Face Tattoos Among Bontoc Igorots

"Face Tattoos Among Bontoc Igorots"

During a forum a few months back at the University of the Philippines Baguio, a speaker mentioned that tattooing the face was quite common in the past especially among Igorots in Bontoc and adjacent regions.

I was doubtful about the claim until I came across a collection of old photos taken in the Bontoc area between 1898 and 1912. Many of the Bontoc men who posed for portraits had tattoos on their faces. The designs which are very similar to the ones on the chest and arms/torso were usually tattooed on the lower half of the face.

I'm yet to see a modern person today sporting this traditional face tattoo. It looks cool though. Gives the bearer that "Bontoc warrior" aura.

[Images Source: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University; website]

Where Did Our Igorot Ancestors Get Their Salt?

Where did our Igorot ancestors get their salt? Salt was a very valuable commodity in the olden days mostly because of its rarity. Igorot communities that were near the lowlands where salt were readily available often go down there to trade and acquire salt.

But what about the Igorots who were deep in the interior of the Cordillera mountains? They were hundreds of miles away from the lowlands. Where did they get their supply of the much-coveted salt?

Well, one major source of salt for these interior Igorots were natural hot springs. A great example were the Igorots in Bontoc especially those who lived in or near the village of Mainit where hot springs were plentiful. They found a way to extract salt from the hot springs using a long and complicated process. 

How did they do it? 

Here's an excerpt from an article published in 1966 and written by Augustus Ulat Saboy that detailed the salt-making process of the Igorots in Mainit: 

[Beginning of excerpt.] "A suitable hot spring is selected from among the hundreds of thermal springs spurting all over the village. Moderately warm mineral springs usually are chosen.

The surrounding area is cleared of grass, rocks and dirt, and the hot spring is impounded into a small puddle by ringing it with small rocks. The floor of impounded mineral water is leveled to allow the water to rise about six inches from the floor of the puddle.

Stones Planted

Stones as big as man’s fist are gathered and “planted” at even distances on the water pool. An outlet is opened with a small stone used as value. This serves to regulate the flow of water so that the top of each stone on the floor of the puddle is left dry.

A conical shelter is then constructed over the puddle, with its caves reaching the ground edge of the hot spring pool. The sides of the ground are left open to let the air in.

Condensation

Through the natural process of condensation, which takes place in the sheltered pool, salt in the water vapor settles on the planted stones. In one week, the stones are thick with encrusted snow-white salt particles.

The salt is scraped off after it thickens to about an inch on top of the stones. The work, exclusively a woman’s job, is done with a bladed bamboo stick. Then the salt is winnowed into a vat on fresh water where it is dissolved.

Boiling

The vat, now full of salt solution, is boiled to extract the salt. Before it cools off, the salt in the vat is ladled into prepared base for wrapping into cakes.

The wrapped salt is “toasted” over charcoal fire until it hardens. The salt is now ready for long storage." [End of excerpt.]

Many of the folks in Mainit turned salt-making into a profession. "Mainit salt" reportedly travelled as far as Kalinga and Abra. 

Salt-making in natural hot springs is no longer practical these days. Commercial salt is easily accessible and very cheap. 

Photos: Images from the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University (Website) 

Hiking Through the Mossy Forests of Mt. Molmog in Bauko, Mt. Province

After three hours and a half of navigating through the tricky and winding roads of the Halsema Highway, the two vans finally stopped at the jump-off point for Mt. Molmog in Bauko, Mt. Province. A motley group of around 30 hikers have come to this place for a tree-planting/camping event organized by the town through Jomar Buclay and the Bauko Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO). 

The sun was yet to make its grand entrance in the horizon and we were at an altitude which can be fairly considered as moderate to high. That said, it was cold. The good news was there was hot coffee and bread waiting for us at the jump-off point. We took our time to shake off the morning jitters of the long drive from Baguio City. After a quick orientation, the hike commenced. It started to get warm as the sun inched higher above the surrounding mountains.

