Conversations: Commercialization of Culture (2)

Dear Pagano,
It is good that you brought up how alternative singers like Grace Nono used our indigenous music. I had mixed feelings the first time I heard her song which included a Salidummay chorus. On the one hand, I felt flattered that an artist drew inspiration from our musical tradition and was able to popularize Salidummay way beyond the Cordilleras. On the other hand, the way she sang the Salidummay part was different from how we traditionally do it. It didn’t sound right to my ears and therefore I felt it was wrong. Maybe I am one of the “conservatives” you mentioned who do not approve of such adaptations.

But then again, would I be clapping my hands enthusiastically if she or any other artist for that matter sang “Salidummay” correctly or the way we traditionally do it? I think I still would have some reservations. My reservations about the appropriation of our indigenous culture for pop culture purposes have something to do with a) whether the artist gives recognition to his/her source and b) whether, at the end of the day, s/he gives back to the community from where s/he took the material from. In the case of Grace Nono, I think she did recognize the fact that the Salidummay chorus is from the Cordilleras, but I still haven’t heard of her giving back to the community now that she is a successful and a fairly famous musician.

By the way, “giving back” is not about giving money to people. To me the best way of giving back, at least in this instance, is helping local Igorot artists find their way in the industry. That’s why I admire the person who established Tam-awan Village in Baguio. It would be fair to say that he drew inspiration from the Cordillera/Igorot culture for his works of art. I think he acknowledged this fact. More importantly, he helped Baguio talents make a name for themselves in the art world both at the national level and internationally.

Of course, these standards of “acknowledging one’s source” and “giving back to the community” apply not only to outsiders who use our culture like Grace Nono. It also applies to our fellow Igorots who also draw upon our culture for their work or masterpiece.

By setting the above standards, are we saying that it is okay if our traditional culture becomes objects of commerce? My knee-jerk answer is, “Hell no!” But then again, on further reflection, I asked myself, “What culture is not commercialized?” Aren’t the Dutch people making a livelihood out of the wooden shoes (like the photos above) they sell to tourists? Aren’t those Swiss yodelers making money from yodeling? And surely we have those miniature jeepneys, bahay kubos, Muslim weapons being sold in Quiapo for those looking for Philippine souvenirs.

I think the crucial question is “Who controls the commercialization of our culture?” This is where what’s happening in the Cordilleras becomes a tragedy. It’s tragic because we as a people have had little say about how our culture has been used for commercial purposes. Heck, we don’t even have control over how our culture is used for non-commercial purposes.

It’s good to know that Sagada now has rules about the taking of photos and video footages of indigenous rituals but, as you said, this might be an act which is just too little and too late. Whether it is really going to be implemented is another question. Of course, being hopeful does not cost us anything so I am going to be optimistic that Igorots will eventually control how our culture and traditions will be used in the future. I still have some things to say about the dangtey but this is it for now :-)

Okidok,
Bill


NOTE: This was originally an email exchange between Pagano and me which we decided to post in this blog as we would like others to join in the fun. I’m sure that you have insights on this matter for, after all, the commercialization of our culture is a very broad topic and we barely touched the surface. Do join us in this conversation (via the comments section or you can email us your pieces at igorotblogger@gmail.com).


RELATED POST: Conversations: Commercialization of Culture (1). PHOTO CREDIT: Cloggieshop.com.

Read more...

Conversations: Commercialization of Culture (1)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS?

The article on Banaue Coca Cola which touched upon how our indigenous Igorot culture has become an object of commerce prompted Pagano, a good friend and relative, to write me a letter. He raises very important points so I decided to post portions of his letter (with his permission of course) in this blog. We then agreed to do an ongoing conversation -- by writing open letters -- on this matter as the commercialization of our culture is fast becoming a critical issue and we as a people appear to have no idea on how to go about dealing with it.

You are invited to join us in this conversation either in the comments section (which we will upload to the main page if appropriate) or by email (igorotblogger@gmail.com). But first, here's Pagano's letter (edited and with some paragraphs omitted) to start the ball rolling:

Dear Bill,
The dragging of indigenous culture into the mainstream or commercial music industry has been going on for quite a long time now. The likes of Joey Ayala, Grace Nono, Bayang Barrios, etc. have been dishing out [indigenous] music to the public, some of which conservatives, I think, wouldn't approve of. I, myself, feel uneasy listening to songs with the words "Ay, Ay, Salidumay" being continuously repeated or watching singers dressed in full indigenous attire.

There must be a way of presenting your cultural self without offending the sensibilities of your fellow 'natives'. I say if it's done right, the artist could even generate additional respect to his/her origins.

