Fire Mummies of the Philippines
We had a guest over the Easter weekend who wanted to go to Kabayan, Benguet and explore Baguio City before attending a seminar in San Fernando, La Union. When Ian showed me his Lonely Planet map, I immediately noticed that it was near the highest point of the Philippine Highway System on Halsema Road in the Cordillera Mountain Range. So I knew it was just a few hours away from Baguio and that a day trip was possible. What I did not know was that it is the location of the Fire Mummies of the Philippines.
Known also as the Kabayan Mummies, Ibaloi Mummies or Benguet Mummies, I had once watched a feature on Discovery Channel and they noted that the Philippines was one of the few countries in the world who mummified their dead. Only the Ibaloi tribe is known to practice mummification in the Philippines. The preparation of the mummies involved drying out the body of the deceased through smoke over a fire for many months. Then they were entombed in caves high up in the mountains of Benguet far away from the towns. In fact, to reach Kabayan would mean a 5-hour car ride and a 5-hour hike up steep stone steps.
Because Nico is half-Igorot and one of the most resourceful persons I know, of course he found a route that got them there in just 2 hours using a 1994 Nissan Altima Sedan plus 1 & 1/2 hour hike to get to the mummies. I couldn’t go with them because it was Easter Sunday and Atenara House was still packed with guests. When they got back, Nico stated very firmly that there was no way I would have been able to make the trip anyway because the steps were hundreds and hundreds of meters high and my poor sense of balance would not allow me to handle the climb.
And because neither Nico nor Ian are bloggers, I asked for their permission to publish their photos and videos and recount their adventure — and concerns about how unprotected the mummies were. Although the caves now have iron gates that are locked, it seems that once you get there, all you have to do is ask for a set of keys from the caretaker family who will very readily give it to you. Upon returning the keys, a donation is appreciated. It’s that dangerously simple.
You will see from the videos how easy it is to enter, open the coffins and take a look at the mummies inside. The coffins are made of pine wood and some of them are carved. The mummies are small because the bodies are mummified in the “sitting position” (with their legs and arms folded close to the chest). You may read more about the Fire Mummies here. It seems that many mummies have been stolen from their different locations in the mountains of Benguet in the early 20th century so that some of the other locations are kept secret. So far, we know of no decisive action that has been taken to regulate the viewing of these national treasures or to prevent their desecration. When Nico and Ian went, they were careful to handle the coffins very delicately and respectfully.
Ian said that he was surprised that I did not know about the Fire Mummies when he mentioned Kabayan. I told him I knew about the Fire Mummies but did not realize they were located so close to Baguio City. Nico thinks he will go back again and again, and is willing to take folks along with him, if just to make sure that the “tour” is handled very properly and with the same reverence for our heritage that Nico and Ian exercised on their trip.———-
Credits for this Post:
Ian Smith - for all the Photos (except those taken of him by Nico) & the video that he edited
Nico Cawed - for getting them there and telling me all about it in detail.
Chyn Molina - for recommending us to Ian last weekend
Hi Lisa,
great feature! hope to see this one someday. what happened to my comment about your Easter resolutions? just asking. thanks. joe
Hi Joe, there was not comment from you in my comment tray except for this one. I usually bulk moderate comments so nothing gets lost. Please resend if you still remember it. thanks
I also saw the mummies on Discovery Channel and have read alot about the curse of Apo Annu(the mummy that was legendary in giving bad luck to anyone who try to “own” him until he was returned to his resting place. Take note, he pretty much travelled the whole world being passed by one collector to another.
I just hope that people who visit the mummies will be as careful and gentle as Ian and Nico. Please take nothing but pictures as souvenirs.
I feel so strongly about respecting the dead and protecting the mummies in the Northern Philippines. I’m really shocked on how easy it is to gain access to the cave where the mummies rest. The gate is so flimsy.
Talagang resoureful, yung sedan ginawang 4×4.
Hi!
I’m mean, staff of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho. I’m very much interested with the fire mummy for our feature story. I think we’ll be needing your help to make our story more substantial. Please help me where to locate those fire mummies in Kabayan. My cell number is 09166250302.
Thanks alot! God bless you all!
HI Lisa and company! I am a senior student from UST High School. I have chosen this topic for my research in our English class. I am very much interested in these firemummies. I just wonder, how come they are very popular abroad while here in our very own country the topic sounds alien to them…
When my classmates ask me, “What’s your topic?”
I answer, “Fire mummies.”
They just shrug and I heard one say, “She’s a horror-thriller movie fanatic.”
They don’t have a clue what it really is.
Hi Tina
Nico IS the most resourceful person I know. He can find anything you need in Baguio and nearby environs, including the Fire Mummies — with a sedan, too!
Mean, would you believe I saw your request just NOW?! It must have been high season in Baguio when I bulk approved the comments — hahaha! If you’re still interested in doing a feature for your show, email me!
Welcome Melody! Maybe our countrymen don’t know much about it because the Ibaloi tribe has not wanted it know because of all the looting that went on in the past century — I’m just speculating of course. There’s more material on the web and you can actually visit them and their descendants are nice, friendly people.
Come to think of it, maybe there should be some kind of official, historical documentation and preservation effort that would keep these wonderful relics secure. Right now, anyone can just go up to the caves and move them around. Of course, this government would never dream of spending money on securing them — we Filipinos just like to be modern and build flyovers.
hi, just to seek information on whom to contact in guiding us to see this fire mummies. ( i mean, who knows the short cut )
hello,, my name is Christ, i have a lot of cousins in Kabayan and obviously i’m from kabayan..I noticed that you said ‘fire mummies”, this is my first time to heard that word, just want to know where did you get that stuff,?? some people say fire mummies but its better to say KABAYAN MUMMIES OR IBALOI MUMMIES..
How about the skeletons in Opdas Kabayan, haven’t you see that? or the highest mountain in the Philippines the Mt. PUlag.. thanks!
Hi Christian,
Since Discovery Channel did a feature on them a few years back and called them “Fire Mummies,” referring to the unique mummification process that shows an advanced culture, the mummies have been referred to by many folks as such.
Personally I hesitate to focus on their location (by calling them the K mummies or I mummies, although the post mentions early on that they are known by those names) or to be indiscriminate about letting folks know where they are because the caves are not well-protected. And we cannot risk anymore thefts or abuses of your relics.
Here, I merely recount Ian’s and Nico’s adventure. I have not had the opportunity to visit them or the other mummies elsewhere. Maybe when the communities decide for themselves how best to protect them, we can start geo-tourism in the area.
Till then, it may be best just to let folks know that the Philippines is one of only six countries in the world that has the ancient technology to mummify.
I think Benguet mummies would be the most appropriate term for that. For distinction..just like the “Egyptian Mummies”.
Hi Janice, good suggestion. I am personally in love with the Cordillera culture, cuisine notwithstanding, and hope to do a lot more features.