Abra in Colours: The Tingguians, Bamboos, and the Art of Dyeing

“In the forest, they don’t just see trees and plants. They see colours”

theberntraveler

Abra is a province in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) that is notorious for its records of election-related violence more than any other thing. Development is slow in this province and not much is really happening inside. It is, therefore, not at all surprising that this place is not one of those that would be in your priority of places to see in the Philippines: to mention that you are going to Abra to other Filipinos will surely invite some stare of judgment and even dissent.

What led us to Abra in July 2013 is to feature its “natural dye makers” — the indigenous highland people called Tingguians — for What I See travel photography show.

The view of Bangued, the capital town of Abra, from the top of the Cassamata Hill National Park.

Right after the storm: International photographer Francisco “Paco” Guerrero, the host of What I See…

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The Philippines through the Hands of Ten Filipinos

theberntraveler

A Tingguian bamboo split weaver in the province of Abra in the Cordillera Administrative Region. The Tingguian are a lowland tribe that traces their ancestry to the much older Itneg tribe of the highlands.

Hand of a Tagbanua bird’s nest (an expensive ingredient for an exotic soup) hunter holding a locally-prepared torch used to lighten up the deepest parts of the caves in Coron Island Natural Biotic Area of Palawan. Gathering bird’s nest is known to be one of the dangerous jobs in the world. The Tagbanua are sea-dwellers and are some of the first to occupy the archipelago.

A traditional healer performing “bulo-bulo” — a form of cleansing done by blowing a glass filled with water containing an amulet — to a patient in Siquijor island. This small island is notorious for its history of sorcery, witchcraft and the dark arts.

A Taubuid Mangyan showing a pipe he made…

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Tequila

As a Mexican, I have grown up around alcohol all my life. I grew up listening to stories of when different family members would get drunk and do something stupid. I even heard a story about my dad getting so drunk he started dancing around a sombrero. I remember as a kid my uncles would come over and tell me to bring them a beer from the fridge, and if it was a birthday or a big celebration, out came the Tequila.

Little did I know there is actually a place, close to where my parents are from, called Tequila. Tequila is located in the state of Jalisco between the Tequila Volcano and the Rio Grande River. It is part of a large blue agave landscape. The plant has been used since the 16^th century to produce tequila spirit and for the past 2,000 years it has been used to make fermented drinks. There are distilleries reflecting the growth of the international consumption of Tequila in the past few centuries.

Here we can see a blue agave plant or agave “pineapple.”

The Agave culture is part of the nation’s identity, and so is one of the most important cultural landscapes in Mexico. It is not only important for its natural beauty but also the cultural tradition it has kept alive for several centuries. The area isn’t just blue agave fields is also encloses urban settlement which offers proper living and working conditions. Together the landscape, haciendas, distilleries and the urban settlements reflect the way the landscape has been used and is still used to grow and process the agave plant and distil tequila. Only agave “pineapples” grown in the property are processed in the distilleries to be eligible for a Declaration of Origin.

There is a large landscape used for growing agave plants.

In the 16^th century when the area was conquered by the Spanish, they began experimenting with local beverages and distilled the agave fermented juice to make vino de mezcal. It wasn’t until the end of the 17^th century that the first formal distilleries were formed and the agave plantations began. During the 18^th century the liquor became better known and demand increased. Thanks to the creation of the Camino Real, transportation of the beverage became easier. And in 1795, Jose Maria Guadalupe Cuervo received the first license permitting the legal establishment of a mescal distillery.

Jose Maria Guadalupe Cuervo, better known on his bottles as “Jose Cuervo” has an extensive line of different Tequilas.

Even though there have been concerned about the over use of Tequila there is still a high demand for this fermented beverage. Religious authorities have been against its overuse but have been unsuccessful in their attempts to ban the drink. The mid-19^th had a growth in the growth of the Agave plant. Today there have been measure put into place to ensure there is a continued growth in production to meet the high demands of Tequila worldwide.

There are many different brands of Tequila.

