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Above: Ifugao Tribe

A huge number of diverse tribes can be found in the Philippines. The indigenous people make-up 3% of the population – this estimation was taken note of in 1990 wherein there were approximately 100 upland tribal groups.

The Christians and Muslims, both considered as lowland Filipinos increased in numbers and migrated to Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Others lived in Mindoro and in other islands while these tribal communities kept to themselves and stayed in isolation in the highlands. In time, these indigenous people had created their own distinct characteristics and trait; had their own customs, traditions and beliefs. It is therefore conceived that their folk art are the final remains of a native practice that thrived throughout the country before the Spanish and Islamic conquest.

Industrially, the groups that are considered to be extremely developed and sophisticated are the “Bontocs” and “Ifugaos”. They engineered the astonishing rice terraces. Other ethnic groups such as the “Bukidnons” of Mindanao, had taken in partners coming from the lowlands for more than a century now, whereas groups such as the “Kalingas” in Luzon were pretty much isolated from the influences of those from the lowlands.

In 1990, there were ten (10) main ethnic groups residing in the Cordillera Central of Luzon. “Igorot” was the Tagalog name for mountaineer. Amongst the ten cultural groups, the “Ifugaos” of the Ifugao Province, the “Bontocs” of Mountain and Kalinga-Apayao provinces and the “Kankanays” and “Ibalois” of the Benguet province were wet-rice farmers whose labor consists of developing the rice terraces they had conceptualized and created many, many years ago. The groups “Kankanays” and “Ibalois” were predominantly influenced by the colonialism of the American and Spanish invasion. They were also influenced by the lowland Filipino customs for the simple reason that there were widespread gold mines in Benguet.

Other mountain groups who engaged in both the wet-rice and dry-rice growing system were the “Kalingas” of Kalinga-Apayao Province and the “Tinguians” of Abra Province. Other indigenous tribes that adapted to the shifting crop growing techniques are the “Isnegs” of northern Kalinga-Apayao Province, the “Gaddangs” of the border between Kalinga-Apayao and the Isabela provinces, as well as the “Ilongots” of Nueva Vizcaya Province. In previous years, the “Negritos” had the highest population in the highlands. It was in the early part of the 80’s wherein this group found itself widely spread in different areas mainly on the eastern ranges of the mountains.I

In South of Luzon, the groups in Mindanao were generically known as “Mangyans” living in Mindoro. The most essential tribes in Mindanao were the “Manobos”; the “Bukidnons” of Bukidnon Province; the “Bagobos”, “Mandayas”, “Atas”, and “Mansakas”, who occupied the mountains neighboring the Davao Gulf; the “Subanuns” of upland places in the Zamboanga provinces; the “Mamanuas” of the Agusan-Surigao adjoining province; and the “Bila-ans”, “Tirurays”, and “Tbolis” found in the Cotabato provinces. These groups were famous for their engraved and carved figures made of wood, weaved baskets as well as their decorative needle and bead work.

To date, the communication that transpires between the modern and the primitive groups affects the outcome of the latter, annihilating the indigenous culture without incorporating these cultural groups into the contemporary society. With the aid of the government and other various private institutions, their goal is to assist and help the tribes to modify modern society without sacrificing their ethnic identity.

Above: Beneau Rice Terraces

The wonder that man have built with his bare hands.

With this in mind, it baffles you on how your ancestors made such brilliance in this art of landscape. And with this mind baffling thought, it made Banaue Rice Terraces the 8^th wonder of the world.

This is a tourist destination in the Philippines; it is where the century old rice terraces had surpassed time and the cons of Mother Nature; it is one of the richest soils in Philippine ground. An effective agricultural industry infused with a mind boggling sense of creativity. If Egypt has its pyramids then let this be the pyramids of the Philippines.

While some take into consideration the beauty unraveled through this site, some may belittle the hard work embossed in these stairs of rice field.

In these times people made the best of what they have and there’s no technology to back them up but rather the innovation instilled in them.

They knew of the softness of the slopes of these mountains to begin with for landscaping purposes, as well as it has a rich soil good for agriculture, they used resources near by like stones, gravels and the likes to build the walls that scrape the edges of this landscape. However, their intelligence dictated the strength that held these walls together making it strong to withstand the test of time. Course fills lie underneath the stone walls that had been intact with gravel to fill in the spaces in between. Waterways are their only means of transferring one material to another in building these walls and in this case, they made use of existing water streams. The idea alone connoted innovation in itself and one does not find himself picking up stones and scraping the sides of mountains everyday.

You would like to experience seeing such sites first hand to get to appreciate the wonder itself.

Ways to get there

You may think that going to this said place takes long, but it actually takes longer to go to Baguio than go to Banaue. This place is also a good place to pass by going to Sagada and Bontoc if you’re on a joyride.

If you were to ride a bus we suggest that you take that 10 PM ride from Auto Bus or Dangwa Bus from Manila. Approximately 8 to 9 hours of travel time. Making you arrive at the place at 5 AM to 6 PM.

The best place for accommodations

Just ten minutes walk right at the southern side of town you’ll fine The Banaue Hotel. If this is not literal enough, then consider yourself releasing your luggage in the accommodation of Banaue View Inn where it overlooks the town square and other panoramic views. All are reasonably price making the accommodations a piece of cake for travelers and the likes.