While at this commercialization of culture thing, you might find it interesting that the municipal council of Sagada has passed a resolution prohibiting the taking of video footages of the community's cultural celebrations. The aim seems good although one might say that it could be another case of 'too late the hero'. One need not bust his/her butt all the way up here if it's natives s/he would want to take pictures or videos of. There are lots of Igorots for hire in Baguio who would be very glad to pose for him/her.

There are numerous instances which have ruined my belief in the integrity of our culture but foremost among these was that time when the celebration of the dangtey was performed way off-schedule just so it could be shot by some rich man. How could the elders allow such a thing to happen? How, ever, could they let what seems to be the highlight of all our traditional observances be bastardized? Kega nataitaiyan nan kaugalian tako. (It is as if someone crapped on our cultural traditions.) And the anitos? Well, they punished the transgressors by making them wealthier. Ay ngan nan. Ngan nan aped ko insulat sina? (What is this. What have I written here?) He he.

Sincerely,
Pagano

RELATED POST: Banaue Coca Cola; PHOTO CREDIT: Ballet Philippines.

Read more...

Our Town: Santa Marcela, Apayao

Here's an interesting story on how Santa Marcela, Apayao got its name. This story is taken from the town’s website (stamarcela.gov.ph). Sta. Marcela is reportedly the youngest and the smallest municipality of Apayao Province.

HOW STA. MARCELA GOT ITS NAME: Long time ago, an old woman lived in the heavily forested hilly eastern side of the municipality of Luna, Mt. Province, now Luna, Apayao Province, along the boundary between Luna and Allacapan, Cagayan. She was considered mysterious as no one among the inhabitants of the place knew where she came from. Hunters were surprised to find her one day living in a hut beneath a giant tree. Since then, she subsequently made acquaintances and established good relationships among the populace of her surroundings.

The lady’s name was Marcela. Except for her first name, no other information was known about her identity. She was polite and approachable but becomes aloof whenever people tried to know more about her personal circumstances. She was never married. She was outstandingly beautiful and gifted with an excellent wisdom which instantly earned her the respect of the tribes nearby who consulted her on problems that they could not solve themselves. These tribal chieftains were never disappointed and they always went home satisfied.

A story about her wisdom which survived the changing modes of passing generation runs this way: “One day, two cattle rustling suspects were presented to Marcela by the chieftain of the Ilocano tribe. Investigations showed that pools of blood possibly from the lost carabao of a man named Elias were found near the house of a man named Anton (1st suspect ) while the head and hind legs of the lost carabao were found behind the house of Ensiong (2nd suspect ).

“Despite efforts made in convincing these suspects to plead guilty, Anton and Ensiong stood firm that they were innocent. Marcela gave them candles, told them to go home and have the candles remain lighted the whole night. She told them to come back the following morning and bring with them the candles. The one whose candle would not last till morning shall be the rustler and the other shall be pronounced innocent.

“Anton and Ensiong returned the following morning. Anton presented his remaining candle (about three inches long) and said that God spared the innocent. Ensiong was sad and nervous having not a bit left of his candle but he also claimed to be innocent. Marcela ruled that the candles she gave the two could not have lasted till morning unless the light was put off and re-lighted at dawn. Only thieves play the game of deception and therefore Anton was pronounced guilty. Verdict was proven right when Anton confessed and prayed for forgiveness.”

Marcela was said to have lived in that place for seventy five summers. But one beautiful summer day, hunters saw her disappear. She was much cherished by the people and rare were the occasions where her name and deeds were not mentioned.

Time passed and when the place was separated to become a barrio it was named Marcela. In 1967, when this municipality was created the founders likewise named it Sta. Marcela in honor of the legendary woman that the town’s inhabitants loved so much.

Isn't it refreshing to have a Cordillera town named by its own people and not by a Spaniard/American traveler who, if folk stories are true, names a place after an encounter with a local who misunderstood his question.

Typically, the story goes like this: A foreigner asks the local the name of the place. The local thought that the foreigner was asking him about the object s/he was holding and so s/he names the object. Then the foreigner writes down the answer thinking that his question was answered. It's a very undignified way of getting a name ha ha. So if gold medals are awarded for the most interesting manner a town is named, we should give the medal to Sta. Marcela.

INFO AND PHOTO SOURCE: Sta Marcela Website. RELATED POSTS: Bakun, Benguet; Balbalasang, Kalinga; Laylaya, Besao, Mt. Province.

Read more...

