CAR REGION From the Central Cordillera Mountain Range, the largest in the Philippines, six provinces and one chartered city make up the Cordillera Administrative Region—Apayao, Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, and Baguio City. Here, a whole other culture, or shall we say a set of cultures, awaits. From Benguet’s Kankanaey to the Ifugao and Kalinga to the Isneg in Apayao, the ethnic groups here are distinct. Each town has its own language or dialect. Baguio is the main entry point to the region, and was made famous by the American colonizers who built this city in the early 1900’s, in the Ibaloi settlement of Kafagway. Today, the city is on everyone’s summer itinerary, making it the “Summer Capital of the Philippines.” Interested in unconventional cultural artifacts? Check out Banaueand Kiangan to view the payo or rice terraces. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the five clusters of sculpted rice fields are just a few of the types of terraces you can explore in the Cordillera region. Nearby is Sagada in Mountain Province. Famous for its hanging coffins and limestone caves, this town is a must destination for backpackers. Photographer Masferre’s Sagada may be a thing of the past, and gone are the days of wearing the falaka (bachelor’s basket hat) and akosan (shell belt bag), but the town retains a highland culture with a dash of worldly charm. The “Banga” (ba-nga), is a round or spherical jar made of clay, used for fetching water and mostly adopted by the northern region of the Philippines. Kalinga women place a women and coiled piece “jikon” that is made from a straw plant “ligis,” or they use a rolled cloth on their heads for support while carrying the banga. This dance is performed with Kalinga women showing their agility in balancing the bangas on top of their heads while toddling through rice paddies and mountain paths; a daily routine to fetch water from the mountain springs. This dance is derived from the earthen pot called BANGA which is carried by the female dancers on their heads while dancing. It is played by six or more gong players with their respective female partners. The minimum number of pots carried by a dancer is 5 pots of different sizes placed one on top of the other, the smallest pot placed at the topmost. This dance is to entertain visitors during feasts. Bendayan or Bendian festival involves the village circling and dancing around the ulul leader while executing various arm movements. Lasting until the wee hours of the night, the bedian ritual ends on the sound of the loudest oway or war cry. This version of Bendian centers around the maiden's part of the circle.However, in the past the biggest Bendian was to celebrate a victory in war and a successful headhunt. Nowadays the festival is held for important festive occasions. Bendian, Bendaan or Bendayan literally translates to “ let’s see who gets tired first” is a circle dance “to celebrate a victory” Lumagen / Tachok When the Kalinga gather to celebrate a happy occasion like the birth of a first-born baby boy, a wedding, or a budong (peace pact), the Kalinga Festival Dance (Tachok) is performed. This is danced by the Kalinga maiden. The dance imitates birds flying in the air. Music is provided by gangsa, or gongs, which are usually in a group of six or more. This is a dance performed at Kalinga festivals to celebrate Thanksgiving. The mountainous Central Cordillera region of Northern Luzon is also known by the term "Philippine Skyland." Inhabiting this rugged terrain are six ethno-linguistic tribes known as the Ibaloy, Kankanay, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao, and Bontoc. Manmanok is a dance that dramatizes is a dance that portrait the rooster and the hen, Lady Lien. They try to attract her by making use of blankets that depict their feathers and wings. Turayen The word Gaddang originated from the combination of two words which are “ga”, meaning heat, and “dang” which is to burn. The Gaddang people live in the center of Cagayan Valley. Furthermore, some of their groups have resided in Isabela, Kalinga, and Eastern Bontoc. They are mostly Christian, and are agricultural in nature. Those that have resided in the areas stated mostly preserved their culture which is rooted in indigenous and swidden agricultural traditions. For an instance, they commonly practice the burning of existing crops to construct short-term plots for farming. Additionally, they also practice hunting and fishing. In the Gaddang dance, the people emulate the movements of birds that are drawn to tobacco trees. Tarektek dramatizes two male tarektek woodpeckers who try to get the attention of three females. The first woodpecker tries doing this by showing his good voice. This was portrayed by the banging of a brass gong. On the other hand, the second tries impress the females by showing off his feathers. This was portrayed by the use of colorful blankets that are moved around in bird like movements. The Salidsid or the “cayoo dance”, is known as a romantic dance in which a male courts a female. That being said, it is commonly performed with one male and a female dancer. It starts with each of the dancers holding an “ayob” or “allap” which is a small cloth. Customarily, the most powerful people in the village are in the dance following the host's signal of the opening of the affair. Both the context and the significance of the dance are apparent. Additionally, the male imitates a rooster that is attempting to gain attention from a hen which is represented by a female dancer. On the other hand, the female dancer imitates the gestures of a hen that is being orbited by a rooster. Salip Tribes from the mountain provinces in Luzon give great importance to their identity. Thanksgiving, birth, wedding, and victory in war among others, are some things that these people celebrate through the art of dance. The Kalinga wedding ritual, to be particular, is a dance wherein a bride is offered protection and comfort by the groom. The man tries to show his love by imitating the movements of a rooster. Meanwhile, the bride's friends prepare “bangas” (earthen pots) that contain fresh water from the mountain spring to offer to the groom. Ragsaksakan dance portrays the walk of the industrious Kalingga women who climb up the rice terraces in the Mountain Provinces of the Philippines. They carry pots that are placed above their heads. They also wear small hand woven blankets around their necks which represent the “blankets of life. Uyauy/Uyaoy Coined from the word ipugao meaning “coming from the earth” is the term Ifugao, pertaining to the people of the province who are called to be the “children of the earth.” As well as to the province itself, according to the Spaniards. Those who belong to the wealthy class, the Kadangyans, have the privilege to use the gongs that are used at the wedding festival dance. The same dance is performed by the people who desire to reach the second level of the wealthy class.
