Return to Tam-awan

It’s only a year that has passed since I last visited yet Baguio’s artists’ haven, the Tam-awan Village has undergone some changes that took me by surprise. The place was decorated in the theme of harvest festival or “Ani” in local terms. A man on top of a carabao, or water buffalo, made of straw and local materials greeted us at the entrance of Tam-awan, but the warm welcome came from the tourist guide waiting for us at the top of the steps. His name was Roniel and he was only 15-years-old. He helps out in the Chanum Foundation, the organization that oversees Tam-awan Village and promotes the indigenous customs of Cordillera. Only over a decade-old, the Tam-awan Village boasts seven Ifugao huts and two Kalinga huts which were transported from the Cordillera region to Tam-awan where locals and tourists could view the houses and be educated of the culture of the tribes of the northern Philippines. These houses are available for rent to tourists who would want to spend a night in the artsy Tam-awan Village. Roniel brought us to the various huts and the view deck 1 where the coast of the western part of Luzon could be distinguished. “Tam-awan” means, literally, 'vantage point' because locals can see the whole landscape from the village’s location. Along the way, we saw a giant dreamcatcher which served to protect the entire village. We glimpsed a weird-looking tree and our guide told us that it was called the fern tree, with hook-like sprouts on its head. The marsh-like trunk was used to carve the fertility idol. What’s new with Tam-awan was the portrait-sketching which was located at the square where the galleries and the coffee-cum-souvenir shop could be found. Don’t miss to sit for a portrait and all the artists present will sketch your face. Tam-awan is maintained by the Chanum Foundation. Founded in 1996, the foundation took the lead in reconstructing Ifugao houses in Baguio and created a village that will provide travelers a glimpse of the tribal life. Its role is to nurture and care for the Tam-awan Village as a venue for art and cultural activities to enhance appreciation of the history, culture, and life of the Cordillera people.

Quick Tips:

Tam-awan is not very accessible by public transport, although there are a number of taxis that pass by, they come sparingly. It is better to let the cab wait at the entrance. It is a bit of a steep climb from the main entrance to the activity area. Thus, if you plan to go there, wear rubber shoes or slippers as it might get slippery at times. It is always wise to check the weather in Baguio to know the kind of things you need to bring along. Trust Baguio to offer cheap clothes when you forget to bring your jackets during the cold months or if you’ve left your summer clothes during hot season.

Best Way To Get Around:

Tam-awan Village is found in Pinsao Proper. If you want to commute by taking a jeep, look for the one with the sign Quezon Hill – Tam-awan Village or Long-long via Tam-awan which you can find parked at Kayang Street near the Baguio City Market. If you want to go by taxi or Tamaraw FX cab, direct the driver going past the Lourdes Grotto to Quezon hill to Pinsao Proper. Going to Baguio, it is more comfortable to take a bus from Manila (either Cubao or Pasay station along EDSA) than to drive a car. Since it’s a six-hour journey for a non-stop trip, you’ll find that you can save on time when you travel at night. Once in Baguio, there are so many taxis that can take you around. Don’t worry, most of the drivers are friendly and do not charge higher than the usual rate. But still, it is safe to be always careful.

Sipping hot, locally-brewed coffee in a roomful of paintings and native displays is an experience that is not common in urban Manila. Tam-awan Village’s coffee shop is beautifully located at the heart of the art haven near the open court.

Greeting visitors on both sides of the door are solar drawn sketches of mountains and rice terraces. There’s a secret behind those paintings—each frame hides several images of women. If you want to take part in this mind-boggling art, try unlocking the mystery behind these paintings to satisfy your curiosity before you attend to your gustatory needs. The coffee shop also offers meals that have egg, red rice, meat, and a hot beverage for less than US$2. For these meals, reservations are required since they have to prepare the meals before hand.

You can also find shirts, souvenir items, paintings, and other stuff that you can buy in the coffee shop. The Tam-awan Village coffee shop is also run by the Chanum Foundation that aims to protect and promote the indigenous customs of the Cordilleras.

