on the history of Igorots and the political movements and social issues that shaped (and continue to shape) them as a people. 

To make it easier, I've compiled here a starting list of papers, documents, and books that are relevant to the issue. To Taga Lakandula, try reading these. I and countless other people have learned a lot from these resources. I'm sure you will as well. 

I lifted some of the resources from a list made by JD Gasmen which he posted as a comment on one of Taga Lakandula's posts. I added my own recommendations.

1) June Prill-Brett, Delfin Tolentino Jr. (Editor), "Tradition and Transformation: Studies on Cordillera Indigenous Culture"

2) William Henry Scott, "The Discovery of the Igorots: Spanish Contacts with the Pagans of the North"

3) Benedict Solang, Luchie Maranan (Editor), "Dap-ay Discourse Uno: Activist Perspective of Cordillera History and Social Change"

4) Howard T. Fry, "A History of the Mountain Province"

5) Maria Ceres Doyo, "Macli-ing Dulag: Kalinga Chief, Defender of the Cordillera" 

6) Rowena Reyes-Boquiren, "Ang mga Katutubong Lider ng Benguet sa Panahon ng Rebolusyon: Para sa Pambansang Paglaya o Lokal na Awtonomiya?," Kasarinlan: Philippine Journal of Third World Studies 14, no. 1 (1998): 70.

 

7) William Peterson, "Performing Indigeneity in the Cordillera: Dance, Community, and Power in the Highlands of Luzon," Asian Theatre Journal 27, no. 2 (2010)

8) Titia Schippers, "Securing Land Rights through Indigenousness: A Case from the Philippine Cordillera Highlands," Asian Journal of Social Science 38, no. 2 (2010): 225.

9) Maria Nela B. Florendo, "Tracing Historical Confluences in Lowland-Cordillera Relations," The Journal of History 46, nos. 1–4 (2000).

Is It Okay to Wear an Indigenous Igorot Attire in Political Rallies, Protests, and Demonstrations?

Sabi ng admin ng Taga Lakandula na page, hindi daw nararapat na gamitin ang indigenous attire ng mga Igorot sa mga political demonstrations. He posted a photo of one of the participants in the People's SONA that was held yesterday in Baguio City. That participant was wearing an Igorot attire.

I was at that event listening and taking photos as an observer and for documentation purposes. I snapped this photo during the event.

Taga Lakandula is wrong in saying that indigenous attires have no place in political demonstrations. He has a very thin understanding of why indigenous attire is always present in mass movements especially in regions with large indigenous populations like the Cordilleras.

Taga Lakandula seems to think that you can just separate the political from the cultural. If you read on Igorot history from the first contact with the Spaniards to today, the political and the cultural are intertwined with each other. Mag-asawa ang dalawang yan. 

Yes, medyo mahirap intindihin. To really understand why this is the case, kelangan mo talaga magbasa about sa history ng Igorot struggle for independence and for their rights from the time of the Spaniards to today. Historical context is really important. 

William Henry Scott, the historian who studied the Igorots and wrote papers and books about them often highlighted the political relevance of the indigenous attires of the Igorots. 

In short, everything is political. When our Igorot ancestors fought back the Spaniards in their bahags, it was political. When Congressman Lam-en protested in Congress in the 1960s wearing his bahag, it was political. When Macliing Dulag and members of other tribes in Kalinga protested wearing their bahags against the Chico Dam, it was political. When Igorots in Baguio and Benguet wore their bahags and joined the protests last year to condemn the flood control corruption, it was political. 

In conclusion, nobody knows where Taga Lakandula got the impression that indigenous attires can't be political. Because history completely debunks his argument.

A 1973 Article by William Henry Scott About the Early Days of the La Trinidad Valley

La Trinidad used to be a valley with a lagoon/lake teeming with wild ducks. This was an article by the American historian William Henry Scott which which was first published in an edition of the Baguio Midland Courier in 1973. 