My grandparents

When I think about my heritage I’m sad to say that I don’t know very much about my distant relatives or their traditions. When I think about what traditions and ideals my family has passed on to me I immediately think of my grandparents.

My father’s parents made their living farming. They taught their kids how to work hard and stay dedicated. I used to love visiting the farm when I was kid. It was so fun to run around in the fields when they were irrigating or ride on the tractor with my dad. I had no idea how much work it took to keep the farm in good shape. I saw it as a place of adventure and fun but now that I’m older I can understand how much my grandparent put into that place and I’m grateful for it. I’m grateful that they kept that farm and didn’t give up on it because now I have such fond memories of being there with my family. All those lessons my grandparents gave to my dad about working hard, putting your all into something you want, and not giving up when it gets hard have now been passed down to me. My grandmother lived much longer than my grandfather and she was able to give me advice and guidance through some of my worst years. She live through the Great Depression and it had a huge effect on her. She also wanted us to save everything and never waste anything. Although a lot of what she wanted to save was ridiculous I still think of her when spending money and it has helped me plenty of time to not waste money.

My grandmother Wilma

My mother’s parents have had just as much influence on me. Although I never met my grandfather on my mother’s side I have heard many stories about him. He was a pilot and he owned his own personal plane which sadly I never got to go for a ride in. My grandmother though, has lived next door to me almost my whole life and now she lives with my family. She has also been there for me and although she hasn’t endowed me with financial wisdom she has always given me unconditional love. She grew up with an abusive father and still managed to turn out the most loving and caring person I have ever met. I can remember when I was little running next door crying. She would hug me and whatever she had to say comforted me.

My grandmother Dorothy

I am so grateful for grandparents and the wisdom they have passed on to me, especially my grandmothers. I wish I knew more about my family tree past my grandparents and their family but I am none the less appreciative of what traditions they have shown me. And by the way, we are supposedly related to Sir Francis Drake because my grandmother’s maiden name was Drake.  

The Beauty in Greece

Traveling has always been something that I hope I can do when I am done with college or even study abroad. One of the places that has caught my attention is Santorini, Greece. Santorini attracts thousands of tourists every year because of its beautiful scenery. Basically, Santorini was the result of an eruption that happened around 1450 BC. The middle of the volcano sunk in and left many high cliffs making the island very unique in its geography. Though this volcano is now dormant it was once very active in the historic times. Something that I found very fascinating in how the residents of Santorini live, is their transportation around the island. Their taxis involve riding a donkey lead by one person to the destination of the customer. This is something that is really unique to people especially since in America and pretty much anywhere else we use cars as a main source of transportation. This make them unique in their heritage. For tourists, there is so much for them to see. The island offers luxurious hotels for many to stay in with beautiful views of the ocean. In certain parts of the island the beach has this orange- like color which is said to be very good for your skin. Another interesting fact that I liked of the island is that Greek people are some of the healthiest people around the world. They pile up their meals with vegetables and fruits and they also eat lots of fish. Of course, Santorini is best known for its signature white Cycladic houses that are lined up on the cliff tops. When the sun sets, it can be quite a beauty to see. And one day, I hope that I will be able to see this.

Things you may not know…

In this class I`ve seen many cultural and natural sites known for their impeccable architecture, history, and legacies that have made them worthy of being called world heritage sites. I often found it hard to choose one site to write or present on because they were all so beautiful and had such significant properties.In this blog I have chosen to write about the things that interested and surprised me, as well as some things that others may not know,about some sites that I have learned about. Some had interesting stories of the people who once occupied the area. Others intrigued me when I saw how the met the criteria for the world heritage list. These sites interested me so much that I just decided to do my blog on some of the sites that I have researched and read about during this semester and the fascinating facts and history of their heritage.

 

One of the most entertaining heritage sites that I researched was the Tahj Mahal. This buildings architecture and environmentally conservative abilities. The thing that stood out the most to me was the beautiful story that surrounds the building and made it famous as a symbol of love and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The narrative behind this architectural masterpiece is about Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan whose wife Mumtaz Mahal fell ill and died leaving him heart broken. As a symbol of their eternal love he had the monument built as a mausoleum and buried her body in it. He named the building the Tahj Mahal which means chosen one of the palace, whih is what Mumtaz Mahal translates to. When he died he was buried next to her at his request.

