Information About Culture of Cordillera Autonomous Region Free Essay Example

The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is a region in the Philippines composed of the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province, as well as Baguio City, the regional center. The Cordillera Administrative Region encompasses most of the areas within the Cordillera Central mountains of Luzon, the largest mountain range in the country. It is the country’s only land-locked region. The region is home to numerous indigenous tribes collectively called the Igorot. Culture

The Cordillera region is known for its unique musical instruments including the gangsa kalinga, nose flute, bamboo flute, buzzer, bangibang, tongatong, diwdiw-as, saggeypo, and bamboo zither.

The region also has various festivals. They include:

* Panagbenga Festival
Panagbenga Baguio Flower Festival which is celebrated in February. The festival focuses on Baguio as the Flower Garden City of the North. Highlights include flower exhibits, lectures, garden tours, floral competition and a parade of floats. * Adivay Festival

Adivay festival in Benguet which means “coming together of people to celebrate” is celebrated every month of November.

The month-long activities highlights the Agro-industrial and trade fair which showcase the different products of Benguet. * Ullalim Festival

Ullalim Festival/ in Kalinga which is celebrated every February 14. It is in celebration of the founding anniversary of the province and the Peace acts called Bodong. It is the poetic expression of the heroic exploits, romance, joys, successes as well as tribulations, and the way of life of the Kalingas from birth to death. The Festival highlights the weaved clothes (laga) exhibits, world class coffee beans and other products of Kalinga.

* Lang-ay Festival

Lang-ay Festival in Mountain Province celebrated every April 7. This is a
week-long agro-industrial trade, tourism and cultural fair with tribal dances and songs. Lang-ay is a native term which describes the tradition of the people of Mountain Province to celebrate festivities, share happiness, foster family solidarity, hospitality and nurture friendship – all with a toast of home-brewed wine. * Matagoan Festival

Tabuk Matagoan Festival which features G-String marathon (runners wear G-String only), cultural dances and songs. The festival showcases the different products of tabuk coming from the different parts of Kalinga such as the aromatic Kalinga coffee.

REGION 2
Region 2 It is composed of five provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. It has four cities: industrial center Cauayan City, its regional center Tuguegarao, its investment hub Ilagan City and its Premier City Santiago City. Most of the region lies in a large valley in northeastern Luzon, between the Cordilleras and the Sierra Madre mountain ranges. The eponymous Cagayan River, the country’s longest, runs through its center and flows out to the Luzon Strait in the north, at the town of Aparri, Cagayan. The Babuyan and Batanes island groups that lie in the Luzon Strait belong to the region.Cagayan Valley is the second largest region of the Philippines in terms of land area Cultural Groups

The original people of Isabela, Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino are the Ibanags and Gaddangs. Many Ilocanos arrived and settled in the region. Now, the people of this region are mostly Ibanags, Gaddangs and Ilocanos. Ilocano is spoken throughout the region.

Different literary writing in the region
A. hudhud-The hudhud is recited and chanted among the Ifugao people – known for their rice terraces – during the sowing and harvesting of rice, funeral wakes and other rituals. B.

Region 3
Central Luzon is an administrative division or region of the Republic of
the Philippines, primarily serve to organize the 7 provinces of the vast central plain of the island of Luzon (the largest island), for administrative convenience. The region contains the largest plain in the country and produces most of the country’s ricesupply, earning itself the nickname “Rice Granary of the Philippines”. Its provinces are: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija,Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.

Region 4
CALABARZON is one of the regions of the Philippines. It is designated as Region IV and its regional center is Calamba City in Laguna. The region is composed of five provinces, namely: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon; whose names form the acronym CALABARZON. The region is also more formally known as Southern Tagalog Mainland. The region is in southwestern Luzon, just south and east of Metro Manila and is the second most densely populated region. CALABARZON and MIMAROPA were previously combined together as Southern Tagalog, until they were separated in 2002 by virtue of Executive Order No. 103. Executive Order No. 246, dated October 28, 2003, designated Calamba City as the regional center of CALABARZON. The largest city of CALABARZON Region and the second highly-urbanized city is Antipolo City, withLucena City being the first. CALABARZON is the most populated region in the Philippines, with a population of 12,609,803 inhabitants. The region is also home to a host of important Philippine historical figures, most notable of which is the Philippines’ national hero,Jose Rizal, who was born in Calamba.

Region 5
The Region V. Bicol (also spelled Bikol) is composed of four provinces in the Bicol Peninsula, the southeastern end of Luzon island, and two island-provinces adjacent to the peninsula.[2] The regional centre is considered to be in Legazpi City, Albay. Bicol Epic Poetry

From the Bicol province comes the Ibalon. The Ibalon narrates the story of the mystical origin of the first man and first woman known as Aslon and Ibalon. One story of the Ibalon is about Hiandong who was a great leader of warriors. His story speaks of his battles against a giant Cyclops for ten
months, his defeat of the winged Tiburon, the fierce Sarimao, and the seductive serpent Oriol. After defeating the monsters he builds his own village. His village prospered and soon, others invented the plough, harrow and other farming implements. In this epic, there is also an account of the flood story similar to that in the Biblical Genesis.