More on Paulo Avelino...or Akala Ko Di Tayo Mahilig Sa Celebrity

This video, courtesy of Pinoy Rickey, shows a Starstruck episode aired two weeks ago where Paulo Avelino was asked about his seeming lack of pride in his Igorot roots -- in Lorna Tolentino's words, "hindi niya ipinagmamalaki na siya ay half-Igorot." Whether this is true or not is something we do not know but he must have given that impression otherwise the issue would not have been raised in the TV program itself. Paulo's answer wasn't very straightforward. But in fairness to him, Lorna's question was also confusing. The Lorna-Paulo exchange is in the middle of the video. This was also an episode where Paulo was nearly eliminated, as you will see towards the end of the video.

ON THE SPOT QUESTION & ANSWER
Lorna: Paulo, mula nung nag-start ang search hindi mo ipinagmamalaki na you are a half-Igorot. Umaasa ka ba na dahil dito makukuha mo yung suporta na natanggap ni Marky Cielo last year?

Paulo: Hindi naman po. Actually po sinasabi rin, inaadvise rin po sa akin na sabihin ko po. Sinasabi ko naman po. Last na po na sinabi ko yung nasa Baguio, tapos eh medyo na-edit out po yata. Pero ngayon po kinakausap na rin po ng parents ko, actually..... (He gets cut off because of the time limit.)

Is it just me or is the question badly phrased and therefore confusing? Why would Paulo expect to get the support (which mainly came from Igorots) that Marky Cielo obtained last year if he has not been proud of his Igorotness? As I said, I am confused with the question so I wouldn't be too critical of Paulo's so-so answer. At any rate, the issue now appears to be moot. According to Paulo, he has stated that he is a half-Igorot but this was edited out and not shown on television.

Now, although we all know that Igorots do not get crazy about celebrities, I think it is good that some of us are trying to become movie/television celebrities. Why? Because Igorots in show business have the most potential in changing the negative stereotypes about us. These stereotypes persist mainly because those who hold them have not really met or seen an Igorot. If they see what an Igorot actually looks like then it is very likely that they will change their negative conceptions.

Of course, in our own little ways we can open the eyes of those we meet but our impact will be limited to the small circles we are a part of. In contrast, Igorots in show business will have a much wider audience and will naturally have a much bigger impact. So should we support Paulo because he is one of us? I say yes, if only because he will increase our visibility as a people and in the process change how others look at us. Visibility is a very important tool in combating stereotypes especially those stereotypes that have no basis in actual fact which is usually the case with stereotypes about us Igorots.

Of course, Starstruck being a talent search, we should also also ask whether Paulo has the talent. It would be embarrassing to be supporting someone merely because he is one of us even though he is not up to par with the talent tests and the competition. Thankfully, mukhang may ibubuga naman ang bata as he has been cited for his confidence in singing and his skills in acting.

So go ahead and vote for Paulo here. Hindi ka naman siguro mapagkakamalang fanatic. He he. If he wins and have a long showbiz career (rather than just 15 minutes of fame), you will have done your part in increasing our visibility as a people which, at the risk of sounding repetitive, is very important in changing the negative stereotypes associated with us Igorots.

UPDATE: Sandati makes several points on this issue and comes up with the same conclusion that we should support Paulo. I pretty much agree with his/her assessment. S/he also raises a very important point about the role of parents in keeping our culture alive: "Our elders worry about annihilation of Igorot cultures if those in power submerge our communities by building dams, but in their very homes they kill a facet of the culture/s they want to preserve by not teaching their kids at least ten Kankanaey/Ibaloi/etc sentences?" Read the entire article here.

RELATED POST: Will Igorots Be Starstruck With Paulo Avelino? VIDEO CREDIT: Pinoy Rickey.

Read more...

Banaue Coca Cola

I am not really into e-bay but I ocassionally visit the site for the Cordillera-related items being sold online. It's a good site if you are into memorabilia and if you have the money to spare for old postcards, Igorot weapons, Ifugao bulols, and all that kind of stuff.

I have mixed feelings about our culture becoming objects of commerce (or, to put it more bluntly, people making money out of it) but its not as if this is happening without our tacit participation. In other words, those Igorot antiques won't end up on e-bay being sold by some guy from Iowa if we didn't give it to the guy in the first place.

Anyway, the Coca Cola bottles above which I found on e-bay has a picture and an accompanying description of the Banaue Rice Terraces. According to the seller, the following is written at the back of the bottle:

"A remote mountain community, Banaue is 8 hours drive north of Baguio. This trekkers paradise is home to the Eight Wonder of the World, the breathtakingly beautiful Banaue Rice Terraces."

