Going Native: Cordillera Dress Proposal
December 28, 2008 by lisa
Filed under lifestyle & entertainment
We had some visitors a few days ago who came caroling in a most delightful manner — beautiful ladies who sang and danced and laughed and posed for photos. And suddenly I was reminded yet again of why I love Baguio.
Lovely Native (Igorot) Christmas Carolers
We could not really understand what they were singing, because it was in their native language, peppered with “Merry Christmas” in each stanza. And my whole household just laughed and clapped and asked them to sing again. The ladies obliged by rendering their song twice more.
And this got me thinking: since next year is the Baguio Centennial, maybe the City Council can enact a law that mandates that we residents wear native dress one day a week, like on Fridays. It would be so cool and colorful for 300,000 folks to pay homage to the rich cultural heritage of the Cordilleras.
There are other benefits to this proposal:
1. All the men will be in bahag!!! That should make the boys work on getting all buffed up.
2. It will spur a lot of income for the weavers and market vendors, as we will probably buy more than one tapis each, as a fashion statement. This may lead to the creation of even more original designs and colors.
3. A year-long activity like this one would promote a sense of community and pride for this melting pot in the Philippine north, so it will not matter where everyone hails from — just that we are all living in a tiny town and must work together to make it heaven on earth.
4. It is a good way to raise funds for the Centennial, too. Because I propose that there be a Php20.00 fine per person who does not comply. Of course the folks here will always have three options: [1] Wear a costume; [2] Not wear a costume, go outside the house and get fined; [3] Stay home on Fridays.
Um, maybe we should raise the fine for the men. I know a lot of them who’ll just pay the PHp20.00 weekly if just to avoid wearing the bahag. Ok, maybe we can stipulate that the fine goes up by Php10.00 PER violation so that on their 9th violation onwards it will start costing them Php100 and up already.
5. Of course tourists might come up a day early if just to see us in full regalia.
What do you guys think? Are you game about getting all costumed up each week?
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SEVERAL HOURS LATER:
Ok, I was just talking to some Baguio boys and they absolutely HATE the idea. Asked me to come up with a “watered down” version. Fine! The women can wear the tapis and the men can dress like Mayor Bautista — in some kind of a polo barong with a little woven thingy going down one side (which I personally think is too corny because it will make the menfolk look like Cafe by the Ruins servers — not that those dudes don’t look good).
I guess, with the original proposal, I managed to alienate 50% of my readership. Hahaha…
We just...
Having a day that makes us wear our native dress like the bahag and such is not really a bad idea. I for one agree that it will increase not only the profits of our local weavers but also strengthen our sense of pride in our ethnicity. We should be proud in wearing our ethnic clothes!
But the only problem in today’s society is that some people tend to follow the trend: “Kung ano ang uso” as they say it. Yet I find it funny when some people tend to “shy away” from wearing their ethnic clothes when it comes to occasions.
Ladies prefer to wear hanging t-shirts or very tight jeans and the guys prefer to wear their very loose t-shirts and very loose jeans. And going to the point of analysis, you ask them: “Why do you wear what you wear?” They say: “Because It’s cute/sexy, or it shows the contours of my body (muscular for the guys or slim for the ladies)”
In my point of view, if showing some skin makes you cute or sexy them why not wear a bahag? Why wear very loose jeans or t-shirts just to show that you have a big body? just take it of and show you body, plain and simple.
Others may say that: it’s for the “gangster” look or for the “smoking hot” or whatever kaekekanchuvablablawhachamacalit look. Yes, I know but rather than going to the saying that people wear something so that they belong in a group, in rather say they are wearing that kind of clothes because they like it. It is less humiliating that way to both their intelligence and look.
PS: Love the remake of the Site Lisa. Much more easier to navigate.
Hi Acid Rayne,
“Ladies prefer to wear hanging t-shirts or very tight jeans and the guys prefer to wear their very loose t-shirts and very loose jeans.” — so true!
Thanks for agreeing. I think the city and its residents should really lay the ethnicity on very thickly. We’re desperately trying to look like Quiapo instead of Igorot Village Showcase. Tsk, tsk.
That’s why the call was for an ordinance, to make it compulsory, because the hordes from the lowlands may not comply. But we can also start with ourselves, law or no law.
Now where can I get a headdress like the ladies’ in the photo above?
Cute!! Nice tourist attraction. I remember a place, a small village in northern Taiwan where the locals look, dress and move like our Cordillera brothers. They are very proud of their heritage, and they are hit with foreign and domestic visitors. But, they do not have a kill-joy traffic there, same that happened to us last Dec. 27. We were stuck for hours going-up to Baguio. Worst, we were not able to go around the city because of the traffic mess. “Poor execution will always kill great plans.”
