Beyond the Ink: Learning More About Kalinga’s Culture, History and Cuisine

 

Far from the tattoo trails of Buscalan, a richer portrait of Kalinga unfolds in sacred rituals, heirloom recipes, and the coldness of mountain villages.

Despite years spent crisscrossing the Philippine archipelago, a few places have continued to elude me. Chief among them: the mountain village of Buscalan in Kalinga, home to Apo Whang-Od, centenarian, cultural icon, and said to be the oldest traditional mambabatok (Kalinga traditional artist) of her generation. Using a thorn, soot, and indigenous ink, she etches ancestral symbols into skin, each mark a living archive of identity and cultural symbol.

Sunrise over the mountains of Lubuagan, Kalinga is a great reason to wake up early

When she appeared on the cover of Vogue Philippines, every copy flew quickly from the shelves, her magnetic presence eclipsing celebrity with something far older and deeper. To wear even her signature three inked dots is to be imprinted not only by art, but by the history of her community.

The locals prides themselves in preserving their rich culture

Buscalan, for all its storied allure, remains just beyond my reach, for now. But as detours often do, mine led elsewhere but still within the folds of Kalinga, far from the well-visited tattoo trail. In the quiet spaces beyond the ink of Buscalan, I found a province alive with ancestral traditions and a culinary tradition as rich and earthy as its highland soil. What began as a pursuit of getting up close with Apo Whang-od became an invitation to see Kalinga in full.

Lubuagan, a former Capital with stories to tell

“Is that the church?” I asked the man beside me, who turned out to be Daryl Abayon, a local historian with a deep knowledge of Lubuagan’s past. “Yes,” he said. “The original was bombed during World War II.”

Also called as Kachamayan Falls, it is one of many nature attractions in Lubuagan, Kalinga

In May 1942, Japanese forces took control of Lubuagan during their early advance across Luzon. Three years later, as American troops worked to retake the Philippines, planes bombed the area to drive out Japanese troops destroying much of the town, including St. Peter’s Church and its convent.

A natural tunnel in Lubuagan, Kalinga

But Lubuagan’s role in Philippine history began even earlier. From March 6 to May 18, 1900, it briefly served as the capital of the First Philippine Republic. Emilio Aguinaldo, then on the run from American forces, arrived in the town wounded and weary. “A tribal leader fetched him from that hill,” Attorney James Tagaotao, a cultural advocate tells us, pointing to a ridge in the distance. Aguinaldo was carried into the village and set up office in what is now the Municipal Hall of Lubuagan.

The colors of Kalinga

Tagaotao added that from 1905 through 1935, Lubuagan was Kalinga’s center for education, commerce, and culture. “It was where everything happened,” he said.

Vibrant colors of Lubuagan weaves

Lubuagan also lays claim to a proud weaving tradition. Known locally as Laga, the craft is carried out by women using backstrap looms to make traditional garments like the tapis (wraparound skirt), be-e (men’s loincloth), and woven home goods. Abayon notes that Lubuagan is considered the birthplace of this cultural art in the region.

Fellow writer Kenneth dons a sample woven polo for men

“Next to Baguio City, Lubuagan is perhaps the most historically significant place in the Cordillera,” Abayon adds.

Traveling Morena and Queen modeling the Kalinga woven women's clothes

Even today, backstrap and upright looms can be seen on porches and inside the homes of weavers. A dedicated weaving center, funded through Senator Loren Legarda’s office, is now under construction. The tradition continues through the skilled hands of the Mabilong Weaver Community, where bold reds, blacks, and earthy tones are woven into cloth, each thread preserving a piece of Lubuagan’s soul.

Earthing Experience at Awichon Cultural Village

While Apo Whang-od remains under consideration for the prestigious Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA), Kalinga already holds one such honor through Alonzo Saclag, a master of traditional dance and performing arts, who received the award in 2000.

Traditional Kalinga houses are your accommodation at Awichon

In 2016, Saclag and his wife Rebecca established the Awichon Cultural Village in Lubuagan. More than a heritage site, Awichon serves as a living space where traditions are preserved through tribal houses, ceremonies, and immersive experiences.

