text | Carla Ocampo
photography | Carla Ocampo and Lester Valle
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A story goes that once, among the highlands of the Philippines’ Gran Cordilleras, a people of great might and grim ferocity gradually became known to their neighbors as the KALINGA.
The name was not in any way cordial. KALINGA, to the different tongues of this region, had meant “headhunter,” or “enemy.”
Through the years, the Kalinga have come to accept this badge with uncompromising pride; the name is a reminder of their days of legend, when justice for every vanquished kin was delivered by the blow of an axe, or the flight of the spear of brothers out to redeem their family’s honor.
Today, this image of the Kalinga as headhunters has been reduced to being a historical tidbit. In the age of inter-tribal bodong, Kalinga’s well-known peace pact ceremony, the people of this province have become stewards of peace, and truly one of the most hospitable indigenous groups in the entire Cordillera region.
Nonetheless, they have a very unique world view, and visitors should make an effort to understand and adapt to their culture.
This is an outsider’s guide to the Kalinga mindset and lifeways, in line with The Kayumanggi Trails’ push for culture-sensitive travel.
GESTURES, GIFTS, AND THEIR TAKE ON TATTOOING
A Kalinga host who would serve you sweet, sticky rice and/or their local coffee would mean that you are welcome to enter their house anytime as a valued guest. You would do well to consume even just a little of what they offer you: it is a sign of grateful acceptance.
Outsiders are allowed to buy souvenirs, like bead necklaces and woven cloth, but it is quite an honor to earn these things: ergo, you wait for the locals to give them to you. It means that you have made a big impact within their community.
I was thrilled to be given a bead necklace by Kalinga elder Rebecca Saclag of the municipality of Lubuagan. She tied it around my neck herself, after we finished videographing the Kalinga Village in Awidon which her husband— Alonzo Saclag, renowned indigenous artist— built and developed. They were delighted to know that their mini-village would be included in the KT-Living Asia travel guide for Kalinga.
Same goes for the Kalinga woven cloth, especially the silan-bituwon, the weave with star-like patterns (hence, bituwon) notably given to “people of great dignity”. Visitors could purchase this anytime, for any reason, but again, it is quite an honor to receive this as a gift instead.
As for tattooing, some elders have reservations.
The Kalinga tattoo, etched on skin using a citrus thorn pounded by a stick, has become akin to the “holy grail” to travelers paying homage to this province. Again, locals find nothing wrong with outsiders getting ink done by their elders… but, they actually scratch their heads in amusement. Alonzo Saclag said, “Hindi bale kung sundalo na dumaan na sa laban. Kung sa iba, parang hindi na yata—” he shook his head and gently laughed.
Many Kalinga elders still hold the belief that only the bravest male warriors who have killed their enemies deserve a tattoo. They are more lenient with female tattoos though, as these are drawn for social and aesthetic purposes most of the time.
COMMUNITY AND COMMUNALITY
If there is one trait they would expect everyone— even the foreign visitor— to possess, then that would be unmindful generosity. The Kalinga are extremely generous by nature. Team KT experienced this kind of warmth in the rice terraces of Tulgao, a village in Tinglayan, Kalinga.
Team KT— hiking to get to Palang-ah Falls— stopped in the middle of the village to photograph a group of old Kalinga women, rhythmically planting their share of unoy rice upon the mulch-covered soil. Under the searing heat of the midday sun, they were all smiles, and soon surprised us with an invitation.
These women, the humblest of farmers, called us to join them under the shade of nearby bushes to eat lunch. There were boiled brown beans, boiled pechay, and behold, huge mounds of sweet, sticky rice— a sign that we are now valued guests.
These people would share whatever they have to a complete stranger. From heaps of rice to their simplest dishes… They would expect you to partake of all these. Likewise, they would expect you to display the same kind of generosity once the tables are turned.
The locals of Tinglayan taught us that we do not need Karl Marx or Mao Tse Tung to understand communal property.
Team KT was bewildered during the first days in Tinglayan. Case number 1: someone used up the shampoo sachet we left lying idly in the shower room. Case number 2: someone took the pot of coffee we left lying idly around the dining table. Gulp. Petty thievery?
But then, our fears were proven unfounded by this incident: we were resting at our inn’s sala set, chewing some gum candies, when a dignified-looking Kalinga elder— wrinkled and shriveled by the harvest sun— slowly inched his way toward us. Without any warning, without asking for permission, he gracefully took some three pieces of gum candy, which we left lying idly on the wooden table. Sweetly, he then smiled at us, and slowly walked away without saying a word.
We finally realized that in this part of Kalinga, any consumable item left lying around on tables— shampoo, coffee, candies, even beer— are considered free-for-all. In many ways, this is indigenous communism at work. A very small price to pay for the generosity of these people. You might as well be ready to return the favor.
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© 2011 The Kayumanggi Trails | All Rights Reserved
Related Articles
- KT in Kalinga: Tabuk Basics (thekayumanggitrails.org)
- KT in Kalinga: Tinglayan’s Treasures (thekayumanggitrails.org)
this definitely gave me a smile…
after reading this entry, i felt very proud of a soft broom that was given to me by an elder from Colayo, Pasil and a wooven basket in Bangad…
wonderful post, guys!
Scored two items? Ikaw na!
Tara kape ulit!
