Apfo’or: Mayoyao’s Pride

Figure  1  Maybe as old as over two thousand years old

The Apfo'or burial tomb found only in Mayoyao, Ifugao is one of the reasons tourists wanting to see the beauty and pride of Ifugao should not let go visiting the place.

Tourists are only going to Banawe in order to see the famous Banawe Rice Terraces. But that’s a very big mistake because one is only seeing just a small part of the real rice terraces and missing a lot of history and tradition of the people, one of which is the thousands of years old burial tomb or known locally as the Apfo’or– anyway, blame it to the government’s department of tourism for their lack of advertisement to promote the whole beauty of the people of Ifugao.

According to Leandro, the man who took us for a short visit around Mayoyao to show its pride, the tomb was created thousands of years ago by people who have large tract of lands and lots of animals as bases for wealth.

Each tomb is only used by the family clan who owns the tomb. From what I understood, the tomb is used from the father, wife, children and grandchildren. So, when a person has no children, there is a big chance it will not be used by him or her. Like what happened to a tomb made by a childless woman. The people used it for another family relative, a brother, because if the childless lady used it first, it cannot be used again because most of the clan members will want to have children, unless there are family members who will not bear a child.

There are still seven burial tombs remaining and they are located in different places of Mayoyao, usually on a higher ground. It is made up of selected stones put on top of each other and cemented with a special kind of soil or clay carefully collected by the builders.

The entrance of the tomb is covered by a wide large stone. Its height is tall and inside is wide enough so people can stand up and move and may accommodate about five to ten people.

An interesting practice is the corpse will not remain inside for a long time. When it already decomposed, the bones are collected and brought home and be hung beneath the house.

A coffin is not used for the dead, but the body is wrapped with sticks of pampas grass joined and knotted together. The body was then brought inside the tomb and left lying down. However, in a tomb where victims of killings were brought, the body will be left in a sitting position on the wall – probably as support – and be put lying down only when its death is avenged.

The tombs were built through “Bayanihan” or cooperation of the people of Mayoyao. The whole community helps, like carrying up stones from the river up to the mountain where the tomb is going to be constructed, bringing up foods, and cooking.

Figure 2  A supposed to be tomb for a childless woman

Leandro said that 100 bundles of grains of rice were brought up to the site where the tomb in the picture above was made, and twelve animals, particularly pigs, were butchered to be used in feeding the workers, and probably, for ceremonies held during the construction and dedication of the tomb.

Six of the Apfo’ors are no longer used but are being preserved for historic records and for tourists’ attraction while one is still being used until today.

Even though a few of the tomb’s dome already collapsed, and a budget has been set aside before for their repair, the owners didn’t want it to be touched due to some traditions that must be performed before anything is done. They need to butcher a lot of pigs to clean it and what probably stopping the families to do anything is the other works that go with the rituals. Leandro hopes that in the near future something will be done to overcome the taboo of touching them without so many sacrifices so that the original structure will be retained and strengthened and be preserved for the next generations to see their culture of the old days.

Figure  3  The replica of the original Apfo'or

One of the things that the government of Mayoyao did to give the next generations a glimpse of the original apfo’or was a built replica of the original tomb; however, it is made up of cut stones and cement was used in contrast to the original stones and clay that were used in the original. If I had my say, they should have built the Apfo’or replica using original materials, since the stones and clay are not that expensive, to give it a more realistic look. Then label it as “For Art and History” or anything like it to avoid the pains of butchering pigs for its maintenance.

The Bests of Mayoyao, Ifugao

One of the places we went to visit in Ifugao is Mayoyao. A two and a half hours drive going up from Alfonso Lista, where one can find Magat Dam, and two hours’ drive coming back. Thanks to the goodness of our friend Edna Dulnuan Natuno who took the pain of convincing us with my two companions – Rakel Sonim, and Jenny Acosta A.K.A “Lhayad” - to stay another day to visit Mayoyao and driving us to the place.

On the way up to Mayoyao, one can have a view of the vast forested mountains of Ifugao. By the invigorating views alone, one can say it is very much worth the time and expenses. Add to it the refreshing air as bonus and you’ll say it’s a never regrettable experience.

We did not have much time to explore the place, but we had enough time to see some of its pride, and listen to the stories of Leandro, the man who gave his time to accompany us to at least enjoy and maximize our time of visit.

Let share with you some of the images one can see when going there.  Just click on the image to enlarge or to view them all.

Figure 1  Before we went up to Mayoyao we first gone to the famous Magat Dam, one of the largest Dam of the Philippines

Figure 2 Magat Dam. This is where Electricity is being produced

Figure 3  Magat Dam.  The floating things are fish ponds and floating small houses. People goes there for picnics if you know somebody.  10 years ago, we went their to enjoy the water and fresh fishes

Figure 4  Going up to Mayopyao. Thick Forests along the way

Figure 5

Figure  6

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Figure  8

Figure  9  The Mayoyao Rice Terraces

Figure  10  The fields are being ready for planting, so, by the month of April onwards, the place will be green and is a good months to visit, unless, one wants to see and experience how the fields are being prepared MANUALLY without using machines.

Figure 11  Mayoyao Police Station

Figure 12  Stores along the way to the center

Figure 13   One can conclude that Mayoyao is a Place of  "House Thousand Pyramids" due to the way their traditional homes are made.  The house now is mainly used as an storage or Alang in their local dialect.

