Published in What's On and Expat Newspaper
Tam-Awan Village,Baguio: Garden in the Sky
By Katrina A. Holigores
Known to many as the summer capital of the Philippines, Baguio city is also a treasure chest of fond childhood memories for me and members of my family. From going round (literally) in circles on the locally bred horses at Wright Park, to the first bite of salty grilled corn in Mines View, a trip to Baguio holds a promise of great weather, blue skies and lots of activities. The city which is located in the province of Ilocos Norte (about 5-6 hours by car from Manila and one hour by plane) was developed originally as an R&R location for the American soldiers.
Nowadays visitors come to Baguio to enjoy cooler climates, see the offerings in terms of shopping on very busy Session Road, experience alternative dining atmospheres such as Oh My Gulay in Vocas and Café by the Ruins as well as the local art scene that Baguio has long been known for. National Artist Ben Cabrera has called Baguio his home for many years and a visit to his house is an unforgettable experience due to the beautifully sunlit area he uses as a studio that is filled from end to end with his paintings and personal collection of bulols ( rice gods).
A recent trip to the north got me curious about a place that was part of the brainchild of Ben Cabrera and Chit Asignation called Tam-awan Village of “Garden in the Sky”. Ben Cabrera otherwise known as Bencab is no longer active with the community but Chit Asignation remains passionate about this makeshift Ifugao village in the area of Pinsao which now serves as an artist community and a tourist must see. My longtime friend, the very enthusiastic and engaging Nina Poblador offered to be my guide into Tam-awan one bright and rather chilly day.
For those who have had the fortune of eating at the badly missed Kusina Salud, Nina and husband/ chef Paul were the proprietors of this quirky haven which hosted visitors both local and international with mouthwatering food and drink during their Baguio jaunts. After Nina and I paid a visit to Bencab we set off to walk down the road to Tam-awan which was semi pleasant due to the weather and not so due to the amount of vehicles that passed us on the way there.
Perhaps one day there will be efforts to rid the city of smoke belching modes of transport. When the entire city of Baguio was still adequate grazing land for cattle, the area where Tam-awan village is now located had a spring which served as a major water source. Thus, the place became associated with chanum, which in Ibaloi, means water.
Adopting the name to symbolize its vision, Chanum Foundation, Inc. took on the role of being as nurturing and life-giving as the spring in Tam-awan Village. Chit Asignation, who now serves as the Vice President for the Chanum Foundation was present to greet Nina and I as we ascended the steps of Tam-awan. There were already many tourists (Korean and European) who were waiting patiently for a performance from the Tam-awan dancers, all dressed in indigenous garb. To while the time away, some were having their portraits done by several artists who have made Tam-awan their second home.
Chit explained to me that The Chanum Foundation, which was founded in 1996, began to reconstruct Ifugao houses in Baguio with the view of making a village model accessible to people who have not had the chance to travel to the Cordilleras. They started out with three knocked-down huts which were transported from Bangaan, Ifugao. Currently guests of Tam-awan can see seven Ifugao huts and two Kalinga houses. The huts are still made out of original materials although they had to add new cogon roofs. With the aid of traditional artisans the huts were reconstructed and eventually laid out to best resemble the design of a traditional Cordillera Village.
Before the performance started I got a chance to look inside the colorful interiors of the Gallery Café. One can purchase artwork from the artists belonging to the community as well as have something to eat and drink. There was also an ongoing art exhibit in another gallery (with no café) and I was given the schedule for 2007, it seems in their sincere support for the local art scene Tam-awan has become the home for both the artists and a perfect venue for them to display their works year round. I heard Chit announcing that the performance was about to start so I found a little niche between the stone floors and proceeded to take photos of the dancers, getting lost in their music and amazed at the amount of strength and control it took to do some of the moves in the “ritual courtship dance” which was the first act.
After the performance guests were served boiled kamote ( sweet potato) and invited to feast on local fare such as native chicken in broth or pinikpikan (the chicken, upon research is not killed in the most humane of manners but is integral to the taste of the dish) with rice and local vegetables. I do not eat fowl if I can help it but I did help myself to some of the warm broth and rice and must admit it was very tasty. After the carb loading I was off to climb up the rest of Tam-awan village to take a look at the huts and the view. On a clear day one can see a breathtaking sunset and part of the South China Sea.
While trying my best to frame an entire Ifugao hut into a photo I was told that there are some differences between an Ifugao and a Kalinga Hut. As architecture has never been easy for me to understand, I read the definition from the well-written Tam-awan website. “An Ifugao house is compact and though deceptively simple, its architecture is quite sophisticated. Built by clever mortisans without nails or hardware, it exemplifies the exactness of Ifugao construction and uses heavy hand-hewn timber. Elevated to about shoulder height by four posts usually made of hard wood, the house, with periodic re-roofing, can last several generations.
The Kalinga house is a more spacious commode and is made with the same hand-hewn pinewood. The binayon is the traditional octagonal house of Southern Kalinga Province and Tam-awan.” Guests may also choose to stay the night (or two) in one of these huts and there are also workshops that they may participate in during their stay. As I crossed the hanging bridge and started to make my way out of Tam-awan, I thanked Chit and Nina for a very enriching albeit brief look into another side of Baguio. This, I felt, brought me closer to what existed before the horseback riding and the grilled corn, and I am forever grateful for an added opportunity for me to build new memories of what I can also be called the Summer Art Capital of the Philippines.
What to do at Tam-awan
FEATURES AND ACTIVITIES • Accommodations in authentic Ifugao huts • Venue for conferences, seminars & workshops • Dap-ay (stone-paved gathering place) • Art Gallery and Crafts Shop • Coffee shop • Fishpond • Indigenous flora and fauna • Eco-tours • Sunset-viewing • Martial Arts demonstrations • Art Work shops • Livelihood and crafts demonstrations on: - Paper making - Printmaking - Basket weaving - Bamboo craft - Rice wine making - Solar drawing - Drawing and painting • Interaction with Baguio and Cordillera artists • Cultural shows WORKSHOPS · PAPERMAKING · PRINTMAKING · TEXTILE ART · SOLAR DRAWING · BASIC / ADVANCE DRAWING · Others: - Oil Pastel - Printmaking with collograph - Monoprints - Rubber cuts - Other workshops as per request/s would depend on the availability of artist Rates Lodging 1 PERSON Php 500.00 2 PERSONS Php 900.00 3 PERSONS Php 1,100.00 For an EXTRA PERSON add Php 200 each GROUP (10 PAX OR MORE) Php 250 each For meals, reservations must be made in advance. Tam-awan Villa ge is located in Pinsao Proper 2600 Baguio City For more information call (074) 446-2949 go to: www.tamawanvillage.com
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