Beyond the Ink: Learning More About Kalinga’s Culture, History and Cuisine
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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. Tagaotao added that from 1905 through 1935, Lubuagan was Kalinga’s center for education, commerce, and culture. “It was where everything happened,” he said.
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.
“Next to Baguio City, Lubuagan is perhaps the most historically significant place in the Cordillera,” Abayon adds. Even today, backstrap and upright looms can be seen on porches and inside the homes of weavers. The tradition continues through the skilled hands of the Mabilong Weaver Community, where bold reds, blacks, and earthy tones are woven into cloth.
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. In 2016, Saclag and his wife Rebecca established the Awichon Cultural Village in Lubuagan.
Nestled among thick foliage and open fields, the village provided a fitting setting for grounding rituals and mindful connection. 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,” Stephanie Zubiri shared.
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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.” In Awichon, the past is not merely remembered, it is lived.
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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. This quiet mountain town became the Philippines’ first Indigenous Slow Food community, now proudly linked to the global Slow Food International network.
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Even the cookware tells a story: earthen pots handcrafted by local women using age-old methods. Here, we were introduced to Lola Kum-as, the oldest living potter in the village. She shared the intricate processes behind the art of pottery, from shaping raw earth to the design phase called gili.
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. Guests are treated to cultural immersions, including the mesmerizing 'banga' dance, a balance of tradition, rhythm, and grace.
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Coupled with earlier visits to Naneng and the unforgettable Bodong Festival, I’ve come to understand Kalinga as far more than just the home of Buscalan’s renowned tattoo art. While Whang-od remains the icon, she is not alone in carrying its legacy.
One evening at Mount Lilayan, as cultural bearer Ophelia began to recite a traditional Kalinga epic chant, we learned of the historical significance of the land. It was here that peace pacts were once sealed through solemn gift-giving between rival clans.
At sunrise on Mount Lilayan, the earthy scent of pine and damp soil filled the air. Surrounded by lush forest, I felt the gentle pull of Kalinga—its land, its people, and its stories—calling me to return again and again.