Mindanao Epic Poetry
The people of Mindanao were rich in literature that existed only in their minds and memories. Recently, these epic poems were put into writing so as not to lose this valuable inheritance from their ancestors. They can also be used as a source of knowledge by the public and the new generation. The Mindanao people referred to their epic poetry as Darangan which are similar to those of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. The Darangan also has stories about wars and abducted princesses, like the chronicle of the Trojan War. The Darangan is one of the oldest and longest Philippine Epic poems. Several nights are needed to recite the twenty five beautiful chapters. The Darangan, sung in its original, possesses such a sustained beauty and dignity, it might be studied for its aesthetic values alone. The Darangan tells of the sentimental and romantic adventures of noble warriors. One of these heroes is a warrior-prince named Bantugan. Prince Bantugan is the brother of the chieftain of a village called Bembaran. Bantugan is capable of rising from the dead and he owns a magic shield that is protected by divine spirits called “Tonongs”. One conquest of Prince Bantugan is when he sets off on a quest and fights his enemies with the use of his magic Kampilan (Native sword). He grows tired from the battle and falls into the water. While he is unconscious, a crocodile gets hold of him and delivers him to his enemies. When he gain consciousness, he escapes his captors in an oarless ship while battling his enemies.

Maranao Epic Poetry
The Maranao people have their own epic heroes who are popularly known in the Philippines. These heroes are Indarapatra and Sulayaman. The Maranao epic talks about the tale of Emperor Indarapatra of the kingdom of Mantapuli. The emperor kills the monster that has been terrorizing his kingdom with the use of his spear that magically transforms into a boomerang. Ilocano Epic Poetry

The Ilocanos had their own pre-Hispanic epic. One of its epic is the famous Biag ni Lam-Ang (Life of Lam-Ang.), which is believed to have been written by many authors. Like all the epic poetry found across the nation, Biag ni Lam-Ang was put into writing in 1640 by the father of Ilocano poetry, Pedro Bukaneg. The story of Lam-Ang is about a hero who can talk immediately after birth. He picks his own name, chooses his own sponsor and requests his father’s presence. When he is barely 9 months old, Lam-Ang fought against the headhunters who killed his father. Once, as he is battling a sea monster, Lam-Ang is killed and eaten. He is reborn from the remains of his bones. He journeys to find the beautiful Ines Kannoyan whom he wants as his wife. He journeys accompanied by his pets, a rooster and a dog. Because of her beauty, Ines Kannoyan had many suitors lined up in her backyard. When Lam-Ang gets to her place, his rooster begins flapping his wings, which brings her house down. This amazes everyone, especially Ines. Then, Lam-Ang’s dog barks and the house stands up again as if nothing happened. Lam-Ang gives Ines two golden ships filled with treasures, and then he marries her. Visayan Epic Poetries

The Maragtas Chronicles of Panay is a history of rulers of the island from the time of the Ten Malay Datus (rulers) that settled from Borneo.

The “Legend of the Ten Datus (chieftains)” is a story about the forefathers of the Filipinos as well as the ten Bornean chieftains who escapes the cruel regime of Sultan Makatunaw. Datu Puti along with other nine chieftains plans to leave Borneo. They travel the ocean by riding their native boats as they ventured into the night. At first, the ten rulers and their families are afraid that they may not reach their destination and get stranded in the middle of the sea. But after quite some time, they are able to reach the islands of Panay where they befriend the natives called Aetas. The Aetas are quite friendly and decide to sell a piece of their land to the ten chieftains. The chieftains give the Aetas leader, Marikudo, a golden Salakot (native head piece). After this, the chieftains and Aetas live in peace and harmony. Bagobo Epic Poetry

The Bagobo tribe has an epic hero named Tuwaang or Tatuwang. He was a brave and strong warrior with various powers. The story of Tuwaang speaks of his journey to the land of Pinanggayungan while traveling by riding a lightning bolt. Here he meets the maiden of the Buhong Sky who is running way from Pangumanon, a very strong giant. Tuwaang and the giant fight but it is an even match. The giant cheats by using his magical powers and threw flaming bars at Tuwaang. The bars entwine around Tuwaang, so that the giant can get the upper hand. Tuwaang is able to remove the bars and uses his own powers to call the wind to fan the flames and let the giant be engulfed by his own flames. Other Epic Poetries

* The Sud-Sud of the Tagbanuas from Palawan
* The Dagoy, also from Palawan
* The Parang Sabil of the Sulu Muslims
* The Ulagingen and Selch of the Manobos
* The Panglima Munggona and Jikiri of the Tausugs
* The Ullalim and Gisumbi of the Kalinga
* Bidian of the Ibaloys
* The Panay-Bukidnon’s Labaw Donggon
* Agyu of Bukidnon.
* The Diawot of the Mansaka
Region 6
Western Visayas Region VI. It consists of six provinces; Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz,Guimaras and Iloilo and 16 cities making it the region with the highest number of cities. Iloilo City is the regional center.Western Visayas is composed of six provinces and the highly urbanized cities of Bacolod and Iloilo.

the Hinilawod – the longest and oldest epic of the Hiligaynon people