In the article, Scott gave a brief overview of early accounts of the La Trinidad valley by the Spaniards and by European travellers like Karl Semper and Hans Meyer who saw the land in the 19th century. The valley was often described as swampy with a lagoon or lake that was teeming with wild ducks, grouse, and aquatic life.

Baguio Midland Courier Bound Volumes at the Benguet Provincial Library

I dropped by the Benguet Provincial Library this morning. It's my first time to be there. A stack of giant volumes in one corner caught my eye. These turn out to be bound editions of the now defunct Baguio Midland Courier. 

I pulled out the volume marked 1973 and browsed through the pages. Reading the newspaper headlines from half a century ago is like cruising through history with a time machine. But if you read through the news stories, you'll realize that the world hasn't changed that much. The problems were the same. The issues were the same. Just in a different time with different characters. 

The Baguio Midland Courier published their first edition in 1947, just a couple of years after the end of the Second World War. Their last edition was published in 2024. The paper was around for 77 years.

Is the DENR really serious in protecting our mountains and forests from giant mining companies?

Hindi naman tayo kulang sa mga batas na pumoprotekta sa ating kalikasan laban sa mapaminsala at malawakang pagmimina. Lalong hindi tayo kulang sa mga departments at agencies. Meron tayong DENR. Meron din tayong NCIP for protecting ancestral lands. 

Under DENR, there are several line bureaus which include the following:

1. Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)

2. Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB)

3. Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)

4. Forest Management Bureau (FMB)

In short, we have laws and departments, and bureaus, and commissions that should be more than enough to regulate destructive mining. Yet, here we are. Giant mining firms continue to flatten mountains and threaten biodiversity hotspots in the country. 

Ordinary folks have no choice but to set up barricades and try to stop the firms themselves. Because the system that was supposed to protect them has failed them.

Benguet lilies (𝙇𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙪𝙢 𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚) Growing on the Slopes of Mt. Kotkot in Itogon, Benguet

I saw these Benguet lilies (𝙇𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙪𝙢 𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚) during a trailrun in Itogon, Benguet yesterday. There's a good number of these plants with their distinctive white flowers growing on the steep ravines going up to Mt. Kotkot in Ampucao. You only see these in bloom for a few months during the rainy season. 

The air around them is punctured by a sweet but subtle floral fragrance. Some say their fragrance is stronger in the night-time.

This flower is called "us-usdong" by some Kankana-ey communities. It's an appropriate name because this flower is usually found in ravines or steep mountain slopes. "Usdong" is a Kankana-ey word that means to look down or to stare below. Due to it growing on a steep slope, the Benguet lily looks like it's always looking down or staring below.

Three Tourist First Aid Booths Turned Over to Baguio City

This is a tourist first aid booth worth 4.7 million pesos that was installed at Burnham Park in Baguio City. It's a project by TIEZA in collaboration with DOT, DOH, and Baguio City. The ceremonial turnover of the booth was held last July 9. In attendance was Mayor Benjamin Magalong and TIEZA General Manager Mark Lapid. 

The solar-powered booth is equipped with emergency response tools including a first aid kit, a pullout stretcher, and an automated external defibrillator (AED). It's also equipped with CCTVs for security purposes. Two more booths will be installed at Bayan Park and at the Botanical Garden. 

However, the booth has attracted its fair share of criticisms from netizens. Why is it marked as a "tourist first aid booth" with the tagline "love our tourist" painted on the sides? Does it mean it's only for tourists? Does it mean tourists are prioritized? These are valid questions. The booth is presented in such a way that people might think that it's exclusively for tourists. 

In the write-up by the Baguio City Public Information Office about the turnover of the booth, it was mentioned that the booth is for "tourists and residents". 

If everyone can use the booth, why not just call it a "public first aid booth" to let people know that anyone can use the booth whether he/she is a tourist or not. Let's not disregard the tendency of some people to not use a service because it's linked to a demographic they don't belong in.