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.