It all started when our Humanities II professor announced in the class that we are having a fieldtrip in Baguio in day of the celebration of Panagbenga Festival. I am actually excited because the last time I've been to Baguio was when I was just a little kid and it'll be my fist time witnessing the said event. Actually I was worried back then because departure time is late night of the Friday before the event and my friend and I have Saturday classes. Good thing we are excused. I also think that I'll be a good time to relax and enjoy while final exams are not yet in our way. :)
It was February 23, 12 AM when we head from UP Manila to Baguio. Of course we used that time to have the best sleep that we can have because our day will be filled by different activities. We are still somewhere in Pangasinan when I woke up and I had the chance to took some pictures of the road up to Baguio. It made me thrilled to see those sharp curves and deep cliffs (as if I'm looking at the the scenery in Ipo Dam. Only this was a lot better.)
Road to Baguio
After we arrived in our hotel, fixed our things and ate lunch, we set off to our first destination - the Tam-awan Village: Garden in the Sky in Barangay Pinsao Proper on the same city. According to the pamphlet guide, Chanum Foundation, Inc., founded in 1998, began to reconstruct Ifugao houses in Baguio with the view of making a model village accessible to people who have not had the chance to travel to the Cordillera interior. On a land near an abundant spring, the foundation started out with three knocked-down huts transported from Bangaan, Ifugao. Tam-awan village now has seven Ifugao huts and two Kalinga houses. Using the original materials and adding only new cogon roofs, traditional artisans reconstructed the houses and laid them out resembling the design of a traditional Cordillera Village. For me, the recreation of the village preserves the art and culture of the natives before despite the changing phase of the city because of commercialization.  |
| cloths under "binayon" |
Some huts are four sided. One of those huts do not have walls because it serves to be storage for “talahib” or wild grass and wood for fire. Houses are linked together by bamboo bridges while blocks of marble are used as steps through the deep downhill.
Huts inside Tam-awan Village
Second thing I noticed is the music in the park. We arrived just in time for the traditional dance of the Ifugaos. Using small gongs made of brass, the males hit them using wood with its head wrapped in rubber thus creating different musical rhythms while accompanied by the females who were dancing in accordance to the rhythm. Sometimes along the performance, a dancing male chant then the girls will sing some lines after. The men wore red “bahag” or the native male dress of the Ifugaos with flock of feathers attached on their heads or around their arms and limbs. The females wore red “ampuyou”, the wrap-around skirt of Ifugao women. All of them are barefoot while performing.
Next art forms that I noticed are the paintings. In front of the space where the dancers performed is a nipa hut where you can find a group of artists painting or sketching. They offer sketch of those visitors who want to have their portraits done. Some ready-made paintings are also displayed and for sale in the walls of the nipa hut. Alongside the nipa hut is Bugnay Gallery which is situated inside another nipa hut. It is a gallery of more artistic forms of painting. Some of those painting are made from acrylic, charcoal and other art media. The artwork that I remembered the most is a landmark painting. Its intricate details amazed me and to think it is etched using the sun’s reflection. Like the paintings made by the artists outside, most of the paintings in the gallery are price tagged. Outside the village are murals of inanimate but fancy creatures which are painted using different using lively colors.
Some 2D artforms
Some sculptures are also displayed around the park. There are free standing sculptures like the “bulul” or a mimic of person sitting, while a sunken relief depicting a nude woman sitting on leaves of a tree while being surrounded by thorns was found on the entrance of the village.
"Bulul" and a sunken relief
Seeing the village up close made me appreciate the art and craftsmanship in even simple materials found in its structures. I also enjoyed the colorful flowers and the strawberry "taho".
Pretty flowers :)
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| The EPIC Strawberry Taho |
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| With my friends. (I hope they will not kill me after posting this here.) |
We were given free time to have a tour around some of places in the city and buy the goods that we want to buy. On our way to Good Shepherd where they say that the jams are the best, we first stopped by at Mine's View Park. :)
Some shots from MVP
We walked through the city because of the heavy traffic our bus experienced on our way back to the hotel. Well, it's our first time to stay overnight together, I mean the four of us so for me it's definitely special. :) Though our roommates are sort of noisy because they're perfecting the melody of That's the Way You Are, I just thought maybe it's their way of spending the night together. :))
We woke up early in the morning because it's February 24 and it's the festival day, but before proceeding to the parade, we first checked out to the hotel then went to La Trinidad to visit the strawberry farm and bought some goods.
After 30 minutes of shopping, we then proceeded to the Panagbenga Parade of Floats. According to GoBaguio.com, the Panagbenga started with just an idea that Baguio City should, like other towns and cities in the Philippines, have its own "fiesta" or festival celebration. Having been created a city by the Americans during their occupation of the Philippines, Baguio did not start as a town during the Spanish colonial period that had a patron saint with a feast day. It was made to be celebrated by February so that tourists who would like to witness the event would not be bothered because Christmas and Holy week will not be celebrated on close dates. Panagbenga had been one of the most famous festivals in our country so it became a must-see event for tourists from all over the world. It promotes the culture of Baguio and flourishes the trade and industry in the city. Moreover, the artistic designs and layouts of the floats are unique forms of art which are distinct from different art forms that other places are famous for.
The floats are created using flowers of different types, colors, shades and sizes. They have different themes: most of them are inspired by the culture of Baguio, some are fantasy-based, while some of them showcased the industry that made them. Some of the culture-inspired floats are the float with a nipa hut in its center, and the float of La Trinidad which is ornamented by Amarillo of different colors.
The floats are created using flowers of different types, colors, shades and sizes. They have different themes: most of them are inspired by the culture of Baguio, some are fantasy-based, while some of them showcased the industry that made them. Some of the culture-inspired floats are the float with a nipa hut in its center, and the float of La Trinidad which is ornamented by Amarillo of different colors.
These two days I spent in Baguio was full of new experiences. I'll be delighted to come again if there's no traffic though it's impossible :))
