Date: 18/06/2015
Entry Writer: Alasdair Chi
Entry: #1, Symposium at the National Museum of the Philippines
Today was the first day proper of the programme, where we had to get up and finish breakfast by 7 to make it in time for a symposium concerning the Ifugao Rice Terraces held at the National Museum of the Philippines, Manila.
After a long and mostly plodding minivan journey we finally made it to the National Museum, whereupon the symposium began with an explanation of the broader context of rice terraces across the world by Dr. Glenn Stone of Washington University; both rice and terrace farming were proposed as exceptions to Boserup's sliding scale of agricultural intensification at the expense of efficiency (i.e. labour per calorie) being the product of population pressure. Rice was experimentally determined to be efficient despite intensification and terraces were deemed to have such a permanent effect on the landscape that "reversions" to less intense farming would lead to catastrophic terrace failure; hence, rice terraces transformed the sliding scale into an irreversible trajectory.
Subsequent lectures by Marites Tauro of the National Museum and Dr. Leah Abayo elaborated on the context of anthropological and historical sources concerning the wider Ifugao region, such as the collection of highland material culture and documentation of Hudhud ceremonies prior to planting of crops, along with ethnography concerning containers to elucidate patterns of pottery exchange. Historical sources were placed in their historical context of selective focus based first on colonial interest and increasingly elaborate understandings of the intricacies of the various groups in the "collective" Ifugaos and their habitation and granary practices, also noting the resilience of Ifugao traditions.
Dr. P Bion Griffin of the University of Hawaii-Manoa further discussed the evolving understandings of the Cordillera peoples and their terraces, where the highland peoples were initially dismissed by Spanish colonialists as infidel savages either to be converted or killed, to the study by Jesuit priests and the exotification of the Ifugao people by the seminal American anthropologist Dean C. Worcester, who perceived them as a superior "noble savage" people to the lowlanders. The effects of ethno-linguistic classification in creating divisions was also mentioned, and newer attitudes and theories incorporating archaeological and indigenous views.
Among these views were traditional cultural perceptions of rice, its cropping and harvesting and its consumption among Filipinos, discussed by Prof. Jesus Federico Hernandez III of the University of the Philippines (Diliman). While rice is a staple for most Asian nations, Filipinos imbue certain spiritual and cultural beliefs into it, including religious taboos concerning wastage (along with the "Christianization" of such beliefs through San Isidiro Labrador) and its role as a symbol of the labour of the working classes in protest songs.
A lunch break sadly devoid of rice followed. The Heirloom Rice project, led by Dr. Casiana Veracruz and Dr. Ruben Miranda from the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, developed on themes of traditional (as opposed to lowland-imported) strains of rice and drives to encourage their continued cultivation, including scientific characterization and DNA analysis of these strains, geo-tagging and mapping their provenance and economic empowerment of farmers by putting them in direct contact with markets and awareness campaigns around the nation.
Prof. Stephen Acabado of UCLA and Dr. John Peterson from the University of Guam produced the archaeological evidence concerning the longevity of the terraces and the new short chronologies favoured by these strains of evidence. Research aims of these investigations include a new methodological system to date terraces, which have proved notoriously difficult in this respect; studying the effects of European colonialism and climate change on internal migration and terrace development; measurable subsistence shifts and the ethnography of Ifugao archaeological practices. The new short chronology favoured by stratigraphic sequences suggests that while terraces may be as old as claimed, it was probably taro which was first planted on them, with rice being a fairly modern introduction due to the absence of rice cultivars and associated weeds up until the 14th century. Climate shifts such as volcanism and its effects on aridity and the Intertropical Tidal Zone were used to theorize on internal migration. These were not met without challenge from the ethno-linguistic record.
Representatives of the local Ifugao community, Ms. Esther Licnachan from the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples and an Ifugao native, and Mr. Marlon Martin from the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement, weighed in on these various issues, mentioning that the new dates did not severely affect the cultural and spiritual significance of the terraces, but the importance of their "heirloom" rice cultivars (purportedly gifts from the gods themselves) seemed to be overlooked in the overall picture, with high-yield imports from the lowlands regarded as "soulless" and undeserving of Hudhud. The shorter harvest cycle also had certain impacts on gender and social dynamics, and a call for greater respect and incorporation of indigenous views was made, with a suggestion for the next symposium to be held in Kiangan, to mark the 50th anniversary of the creation of Ifugao as a distinct province.
After closing remarks, we were returned to the hotel through trudging Manila traffic and had a hearty dinner. Thankfully the orientation tomorrow is only scheduled at 9am, giving us plenty of time to rest and recuperate. I look forward to being properly introduced to the team and the aims of this season's research tomorrow!