I was really impressed the first time I saw the Banaue Rice Terraces. Even though I come from the Cordilleras and rice terraces are not new to me, the Banaue terraces did take my breath away. I was most struck by how extensive the terraces were. They cover several mountains, so even though the bus that I was riding in kept moving and turning around in those road curves, more terraces kept appearing from another part of the mountain range. Obviously, this happened years before our Banaue friends started building houses that blocked the view to the terraces. These days, you have to stop at the Viewpoint to see the terraces. You can still have a good look but I'm not sure if you can appreciate the extensiveness of the terraces if you just stand in one spot.

Anyway, while we are on this topic, and in case you still don't know, there's no such thing as an "eighth wonder of the world". I remember a friend who was assigned as a teacher-assistant in the U.S. and who, when introducing herself, said something to the effect that she comes from the Philippines, "where you can find the eighth wonder of the world." The students were like, "What is she talking about?" While she was like, "These students are so ignorant, they don't even know that there's an eighth wonder of the world. In the Philippines, we learn about it in Social Studies."

My poor friend later found out that there's really no "eighth wonder of the world". Officially, there are only seven wonders of the world. I think our national leaders, in their quest to make it appear that the Philippines is "world class", invented an "eighth wonder" title and decided to append it to Banaue. It is a misguided effort; it makes us look silly to the rest of the world. It's like Imelda Marcos getting the beauty title, "Rose of Manila" when there is really no such title.

Don't get me wrong, Banaue is great (despite the houses blocking the terraces) and, of course, the hard work, the skill, and the talent that our Ifugao ancestors invested to build the terraces is greater. But we should not diminish the terraces' innate greatness by giving it silly manufactured titles that nobody in the world recognizes.

Read more...

Judging Your Congressman By Their Look-alikes! Part Two

Here's part two of our attempt to find the celebrity look-alikes of our honorable members of Congress. Yup, From the Boondocks abides by the presumption that members of Congress are honorable. Unless you send us competent evidence that they are not, we will be sticking to this presumption to save our ass. Hirap na, baka ma-libel :-)

KALINGA Congressman Lawrence Wacnang

LOOK-ALIKES: Saddam Hussein, 57%; Thomas Edison, 53%; Ferdinand de Lesseps, 52%; Takashi Sorimachi, 50%. COMMENT: Baka magalit si Congressman Wacnang dahil number one look-alike daw niya si Saddam, pero 57% lang naman. He doesn't really look like Saddam but they do seem to have the same teasing smile/laughter. But it must be the way their cheeks curve that make them seem to look alike.

BENGUET Congressman Samuel Dangwa

LOOK-ALIKES: Kim Dae Jung, 63%; Kenzo Tange, 63%; Leon Lai, 61%; Michael Rosenbaum, 57%. COMMENT: Congressman Dangwa does look a bit like Kenzo Tange and he must also have looked like Leon Lai in his younger days. Parehong bilog na bilog ang kanilang mata eh :-)

In Memoriam: ABRA Congressman Luis Bersamin.

LOOK-ALIKES: John Woo, 72%; Suharto, 59%; Takashi Sorimachi, 55%; Lu Xiang, 54%. COMMENT: Maybe Hollywood director John Woo might want to temporarily give up his director's chair and become the lead actor in a movie on the life of murdered Congressman Luis Bersamin. Of course, its not gonna happen but Rep. Bersamin's murder (in church, after a wedding, where he was a sponsor) and, more importantly, the subsequent hunt for his murderers has a great cinematic potential. Seriously, we do hope that the Congressman's killers are apprehended and brought to justice.

UPDATE: There seems to be a problem with Myheritage.com which hosts the images of the congressmen and their look-alikes which should be appearing in this post. I am retaining this post despite the absence of the accompanying pictures with the hope that said pictures will eventually return. My apologies.

RELATED POST: Hey Look, Your Congressman is Working; Judging Your Congressman By Their Look-alikes, Part One. PHOTO CREDITS: myheritage.com; House of Representatives.

Read more...

Judging Your Congressman By Their Look-alikes! Part One

Since the May elections is fast approaching, I think it is apt if we give some space to people who will be running after you to beg for your votes. Let us start with Cordillera Congressmen, since we already featured them earlier (here) and we have readily available pictures of them to run through myheritage.com, a website which allows you to look for your celebrity look-alike. That is, if you are so inclined.

I know, I know, Igorots are not into celebrities but this is kinda fun and From the Boondocks, as you all know, is also about the fun stuff.

