🇵🇭 BAGUIO • Tam-awan Village: Old-School Igorot Living of Today

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Edmar del Castillo Guquib at Saturday, November 28, 2015 0

Photos, videos and stories of town explorations.

"The present has almost erased all the things of the past but some individuals have always been interested in bringing the old back to present. "

[BAGUIO, BENGUET, PHILIPPINES] ▬ The modern world is selfish. It reinvented itself vanquishing the power of the distant past. Modern individuals have lived a life the contemporary age wanted them to be. The old is gone. The new has come. Remains of the past struggle to squeeze in the shrinking space dominated by the present; some are reserved for the future.

[BAGUIO] ▬ TAM-AWAN VILLAGE: GARDEN IN THE SKY

▬ Tam-Awan Village: A Link to the Past ▬

THE PRESENT HAS ALMOST ERASED ALL THE things of the past but some individuals have always been interested in bringing the old back to present. Tam-awan village is a nice example for this endeavor founded in 1998 by Chanum Foundation, Incorporated—led by national artist Benedicto Cabrera, also the founder of .

Tam-awan village allows everyone to experience the past especially the Cordilleran way of life. To be able to appreciate how the Igorots used to live in the mountains of , you need to be interested of their culture, otherwise, it is a plain village with huts.

So if you're wondering how does a prehistoric Igorot village look like, Tam-Awan village would at least show you the basic. This village is a replica of an old Igorot village.

[BAGUIO] ▬ TAM-AWAN VILLAGE: GARDEN IN THE SKY

▬ The Entrance ▬

THE ENTRANCE OF TAM-AWAN VILLAGE DOES NOT give a hint that you are going to see a replica of an old Igorot village. Instead, this enclosed village welcomes you with Cordillera-inspired sculpture-on-the-wall and other art forms.

A first time visitor may think this is an art village. Well, it is. This destination was made to be a home for artists, especially from Baguio. But what lies inside is more than the arts, it's the Igorot culture and heritage that's waiting.

[BAGUIO] ▬ ENTRANCE TO TAM-AWAN VILLAGE

[BAGUIO] ▬ VISITORS CLIMBED THE WALL FOR THIS PHOTO OPP.

[BAGUIO] ▬ SCULPTURE CARVED ON THE WALL

Two (2) bulol sculpture are placed beside the entrance gate made of heaps of bamboos with signage that is prominently yellow.

▬ Entrance Fee, Opening/Closing Hours ▬

LIKE ANY OTHER PRIVATELY-RUN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS, TAM-AWAN village also needs to become self-sufficient, hence, the entrance fee. For the entrance fee, see the photo below.

[BAGUIO] ▬ ENTRANCE FEE RATE

This village opens at 8:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM.

▬ What to Expect Inside + a Little History/Background ▬

A CONTINUOUSLY ASCENDING CONCRETE STAIR WILL LEAD you to the heart of the village where authentic Ifugao and huts are located.

The word tam-awan is a local term for "vantage point or a place for seeing a view from a higher location." It sounds very close to the Ilocano word tang-awan which means the same.

The name of the village reflects its physical feature wherein every visitor can enjoy the view of the West Philippine Sea in a clear day as well as the plains of province.

This village is the best relief Chanum Foundation could provide to people who want to see an authentic and traditional Cordillera village but cannot travel far to the remote Cordillera villages. Chanum Foundation initially started the reconstruction of three (3) Ifugao huts that were transported all the way from Bangaan, Ifugao.

The village also has two (2) huts from the province of Kalinga, particularly from and Loccong—tribal villages located in the town of . Tam-awan uses the word "Luccong" in one of their Kalinga huts. The village of Loccong though is spelled with the 'O". The Luccong hut is the most unique among all the huts because it is octagonal in shape. Tam-awan's Luccong hut is one of the three remaining of its kind in the Philippines today. It is also called binayon.

[BAGUIO] ▬ A WOMAN GOES DOWN FROM THE LUCCONG HUT (BINAYON)

The huts were reconstructed using the original materials like pinewood. The cogon roofing is a recent addition. The original Cordilleran huts were constructed using materials from their environment that they can utilize, hence, the huts have no nails and the wood hand-hewn.