Each one opens up to the sweeping views of the mountains

Just this week, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Philippines spotlighted Kalinga’s wellness potential by bringing a group of wellness advocates including Stephanie Zubiri, whose Soulful Feasts brand explores food, nature, and spirituality, to Awichon. Nestled among thick foliage and open fields, the village provided a fitting setting for grounding rituals and mindful connection.

Perfect for soul searching and "Earthing" sessions

During one earthing session, Ophelia, a local cultural bearer, led the group in a chant to Kabunian, the supreme deity in Kalinga belief. “We were told that sitting on their local weaves connects Kalinga people to their ancestors,” Zubiri later shared on Instagram. “At that moment, she said, the spirits were with us, grateful for our presence.”

In Awichon, the past is not merely remembered, it is lived

Another participant Kelly Misa added, “From fire ceremonies to cacao rituals at sunrise, ancient dances to intricate weaves, our experience in Kalinga reconnected us to land, spirit, and self.”

The Slow-Food Community of Pasil

In Lubuagan’s neighboring town of Pasil, a meal isn’t just a meal. Here, local produce, heirloom recipes, and healthy dishes are more than tradition; they’re a way of life. Thanks to the vision of Rowena and her husband Lam-en Gonnay, this quiet mountain town became the Philippines’ first Indigenous Slow Food community, now proudly linked to the global Slow Food International network. Everything, from seed to plate, is a celebration of labor and legacy. Crops are cultivated and harvested with care, honoring both the land and the farmers.

The slow food community of Pasil, Kalinga

Even the cookware tells a story: earthen pots handcrafted by local women using age-old methods, no pottery wheels, no machines, just skilled hands and ancestral knowledge. Here, we were introduced to Lola Kum-as, the oldest living potter in the village. 

Lola Kum-as, Pasil's oldest pot-maker

Through the translation of a younger member, Lola Kum-As shared the intricate processes behind the art of pottery. She spoke of shaping the raw earth, carefully molding it by hand, and the meticulous design phase called gili, where a geometric pattern is inscribed near the upper lid of the pot. 

The "gili" process of Kalinga pottery making

Once the design is set, the potter smooths the surface using a stone called ichi-id. Afterward, the pottery is left to dry before being carefully fired, a final step that hardens the pot.

Healthy, Slow-Food dishes cooked up by the Pasil community members

For those looking to step off the grid and into something more meaningful, the community offers a rustic homestay experience.  Guests not only savor food with soul but are also treated to cultural immersions, including the mesmerizing 'banga' dance, a well-choreographed balance of tradition, rhythm, and grace.

All locally planted and harvested

Coupled with an earlier visit to the heritage village of Naneng and the unforgettable sight of thousands of cultural performers setting two Guinness World Records for the largest gong ensemble and the largest banga dance in Tabuk during the Bodong Festival in 2023, I’ve come to understand Kalinga as far more than just the home of Buscalan’s renowned tattoo art. 

Homestay guests can also enjoy a cultural "banga dance" performance

While Apo Whang-od remains the province’s most recognizable icon, she is not alone in carrying its cultural legacy. Others, like Lola Kum-As, one of the last traditional potters, contribute their own to the province’s story.

One of the farmers in Pasil

One evening, as cultural bearer Ophelia began to recite a traditional Kalinga epic chant, we learned that our accommodations, the Glass Room, were perched on Mount Lilayan, a place of great historical significance. It was here, amid the thick forests and cool mountain air, that a peace pact was once sealed during the height of headhunting through a solemn act of gift-giving between rival clans.

Another amazing place to stay in Lubuagan, the Glass Room Kalinga

At sunrise, standing on the Glass Room’s balcony, the mountains below still cloaked in morning mist, I inhaled the earthy scent of pine and damp soil. 

Till next time, Kalinga

Surrounded by the lush forest, I felt the gentle pull of Kalinga, its land, its people, and its stories, calling me to return, again and again, even long after I finally meet Apo Whang-od.

This article first appeared on BusinessMirror.