Anyway, if you are still undecided whether to vote for your incumbent Congressman -- whether in the same or in a different post -- maybe their look-alikes (according to myheritage.com anyways) will help you make the decision. I'm including the top eight matches whether they be male or female. Don't fret if your male Congressman is deemed here to be a look-alike of a woman; after all, one's sex is not determined by one's face.

I will only type the names of the top four matches because I'm lazy. Besides myheritage.com should have included the names in the pictures but they didn't so they are obviously lazier than me.

APAYAO Congressman Elias Bulut

LOOK-ALIKES: Maggie Cheung, 71%; Gene Kelly, 68%; Bob Marley, 58%; Aung San Suu Kyi, 57%. COMMENT: Ooops, ito yung sinasabi kong don't fret if your Congressman is deemed to look like a woman. Kasalanan ng myheritage.com hindi ako :-) But seriously, Congressman Bulut and Maggie Cheung do look alike in the way they smile and the way they kind of tilt their heads. Don't worry Congressman, at least very famous ang inyong look-alike. And she knows how to kick ass, fight with a sword, fly in the air, etc in the movie Hero. Para siyang sina Folayang, Nganhayna, et. al. who are good in wushu.

IFUGAO Congressman Solomon Chungalao

LOOK-ALIKES: Stephen King, 56%; Takenouchi Yutaka, 52%; George Bizet, 51%; M. Night Shyamalan, 50%. COMMENT: Kamukha daw ni Congressman si Tom Cruise o? But he does look like George Bizet. It must be the beard and the glasses.

MT. PROVINCE Congressman Victor Dominguez

LOOK-ALIKES: Gao Xingian, 76%; Kim Dae Jung, 76%; Zhao Ziyang, 74%; Shinzo Abe, 71%. COMMENT: Hmmm, I'm not sure what to say about this. Pare pareho lang sila ng mata na may pagka-singkit.

BAGUIO Congressman Mauricio Domogan

LOOK-ALIKES: Leslie Cheung, 70%; Zhou Enlai, 60%; Jackie Chan, 59%; Kim Dae Jung, 50%. COMMENT: Medyo nga kamukha ni Congressman Domogan si Zhou Enlai. Maybe the Baguio Congressman should start growing a beard like Zhou Enlai's, parang bagay sa kanya he he. Walrus beard yata ang tawag doon? By the way, Congressman Domogan is my favorite Cordillera Congressman because he isn't too shy about wearing a G-String to Congress.

I'm not sure I'm a fan of this look-alike thing. Most of the matches are interesting but are really way off. In fairness, the highest match is only 76% (For Rep. Dominguez and Gao Xinjiang) and most are at the 50-60% level so no one is claiming that these people REALLY look alike.

To be continued...

UPDATE: There seems to be a problem with Myheritage.com which hosts the images of the congressmen and their look-alikes which should be appearing in this post. I am retaining this post despite the absence of the accompanying pictures with the hope that said pictures will eventually return. My apologies.


RELATED POST: Hey Look, Your Congressman is Working. PHOTO CREDITS: myheritage.com; House of Representatives.

Read more...

Igorot Achievers, Part 13: More Board Exam Topnotchers

Since we can't give medals like the ones pictured above (courtesy of the North American Indigenous Games) to our fellow Igorots who topped professional board exams, the next best thing is to include them in our List of Achievers. Those listed here are taken from the website of the University of the Cordilleras/Baguio Colleges Foundation (UC-BCF) and from news reports released by the Professional Regulations Commission for board exams conducted in 2006. Unless the school is indicated, the topnotcher is from UC-BCF.

Top One
Kriston Kimbungan, Criminology, CCDC*, 2006
Arthur Gubia-on, Criminology, 1999
Jaime Bawagan, Criminology, 1993
Sonia Aplosen-Daoas, Education, 1976
Hilda Dongail-Tadaoan, Education, 1955
Pinky Deligen Egan, Radiology, 2004

Top Two
Mark Sang-an, Civil Engineering, 1960
Dorotheo Aligo, Mining Engineering, Adamson Univ, 1984

Top Three
Wilaine Grace Pis-o, Accounting, St. Louis Univ, 2006
Jeronnie Fartingca, Criminology, Univ of Baguio, 2006
June Diwag, Criminology, 2006
Darwin Mang-usan, Criminology, 2004
Chester King-eo, Criminology, 1997

Top Four
Jacqueling Tudlong, Sanitary Engineering, 1996
Theodore Ged-ang, Civil Engineering, 1994

Top Five
Melvin Omotoy, Civil Engineering, 2006
Daisy Begawen, Criminology, CCDC, 2006

Top Six
Rex Banggawan, Accounting, University of Baguio, 2006
Rhodora Debnas, Sanitary Engineering, 2002

Top Eight
Chelina Atiteo Saganib, Optometry, Pines City College, 2006

Top Nine
Meshack Macwes, Criminology, 2006

*CCDC stands for Cordillera Career Development College.