Ani, in Filipino, literally means “harvest”. Filipinos, since time immemorial, puts emphasis on their association with their land. And, with the Philippines being a tropical and agricultural country, harvest time has always been a cause of celebration. Since locals get to experience the dry season with cracked land and brown plants, a rich harvest is something every family in the countryside looks forward to. The northern part of the Philippines has always been the country’s rice granary. Even the rugged mountains of Luzon have been transformed to steps of rice paddies which are more popularly known as rice terraces. The Dingras town in Ilocos Norte celebrates the Ani Festival every March with festivities, music, and color. Promoting the local culture of the northern people, Tam-awan Village pays homage to this festival by making it its theme for March. A large signage of “Ani Festival”, with a life-size figure of a man riding a carabao made of hay displayed, greets us at the entrance. Scarecrows and other highlights of the festival are scattered all over the artist village. For farmers, Ani Festival speaks of hope and a brighter tomorrow. For artists, it is the preservation of the culture of Filipino tribes. For tourists, it is a window to the farming and tribal lifestyle of the locals. Overall, it gives one a perspective of how people live life and enjoy it.

There are nine tribal huts erected in different vantage points in Tam-awan Village. Seven of those are from the Ifugaos and two are from the Kalinga tribe. These huts were few of the remaining tribal huts and were transported to Tam-awan Village where these huts will be maintained and their culture preserved. These huts are rebuilt by traditional artisans with the original materials, save for the roof with added new cogon roots. The huts were spread out in Tam-awan to resemble what a traditional Cordillera village looks like. Ifugao houses, like the Dukligan and the Anaba hut, are built without nails. Made of hard wood, the hut is elevated to about shoulder level with four posts. The posts have slabs a few inches beneath the floor to serve as rat guards. Traditionally, the ladders are detachable and are usually kept inside the hut when not in use. However, in Tam-awan Village, the ladders are a bit permanent since the huts are rented out to visitors. Kalinga houses, on the other hand, like the Bognai Hut and the Lucong, are octagonal in shape, which represent royalty. In front of the hut is a Dap-ay, an open-air meeting place, with a fireplace for the men. The huts can be rented by visitors where they can stay overnight. A person can rent it for P500 (about $10) while two persons can rent it for P900 (less than $20). But P200 (over $4) is charged for every extra person. For groups consisting of 10 persons or more, each person is charged P250.

It must have been my day because six artists were lounging at the sketching area waiting for anyone to avail of their services when I passed by. I inquired how much it would cost to have my portrait sketched and they just pointed me to a small box at the counter. “Just a donation,” they replied. I sat down for about 15-20 minutes and they started sketching my portrait. These artists, namely, Ged, Patrick, Alfonso, Alfred, Buddy and Bay-an, are regulars at the Tam-awan Village. They have been perfecting their craft and promoting the Filipino culture through their artists’ eyes. Each of them have different interpretations of my face as they focused more on the character and the aura they perceive from the person rather than on the technical light and shade details. Sure, they take that into consideration, but these artists draw not just with their hands and eyes but also through their heart and soul and how they connect with the person they draw. Good thing I chatted with them while they drew and I saw in the results, they saw and drew a happy person in me. I tried my hand on sketching while my friends sat down for their turn and realized it wasn’t that easy. So, I dropped my donation in the box. I saw that donations range from P150-P500 (less than $10) and put in my P200 bill. Only when I got the Tam-awan Village brochure that I learned it costs P350 for portrait sketching per artist. I felt guilty for giving them so little but when I saw the smiles on the artists’ faces, I knew they did it out of their passion for art more than for the trade.

Tam-awan is Baguio’s melting pot of nature, faith, and art. Many artists from various parts of the country go to Tam-awan as if it is an artist’s mecca. You’d find a figure of a fertility idol carved on a fern tree’s stalk or a Bulol on a post at the view deck. Human body parts are also carved on posts and doors of tribal huts. Try standing at the clearing in front of the coffee shop and bask in the beauty surrounding you: greens and reds from trees and plants, various images that depict the beliefs of the native folks, and paintings and sculptures that are beautifully hand-painted using various artistic mediums. Such harmony has always been a way of life of the ancient tribes in the region that has been passed on from one generation to another. Despite technological advancement and modern structures, Tam-awan is able to preserve the things that are held dear to Cordillera’s tribes—their surroundings, their beliefs and their expressions of life. Those who visit here will find that tribes believe that gods dwell in every place, including in trees and other natural resources. This is called animism. With such beliefs, they include carvings of their gods in their homes, in plants, and other areas where they usually hold activities. Some of the tribes carry this belief to the present but, for those who have been converted to Christianity, they still acknowledge that nature is life and a gift from God. Thus, there is a need to preserve and conserve it.