Preservation and Promotion of the

Cordillera Cultural Heritage and

Addressing Prevailing Issues
in Society
4
th
International Conference of BIBAK in Europe
Dublin, Ireland
CARIDAD B. FIAR-OD, PhD
College Vice President, MPSPC
Council of Elders, Igorot Global Organization
The Philippine Cordillera
located in the north-central
part of Luzon
dubbed as watershed
cradle of North Luzon
has a mountainous
topography with towering
peaks, plateaus, valleys,
winding rivers that
contributed to the
significantly unique lifestyle
and culture of the people.

The 1987 Philippine
Constitution finally
recognized the clamor
of the Cordillerans for
autonomy which is
expected to promote
development.
The Cordillera
Administrative Region
(CAR) was created by
virtue of EO 220 issued
by President Corazon
C. Aquino on July 15,
1987
. however, the organic act that
would have granted the region its
autonomy was rejected twice by the
people of the Cordillera in 1990 and
in 1998 hence, CAR remains an
administrative region instead of an
AUTONOMOUS region
Cordillera
Administrative
Region (CAR)
Abra
Benguet
Ifugao
Kalinga
Apayao
Mountain Province
Baguio City
76 municipalities
composed of 1172
barangays.
BAGUIO CITY
regional center
Summer Capital of
the Philippines

NATURAL RESOURCES
Gold and copper mines
Climate suitable to upland
vegetables, fruits and
ornamental plants -
cabbage, celery, carrot,
potato, beans, lettuce,
sweet peas, broccoli,
beets, mushroom, banana,
pineapple, strawberry
citrus, persimmon, passion
fruit, several varieties of
cutflower, coffee, tobacco,
mango, apple and pears
Banaue Rice
Terraces
Maligcong Rice
Terraces
Sagada Caves
TOURIST DESTINATIONS
Benguet Flower
Gardens
Handicraft
industries
LANG-AY PANAGBENGA
ADIVAY
ARYA ABRA
ULLALIM &
PINIKPIKAN
IMBAYAH or
GOTAD
SINURSOR/
SINANGDILA
the identity of every province is captured
in each provincial seal

1. Abundant God-given
resources- symbolized by the
mountains, valleys, hills, river
systems, water falls, majestic
terraces, green fields that carry
with them the peoples
resilience, steadfastness, and
self-reliance in the face of
adversity and challenge. Among
the Igorots are their innate
indigenous engineering skills,
and agricultural potentials to
develop tourism landmarks.
The commonality of all provinces as reflected
in the seals are the following:
2. Heavenly Bodies. The stars and
sun in emblems give impression of
sun rays at day break heralding the
dawning of a new era. The stars
signify that the region is integral
part of the Philippines contributing
substantially to national
development. The rising sun depicts
the glories of the peoples past. The
rays of the sun symbolizes the
peoples indigenous knowledge as
the light in attaining the peoples
vision.
3. Gong. This instrument
gives sound to convey
unity, cohesion and
solidarity towards the
attainment of a
singular and unified
vision for development
and industrialization. It
also symbolizes the
highland culture of the
Cordillerans being
optimistic in their
outlook.
4. Shield/Spear and
Head Ax. These
gadgets speak of the
courage of the people,
the traditional weapon
for self-defense. These
are all symbolic
weapons of war,
protection against
ignorance, apathy and
intolerance. They also
symbolize the Igorots
indomitable spirit of
preserving their way of
life, their environment,
their customs and
traditions.
5. Symbolic shapes. The
triangular shape manifests
stability and strength. The
circles and wheels stand for
the earnest vision of every
province towards
development and
industrialization.


1. Intangible heritage - songs,
chants, dances, rituals,
values, indigenous
knowledge and
technologies.
should be preserved and promoted
because it is the identity of the
Cordillerans wherever they are
2. Tangible heritage - our
different bamboo/rattan
crafts, our costumes, the
engineering structures
like the rice terraces, the
farm implements and
the rice granaries, as
well as the man-made
dams
Guidelines on chants, dances, costumes
1. Among the Benguets, most gong-dances
are to be performed by elders only and not
to be performed by the teenagers or children
since the music of the gongs are part of the
ritual to appease or drive spirits. Gong-
dances are played during wakes. Allowing
the young children is a taboo since they do
not understand the ritual. On the contrary, in
Mountain Province, gong-dances are not only
part of ritual but part of community
celebrations like weddings, welcome parties,
family reunions.
2. As a Cordillera cultural protocol, the
specific ethnic culture should be
respected in terms of the performance of
chants and dances. The Bendian dance
among the Benguets, victory or festival
dances among other provinces may be
learned, performed with the appropriate
costumes for identity. There are
commonalities and differences in steps
and arm positions as well as specific
costumes that should be properly
followed.
3. If cultural presentation or performance is
to satisfy viewers, the original ethnic dance
should be differentiated from
choreographed presentations. Originality of
dances is hardly maintained since most
cultural artists have the tendency to do
choreography. In most choreographed
Igorot dances, steps of Muslim dances are
integrated. To some extent, costumes are
misused.

4. To maintain
originality, the proper
use of costumes
should be observed.
The tapis among
women is worn knee-
level or below the
knee. The g-string is
worn with a knot
worn without brief.
5. When rituals are to be
presented for information
purposes, it should be
accompanied with
literature and the actual
butchering of animals on
stage be stopped unless
the ritual is performed for
its actual specific purpose.



6. In order not to mislead viewers, it should be
made clear if the dance is choreographed and has
integrated several dance steps and costumes.
IDENTITY OF CORDILLERA ETHNIC GROUPS
1. Rice wine or any
other wine is always
sipped to maintain
friendly relationship
with the living and the
dead. It is to be
offered freely as
means to acknowledge
the bountiful harvest
from Kabunyan, the
Almighty.
2. Gong-dances are always in circular
arrangement as a sign of unity, solidarity
and teamwork and with specific purposes.

3. Wisdom in elders is manifested in their
indigenous knowledge of extemporaneous
recital of prayers during rituals; narration of
historical events, commitment in doing
assigned tasks for the communitys welfare.
4. Dance-chants
performed by both
sexes during
festivities or wakes
are common among
all ethnic tribes in
Cordillera.


5. Rattan or bamboo wares and
other farm implements were
original among the Igorots as
means to maximize their
resources and for specific
uses. While these antiques
reveal the ingenuity and tells
the life of Igorots in the past,
it is getting lost due to lack of
appreciation and advocacy. As
a result, remnants of such
ancestors legacy have gone to
world museums for exhibits.
6.The indigenous
knowledge of back
strap weaving,
tattooing,
mummification, food
preservation, stone
engineering, rice
farming, cooperatives,
local governance is
innate among the
Igorots.

7.The spirituality of the Igorots
in general is encompassed
in their strong belief on the
power of the Almighty
referred as Kabunyan,
Alawagan, Lumauig or
sometimes termed as
Adikaila, Nintotongdo or
Manakaalin. With such belief,
the core values of inayan,
laton, may kasiyana, lawlawa
baw etc. are their guiding
philosophies in their
everyday living.
Recommendations:
1. Documentation of tangible and
intangible heritage should be
copyrighted as the Igorots
intellectual property before they
are pirated by other artists or
authors.
Towards the abatement of such societal
issues, the following recommendations
are posed:

2. There should be continuing advocacy and
promotion of the Igorot culture through
conferences, symposia and other forms.


3. There should be an aggressive continuing
education among the youths on the dances,
chants, indigenous technologies for them to
understand their implication for development.

4. A Guidebook for tourists or travelers should be
made as to the DONTs, and DOs when in the
Cordillera.