As explained in our first post on Igorot topnotchers, the people listed here were picked for inclusion mainly because they have Igorot/Igorot-sounding surnames. Hence, we may have missed those who have non-traditional Igorot surnames and we may also have included people who are actually non-Igorots. In other words, in terms of Igorotness, we cannot vouch that this is 100% accurate he he.

At any rate, we congratulate those who made it to our List!

RELATED POSTS: Igorot Board Exam Topnotchers; Earlier Articles on Igorot Achievers. PHOTO CREDIT: North American Indigenous Games.

Read more...

It Was Also a Women's War

THE WAR MEMORIAL IN BAGUIO. WE HOPE IT ALSO
HAS THE NAMES OF IGOROT WOMEN-GUERRILLAS.

Igorot men were not the only ones who made a mark during the Second World War. The women also played an important role as ration/ammunition carriers and, according to a Time Magazine report in May 1945, were braver or more fearless than the men (at least in the particular incident reported).

I'm not sure if the role of these women were given proper recognition by authorities. I remember looking at Baguio's War Memorial, which insribes the names of those who fought during World War II, but I don't remember coming across a woman's name. I will have to double check to make sure though. It would be a shame and an injustice if the women are not equally recognized for their role in the war. This is the Time report:

Time article by William P. Gray: The mountain war for Baguio may be remembered best in time to come as the war of the Igorot women. Scores of these sturdy, brown, barefoot descendants of headhunters have padded softly out of Baguio and down through the protecting jungles into the U.S. lines. Now they are climbing back, carrying rations, water and ammunition for the 33rd Division, helping to solve a tough problem in mountain logistics.

Each morning the Igorot women line up beside the road, standing or squatting like bright salt shakers on a shelf, awaiting their orders for the day. They are modestly clothed, many in American house dresses, though their men frequently wear only loose-tailed shirts and red G-strings.

The women go where the bulldozers have not gone and the trucks cannot go. They carry their burdens on their backs, holding them with thin, woven bamboo head straps. Each woman takes up to 50 pounds, one-fourth the load saddled on pack horses on the same trails. But there are six times as many Igorot women available as pack horses.

First Forty. It was the women's own decision to go to war. There was a shortage of men carriers and 40 women volunteered. The Army paid them 1.50 pesos a day. The first day they made three times as many trips as the men. At least one battalion of the 33rd Division lived and fought last week on supplies, carried up by the Igorot women. When Japs fired on the trails the men dropped their loads and scattered; the women, undisturbed, plodded on in a long single file to the front.

There are pretty young girls and a few pregnant matrons among them. There is also Aning Andao, a wizened old lady in a brocaded black head cover, grey striped shirt and patched quilted skirt, wearing an athlete's gold medal around her neck. She has the milky rings of old age around her irises and old cigar stains on her teeth, but she can climb and carry with the best of them.

Go Aning Andao! Even though you were likened to a "bright salt-shaker in a shelf". A very odd description. What's up with that William Gray?

RELATED POST: Those Gallant Igorots. PHOTO CREDIT: Pacific Wrecks. INFO SOURCE: Time Magazine.

Read more...

"Those Gallant Igorots"

It is encouraging that AGI, a local Baguio band, decided to pay tribute to our elders who fought the good fight during World War II. It is not often that we hear of the heroism of the Igorot soldier, described by Gen. Douglas MacArthur as "those gallant Igorots" (see below), so it's good that Agi made this tribute video. WARNING: Some depiction of violence.



Here's a report from Time Magazine about the heroism of Igorot soldiers and the critical role they played in keeping freedom alive:

This War Department communique last week, like so many of its predecessors, was 100% terse pessimism. Douglas Mac-Arthur and his battle-weary, outnumbered troops were still holding Bataan Peninsula and Manila Bay's five defensive forts. But their collapse under ever-increasing enemy weight and ferocity seemed imminent as never before.
...
There were bright spots in the picture, however. In his weekend communique Douglas MacArthur included the dramatic story of non-Christian Igorot native tribesmen who, in an offensive over rough, matted terrain, mounted U.S. tanks like so many half-nude jockeys to direct American drivers inside. "When the attack was over," said the General, "the remnants of the tanks and of the Igorots were still there, but the 20th Japanese Infantry Regiment was completely annihilated. . . . When you tell that story, stand in tribute to those gallant Igorots." (emphasis supplied)

So let us continue to tell the story of our gallant forefathers. Let's also take our hats off to the Agi Band for helping us remember. While we are at it, you might want to go here and give the band your compliments. They do deserve it.