I am bookmarking this awesome guide. Now crossing my fingers I get to visit this province soon.
Thanks for dropping by, kapwa lagalag
We’ll be posting travel guides for Tabuk, Lubuagan and Tinglayan soon, we hope you’d also find these articles helpful.
See you on the trails!
Salamat sa ulat na ito. May naunawaan ako sa mga taga-Kalinga. (Akala ko ay dyan galing ang salitang kalinga – care, seguro ay sa lingap). Yung konsepto ng pag-aari sa Kalinga ay magandang halimbawa na maaring tularan at dapat pag-aralan kung paano isasakatuparan sa gitna ng lipunan nating naghihirap laluna sa kalunsuran. Kung may bigayan at pagsasalo-salo, maiibsan kahit kaunti ang dinaranas na paghihirap. Puede ring gawing model ito sa paghahanap ng trabaho. Balik-aral sa ating mga ninuno kung paano gawing payak ang pamumuhay. Labis na ang epekto ng banyagang pamumuhay.
Sa susunod na bisita ay hahanapin ko ang mga lugar na nabanggit. Maraming salamat, KT, Carla Ocampo at Lester Valle.
Malaon na rin po naming paniniwala dito sa KT,
“Let’s go back to the GENIUS of all things INDIGENOUS.”
Sa totoo lang ay hindi na natin kaylangang tumingin pa sa mga banyagang konsepto— o sumampalataya sa mga banyagang bayani— para lamang magkaruon ng mabubuting pasya para sa bayan.
Komunal na pag-aari? Pagkakapantay-pantay? Mataas na turing sa kababaihan? Ang komunismo, peminismo, at kung anu-ano pang “ismo” ng kanluran ay matagal nang umiiral dito sa ating bansa.
Sadyang may-galing ang katutubong PIlipino.
-Carla
Katulad na lamang sa pag-aalaga ng kagubatan at sa buong ecology. Nagpapasalamat ako sa mga nasa mundo ng akademiko na nag-aaral ukol dito. Marami ring salamat at maraming tao na nagkaka-interes sa isyu ng reforestation, climate change etc.
Mas maigi sana kung balikan ang mga ginagawa ng mga katutubo ukol sa pag-aalaga ng kanilang kapaligiran. Ilang daang taon silang nanirahan sa mga bundok at napanatili nila itong balanse.
Ngunit sa pagdating ng tinatawag na “development,” kasama rin ang unti-unting pagkawala ng mga kaugaliang ito.
Sa ngayon, naririnig ko pa sa ilang matatanda ang pagtutol sa pagmimina sa kanilang lugar dahil “ang mga ginto ay para sa susunod na henerasyon.” Sana hindi tuluyang mawala ang ganyang pag-iisip.
Great article. I am enlightened yet again of how great our culture is. I have been longing to visit these parts of our country. I hope I can do so soon and I’ll be sure to keep your “tips” in mind. Keep writing!
Hello, Kalipay,
I like your name, very Filipino =)
Here’s to hoping you do get the chance to wander around The Philippine Cordilleras, and for our part, we’ve long been wanting to write about the Visayas, and Mindanao. A lot more of our indigenous peoples are there, ready to teach us more about lifeways untainted by foreign influence.
Humbling =)
Isa ring ugali ng mga tao sa Kalinga ay pag-anyaya sa mga bisita upang kumain. Marami sa mga naging bisita sa mga “ili” (village) ang nagugulat dahil lahat ng bahay ay “nagpipilit” na pakainin sila kahit hindi sila kilala. Simple mang kape o kamote o kahit na anong pagkain na nasa kusina ay maluwag na ibinabahagi sa lahat ng nagdaraang bisita.
May isa ring “ili” doon na maliban sa verbal na imbitasyon sa kainan ay kukunin ang iyong kamay at dadalhin ka sa kusina.
Tama ang sinabi sa blog na ang pagkain sa Kalinga ay simbolo ng pagtanggap sa iyo.
Hehe! Ang kyut, nai-imagine ko ‘yung hahatakin ka papuntang kusina
Maraming salamat sa iyong insights, Twinkle. Isa sa mga pinaka-di-malilimutang napuntahan ng KT ang Kalinga
Baka bumalik din kami sa Marso!
Hi Twinkle,
Aktwali na-experience namin ito ni Carla sa Lubuagan sa isang idinaos na Palanos. Pagdating namin sa area ay dinala kami sa likuran ng bahay kung saan nag-setup ng dirty kitchen. Napakaraming pagkain, at tunay na masasarap nga naman lahat. At ang Kalinga rice, unlimited!
Ang di ko malilimutan sa mga taga-Kalinga ay ang kanilang walang-alinlangang pagtanggap sa mga dayo na tulad namin. Napaka-positibo ng pag-uugali ng mga nakasama namin. Ang karanasan namin sa Kalinga ay isa sa mga katangi-tanging tagpong ipinagmamalaki namin ang maging Pinoy.
Babalik kami sa lalong madaling panahon. Mabuhay!
Lester
[...] Mr. Baculi’s eyes were a pair of deep contemplation. His wife, whom he dearly loved, had died barely a month prior to this meeting. He welcomed us with a weary smile, promptly offering us their local coffee, some sticky rice, and boiled camote, as was the custom. [...]