The next site that I thought was pretty cool was the sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests in Kenya. These forests were home to 11 separate tribes who relocated from Singwaya ancestral homelands to avoid conflict. They lived in piece in separate areas of the forest while preforming spiritual rituals. These rituals helped these forests meet the criteria of the world heritage list because of its significance religious properties. The forests are also seen as a defining characteristic for the identity of the Mijikenda people. Clearing and pathways that were left by the ancestral people of the original tribes help to connect the Mijikenda people with their past and give them a sense of “being in the world.” This helps to bring together the community and conserve their historical ancestry and cultural heritage.

Yosemite is an example of natural heritage. It is an extremely beautiful national park that I found interesting because I learned a lot about it in my earth systems science class. I went on a field trip to Yosemite and visited many natural landmarks like lower Yosemite falls, Mirror Lake, and the extensive forests. This natural site`s history is fascinating to me because of the way that most of it was formed. In earth system science I learned that the valley was once a huge lake, made from a melting glacier and dammed by a moraine. The unique formation proves its significance as a natural heritage site and has become a testament to its beauty.

The beauty and facts behind the history of these sites influences people throughout the world. It is significant to people who leave in the area and all tourist who visit the sites. The narratives, symbolism and natural properties contained by these sites are definitely worth preserving in order to astound generations who gaze upon their beauty and learn about their heritage.

 

 

Historic Center of Zacatecas

When I was 10 years old my grandmother and sister took a trip to go visit my great grandmother in Mexico. This was the first time that I had visited Zacatecas, which is the part of Mexico where my family is from. When we arrived, I was really taken back by the pretty buildings especially the cathedrals. The Center of Zacatecas is on the southern side of Zacatecas next to Grillo Hills; it is most known for the intricate architecture and where it’s placed on the land which is very steep providing captivating sceneries. The historic center of Zacatecas was inscribed onto the world heritage list in 1993 under criteria ii.) and iv.).

Brief History of Zacatecas

The Center of Zacatecas was established in 1546 when people had discovered silver in the area. The expansion of Zacatecas lead to the south where the first church was constructed and new houses lining the Arroyo del Plata which is now the main street of the Historic Center of Zacatecas. The mining town of Zacatecas was different from any other town because of the topography of it; the town was on a steep valley which made it hard to communicate within the mines and working locations. Because of the economic standing of this town in the early years of silver mining, it was easy for the spread of Christianity to also begin to prosper. The convent of San Francisco began to establish missions as far as California and Texas.

Mining History

Zacatecas is one of the towns in Mexico most recognized for being a mining town. It was a center of colonization and prosperous in silver mining as well. The center of Zacatecas reached its best years in the 16^th to 17^th centuries and began expanding in religious influences in the 18^th century. One well known mine is the Eden Mine which is now open for tours which would take visitors back to the times of historic Zacatecas. Mining was a big part of Zacatecas because it helped the town grow and it lead to more expansion like growth in culture and religion.

     

http://www.visitmexico.com/en/zacatecas-mining-history-mine-el-eden

Authenticity of the town

Due to the lack of economic prosperity that had been previously present in Zacatecas in the earlier centuries, very little construction or modernization has been done which has greatly helped the town with saving its history through the towns buildings and overall. The conservation of the buildings and of the center of Zacatecas in general has been closely monitored by the municipal of the town as well as private owners. The historic buildings have been secured by the Federal Law on Monuments and Archaeological, Historic and Artistic Zones of 1972 which is described in the UNESCO website as well as State government laws. Both the Junta de Monumentos and the Ayuntamiento and INAH are in charge of supervising that the site of the Centro of Zacatecas is well maintained.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/676

  

Heard and McDonald Islands

Since this is my last blog I decided to do a Heritage Site with a famous name “McDonalds!” Australia has always been a place of intrest for me and so I knew I wanted to do a site located there what made it easier for my is that I work at a McDonalds back home. The site of Heard and McDonald Islands are located in the southern Indian Ocean. These Islands are sub-Antarctic volcanic islands that cover about 658,903 hectaares. Both islands are unique wilderness that has been undisturbed by humans.