UPDATE: Those looking for albums of the Agi Band can email jacsemrd [j2acsme2rd@yahoo.com] on how you can get copies. You can also visit their office at SDS, La-Trinidad, Benguet.

SOMEWHAT RELATED POSTS: PMA Cadets Can Be Really Funny; The List: A Clarification; The List, Part 5: Soldiers, Rebels, Rebel-soldiers, Activists, and Martyrs. VIDEO CREDIT: The Agi Band. INFO SOURCE: Time Magazine.

Read more...

Igorots in Seoul, South Korea

We should thank handyman7244 for uploading this video (or "videofied" photos) of Igorots in South Korea. Like other Filipinos, Igorots are all over the world and its reassuring to see that they continue to gather as a community. We do need each other during critical times, during lighter moments, and during times when we long for home.



Thanks handyman7244! Nice choice of music. Well, I'm a sucker for this kind of music, as some of you know already :-)

RELATED POSTS: Igorots in London; Igorots in Bukidnon; The Filipino Story of Our Time. VIDEO CREDIT: handyman7244

Read more...

Our Town: Bakun, Benguet

Let's start a photo series on the different Cordillera towns. This first installment features Bakun, Benguet. And like Bilbo Baggins let's say "Mountains, Gandalf, mountains." Or something like that.

Bakun has a population of 12,836 of mostly Kankanaeys and Bagos. More information at the municipal government's website.

UPDATE: I think this deserves to be in the main page and not just in the comments section.

QUESTION: Pardon my ignorance but what are Bagos?

MY ANSWER: According to conventional wisdom, which is now being challenged, Bagos are the children of Igorots (particularly Kankanaeys) who went to the lowlands (i.e., the boundary towns) and intermarried with the locals.

However, there is a belief (and a contention) among Bagos that they are a distinct indigenous Igorot subgroup and that they are not Ilocano/Igorot mestizos. We hope that a Bago reader can help us clarify the matter. I am inclined to go for what a group defines itself for the simple reason that one knows one's self best. Congressman Domogan yata is a Bago, but I'm not really sure.

RELATED POST: Move Over Sagada and Banaue, Here Comes Balbalasang; Laylaya, Besao: A Volunteer Speaks From the Boondocks. PHOTO CREDITS: Arcibald for the photo of the kids peering into the room and The Texins Mountaineering Society for all the other pictures.

Read more...

The One Where I Say Things About Myself

MOVE OVER ERAP!!! AKO ANG BIDA DITO!!!

Surfer dude Wil Reyes, who traces his roots from Sagada (you should look out for his next post about his trip to Baguio), tagged me to tell you ten things I would never do. I am a "never say never" kind of guy but I have to come up with something. It would be fun to look at this list a year from now and see whether I've been true to myself. So here are the Ten Things I Would Never Do:

• I will never buy a copy of the Philippine Daily Inquirer again.*
• I will never buy a new cellphone model so I can show it off to people.
• I will never live a lifestyle I cannot afford nor aspire to a lifestyle that goes against my values.
• I will never be jealous of the success of others.
• I will never watch a movie where one of the characters drops into a village and shouts, "Do anyone of you speak English."
• I will never tolerate intolerance.
• I will never be late for meetings/appointments.
• I will never forget that I am an Igorot.
• I will never support war and violence.
• I will never fail to thank God for his blessings.

*EXPLANATION re the Inquirer: I used to buy a copy everyday but the paper has gone trashy with pages and pages and pages of ads and lifestyle stories and ads and lifestyle stories. But I will occasionally visit PDI's online version for Conrad de Quiros' columns and for reports about the Cordilleras. PDI should thank God for its very good regional correspondents.

So that's it. I am tagging the following:

• Kalanguya blogger Ironheart (who wrote very perceptive posts about our "No sorry, no thank you culture" and the importance of Minority Language Education);
• iTabuk but now U.S.-based Kayni (who meditates on being both an American and a Filipino/Ilocano/Igorot in her post here);
• Chico River who has an interesting piece on the "Igorot Salad";
• Alvin who has an inspiring story about how a group of Sadanga students made a positive influence in their community. If I'm not mistaken, Alvin also administers the Social Focus Blog, where you can read about the DSWD's work in the Cordilleras;
• Imnas, whose creative photographs, make ordinary things look special. See pictures of Camp John Hay here and here.
• and Langfia Ayeona who has very good pictures of the Cordilleras (in her blog and here).

