May 31st, 2007 — Ifugao
Here’s a video of a cute kid singing the Ifugao song, Itettem. It is heartwarming that some parents are teaching our indigenous songs to their kids, no? Appreciation of ourselves as a people really starts in the home. The lyrics of the song goes like this:
Itettem ta humgopak
Tete ehton nakaktolak
An nalpo nidadawi
Nidadawi dawin boble
Itettem (2x) ino
May 31st, 2007 — Government, Mt. Province
Ha! And you thought we will no longer bore you with more election coverage. Well this one is too good to not blog about. It’s kind of like the case filed by Joe Molintas vs. Morris Domogan.
PPCRV denounces vote-buying in Mt. Province
From the PIA
May 30th, 2007 — Art/Entertainment
Ay sino na? Dan aped men tatangad? (Who is this? Why is he looking up?) Click here for the answer to the first question. If you guessed correctly, then you might qualify as a fan. Although we people from the boondocks tend to be a bit snooty towards those who have a “fan mentality”, there’s really nothing wrong with being a fan isn’t it 
It’s certainly better than being a warmonger (war criminal?) like George W, or a cheat like Gloria, or a cheat’s lackey like some politicians we know.
May 30th, 2007 — Benguet
Here’s a music video on the lives of vegetable farmers. Because Pagano’s comment (in our first post on vegetable farmers here) is directly related to the subject of this video, we decided to publish his comment here in the main page. Thanks Pagano.
Pagano on the lives of vegetable farmers:
The situation for highland vegetable farmers has always been similar with that of gamblers, or maybe just a little worse for the farmers. They sow the seeds and tend to them till they are fit to harvest. (This last sentence over-simplifies the whole gardening process — the endless hours of labor, the never ending expenses, plus the psychological pain that accompanies the gardening endeavour, i.e., pests attack, the weather gets uncooperative, Gloria is still not resigning, etc, etc…)
May 29th, 2007 — Culture and Tradition, Mt. Province, Sagada
In case you are wondering how those hanging coffins in Sagada went up those really steep rocks, this video shows us how it is done. If iSagadas are really smart (as they claim themselves to be hehe), they should not just be contented with showing off the hanging coffins to tourists but should now be working for its preservation. Methinks Ifugaos are doing a better job in preserving their cultural heritage and in asking for help from agencies/organizations that could help them in this challenge. For one, they made attempts to have their cultural wealth recognized by agencies such as UNESCO, etc.
The iSagadas? We still have to see them do something. Kuntento lang yata sila to just talk about their tourist attractions which, from where we sit, are slowly deteriorating. We hope the incoming officials of the town will do something about this.
May 27th, 2007 — Education, Outside Cordi
A kailiyan during the graduation ceremonies at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. Sayang, di natin mamukhaan ano? But way to go kiddo!
May 27th, 2007 — Activism, Baguio, History
Here’s Part 2 of Gerard Finin’s article on the Igorot rally against then Baguio City Mayor Jun Labo because of his anti-Igorot remarks. You can read Part 1 of this article here.
The 1988 Igorot Demonstration
by Gerard A. Finin
Among the many protesters marching in groups were highlander commissioners and staff of the Cordillera Regional Consultative Commission, a body that had recently been appointed by Pres. Corazon Aquino to draft provisions under the newly ratified Philippine Constitution for granting the Cordillera a special status (along with parts of Mindanao in the southern Philippines) as an autonomous region—contingent upon approval by Cordillera voters in a plebiscite.
May 27th, 2007 — Activism, Baguio, History
Here’s an interesting article on a 1988 demonstration by Igorots/iCordilleras in Baguio to protest against then Baguio City Mayor Ramon Labo’s remarks about Igorots. This is what he reportedly said, “We will not lose [the elections] to those Igorots. They urinate anywhere . . . that is why we club them. . . . The Igorots are traitors. They are civil in front of you, but once you turn your back they stab you.”
I was still too young to be a part of this demonstration. (Hehe, that’s a joke. I was actually based in Manila by then and didn’t know about Labo’s remarks.) I wonder if some of you were a part of this rally and would want to re-live the experience by reading about it. This article is actually part of the first chapter of a book on the Cordilleras written by Gerard A. Finin, The Making of the Igorot: Contours of Cordillera Consciousness. The book was published by Ateneo Press and was a finalist in the 25th National Book Awards.
May 25th, 2007 — Baguio, Politics
Oops, we thought we are done blogging about the recently concluded elections but things are happening in Baguio which are too interesting to ignore. Here’s how things are shaping up in the post-election bout between Domogan and Molintas:
May 25th, 2007 — Government, Ifugao
Last 18 May, Ifugao prosecutors charged Juan Duntugan with murder for the killing of Julia Campbell. [Links to our previous coverage on this issue: Missing in Ifugao; On Juan Duntugan's Surrender and Confession; People vs. Duntugan] Why murder and not homicide which we argued is the proper charge? Well, according to assistant provincial prosecutor Marvin Ngayawan it’s gotta be murder because there was treachery and cruelty involved.
From the Associated Press via Boston.com:
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