Category Archives: Culture and Tradition

Philippine Nikkeijin 2007

Hey you, Manila based readers. Are you looking for interesting things to do? Then check out the following activities of Philippine Nikkeijin 2007. In case you are wondering, Nikkeijin refers to the descendants of Japanese immigrants to the Philippines (and other countries).

A significant number of Nikkeijins are in the Cordilleras where Japanese workers who were hired to help build Kennon, Halsema, etc. settled and married the locals.

Anyways, check out the following events organized by the University of the Philippines Asian Center, the UP Vargas Museum, The Japan Foundation, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and Filipino-Japanese Foundation of Northern Luzon, Inc. Our thanks to Michiyo Yoneno-Reyes for sending us the information.

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The Bontoc Museum, Privacy Issues, and a Boon Award

Here’s an interesting video that you should watch. The first part contains footages taken at the Bontoc Museum and its artifacts of the past. The second part contains some footages of present-day Bontoc with its tricycles and all. It makes an interesting comparison between “then” and “now”. [UPDATE: Oops, as two of you pointed out, this really is not present-day Bontoc since the video must have been taken 20 to 25 years ago. Thanks for the correction Anonymouses 🙂 Our mistake, we should have known better. Cheers.]

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Sagada Then and Now


The “then” photo is believed to have been taken by Eduardo Masferre while the “now” photo was taken by Daniel Ziegler, an ex-Peace Corps volunteer who was based in Sagada. Thanks to Kent Sinkey for sharing these photos with us.

It is interesting to note that Sagada appears to have more pine trees now than in the past. It should give hope to Art Tibaldo and the Bantay Busol Movement.

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