One of the Islands, Heard , is dominated by Big Ben which is in an active volcano that rises to a height of 2,745 meters. It is largely covered by snow and glaciers as shown in the picture above. Monitoring climate change is an important thing when it comes to this island. The change in climate affects the glaciers faster than glaciers elsewhere. In recent decades these glaciers have flunctuated dramatically and have retreted significantly.

The second island , McDonalds island is much smaller than Heard Island covering only 100 of the hectares. It is surrounded by several smaller rocks and islands. The volcano located on this island recently became active after 75,00 year period of being inactive. Because of the eruption, the island grew two times in size.

These two islands passed certain criterias to become part of the UNESCO World Heritage list. Criteria viii is amongst one of them. This is because the islands conatin great examples of on-going geological processess that occur in an undisturbed enviroment. Another criteria being crtierion ix. This criteria is covered by these islands because they are outstanding examples of representing on-going ecological, biological processes. It is the only sub-Antartic island that is virtually free of introduced species and modifications by humans.  It makes way for ecolgical research investigating plant and animal species.

The integrity of this island is big since they are the least disturbed sub-Antartic islands. Both islands are high in wildnerness quality. There have been unknown impact of commericla fisheries even though commerical fishing is no permitted within the property. Heard Island’s remotness and such harsh climate have made it hard and nearly impossible for humans to live on. The McDonalds islands however have had about two brief visits. These islands have been well protected which makes it more atracrtive to visitors. Not many places are well protected as this which makes it more important to keep these islands the way they are without human interaction.

 

 

With an Open Mind

Going into World Heritage at the end of January 2014 I admit that I was very close-minded when it came to other people’s heritage. I never thought there was much to it, and I never knew what it meant. In regards to the class, I imagined a lot different, I thought ethnicity. Honestly I didn’t realize the difference between culture, ethnicity, and heritage or why it mattered. I figured that if it didn’t involve me or where I came from it wasn’t important, but as I reflect, I don’t even know much about where I came from, or who did all the work for me to have such a great life. Turns out, every race, every culture, and every different heritage matters, and everyone is affected.

Recently there has been an ongoing issue in Africa, it has become widely known as the “Bring Back Our Girls” campaign. To give some background about a month ago over 200 Nigerian school girls were kidnapped by a group of African terrorists trained by the Taliban (though not related) in the midst of their finals. After weeks have passed the girls have not yet been rescued nor has there been an attempt. The terrorists have made it clear the girls will be used for human trafficking purposes, since they are useless otherwise. Young women studying to be chemists, doctors, and teachers deemed useless. If these young women are not recovered, a whole generation will be lost, a doctor who changes medicine, a chemist who creates a cure, and a teacher who educates students on the surrounding issues, all gone.

In eastern parts of the world men do not believe that women should be educated in any shape or form, their job is to be a wife, have babies, and make a happy home for their husbands. This story may sound somewhat similar, a while back a young girl named Malala Yousafzai was shot by terrorists belonging to the Taliban and has since become an activist, after being shot in her head she made a full recovery and vowed to never be silenced again. The most important thing to do is getting up and recovering. There are endless  “what-if’s” and  “maybes” but if these ideas aren’t put into perspectives, what is the point in going on in this world? If those girls are truly useless, what is the big deal? If those girls are just girls living in a third world country who cares? I do. Neither I nor you know if one of those girls can cure cancer or invent something life altering, but it’s important to treat them like they can. As privileged students we don’t stop to think, what if I was abducted with 200 other classmates during a final by a group of deadly terrorists, thrown into a human trafficking ring and nobody cares to save me? Sounds dramatic, but that is exactly what happened to those girls.

