Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Sept 16, 2026 Some 60,000 years ago, humans (Australo-Melanesians) crossed land bridges of Sahul into Papua New Guinea. When the sea levels rose some 10,000 years ago, they were isolated and have so remained. For thousands of years, they established themselves in the highlands, developing entirely unique languages and culture. … More An Irresistible Lure
Lake Sebu, Philippines Sept 15, 2026 A message from Ayumi beeped in to say there was a celebration in the T’boli community. Ayumi was going with Maria Todi and I was invited to come along. How lucky am I! Maria and Ayumi stopped by to pick me up and we jolted our way to the … More A Grand Celebration
Lang Dulay, Lake Sebu, Philippines Sept 14, 2026 Fu Dalu, the spirit of the Abaca plant visits chosen women of the T’boli in their dreams. The spirit gives them intricate patterns and the women then weave them from abaca fibers. They use no sketches or diagrams but weave the patterns entirely from memory. These women … More Weaving a Dream
Lake Sebu, Philippines Sept 13, 2026 The T’boli museum or the Gong House as it is called sometimes, is not far. The outward leaning walls of the house on stilts make me smile to myself; I wonder what other links I may find. Built like one long room, it has split bamboo flooring and a … More Traditions of the T’boli
Lake Sebu, Philippines Sept 11,2026 Tucked into the mountains of South Cotabato is a large freshwater lake called Lake Sebu. At 1000m, it has tropical climate but is a tad cooler than the plains. Fingers of land reach out forming islets and peninsulas making no two views the same. It looks idyllic and may well … More On a Lake Ringed by Mountains
Koronadal, Philippines Sept 9,2026 The Austronesians, having reached Mindanao settled on the coast and in the wide fertile valleys. There is archeological evidence, especially from Butuan in the northeast to suggest settlements with established maritime trade networks. Subsequent incursions from the west brought with it new threats, new religions considered particularly dire ones. Preferring to … More Where Once Stood Forests
General Satos City, Mindanao, Philippines Sept 7, 2026 Pushing south to the end pf Luzon, the Austronesians trickled through to the Visayas, island-hopping their way to the large island of Mindanao. They also spread west into present day Indonesian islands of Sulawesi and Kalimantan. Ah! The similarities in customs with the Kankanaey that I noticed in … More To Land’s End
Baguio, Philippines Sept 4, 2026 The plan is to go to Kabayan next, home to the Kalanguya tribe but it is not on any direct bus route and logistics are not that simple. Hoping to get transport from Baguio I head there. The fitful sunshine I had in Banaue is history and it pours as … More Storms, Floods and a Delightful Surprise
Banaue, Philippines Sept 1, 2026 The rice fields and terraces are all very pretty but what are the origins of the Ifugao traditions? The questions nagged at me and small Banaue museum seemed an obvious place to begin. It is not so much a museum as a storehouse of items collected by Henry Otley Beyer … More In Search of Ifugao Traditions
Banaue, Philippines Aug 30, 2026 There are rice terraces carved out from the mountain slopes everywhere in these provinces, seen in snatches as the jeepney jolts along the winding roads. But as I approach Banaue, the vista opens up. Broad stretches stagger up the hillsides like stepping stones, the contours following that of the hill. … More Rice Terraces of the Ifugao