Hi Edgar,
It seems EVERYONE headed for Baguio after Christmas! This season is different from the others — it used to be that the visitors were split in 3 groups: Dec.23-26, Dec. 26-29/30, Dec. 29/30-Jan.1/2. But this year, with Christmas Day being near the weekend, only Dec. 26-29 was popular (I know this because I run a B&B and all our inquiries and bookings were heaviest for these dates).
Honestly, the city KNOWS this. That we get more visitors on these dates than Holy Week itself! Whole families with little children for that “roasted marshmallow” Christmas drama. And spending tourists, too. Not the “Pistay Dayat excursionists” from the lowlands who come up and cool off for the day.
But they have traffic assistance groups set up only in the summer. Plus there’s a trial re-routing scheme that only we residents are familiar with, and not the visitors. While it works during the school year, it should probably be made normal during holidays. Plus that useless flyover at the BGH rotunda now only causes more traffic than it eases things up!
Please accept my apologies on behalf of Baguio. Sadly, some people in the administration really want to focus more on the diploma mills than tourism.
But we just have to keep trying to make it better …
Back to the post — in Thailand, they dress in yellow on Mondays for their King, if I am not mistaken. We should really get into the spirit of things. And not just in Baguio, mind you, in some of our family gatherings we are required to wear Filipiniana. Why not dress up once a week for the Philippines? That would be lovely!
dressing up would be fun and festive.
Marie,
You and me first, every Friday, then we get Nico and Louis to wear a bahag!
Hello Lisa!
“All men will be dressed in bahag.” Wow! that’ll be prime photo opps! I’m such a butt person, hahaha….
Belated Merry Christmas and I hope you have a happy and healthy New Year! Love the new layout.
Nice and cool idea. A perfect way to boost tourism! And since next year is Baguio Centennial, a lot of visitors will be going up there…and oh, yes, maybe we could also wear that colorful outfit too!
PS..i missed some of your articles since i don’t have internet service for the past 3 weeks. I like your new web design much more than the previous one. Happy New Year!
I’m game! When I get home! See you then!
Hi Tina,
Yup, better than their oversized shirts and shorts. Show me some skin (and I don’t mean armpits visible from basketball jerseys)!
Welcome back, Lalaine!
Tourists who want a photo in native Cordillera dress can get “outfitted” for picture taking at Mines View Park, complete with shield and spear for the men, for just Php20.00. Native outfits available at the Baguio City Market at super reasonable prices.
Marie,
I’ll bring out na my old tapis — bought one 20 years ago — and find a matching head dress and top.
I second the motion… I’ll be more than willing to initiate a catwalk for everybody along Session Road.
Oohh, I’ve been rarin’ to wear snake bones over my head but had been prevailed by fear of being criticized by the true-blue indigenous people.
The Centennial is a grand excuse for non-natives not only to appropriate for themselves their host’s culture but also get immersed in it…
Game — you, me and Marie every Friday. I’m sure Dom-an has more outfits than we do. That just leaves Grace to opt in for Baguio PAGASA’s first batch.
How often does Jack wear his bahag? Nico only wore his once, down Session Road for the Mountain Peoples Tribal Assembly (MOPTA) peace initiative but he says his body was awesome then. Hahaha!
Well, I see an uber-white American walking around town in full regalia and no one’s complaining. The true-blue indigenous people would (or should) be totally flattered. Come on, even they have shed their colors for jean jackets. It’s time to bring color back to Baguio.
that would be so much fun…. instead of getting rotten in their closets, those native attires should be put into good use. Why don’t add the playing of gongs and dancing…. that would make a canao every friday.
Hey Bok, I LOVE the idea of a canao every Friday!!!
Actually we were talking about how we wished that instead of seeing a slew of illegal vendors on Burnham Park, or just posing for photos with the natives at the entrance of Botanical Garden, that the city should maybe mount cultural shows weekly for the students and tourists to attend.
Why should the city be the one to mount it? Because it encourages tourism and education at the same time. Because of course the funding must come from somewhere and it is the city that stands to gain (income from increased revenues from businesses in general) from it.
Honestly, we should celebrate wonderful culture of the Cordilleras every single day. It bugs me how the natives have always been made to feel the being “Igorot” was not something to be uber-proud of.
Hi,
.
the man in bahag would be a nice tourist ataction for sure, especially female tourists
I am looking for a bahag for myself. maybe you could help me out with an online-shop that sells them in a good quality an best if they buy them for a fair price from the producer or are sold by the producers them selfs.
Thank you!