03/05/2011 - Hawaii-Filipino Chronicle

ature and traditions
N
We went to the
municipal hall
early next morning
to meet our guide
for the trekking and spelunking
tour. We chose a Php1000
(US$23) tour package and were
lucky enough to get a very clever
guide. In Sagada, most locals
speak English, not Tagalog, as
their second tongue; our guide,
in particular, spoke the language
very well.
He was about our age in his
mid-20s and looked very unassuming
in his worn-out clothes
and flip-flops. But when he
talked about the town’s natural
wonders and their tribal traditions,
he did it with such fervor
that even other groups of tourists
followed us around and listened
in on his lectures.
We passed by the Church of
St. Mary the Virgin (the local
Christian population is mainly
Anglican not Roman Catholic)
and the Echo Valley, where far
off in the surrounding limestone
outcrops, visitors can see the
hanging coffins of the deceased
members of indigenous tribesmen.
Our guide talked about the
elaborate funeral ritual which
ended in the hanging of the coffin
on a carved mountainside to
bring the dead’s spirit closer to
heaven.
After visiting similar burial
sites located at the mouth of the
nearby Lumiang Cave, we
headed off to the famous
Sumaguing Cave to explore its
beautiful stone formations. Our
150-foot descent into the cave
was a precarious one because we
had to tread on stones which
were slippery from the presence
TRAVELOGUE
Romancing
SAGADA
(Part 2)
By Gregory Bren Garcia
The Banaue Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
of water and bat guano. Fearing
I might contract fungal histoplasmosis
from the guano, I also
donned a face mask, just in case.
I’ll admit I became a bit apprehensive
upon seeing the dark
chasm into which we were supposed
to go, but my fears were
allayed when I saw that many
other explorers were also going
into the cave. The speed by
which those five-year-old kids
and their portly mothers traversed
the guano-strewn boulders
put everyone in our group
to shame. But their valiant spirits
also inspired and emboldened
us, and in no time, we too were
deep into the belly of Sumaguing.
Our guides illuminated our
path with petrol lamps so we
could see our way better. Nevertheless,
we still struggled on
our way down. We grasped
every nook, cranny, and jutting
rock, and crouched low to the
ground to avoid slipping. On
the contrary, our guides were
very surefooted and had nary a
trouble negotiating the slippery
rocks.
I was amazed by the cave’s
beautiful rock formations,
which resembled everything
from chocolate candies to
human genitalia. And the fact
that it took millions of years for
them to take shape made them
even more remarkable. Our
guides brought us to different
spots inside the cave, and we
spent a good amount of time
having our pictures taken or
resting our feet in the pools of
cool water that were all around
the cave.
If struggling down
Sumaguing Cave was tiring, the
ascent back to the top was
downright murderous. And because
we didn't book for any
pickup service, we also had to
walk back to town; by the time
we go there, our legs and lungs
were just about ready to fall off.
Trust me on this one: if pickup
service is available, make sure
to arrange for your hotel to collect
you after caving. I’m sure
that by the time you’re done
with your spelunking adventure,
the last thing you will want
to do is walk some more!
(continued on page 15)