At the start of the trek, each hiker was given a bamboo seedling or two. We were to plant these at a section of the trail going to Mt. Molmog. Planting the trees went smoothly. All trees were planted firmly into the ground within an hour or so. With the planting done, the focus now was to make it to the summit of Mt. Molmog which is basically a grassy patch of land which also serves as a camping ground. 

Mt. Molmog isn't a difficult climb. Its trails are a perfect blend of moderate ups and downs. As long as you're fit, the hike to the summit should be a breeze. I didn't track how long it took us to reach the summit from the jump-off point but I'd say it was between 3-4 hours. Most of the time, you will be hiking through a thick mossy forest with grassy clearings here and there. Jump-off to summit measures approximately 9 to 10 kilometers.

At the summit, there's more than enough space for 8-10 camping tents. Tents in excess can set up camp in the surrounding forest. Which was exactly what we did. Some pitched their tents over the grassy clearing at the summit. Others pitched theirs in the surrounding forest.

We had pinikpikan for dinner. And some drinks, of course. Then everybody settled in for the night. It wasn't as cold as I expected during the night. Based on my experiences camping and pitching tents in similar mossy mountains in Kabayan and Bokod, it can be freezing cold at night. That wasn't the case here. It was cold but not freezing cold. I slept rather soundly for a change.

Everybody woke up early the next morning to watch the sun rise. It was beautiful as you would expect. Sunrises and sunsets are always a sight to behold here in the Cordilleras. A sea of clouds sometimes occur in Mt. Molmog. Unfortunately, we didn't see one when we were there. Maybe next time. 

We then had a little breakfast. Then the descent down the mountain. 

[P.S. - There's a mountain trail run to be held there this coming July. The race route will pass through Mt. Molmog. Just search for "Mountain Ridge Run" on Facebook for the complete details. See you there!]

      

Search Ongoing For Korean Who Went Missing While Hiking In Cordillera Mountains

Members of the Philippine National Police, personnel of the Mountain Province Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC), volunteers, and concerned citizens are still trying to locate the whereabouts of a South Korean traveler who went missing in the mountains of the Cordillera region several days ago.

Here's a quick overview of the circumstances surrounding the Korean national's disappearance:

1. Choi Sungkyu arrived at the town of Barlig in Mt. Province on the evening of June 7.

2. Two days later, on June 9, he checked out of the inn where he stayed. His plan was to climb Mt Amuyao and hike his way to Batad in the nearby province of Ifugao. He was seen on this day within the vicinity of barangay Latang in Barlig. He was heading to the direction of barangay Pula in Banaue, Ifugao.

3. On June 13, policemen from Barlig were able to contact Sungkyu through his mobile phone. They asked for his location. Sungkyu said that he was in a place surrounded by pine trees and that he was feeling very weak. Sungkyu also told the policemen that he has to turn off his phone to conserve the battery.

4. On June 14, the Barlig police was alerted by the Korean Embassy that Sungkyu is still alive and that he was near a big rock in the mountains.

5. Search teams were immediately dispatched to areas along Sungkyu's route that had large rock formations. The teams weren't able to locate him. The teams combed through sitios Ammiw and Furud in Latang but Sungkyu was nowhere to be found.

© Daniel Feliciano / The Cordilleran Sun

The search for the missing Korean is ongoing. Some Korean nationals also coordinated with the PDRRMC to help with the search and rescue operations. Officials in Banaue have also been informed and are doing their own search for the missing hiker.

Governor Leonard Mayaen Of Mt. Province Has Died Due To A Heart Attack

Leonard G. Mayaen, the Governor of Mountain Province has died due to a heart attack on Thursday afternoon (March 31). He was 63 years old. Mayaen reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest before noon in the capital town of Bontoc on said date. He was airlifted by a Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopter to Baguio City. He was declared dead on arrival by attending physicians past 3:00 PM when he was brought to the Notre Dame De Chartres Hospital in the city.