Its your turn folks! You CANNOT say, "Pass" :-)

PHOTO CREDIT: Chanrobles for the Erap poster.

Read more...

Will Igorots Be Starstruck With Paulo Avelino?

This video is an apt example of our (as well as a commenter's) earlier point that Igorots just do not get easily starstruck with celebrities. Baguio/Makati boy Paulo Lingbanan Avelino (his mom is from Sagada, Bauko, and Bontoc and his dad is from Samar) -- a contestant in GMA-7's Starstruck -- recently campaigned for text votes in Baguio and, compared to his fellow contestants, his supporters are not too many and they are kind of reserved too. Paulo's segment is right in the middle of the video.



The whole video is hilarious. Or maybe the right word is "saddening"; it is sad that these kids are acting like (or being made to act like) politicians. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Ano ba yan GMA-7, what lessons are you trying to impart to your young viewers? Some choice quotes:

"Gagawin ko ang lahat para makatulong sa inyo balang araw."
"Hopefully if I win, makikilala tayo sa buong mundo."
"Hindi ko lang laban to, laban natin lahat to."
"Tutulungan ko ang mga mahihirap."

And Paulo? Thankfully, hindi naman unbelievable ang kanyang promise. Magpapaparty daw siya sa Baguio pag nanalo! So, if you want to see whether he will fulfill his promise or if you just want to support him, then vote for him here. You'll also find details about him in his Friendster account. Here's some pictures, in case you do not want to click the Friendster link kasi baka mapagkamalan kang fanatic :-)

By the way Paulo (let's pretend he googled himself and found this blog), the way you pronounce Igorot is not really the correct way of pronouncing it. Ask your mom.

UPDATE: The above Friendster account we linked to turns out to be a fake account. It's not actually Paulo's but by someone else. So for more information about Paulo, you can visit his Starstruck blog.



RELATED POSTS: Message to GMA-7: You Need a Consultant, Hire Me; Marky Cielo. VIDEO CREDIT: Pinoy Rickey. PHOTO CREDIT: This site.

Read more...

Igorots in London, UK

Our Igorot brothers and sisters in London appear to be doing something right in the public relations department since they have had some good reports written about them. Admittedly, these reports are a bit old but they still remain relevant. After all, its not often that we come across reports of our fellow Igorots who are living overseas.

Anyways, here are some interesting reports about Igorots in the United Kingdom. First, an Igorot wedding is featured in the website of the Philippine embassy in London (A Wedding in the Cordillera Skyworld). At right is a picture of the newly-weds (Wendy Balagtey Pooten and Mark Sapaen Watan). The article nicely details the different rituals conducted in a traditional wedding.

Then the 4th Igorot International Consultation which was held in London got a good press coverage in what appears to be another embassy website.

IIC-4: PRETTY GIRLS ALL IN A ROW.

Finally, Igorot-UK was profiled in the website of Cultural Cooperation, "an independent London-based arts & education charity with an unparalleled 20-year track record of promoting cross-cultural contact, dialogue and understanding."

Here's a quote about Igorot-UK from said profile: "The group appear regularly at community gatherings and have also performed at a number of festivals around the country, including Kent, Hounslow and Bournemouth. With the next generation beginning to take part, Igorot UK has given the Igorot community in the UK more than just the preservation of musical tradition, as [Chair Conchita] Pooten says, 'The culture is something to lean on… a part of our own well-being'."

Incidentally, Igorot-UK now has a new set of officers according to a post in the yahoogroup Ipidlisans Id Canada (which you can inexplicably access even if you are not a member). Here's the list of officers who will be leading the organization in the next few years: President - William Solang; Vice - Robert Balagtey; Secretary - Florence Maliseg Doclis and Amy Ngodcho Pooten; Treasuer - Therese Pas-iwen Bangsoy and Shallone Day-asen Bal-o; Auditor - Alfonso Pelingen and Alfonso Tayaben; PRO - Diana Congowan De Jesus; Business Managers - Joseph Punasen and Louie Calde.

Why they need two secretaries, two treasurers, two auditors, and two business managers is beyond me. Maybe it speaks of the dynamism of the organization; a dynamic organization has much work to do and this naturally demands more people. Congratulations, Igorots in UK.

RELATED POSTS: The Filipino Story of Our Time; Freedom Loving Kalingas and Apayaos. PHOTO CREDITS: The Philippine Embassy in London; this website; and Cultural Cooperation.

Read more...