Getting to know the Ifugaos

wandering_tulip — Wed, 27 May 2015 03:52:33 GMT

I finally made it to Sagada! It lies on a small valley at 5,000 feet above sea level and is part of the Cordillera Mountain range in northern Luzon. To get here, we embarked on a roadtrip without a plan. We passed by Lagawe, Banaue and Bontoc before heading to Sagada. The scenery was nothing short of spectacular. There were an exhibit of rice terraces everywhere, massive and small. The layers of mountains changes color in various shades of green, and hues of blue, depending on the sun. I found myself whispering the words majestic and glorious so many times. I felt giddy with happiness as I took photos of the grand landscapes and tiniest spectacles of nature.
One of the highlights of this trip was that I came to meet people from the ethnic Ifugaos for the first time. In each of our encounters, I slowly learned and came to admire who they are as a people. What struck me the most was the air of silent confidence of the Ifugaos. I suppose that is due to the fact that they truly know who they are as a people. I somehow sensed the fullness and strength of their core.
Ifugao means “people of the hill”. They are traditionally residing in the rugged mountains of central Cordillera. They are best known for their elaborate ritual and legal systems, and more so for their agricultural terracing and engineering skills. Their ancestors built rice terraces on the mountains watered by impounding water in creeks and streams, and using an intricate irrigation system made from palms and bamboos. Their traditional house uses only four post made of a whole trunk of Narra tree and parts are strapped together without the use of nails or iron bolts. The house can be dismantled and rebuilt again to look exactly the same. Their ingenuity is really impressive.
To them, nature and environment is their life, and so they are protecting it and they will not compromise it for unsustainable development and tourism. Mountains that are cared for by Ifugaos have remained protected from deforestation. Tricycles are not allowed in Sagada because they do not want its noise and air pollution. So everyone walks to move around town.
I’ve spoken to an Ifugao woman who owns a massage parlor in Sagada, she once tried it out in Manila. But she was unsettled there and returned home because she realized that life in Sagada, together with her people, is such as a wonderful gift. I totally agree, as I raised my cup and sipped her freshly brewed coffee, the best coffee I’ve ever tasted in my entire life.

My Scholarship entry - A local encounter that changed my life

wandering_tulip — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:28:34 GMT

Davao City is the biggest city in Mindanao and the third most popular city in the Philippines next to Manila and Cebu.Davao is dubbed as the Fruit Basket of the Philippines. I got an opportunity to visit Davao City because of work and I had just one day to tour it.My two friends from Davao were very kind to show me around. They both love the outdoors so they took me to the Outland Adventure to try the Zip Line.The zip line is set at 200 meters high and runs to about 700-meters long.We took a good 30-minute hike to get to the jump-off point.We crossed a small river about 30 feet wide.We used a “balsa” to cross the river.Balsa is a makeshift floating platform made of bamboo poles.It is tied like a pulley on both sides of the river.We pulled the rope to propel the balsa to bring us to the other side.After that,we climbed a steep hill to get to the jump-off point.The jump-off is a small tower about 8 feet tall standing on the edge of the hill.When I saw the height of the line from there,I wanted to back out.It was scary.I haven’t done anything risky like this before.But my friends encouraged me to brave this challenge.It took me some time to calm my nerves.I focused on the view,which was simply amazing.It’s a display of green in various shades.The river running across the zip line is as green as olives with the water sparkling under the noontime sun.The hill was green as emerald with some patches of lime green in random areas. I summoned all my courage and went for it. I was going! The first five seconds of the ride were the scariest,after that,fear was replaced by sheer exhilaration. I was gushing forth at incredible speed,laughing and screaming all at the same time. I tried to soak in the view as it flash before me as I cut through the wind.It was an adrenalin rush,big time! It was a proud moment for me because I have conquered my fear. I was grateful for my Davaoeño friends who showed me how to have fun in the face of challenges. Their fun-loving nature is inspiring.

Chasing Courage in Davao

Getting to know the Ifugaos

My Scholarship entry - A local encounter that changed my life