It is important that we all realize how indefinitely intertwined we are with the rest of the world, if one person is being oppressed and suffering, so are 50 other people. Whether it is one person in Japan or another in Utah reaching out to those alike and different needs to change from a random act of kindness, to just being a friendly neighbor. When one hurts, we all hurt. This class has opened my eyes to the different parts of the world that have suffered or are still struggling today. I cannot thank the educators out there enough for not only feeding my brain and allowing myself to change time after time, but also for helping the others, as Malala said “Education is our basic right.”

Shark Bay, Australia

Australia is one of the most popular places in the world, known mostly for its marine ecosystems. Australia has many exotic sites but one that really stands out is Shark Bay, located west of Australia. The popular Australian site is populated with hundreds of different species, ranging marine life to reptiles and amphibians. In fact, Shark Bay is most known for the following things: richest sea grass in the world, dugong (also known as “sea cow”) population, and the colonies of stromatolites. Aside from its high tourism, Shark Bay has inhabitants of its own; the population is just under 1,000.

Shark Bay was inscribed to the World Heritage List in 1991, although it’s beauty and popularity is evident, the site was recognized for its stromatolites population- also known as a “natural phenomenon” of the site. The stromatolites colonies are an amazing addition to the bay because they are the oldest known form of life in the world. The wild life within Shark Bay is stupendous, specialist have recorded over 250 bird species, 100 reptile and amphibians, and hundreds of fish species. Another important factor of the bay’s significance is that it is the home of 5 endangered species, which are maintained on Bernier and Dorre Island just off the coast of the site. The endangered species are: boogie (or burrowing bettong), rufuos hare-wallaby, banded hare-wallaby, shark bay mouse, and western barred bandicoot. It is told that human interference with the habitats may have added to the likelihood of species endangerment, being that new species, such as cats and foxes, were introduced to the islands of Shark Bay.

The photograph above is Dorre Island, off the coast of
Shark Bay and is one of the two islands on which the
endangered species live.

This is a shark bay mouse, one of the five endangered species taking refuge in the Shark Bay area

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The economy of Shark Bay relies heavily on three main industries: fishing, pastoralism (sheep, goat, and cattle grazing), and tourism. Although tourism is a major part of the economy, it is being carefully managed in regards with the recreation activities involving the water, such as boating. Ever since the site was nominated and granted to be on the world heritage list, reservation and restoration efforts began. Project Eden began in 1991 and is still continuing today. The projects main goals are to remove feral animals that were brought in, reintroduce native wildlife, and to expand their research, tourism and education. Their By expanding their research, the specialist will have more incentives to educate their locals and will have the ability to manage their tourism more effectively.

The picture is demonstrating the efforts being made for Project Eden, reintroducing the native animals, in this care the Banded hare-wallaby.

Another example of the efforts made for the reservation of Shark Bay environments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other to be added to the world heritage list, the Australian government and Western Australia had to reassure the committee that they would take responsibility of managing and maintaining the site. Shark Bay is not only big on its diversity of species but also big in size, which we can imagine would be tricky to manage as well as they have. In 1997, the Australian government signed an agreement to continue their obligations in regards to managing the site. The government has given the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population, and Community the responsibility of creating and executing plan to manage the site. The department is in charge of maintaining 2.2 million hectors, 70% marine ecosystems, and over 1500 km of coastline. In order to successfully manage their site, some things have to be sacrificed- such as land used for pastoralizing. Even though pastoralizing is important to the economy, the department has to give priority to the preservation of the land.

This is an image of the peninsulas and lands of Shark Bay.

Australia is a beautiful place with thousands of activities and places to see and if you have the privilege of visiting, you should definitely make an effort to visit Shark Bay. Its remarkable beauty and species should be enough to convince anyone of that but also by going you can receive knowledge and experience something wonderful. Being that it is the home of endangered species, who knows how much longer we will have to possibly get to appreciate the animals.

Here is a tourist feeding a dolphin in the shore of Shark Bay, one of the many activities available on the site.

This is a picture of the popular stromatolites in the Shark Bay waters.