CAR ( CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION)
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Located at the northern portion and reaching until the central part of Luzon, it includes the provinces of Benguet, Kalinga, Apayao, Ifugao, Abra, the Mountain Province, and the city of Baguio. The Cagayan and Isabela provinces are on its northern and eastern border, Pangasinan and Nueva Vizcaya on the south and southwest, and the Ilocos provinces and La Union on the west. This region has rugged mountain ranges, forests, deep gorges and ravines, wide pasturelands and river basins.
POPULATION
In 2000, the population of the region in the year reached 1,352,000. It increased by 7.18% from 1995. In 1990, urban residents totaled 356,272 while 792,992 lived in the rural areas.
CULTURAL GROUPS
The different tribal communities are the Ifugao, Kankanai, Gaddang, Ibaloy, Kallahan, Kalinga, Bontok, Balangaw, Itneg and Isneg.
CLIMATE
The climate in the region is generally cool in the uplands. The rainy season is from May – October, while the dry season is from November to April.
LAND USE
Around 79% of the total regional land area are forest reserves and timberland. The rest have been classified as alienable and disposable which include agricultural, commercial, industrial, and residential lands. The major crops of the region are palay, corn, fruits, vegetables and root crops. The region leads in vegetable production.
NATURAL RESOURCES
The region has extensive forest resources, large mineral deposits of gold, copper, silver, limestone and raw materials for construction. Big mining companies abound but small-scale mining is encouraged. Its land is fertile and ideal for growing vegetables. There are water resources suitable for hydroelectric power.
ECONOMY
Agriculture is the backbone of the regional economy. Its main products are rice, vegetables and fruits. It is supplemented by cottage industries, trade and services.
Located at the northern portion and reaching until the central part of Luzon, it includes the provinces of Benguet, Kalinga, Apayao, Ifugao, Abra, the Mountain Province, and the city of Baguio. The Cagayan and Isabela provinces are on its northern and eastern border, Pangasinan and Nueva Vizcaya on the south and southwest, and the Ilocos provinces and La Union on the west. This region has rugged mountain ranges, forests, deep gorges and ravines, wide pasturelands and river basins.
POPULATION
In 2000, the population of the region in the year reached 1,352,000. It increased by 7.18% from 1995. In 1990, urban residents totaled 356,272 while 792,992 lived in the rural areas.
CULTURAL GROUPS
The different tribal communities are the Ifugao, Kankanai, Gaddang, Ibaloy, Kallahan, Kalinga, Bontok, Balangaw, Itneg and Isneg.
CLIMATE
The climate in the region is generally cool in the uplands. The rainy season is from May – October, while the dry season is from November to April.
LAND USE
Around 79% of the total regional land area are forest reserves and timberland. The rest have been classified as alienable and disposable which include agricultural, commercial, industrial, and residential lands. The major crops of the region are palay, corn, fruits, vegetables and root crops. The region leads in vegetable production.
NATURAL RESOURCES
The region has extensive forest resources, large mineral deposits of gold, copper, silver, limestone and raw materials for construction. Big mining companies abound but small-scale mining is encouraged. Its land is fertile and ideal for growing vegetables. There are water resources suitable for hydroelectric power.
ECONOMY
Agriculture is the backbone of the regional economy. Its main products are rice, vegetables and fruits. It is supplemented by cottage industries, trade and services.
IMPORTANT LITERARY PIECES
HUD HUD (STORY OF ALIGUYON)
(IFUGAO)
(IFUGAO)
In the mountainous regions of Northern Luzon, a hudhud is a long tale sung during special occasions. This particular long tale is sung during harvest. A favorite topic of the hudhud is a folk hero named Aliguyon, a brave warrior.
Once upon a time, in a village called Hannanga, a boy was born to the couple named Amtalao and Dumulao. He was called Aliguyon. He was an intelligent, eager young man who wanted to learn many things, and indeed, he learned many useful things, from the stories and teachings of his father. He learned how to fight well and chant a few magic spells. Even as a child, he was a leader, for the other children of his village looked up to him with awe.
Upon leaving childhood, Aliguyon betook himself to gather forces to fight against his father’s enemy, who was Pangaiwan of the village of Daligdigan. But his challenge was not answered personally by Pangaiwan. Instead, he faced Pangaiwan’s fierce son, Pumbakhayon. Pumbakhayon was just as skilled in the arts of war and magic as Aliguyon. The two of them battled each other for three years, and neither of them showed signs of defeat.
Their battle was a tedious one, and it has been said that they both used only one spear! Aliguyon had thrown a spear to his opponent at the start of their match, but the fair Pumbakhayon had caught it deftly with one hand. And then Pumbakhayon threw the spear back to Aliguyon, who picked it just as neatly from the air.
