Advertisement
Published: March 1st 2008
Edit Blog Post
Banga-an Terraces - Sagada
Stone walled terraces around 600 years old. Each rock was brought up from the river below...one at a time! HELLO ALL!!!
The lull in our blogging has not been due to lack of travel or activity... on the contrary we have traveled through two regions (North & South Luzon) and slept in ten different hotels/pensions and two very chilly over-night buses in the past 15 days. It has been quite the adventure and has opened our eyes to a very different landscape, culture, climate and aspect of the Philippines. Truly a wonderful experience and undoubtedly the most spectacular scenery we have encountered on our journey thus far!
After leaving Palawan we flew to Manila which is absolutely mad. There are approximately 30 million people in Metro Manila and at least that many cars, bikes, tykes, jeepney's and buses that honk excessively while doing their best to contribute to the hole in the ozone. I am sure day to day exposure to the chaos that is Manila is enough to take 5 years off a person's life. Needless to say we were only in Manila long enough to know that we needed to get out. So, we jumped on the 12 hour night bus to Bontoc and thankfully slept most of the time. On the few occasions I did
Yours Truly in the terraces of Banga-an.
Our guide Binky took this shot...nice work Binky! wake up it was enough to scare the living shit out of me... the gravel, washed out, single lane road (if that's what you want to call it but personally I thought it was more like a trail for moving livestock) snaked back and forth, over, around and through the mountains up into the Northern Mountain Province. Seeing a flipped over tour bus very similar to ours down the steep embankment around half way through the trip did nothing to ease my concerns... especially when the locals who regularly travel through this passing threw down numerous “Hail Mary's” as we passed the wreckage. I thought it best to put my sleeping mask back on and crank Jack Johnson on the ipod to calm myself down, however my grip on Dan's arm never let up until we arrived safely to Bontoc. Though, I must admit the crazy bus ride was definitely worth it. Over the next 6 days Dan and I spent time in the small mountain villages of Bontoc (population 3000), Sagada (population 1350), and Banaue (population 2300). These small villages, while all unique in their own way, are collectively known for their stunning rice terraces, beautiful hand woven textiles,
Banga-an Terraces and Village - Sagada
1,900 steps in, 1,900 steps out! The kids do this every day to go to school!!! rich and largely still practiced Ifugao culture as well as fresh and crispy vegetables (YUM, YUM... you may laugh but at times finding fresh, unwilted vegetables in the Philippines can be very challenging!!!). In all three villages we hired local guides to take us trekking into the terraces (which are between 600 -2000 years old) and on numerous occasions I had to stop and gain my composure because the vastness and beauty of the terraces was simply overwhelming. Because we hired local guides it was a great opportunity to gain insight and exposure to the traditions, legends and day to day workings of the rice terraces and its effect on the local people.
I'll let some of our photos do the rest of the talking... however, here are a few interesting 'tid bits' that we discovered about the rice terraces and local people while we were in the Mountain Province. I should note however, that this is all hear say from our local guides and whether or not there is a little fiction mixed in with the facts, it all added to our experience.
•There are 2 types of rice terraces: stone walled and mud walled. “Sagatians” believe
Hanging Coffins - Sagada
Tribal tradition, best explained as: "if I want to get to heaven, why would I want to be 6 feet underground." Makes sense! their stone walled terraces are more industrial because each rock had to be brought by hand from the riverbed to the terraces. Also it is believed that stone walled terraces are less susceptible to mud slides during the rainy season.
•You can only produce as much rice as you have water therefore the intricate and ancient irrigation channels are imperative and controlled and maintained by the local government.
•Rice shoots need to be grown in a “nursery terrace” for 1 month then they can be transplanted to the main growing terraces.
•Every single shoot is hand planted in the Mountain Province.
•“Preparing” the terraces can be done by hand (hoe), ox and till, or machine (roto-tiller).
•Traditional rice takes 6 months to grow where as new hybrids take only 3 months.
•Each shoot will only sire grain on the first bloom. Afterwards it will only produce a husk, therefore every season new shoots must be hand planted.
•Snails, mussels, and small fish (Talapia) are raised in the terraces to help keep the soil nutrient rich.
•Wild mint grows among the stonewalled terraces.
•Each individual terrace (section) has an owner (family). And
Sagada Weaving
Hand operated "weaving machines" produce these beautiful materials. a family usually owns multiple terraces which are passed down through the generations, the majority going to the eldest.
•In Ifugao culture the selling of family terraces is looked down upon although it is becoming more common for parents to sell off portions of the families terraces to send their children to university.
•All rice grown in the Mountain Province is consumed by the family that produces it. None of the crop goes to the local market or to export.
•Harvesting rice for the family is considered a “second job” because no income is produced but because rice is expensive to buy at the local market (and usually comes from other parts of Asia) it is better to grow it and harvest it yourself.
•Vibrant pink/red plants are planted to mark ownership boundaries. Also the elders believe that ‘Van Vanilogs’ (small elves) live in the terrace walls and come out at night to steal the rice. The “elves” are very small and strong and have lights under their arm pits to see. At night you can see their lights moving about the terraces. The pink/red plants are intended to scare them away.
Until next
Jeepney from Bontoc to Banuae
Very bumpy and wet, especially if you're one of the guys on the roof under the tarp! I told you this place was crazy! time...
Advertisement
Tot: 0.068s; Tpl: 0.015s; cc: 13; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0282s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Frost
non-member comment
Exciting
Thank you for sharing .....would enjoy such an adventure ......great pictures and the story was enjoyable...