Banaue farming village keeps rice harvest tradition alive

BANAUE, Ifugao, Philippines — Keeping true to their commitment to help in the preservation of the world-renowned Banaue rice terraces, farmers and villagers celebrated a bountiful harvest through the Tinawon Festival in Batad village here.

Village chief Romeo Heppog said the Tinawon Festival gives honor to the original cultivators of the payo (rice paddies) who contributed to the preservation of the rice terraces and the Ifugao culture in Batad.

He said while planting on the terraces is not economically viable, the Ifugao farmers continue to grow Tinawon rice and other traditional rice varieties as their contribution to what the Ifugao people is known for.

Tinawon rice, also known as heirloom rice, is a once-a-year crop produced in the traditional way of farming - without using any machinery or equipment, including carabao and also without using any commercially produced fertilizers.

“Tinawon rice has a growing period of at least eight to 10 months including land preparation. It is not economically viable, however, our farmers continue to cultivate the rice terraces as their contribution to preserve the Ifugao culture and heritage,” Heppog said.

As part of the traditional harvest known as botoh, participants demonstrated to young villagers and visitors the proper way of using gamulang, a finger knife used specifically during botoh, and the proper binding of rice stalks as well as the traditional way of hauling from the rice paddies to a native house.

Roscoe Kalaw, Ifugao’s provincial tourism officer, said the breathtaking milieu of the Batad Rice Terraces brings fame not only to the province but to the entire country as well.

Kalaw lauded the villagers in preserving the rich culture and tradition of Ifugao in imparting their traditional knowledge and teaching the young generation to grow the indigenous rice.

“The rice terraces are our treasure, a legacy of our ancestors’ genius creation and handiwork of bright ideas. We should preserve and sustain our culture and traditions amid modernization,” Kalaw said.

Batad rice terraces, one of the major producers of Tinawon rice and other traditional rice varieties, is one of the four rice terraces included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.