Entry Writer: Alasdair Chi
Entry: #1, Symposium at the National Museum of the Philippines
Today was the first day proper of the programme, where we had to get up and finish breakfast by 7 to make it in time for a symposium concerning the Ifugao Rice Terraces held at the National Museum of the Philippines, Manila.
After a long and mostly plodding minivan journey we finally made it to the National Museum, whereupon the symposium began with an explanation of the broader context of rice terraces across the world by Dr. Glenn Stone of Washington University; both rice and terrace farming were proposed as exceptions to Boserup's sliding scale of agricultural intensification at the expense of efficiency (i.e. labour per calorie) being the product of population pressure. Rice was experimentally determined to be efficient despite intensification and terraces were deemed to have such a permanent effect on the landscape that "reversions" to less intense farming would lead to catastrophic terrace failure; hence, rice terraces transformed the sliding scale into an irreversible trajectory.
Subsequent lectures by Marites Tauro of the National Museum and Dr. Leah Abayo elaborated on the context of anthropological and historical sources concerning the wider Ifugao region, such as the collection of highland material culture and documentation of Hudhud ceremonies prior to planting of crops, along with ethnography concerning containers to elucidate patterns of pottery exchange. Historical sources were placed in their historical context of selective focus based first on colonial interest and increasingly elaborate understandings of the intricacies of the various groups in the "collective" Ifugaos and their habitation and granary practices, also noting the resilience of Ifugao traditions.
Dr. P Bion Griffin of the University of Hawaii-Manoa further discussed the evolving understandings of the Cordillera peoples and their terraces, where the highland peoples were initially dismissed by Spanish colonialists as infidel savages either to be converted or killed, to the study by Jesuit priests and the exotification of the Ifugao people by the seminal American anthropologist Dean C. Worcester, who perceived them as a superior "noble savage" people to the lowlanders. The effects of ethno-linguistic classification in creating divisions was also mentioned, and newer attitudes and theories incorporating archaeological and indigenous views.
Among these views were traditional cultural perceptions of rice, its cropping and harvesting and its consumption among Filipinos, discussed by Prof. Jesus Federico Hernandez III of the University of the Philippines (Diliman). While rice is a staple for most Asian nations, Filipinos imbue certain spiritual and cultural beliefs into it, including religious taboos concerning wastage (along with the "Christianization" of such beliefs through San Isidiro Labrador) and its role as a symbol of the labour of the working classes in protest songs.
A lunch break sadly devoid of rice followed. The Heirloom Rice project, led by Dr. Casiana Veracruz and Dr. Ruben Miranda from the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, developed on themes of traditional (as opposed to lowland-imported) strains of rice and drives to encourage their continued cultivation, including scientific characterization and DNA analysis of these strains, geo-tagging and mapping their provenance and economic empowerment of farmers by putting them in direct contact with markets and awareness campaigns around the nation.
Prof. Stephen Acabado of UCLA and Dr. John Peterson from the University of Guam produced the archaeological evidence concerning the longevity of the terraces and the new short chronologies favoured by these strains of evidence. Research aims of these investigations include a new methodological system to date terraces, which have proved notoriously difficult in this respect; studying the effects of European colonialism and climate change on internal migration and terrace development; measurable subsistence shifts and the ethnography of Ifugao archaeological practices. The new short chronology favoured by stratigraphic sequences suggests that while terraces may be as old as claimed, it was probably taro which was first planted on them, with rice being a fairly modern introduction due to the absence of rice cultivars and associated weeds up until the 14th century. Climate shifts such as volcanism and its effects on aridity and the Intertropical Tidal Zone were used to theorize on internal migration. These were not met without challenge from the ethno-linguistic record.
Representatives of the local Ifugao community, Ms. Esther Licnachan from the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples and an Ifugao native, and Mr. Marlon Martin from the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement, weighed in on these various issues, mentioning that the new dates did not severely affect the cultural and spiritual significance of the terraces, but the importance of their "heirloom" rice cultivars (purportedly gifts from the gods themselves) seemed to be overlooked in the overall picture, with high-yield imports from the lowlands regarded as "soulless" and undeserving of Hudhud. The shorter harvest cycle also had certain impacts on gender and social dynamics, and a call for greater respect and incorporation of indigenous views was made, with a suggestion for the next symposium to be held in Kiangan, to mark the 50th anniversary of the creation of Ifugao as a distinct province.
After closing remarks, we were returned to the hotel through trudging Manila traffic and had a hearty dinner. Thankfully the orientation tomorrow is only scheduled at 9am, giving us plenty of time to rest and recuperate. I look forward to being properly introduced to the team and the aims of this season's research tomorrow!
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