At length Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon came to respect each other, and then eventually they came to admire each other’s talents. Their fighting stopped suddenly. Between the two of them they drafted a peace treaty between Hannanga and Daligdigan, which their peoples readily agreed to. It was fine to behold two majestic warriors finally side by side.
Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon became good friends, as peace between their villages flourished. When the time came for Aliguyon to choose a mate, he chose Pumbakhayon’s youngest sister, Bugan, who was little more than a baby. He took Bugan into his household and cared for her until she grew to be most beautiful. Pumbakhayon, in his turn, took for his wife Aliguyon’s younger sister, Aginaya. The two couples became wealthy and respected in all of Ifugao.
Once upon a time, in a village called Hannanga, a boy was born to the couple named Amtalao and Dumulao. He was called Aliguyon. He was an intelligent, eager young man who wanted to learn many things, and indeed, he learned many useful things, from the stories and teachings of his father. He learned how to fight well and chant a few magic spells. Even as a child, he was a leader, for the other children of his village looked up to him with awe.
Upon leaving childhood, Aliguyon betook himself to gather forces to fight against his father’s enemy, who was Pangaiwan of the village of Daligdigan. But his challenge was not answered personally by Pangaiwan. Instead, he faced Pangaiwan’s fierce son, Pumbakhayon. Pumbakhayon was just as skilled in the arts of war and magic as Aliguyon. The two of them battled each other for three years, and neither of them showed signs of defeat.
Their battle was a tedious one, and it has been said that they both used only one spear! Aliguyon had thrown a spear to his opponent at the start of their match, but the fair Pumbakhayon had caught it deftly with one hand. And then Pumbakhayon threw the spear back to Aliguyon, who picked it just as neatly from the air.
At length Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon came to respect each other, and then eventually they came to admire each other’s talents. Their fighting stopped suddenly. Between the two of them they drafted a peace treaty between Hannanga and Daligdigan, which their peoples readily agreed to. It was fine to behold two majestic warriors finally side by side.
Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon became good friends, as peace between their villages flourished. When the time came for Aliguyon to choose a mate, he chose Pumbakhayon’s youngest sister, Bugan, who was little more than a baby. He took Bugan into his household and cared for her until she grew to be most beautiful. Pumbakhayon, in his turn, took for his wife Aliguyon’s younger sister, Aginaya. The two couples became wealthy and respected in all of Ifugao.
THE GREAT FLOOD
(TINGGIAN)
(TINGGIAN)
The Tinggians, a group of pagan people inhabiting the interior hills of Abra, have their own story of the Great Deluge.
The tragic began with the abduction of Humitau, a sea-maiden guard of Tau-mari-u, lord of the sea; by Aponi-tolau.
One day, Aponi-tolau, god-hero of the Tinggians went down to the lowlands. He wandered aimlessly through the plains until he reached the seashore. The calm blue sea, massive and yet helpless beneath the morning sun which flooded it with golden light, fascinated the young man. And unable to resist the beauty of the dancing wavelets, he made a rattan raft and rowed seaward.
On and on he rowed until he came to the edge of the world. There, in a place where the sea and the sky meet, Aponi-tolau saw a towering rock, home of Tau-mari-u, lord of the sea. It was guarded by nine beautiful daughters of the seaweeds. The radiance of the ocean light reflecting silver and gold upon the greenish hair of the nine guards as they played around the palace gates, chasing one another in gay laughter, attracted the mountain lord.
Gathering his courage, the Tinggian warrior went nearer the palace gates. However, when he inquired what place it was, the maiden guards laughed at him and lured him further inside the palace walls. This made Aponi-tolau very angry. Taking his magic hook, he lashed at the unsuspecting maidens.
The hook hit the youngest and the most beautiful among them, Humitau. The young diwata gave a loud and piercing scream and struggled desperately to free herself from Aponi-tolau’s grip but the magic oil which the mountain lord had placed at the tip of his hooked weakened her blood and soon she was helpless.
A wild uproar followed as the guards screamed and fled the gates. Aponi-tolau hurriedly picked up the unconscious body of the sea-maiden, loaded it on his rattan raft and rowed shoreward. Shortly after the Tinggian hero had left the bauwi (native hunt) gates, Tau-Mari-u went out of his abode to see what the commotion was all about. But he was too late.
In his rage, Tau-mari-u summoned the waves and the tunas of the sea and ordered them to bring back the intruder. The waves lashed at the raft of the mountain warrior and the tunas pushed it back.
Alarmed, Aponi-tolau cried out to his mother, Lang-an of Kadalayapan, mistress of the wind and rain, for help. The great godess heard her son’s plea and immediately sent down strong winds to pull Aponi-tolau ashore. Despite the fury of the waves and efforts of the tunas, the Tinggian warrior was able to reach the shore unharmed.
