Back then, it was legal to sell dog meat. Now, you will be penalized if you are caught doing so. Why we criminalize the eating of meat is beyond me.
As we said somewhere in this blog, we look forward to the day when Indians (Hindus) become the dominant force in the world and make all nations pass laws that would make it illegal to eat beef. Let’s see what those self-righteous moralists who criticize dog eaters will say.
Continue reading Picture of the Day: Baguio Dog Market, circa 1920
Thankfully, for most of us, the answer is no. Cordillera languages continue to be classified as “Living Languages” by the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL). The bad news is that Agta-Villiviciosa spoken by some of our kailiyans in Abra is now considered extinct; according to SIL, our kailiyans who used to speak this language are now using Ilokano. [Hat tip: Salita Blog]
Although there is no immediate danger that our languages will become extinct, we still need to ensure that they will be passed on to the next generation. Probably the best way to do that, aside from teaching them to our kids and using them in our daily lives, is through the internet.
If you ever have the chance to watch the independent film Daan Patungong Kalimugtong, make sure you go watch it. (Or you might be better off buying a VCD/DVD copy if they are available because, as we noted in other movie reviews, digital Filipino films just do not translate well on big movie screens; they get overblown and lose much of their color.)
Kalimugtong is a really good film. Aside from the fact that it is well made, here are several reasons why I liked the movie: all the actors are our kailiyans (one of whom, Analyn Bangsi-il won an award as Best Child Performer); they used Ilokano as the medium (although there are also dialogues in English and Tagalog); they have beautiful shots of the mountains we all love; the musical scoring is terrific. And, oh, did I say it was a really good film?
Continue reading Movie Review: Daan Patungong Kalimugtong/The Road to Kalimugtong
Here’s a short story written by Amador Daguio, a writer who grew up in Lubuagan, Kalinga (he was born in Laoag, Ilocos Norte) before World War II. You can read more about the writer here.
The story is about a young couple who…. well, on second thoughts it’s better if I don’t give any info so as not to destroy your reading experience. It is a good read although it can be quite long (for internet readers anyway), so you might want to get a cup of coffee before you settle down to read.
Continue reading Short Story: Wedding Dance by Amador Daguio
Aren’t you glad someone invented Youtube? Here’s a delightful Youtube video of two iFontok kids learning to dance the pattong and the Igorot boogie. Two thumbs up to the parents of these children and the adults who are directing them off camera.
RELATED POSTS: Itettem; Cellphone; Teachers; Manny Pacquiao of La Trinidad; Funny or Offensive; Way to Go Kiddo. VIDEO CREDIT: alberta05.