[BAGUIO] ▬ GONGS HANGING UNDER THE COGON ROOFING

[BAGUIO] ▬ A BUNCH OF RICE HUNG UPSIDE DOWN

[BAGUIO] ▬ BUGNAY HUT FROM KALINGA SERVES AS AN ART GALLERY.

▬ Home for Artists, Art-Lovers and Artworks ▬

ONE OF THE REASONS WHY TAM-AWAN VILLAGE was founded is to give the Cordilleran artists and art-lovers a place they can call home.

This village has a huge collection of artworks from indigenous to contemporary. Bulol sculpture, an icon of the Cordilleran mountain culture is very present. Modern artworks are also displayed in Bugnay Hut that serves as an art gallery.

Art exhibits are often done in this village featuring the most promising artists of their generation. Tam-awan also holds the Tam-awan International Arts Festival.

[BAGUIO] ▬ A ROW OF ARTWORKS

[BAGUIO] ▬ ARTWORKS AT MY BACK

[BAGUIO] ▬ BULLHEAD AND A PAINTING

▬ On Mainstream Media ▬

MAINSTREAM MEDIA HAS ALSO NOTICED THIS MAN-MADE tourist attraction. It was featured on ABS-CBN's summer station ID for 2014 called PINASmile where some personalities played the traditional instruments with the tribe.

[BAGUIO] ▬ SCREEN GRAB FROM YOUTUBE

▬ Location, Contact Number, Lodging and Other Info ▬

TAM-AWAN VILLAGE IS LOCATED IN 366-C PINSAO Proper, Baguio City. For other inquiries, You can contact them at (074) 446-5553; email address: tamawanvillage@gmail.com.

You can actually stay overnight in their huts (bedding and towels included, toiletries are not provided) with the following daily rate:

P500/pax
P1000/2pax
P300 extra bed
P350/pax for a group of 10 or more

If you want Tam-awan to be the venue of your activities or retreat, the following rates apply:

P200/pax for a group of 10 - Picnic Fee (9 AM to 6 PM), entrance excluded
P120/pax for a group of 10 - Bonfire Fee (6 PM to 11 PM), entrance excluded
P500/hut - rent of hut without bedding
P8000/day - Function Fee for a maximum of 40 pax
P5000 - Cultural Show (requires prior booking)

▬ Tam-awan Café ▬

THERE ARE NO PLACES TO BUY FOOD nearby, so whenever hunger strikes, there is a café inside. Food starts at 30 up to 280 pesos depending on your order.

[BAGUIO] ▬ INSIDE THE RESTAURANT IN TAM-AWAN

[BAGUIO] ▬ STRAWBERRY TAHO SYRUP

[BAGUIO] ▬ A CUP OF STRAWBERRY TAHO

For strawberry taho lovers, I found out that there are vendors inside the village premises so I bought one. The taho vendors aren't part of the café though.

▬ Ending Thoughts ▬

I loved the setting. Their advocacy to preserve their cultural heritage and promote their arts in a village concept is I think a clever idea. I've learned new things here and I hope more visitors shall appreciate the Cordilleran culture and arts whenever they get here. For Chanum Foundation, Inc., they've started a great job! ▬ to be continued...

INDEX: INSIDE THIS BLOG SERIES

[UP NEXT] ▬ TREE TOP ADVENTURE.

► BLOG SERIES: AZALEA SUMMER GETAWAY

Up Next: This is the start of real adrenaline-releasing activities. I hiked. I even had the chance to fly, all in Tree Top Adventure.

► FOOTNOTES, DISCLAIMERS, ACKNOWLEDGMENT, ETC

[1] This post is filed under the category "Parks/Plazas." To see more posts from this category, scroll down and check the "More Posts From This Category" below.

[2] This experience was made possible through Azalea Residences Hotel in Baguio City. I was invited to experience the Azalea hospitality.

[3] The following links were helpful to me while writing this article. References: 1 | 2 |

[4] All maps I used on this post are the works of Eugene Alvin Villar and Mike Gonzalez published on Wikipedia. Source: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5