Aspects of Culture with

Tourism Appeal

Submitted by:
Bocadi, Jhon Uno
Segovia, Steven Arnie
Santos Josan

Submitted to:
Maria Cecilia Remanente
 Ifugao
Literature

-One of the beautiful and important aspects of Ifugao culture is the oral literature.
Up to this time, however, not a single work on the subject has been done. Ifugao oral
literature, which is a major part of Ifugao oral traditions, is a rich source of knowledge
and understanding of the Ifuagao's past as a people, as well as their traditional beliefs,
values and aspirations. This work, therefore is a humble contribution to the effort of
retrieving and preserving an important aspect of the Ifugao cultural heritage which
otherwise would be lost forever. It may be used as source material in teaching literature
and social studies in intermediate grades and high schools in the province. In order to
preserve the language, the folktales, legends, chants, myths, songs and rhymes are all
in the original Ifugao. They have been freely translated into English for easy
understanding. Terms that have no English equivalent are explained in the text or in the
footnotes at the end of each chapter. To help readers who find difficulty in reading or
pronouncing the words in Ifugao pieces, an orthographic note is provided in the
appendix.

Language

-Ifugao or Batad is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken in the northern valleys of

Ifugao, Philippines. It is a member of the Northern Luzon subfamily and is closely
related to the Bontoc and Kankanaey languages.

Folklore

-In the Ifugao story of the first man and woman, it is impossible not to see the
similarities to that of Adam & Eve. It is possible, of course, that this is a biblical story
which was brought in by some wandering Christians several generations past; but the
story evolved into something uniquely native.  As the American anthropologist, H. Otley
Beyer pointed out regarding the flood myths of the Philippines, “I see no good reason
why the story should not also be [seen as] a native development in spite of its similarity
to the Hebrew myth.”
I felt it was important to share this myth, over the more popular story of “Malakas and
Maganda”, because it exemplifies the need to examine how these myths evolved
through all aspects of migration and foreign influence.  Christianity was not the first
religion to make its mark on Philippine Myths.  Before this, Islam and Hinduism greatly
impacted these stories.  Spanish colonization had a very negative impact on the
preservation of pre-Hispanic culture, so it is like finding a gem when a story has been
borrowed and evolved into something relevant to the people of that region.  Further,
unlike the myth of “Malakas and Maganda”, the following story of “Uvigan & Bugan”
has remained relatively untouched by the Filipino poets of the 20th century.
Dress

-The wanno or g-string is the traditional attire of male Ifugaos. There are six types of
wanno, which are used depending on the occasion or the man's social status. Ifugao
women wear tapis, a wraparound skirt. There are about five kinds of skirtsThe wanno or
g-string is the traditional attire of male Ifugaos. There are six types of wanno, which are
used depending on the occasion or the man's social status. Ifugao women wear tapis, a
wraparound skirt. There are about five kinds of skirts.

Holidays and Festivals

-Imbayah is a cultural Festival which celebrates the age old traditions of the Ifugao
Indigenous tribes of Banaue,Philippines.Previously held every three years, 2016
marked the first occasion to be celebrated annually. As with many Festivals in the
Philippines, Imbayah celebrates harvest and incorporates rituals with thanksgiving to
appease the spiritual world for provision of good harvests.

An important tradition is the offering of sacrifice and during the festival this takes place
within public view. A procession of Ifugao men and women in full traditional clothing
takes place at the start of the three day event. A native pig will be carried on a pole and
physically killed within the public square Another important ritual is the sacrifice of a
chicken which is killed,feathers removed then cut open & inspected - the state of
innards or bile reflecting either good or bad omens. The respective carcass will be
placed on top of a ritual box containing spiritual items. Rice Wine or ‘Bayah’ is
fermented specifically for the event in earthenware pots and jars and will be shared
amongst the community including visitors who are encouraged to participate.
Religion

-About half of all Ifugaos have embraced Christianity but their animist beliefs have
been absorbed into their Christian beliefs. The Ifugao have traditionally believed their
lives were ruled by spirits called anitos. Many Ifugao still believe the universe was
divided into five levels.

Food

A famous dish served in the

Cordilleras of a live beaten chicken.
It is usually salty in taste and mixed
Pinikpikan
with other vegetables such as
cabbage. Usually served with rice
and it is eaten on a banana leaf.

Rice mixed together with the local

wine. It is meant to have a sweet
Tapey
taste. Here is a link that shows
how Tapey is prepared.
 Binaod is considered to be a Filipino
delicacy. The pig intestines are
prepared just after the pig manure
Binaod
"have been dried and collected"
(Comeau). It is eaten with Sayote
leaves that cover rice.

Salted pork served on special

occassions. Just like Pinikpikan, it
Etag can be served with mixed
greens/vegetables.Sometimes, it is
spiced.

Entertainment

1. Apo Whang Od Tattoo Artist

-If you are into tattoos, culture and history all at the same time, you will find that
Kalinga's last surviving tattoo artist is very interesting and fascinating. There is a whole
culture to it, and the tattoo art that has survived in the Butbut Tribe of Buscalan for
centuries carries a whole lot of symbolism and significance.

2. BenCab Museum

-Bencab Museum is situated 20-25mins away from the city.  Travelers can commute
to the museum through Cab or Jeep. Bringing a private car is also a breeze via Daang
Asin Road. Exact location is easily searchable in Waze or other GPS applications.

3. Baguio Botanical Gardens

 -Free to get in except if you want a photo op with the native people and their outfits,
along with using the restroom, buying souvenirs or eating at the restaurant. The walk
around was interesting seeing the installation of the Chinese zodiac sculptures by the
friendship garden, a Korean gazebo garden, a trail leading toward some caves and a
rock circle regarding the mind. Not wheelchair accessible unfortunately it's like a hike.
It's about a good hour to soak in all the good plant vibes.

Architecture

-The Ifugao houses were usually similar in architectural designs but they differ in
decorative details depending on the tribes. Their houses were harmoniously located
with the contour of the rice terraces. The one-room house of the Ifugao commonly
knows to them as fale.

Manufactured and Handcrafted products

-The Banaue Rice Terraces, often called the 8th Wonder of the World, has been
known to be a product of handiwork, carved by the hand, by the natives' ancestors
around 2,000 years ago, to plant rice for daily sustenance.