Figure 14  Still in Mayoyao but outside of the center

Figure 15  Mayoyao Museum.  Just not lucky day because it was closed.  However, it says everything inside is for your eyes only.  "No Picture Taking"

Figure  16  A Hostel is located in one of the high mountains where you can have a look at the beautiful views of the terraces.  It's about 10 minutes ride from the center

Figure  17  A replica of the Apfo'or(Burial Tomb)

Figure 18  Just some remembrance to say "We were there"

Figure  19  The hostel is ready to accommodate you

Figure 20-23  This and the following images are just some things to remove your anxieties as you traverse up and down the mountains going to Mayoyao

Figure 21

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Figure  23  Aguinaldo One of the places to pass by before reaching Mayoyao

Figure 24  According to the woman who owns this house, "This is our farmhouse." The people of Mayoyao's practice is to build their homes next to their farms which explains houses in the middle of their rice terraces.

Okay, folks, there are more images to share but I rather invite you visit the place.  The things I uploaded here are just some of the things you'll see.

Leandro wanted us to go visit their three beautiful falls, and the last place(At the top of the Mountain) where the Japanese soldiers and Ifugao fighters fought but this visit was not planned at all, so, we reserved it for the next visit. See you there!

Bongsos: Another Special Igorot’s Food Delicacy

One of the Igorot’s favorite is a salted pig’s intestines, lungs, liver, and heart. This delicacy is only prepared occasionally during weddings, house blessing the traditional way, and other traditional practices that require the butchering of pigs.

On the first day of the occasion when they butcher pigs, the large intestines to the rectum(The part called Bongsos) and some small intestines are salted, with some liver, and also the lungs.

Cooked Bongsos

On the third day, a native chicken(chicken that ate natural foods on the ground) is butchered and cooked together with the salted intestines and etag(salted fats of pigs cured under the sun or over a cooking place where firewood is used, for many days or months).

Etag = Pig fatty parts being dried using heat and smoke from a firewood

Family members, relatives, neighbors, and friends come to partake at breakfast, and lunch during the bongsos day.  When there are plenty of it, everyone who came will be given some pieces of the cooked intestines to take home.

Meticulous salting of the intestines is essential to achieve the taste and smell required for a perfect bongsos. Not enough salt will result to a decaying smell destroying its lovable aroma and tastes, and excessive salt will make it lost its softness and good touch when it’s chewed.

If you ask me which to compare the aroma and taste, I will give the fresh salted “labahita”  or unicorn fish as the closest to compare with.

Again, the trick to make a perfect bongsos is to clean the intestines very well with running water to remove all the solid wastes and dirt and be careful to not let it drop on the ground else you’ll have a gritty bongsos. Next, put in a wide basin, large enough to mix salt well with the intestines. Reminder:  Do not cut the intestines; just leave it like when it was washed.  Cut it only when it is cooked and ready to serve.

The salt must be enough to get the saltiness needed and to avoid the intestines become spoiled. 1/4 - 1/2 kilograms of salt I think is enough for the intestines of one large pig (enough practice can make it perfect). After mixing with the salt, put inside a big container, size is according to the amount of salted intestines.  Then cover it tightly and put it in a corner away from the light of the sun or heat. Wait for the third day or at least 48 hours before opening it.  I say on the third day because the elder leaders said so, that, the day the pig was butchered is counted as the first day, the following day as the second, and the following day as the third day.

Leaving the bongsos longer than three days or 60 hours will make it become very soft and easily fall to pieces when cooked which make it not so desirable to eat. Thus, aside from the preparations, the timing of opening and cooking the bongsos is very essential for its perfectness. Also, the parts that taste best are the large intestines, rectum, and the stomach.

To cook it, just put a lot of water in a large pot depending on the amount of intestines and chicken meat, and the etag will be cooked. Don’t worry about putting so much water because the bongsos is very salty. There’s no need to wash it again, though it can be done to reduce its salt. Some cook, let it boil for five minutes then throw away the water to remove some of the salt, then they add a new fresh water as the soup.

Now, put in the etag, salted intestines into the water and bring it to a boil. When the chicken is ready you can also put it at the same time. Boil for 20-30 minutes or more until all the meat are tender. Just check it once in a while to not overcook.  

Good Taste: The Best Restaurant of Baguio city

Have you ever gone to a restaurant where in you have to wait for tables to be vacated hoping it will be reserve for you?

Well, I hear you say you did, and I believe you because it happens many times in many small restaurants and eating places. How about if the place is two story building and can accommodate about 2000 people in one time eating aside from those people waiting for their orders to bring home?

Here in our place, Baguio City, there is a restaurant where in people line up to wait for their turn to have table when the first customers finished eating.

I remember the restaurant as a small café and restaurant with just about 5-10 tables accommodating only about 40 or less people at the same time. Then when I came back from abroad as an OFW, I was amazed to learn that the restaurant is now a well-known restaurant.

It is known for its not so expensive foods and is very family friendly that your few hundreds of pesos can feed your whole family with a number of 10 and can still have some left overs to be brought home. While in other restaurants, the same number of family members will need more than a thousand pesos to be fed well, and nothing is left but only the bones.



That is why today, when there are 4 or more people of us, we go to Good Taste Restaurant to have our meal. I love their “lechon beans” which is pork and beans’ fruits, and “Ginataang hito” which is cooked with coconut milk and mudfish. My children love the buttered chicken so much they don’t miss it each time we go to eat there.

So, if you’re a tourist, foreigner or from other parts of the country, Philippines, who is planning to visit the summer capital of the Philippines which is Baguio city, then I suggest this restaurant if you want to eat outside. The old One is found at the back of Center Mall next to the Dangwa station and the new other one is found near Burnham Park – a very spacious three story building. I believe there is no taxi driver who does not know the place, and one can ask anyone on the streets to point to them the way to reach the place.

There are also other good restaurants around and at the center of the city but nothing can come near to the satisfaction one gets eating at Good Taste.