iBOONDOCK

We’re a fan of Minnie Bulong. You’ll also become a fan if you watch the video above as well as her other Youtube videos: Usapang Tsismis and Eigen Uitspraak. Fun and entertaining, no?

According to her Youtube profile, Minnie is from Ifugao who currently lives in the Netherlands. She has a blog here, for those who understand Dutch. Thanks Minnie. We heart your videos.

Hey kailiyans in the U.S. did you know that those carvings of Native American chiefs came from Ifugao. Really? Maybe not all of them but some of them are. From Jennie Durant who was a Peace Corp Volunteer in Ifugao:

Ever wonder where those impressive, six foot tall Native American chief carvings come from? The ones you see in New Mexico and Arizona when you’re on a road trip through the Southwest?

I never thought about it, honestly, I suppose I assumed they were carved by Native Americans. Well, the other day I was bumping along in a tricycle on my way to a barangay called Kiangan. I was looking around, enjoying the scenery—the overhang of green, the small shops along the road, the mothers standing outside chatting with their children on their hips. We passed a carving shop, and under the cover of a tarp I saw a three foot tall Native American head, complete with an elaborate headdress. I was completely stunned. Did I see that right? What was a Native American chief carving, complete with an elaborate headdress, doing in Ifugao?

Read the whole post here. Hah, didn’t we tell you that Native Americans are our long lost relatives (like 56th degree cousin or something). We’re brothers/sisters forever as Renaldo Lapuz would say.

What are the chances that any of our Cordillera officials will make the cover of international magazines? Unless they do something really really newsworthy like, say, win a Nobel Peace Price or get themselves adopted by Angelina Jolie, we must say that such chances are zero.

Of course, that shouldn’t stop us from creating fake magazine covers for our officials like we did here.

We used the National Geographic cover for Ifugao Governor Teddy Baguilat because he keeps talking about cultural heritage, environment, alternative tourism and those kinds of stuff that said magazine usually writes about.

Meanwhile, we used People magazine for Baguio Congressman Mauricio Domogan because we can’t resist it. Eh, how can we not use People magazine as the cover template with that hat he is wearing?

Now, do we have too much time in our hands or what? Kasalanan ni Ivadoy Country kasi sinimulan niya hehe (Thanks FBI).

If you have politicians you would like us to “cover”, please tell us in the comments.

CREDITS: Magmypic for the covers and Drasko and the Taipei Times for the original photos.

I like it when local government units seek to gain control over their local tourism industry. That is how our communities can directly benefit from tourism. I like it too when officials look at tourism beyond organizing that street dancing thing that Panagbenga has become. Good move Ifugao.

From Sunstar Baguio:

In line with the continuing promotion of the rice terraces as an eco-cultural destination, the Ifugao Provincial Government is sponsoring a package tour, which would show the series of cycles involved in the planting of rice in the hand-carved rice terraces.

The tour, which is scheduled on February 9 and 10 (two days, one night) and February 8 to 10 (three days and two nights) is part of the series of rice terraces cycle tours, which the Save the Ifugao rice terraces movement offers — from land preparation (lodah/mamanong), to harvesting (botok, pfoto) and the thanksgiving or bakle.

For a minimal fee of P2,800 per person for the February 9 tour and P3,600 per person for the February 8 tour, participants can expect meals on the day of arrival to lunch on day of departure, lodging transportation, guide, entrance and environmental fees will be provided to visitors.
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Let’s help an Ifugao kailiyan, Aislynn Lanag Liao, who made it to the final round in a design competition. Her design, pictured above, is competing against 19 others. Please vote for her design here. You will be asked to type in some personal info (name, email, etc.) — I think to deter double voting — but that should not discourage you from voting for a talented kailiyan.

Voting ends on February 2, 2008 so make sure you vote before then. Thanks.

INFO SOURCE: hackenslash forwared from ifugaoyahoogroup.

Cross-posted at From the Boondocks

UPDATE: For pictures of this soon to be dismantled Ifugao hut, visit The Nashman’s blog.

***
Well, we don’t know much about this story. But here are the facts which we gleaned from the announcement here:

The Ifugao hut is presently located at the Philippine embassy in London.
It was brought all the way from Kiangan.
The embassy is moving to a new address.
They haven’t found a suitable new home for the Ifugao hut.
So they are performing a “death” ritual for the hut on December 15, 2007 (10:00 am).

Now the question is, who brought the hut to London, the government? And did embassy officials have sufficient time to find a new place or a new custodian for the hut?

Because if the answers to both questions happen to be “Yes” then I think they should have done more (or should do more) than this “death” ritual they are planning.

And what exactly are they going to do to the hut? Burn it? Cannibalize it? That is its end after it served its purpose of “showcasing” our culture?
Read the rest of this entry »

- Banaue, Ifugao. Photo credit: Luis at webshots.com