Mayaen was running unopposed in the upcoming May elections. He was seeking his third term as Governor of Mt. Province. Mayaen first entered politics in 1988 when he easily won a seat as a Board Member in the province. He then served two terms as Vice-Governor from 1992 to 1998. He was elected as Governor during the 1998, 2010, and 2013 elections.

The province is about to start celebrating this year's Lang-ay Festival with the opening ceremonies to be held tomorrow (April 1) at the provincial plaza. The Mt. Province Foundation Day will be observed on April 7.

Governor Leonard Mayaen (center) during the Ayyoweng di Lambak ed Tadian Festival a few weeks ago. Image credit: Leonard G. Mayaen - Mountain Province Facebook page.

Sanggol, Sinnepdak And Other Indigenous Igorot Games Featured In The Lang-ay Festival (Video)

The Lang-ay Festival is a month-long celebration in Mountain Province that showcases the province's rich cultural heritage. The celebrations serve as an observance of the province's foundation anniversary which falls on the month of April. Just like previous editions of the festival, this year's celebrations included cultural parades, dances, pageants, agricultural trade fairs, and sport competitions.

Among the highlights of the festival are the competitions featuring Igorot indigenous games like sanggol (arm wrestling) and sinnepdak (wrestling). Habi Collective, the media production company behind the award-winning documentary Walang Rape Sa Bontok, was there to document the indigenous games. Watch what they captured in the short video below.

Lakas, Montañosa!
The Lang-ay Festival 2015 of the Mountain Province isn't complete without the crazy, action-packed and exciting Igorot games!
Posted by Habi Collective on Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Still from the video. (Habi Collective)

Document: Congressman Dalog's Response To Petitioners Concerning Diversion Road In Sagada

[This is a press release dated March 27, 2015 by Mountain Province Representative Maximo B. Dalog concerning the petition of some residents in Sagada about the proposed construction of a 700-meter diversion road within the town.] 

This is in respectful response to the PETITION of some 567 petitioners from Sagada, Mountain Province concerning the PROPOSED 700-meter diversion road along the Mission Lot of Saint Mary the Virgin Church-Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines, which the office of this humble representation received on May 13 and May 18, 2015 respectively.

This proposal for a diversion road came to our knowledge when some personnel of the Mountain Province District Engineering Office informed us about it. And so as your Representative in Congress, we tried to consult the concerned Church leaders, the Christian faithful of the Mission and the people of Sagada on the viability of said project as proposed. After a favorable reception from those consulted and after being informed and advised that said PROPOSED diversion road is of general advantage to the people of Sagada, we did endorse the proposal.

We felt that it was our bounden duty to bring the request of our people to the agency concerned and of course, with the end-in-view that the project will enhance the socio-economic development in favor of the Municipality of Sagada and Mountain Province as a whole.

Be that as it may, let it be emphasized that said proposed project is just a PROPOSAL as there is no funding yet from whence the proposal was endorsed to.

Therefore at this point in time and with all due respect to all concerned, we leave it to the soundest and wisest decision of the people of Sagada whether the proposed project will push through or not. The realization and approval of the proposed project will always be dependent on the primary stakeholders – the people of Sagada.

Thank you.

Updates On Bontoc Road Accident: 1 Killed And 13 Others Injured

Around noon on Monday (May 25), a passenger jeepney and a van crashed into each other along the Halsema Highway in Pelay, Bontoc Ili, Mt. Province. One died while thirteen others were injured.

The lone fatality has been identified as Larry Bomon-as Bulwayan, a 43-year-old from San Roque, Paco, Lepanto, Mankayan. Bulwayan was the driver of the van and he reportedly died during the accident. The 13 people who got injured were passengers of the jeepney and the van.

Initial police investigation showed that the cause of the accident may have been the van's encroaching of the jeepney's lane. The jeepney was bound for the town of Besao while the van was plying the Abatan 90 route. All injured passengers were rushed by emergency responders to the Bontoc General Hospital.