But Tau-mari-u was furious. He immediately called a meeting of the gods and demigods of the seas and the oceans, who agreed to punish the dwellers of the land for what Aponi-tolau had done.
From the sky, Lang-an knew the plan. She immediately called for the north wind and sent him to warn her son of the impending flood, she instructed the mountain lord to go to the highest peak of the Cordillera mountains for safety. Obediently, Aponi-tolau took the members of his household to the mountain top and waited. The flood came. From this bauwi Aponi-tolau saw mighty waves sweeping across the plains, filling the valleys and destroying the crops and working animals of the inhabitants. Higher and higher went the water until it covered the mountain top but for the few square meters where Aponi-tolau and his household took shelter.
Frightened, Humitau gave a desperate cry. She knew that she no longer swim or live in the water after having tasted the mountain food which her husband had given her. The charm removed her sea powers. She implored Tau-mari-u to save her.
Despite his anger, the water lord took pity upon his favorite Humitau. So he called back the water and the waves. But he promised that henceforth he would sink men’s boats and drown passengers until Aponi-tolau’s crime would be appeased. When the water subsided, Aponi-tolau and his wife went down to the low lands and from them came the people of the world.
The tragic began with the abduction of Humitau, a sea-maiden guard of Tau-mari-u, lord of the sea; by Aponi-tolau.
One day, Aponi-tolau, god-hero of the Tinggians went down to the lowlands. He wandered aimlessly through the plains until he reached the seashore. The calm blue sea, massive and yet helpless beneath the morning sun which flooded it with golden light, fascinated the young man. And unable to resist the beauty of the dancing wavelets, he made a rattan raft and rowed seaward.
On and on he rowed until he came to the edge of the world. There, in a place where the sea and the sky meet, Aponi-tolau saw a towering rock, home of Tau-mari-u, lord of the sea. It was guarded by nine beautiful daughters of the seaweeds. The radiance of the ocean light reflecting silver and gold upon the greenish hair of the nine guards as they played around the palace gates, chasing one another in gay laughter, attracted the mountain lord.
Gathering his courage, the Tinggian warrior went nearer the palace gates. However, when he inquired what place it was, the maiden guards laughed at him and lured him further inside the palace walls. This made Aponi-tolau very angry. Taking his magic hook, he lashed at the unsuspecting maidens.
The hook hit the youngest and the most beautiful among them, Humitau. The young diwata gave a loud and piercing scream and struggled desperately to free herself from Aponi-tolau’s grip but the magic oil which the mountain lord had placed at the tip of his hooked weakened her blood and soon she was helpless.
A wild uproar followed as the guards screamed and fled the gates. Aponi-tolau hurriedly picked up the unconscious body of the sea-maiden, loaded it on his rattan raft and rowed shoreward. Shortly after the Tinggian hero had left the bauwi (native hunt) gates, Tau-Mari-u went out of his abode to see what the commotion was all about. But he was too late.
In his rage, Tau-mari-u summoned the waves and the tunas of the sea and ordered them to bring back the intruder. The waves lashed at the raft of the mountain warrior and the tunas pushed it back.
Alarmed, Aponi-tolau cried out to his mother, Lang-an of Kadalayapan, mistress of the wind and rain, for help. The great godess heard her son’s plea and immediately sent down strong winds to pull Aponi-tolau ashore. Despite the fury of the waves and efforts of the tunas, the Tinggian warrior was able to reach the shore unharmed.
But Tau-mari-u was furious. He immediately called a meeting of the gods and demigods of the seas and the oceans, who agreed to punish the dwellers of the land for what Aponi-tolau had done.
From the sky, Lang-an knew the plan. She immediately called for the north wind and sent him to warn her son of the impending flood, she instructed the mountain lord to go to the highest peak of the Cordillera mountains for safety. Obediently, Aponi-tolau took the members of his household to the mountain top and waited. The flood came. From this bauwi Aponi-tolau saw mighty waves sweeping across the plains, filling the valleys and destroying the crops and working animals of the inhabitants. Higher and higher went the water until it covered the mountain top but for the few square meters where Aponi-tolau and his household took shelter.
Frightened, Humitau gave a desperate cry. She knew that she no longer swim or live in the water after having tasted the mountain food which her husband had given her. The charm removed her sea powers. She implored Tau-mari-u to save her.
Despite his anger, the water lord took pity upon his favorite Humitau. So he called back the water and the waves. But he promised that henceforth he would sink men’s boats and drown passengers until Aponi-tolau’s crime would be appeased. When the water subsided, Aponi-tolau and his wife went down to the low lands and from them came the people of the world.