Those injured were identified as follows:
1. Jimbo Fabrigas, 13, Sabangan, Mountain Province
2. Alfred Galad, 73, Locong, Poblacion, Bontoc, Mountain Province
3. Jay Damoking, 23, Lagan, Sabangan, Mountain Province
4. Jose Fabrigas, 42, Sabangan, Mountain Province
5. Ferdinand Chilig, 19, Pudo, Natonin, Mountain Province
6. Jonel Long-a, 20, Pilipil, Cervantes, Ilocos Sur
7. Rene Buyaen Doyayag, 47, Catengan, Besao, Mountain Province (jeepney driver)
8. Irene Diaten, 70, Catengan, Besao, Mountain Province
9. Ricardo Pacada, 56, Catengan, Besao, Mountain Province
10. Bonifacio Cobre, 27, Sumadel, Tadian, Mountain Province
11. Yasheer Fanao, 3, Betwagan, Sadanga, Mountain Province
12. Geslee Fanao, 4, Betwagan, Sadanga, Mountain Province
13. Tuesday Palonang, 24, Besao, Mountain Province

[Sources: Bombo Radyo Baguio, Baguio Herald Express]

Road accident site. Photo by Kinad Waytan.

The Bontoc Rapes Story Is Fake. Here's Why Plus Tips On How To Identify A Troll Site.

About a week ago, the story of a man being raped by his girlfriend at least twelve times went viral on Facebook. According to the source of the story, the events transpired in Bontoc, Mt. Province. Here's the problem: the story was faked. It never happened. It's just the handiwork of a website owner stirring as much controversy as possible to drive traffic to his website. In a way, it worked well for the website owner because hundreds (if not thousands) of people shared and reshared the story.

This brings us to the question: why did people readily believe the story when there's a ton of red flags indicating that it's fake? This is not to say that the rapes couldn't have happened. After all, we have heard and seen more boggling stories. The moment you arrive on the website where the story was published, it immediately speaks for itself. That it's a website not worth putting your trust into.

Let us forget about how shoddy the design of the website is. Let us forget about the fact that there's no name attached to the news story. And let's forget about the fact that there's no information as to what the website is all about (what's it for and who's behind it).

For the time being, let's forget about the things above and focus on what the writer really wrote and tried to pass out as news. First of all, the piece is just rife with errors (both grammar and logical errors). The writer didn't even bother capitalizing the first name of the alleged suspect. Second, there's not a single thing to corroborate the story. Not a single name. Who's the suspect? There's none to indicate that she's a minor thus meriting anonymity. Who's the psychologist? Even the place where it allegedly happened was just described as "a remote barangay".

ABS-CBN News had a story on the hoax and interviewed the authorities in Bontoc. There's nothing in the police records. With that all said, this should be the end of this nonsense.And here's a little bit of advice: question everything.

2 policemen in Dalican, Bontoc were killed during an alleged attack by NPA rebels

Two policemen died while two others were wounded when alleged members of the New People's Army or NPA attacked them while conducting a tactical operation in the vicinity of Bandong Hill, barangay Dalican in Bontoc. The attack happened last Saturday (March 29) which coincidentally was the 45th founding anniversary of the NPA. The NPA which is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines was formed on March 29, 1969.

According to Supt. Davy Limmong, public information officer of the Police Regional Office Cordillera, joint elements of the Regional Public Safety Battalion, 54th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and PPSC of the Mt. Province Police Office were in the area to conduct a tactical operation after receiving reports that there are rebels encamped in the area. It was during this tactical operation that the cops and soldiers were fired upon.

The two policemen killed during the encounter were PO1 Marcelo Kilasen and PO1 Jefferson Sari. Those who were wounded were PO1 Benildo Magan and PO1 Romeo Fakat Jr. Magan and Fakat Jr. were immediately brought to the Bontoc General Hospital for medical treatment.

Mt. Province has been the location lately of encounters between government forces and rebels. In June of last year, NPA rebels attacked over a hundred police trainees in Kabunagan, Tadian who were out for a morning jog. A trainee died while several others were wounded.