Some about Philippine

Like an inverted string of pearls in the sea, the Philippines stretches 1850 kilometers north and south and forms a luminous border between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. No one knows exactly how many islands there are - erupting volcanoes are constantly creating new ones and sea waves are destroying more - so it simply means that there are "more than 7000". Only about 4,000 of them are inhabited. Many others are anonymous or have not yet been trampled on by humans.

Forty million people live on these countless tropical islands, speak more than eighty-seven dialects and belong to no less than eighty different ethnic groups! American, Spanish, Malaysian, Chinese and Arabic influences undoubtedly shaped these different and interesting people.

Few of us have the time and money to spend months getting to know the people and culture of another country. But who can stay here in the Philippines, even just one day, get a glimpse of life in the archipelago? Just a short drive from Manila International Airport, the eighty-seven-acre Ang Nayong Pilipino in the Philippines is quite simply.

A group of six charming "cities" represent the basic regions of the Philippines: Muslims, Visayan, northern Luzon, mountainous province, Bicol and Tagalog. Each city displays the architecture, landscape, arts and crafts found in a real city that is native to a particular region.

Colorful transport

When we enter the park we get a selection of typical Filipino means of transportation: kalesa and jeepney. Kalesa is a colorful carriage reminiscent of the time of Spanish rule in the 19th century. Although it is declining in favor of cars in big cities, recent fuel shortages and price increases have seen the increasingly mundane Kalesas return to narrow village streets.

But we're taking a newcomer, the jeepney. Jeepney gained momentum after World War II, when a shortage of mass transport vehicles was accompanied by a number of American military jeeps. Entrepreneurial Filipinos found that by adding a longer body with two long seats at the rear, they created a four-wheeled minibus that could easily handle the toughest muddy roads and rain currents. The passenger capacity of the small jeepney (people, animals and plants) seems unlimited. And it is often performed with wild devotion.

These homemade buses are easy to find, painted in colorful patterns and marked with colored labels such as "Forever Yours", "True Love" or "Sweetheart" on the hood, sides and fenders. . Inside, a biblical text can decorate the panel, such as B. "Prepare to face your God." When you add half a dozen colorful chrome mirrors and speakers, you get Jeepney, an exciting combination of practicality, durability and folk art.

Tagalog and Ilocos regions

Our jeepney here in Ang Nayong Pilipino first takes us to a replica of the Tagalog region in central and southern Luzon, the rice field in the Philippines. This almost flat, well-watered and fertile soil produces three urgent rice crops in one year.

When we get out of the jeepney, our attention is focused on several picturesque houses with thatched roofs built on piles one meter above the ground. Although heavy rains are good for growing rice, floods are common and skyscrapers keep the family and properties high and dry. The slats and floors as well as the large glass surface allow maximum air circulation, if not maximum integrity.

We climbed the stairs and went into a farmhouse. The ground sinks with each step. But after a few anxious moments, he discovers that the bamboo slatted floor does not break. Internal rice producers use the time between the three annual plantings and the harvest.The exhibit is a very beautiful, almost pure pineapple fabric made from pineapple and jusiduk made from banana fibers, elaborate embroidery, ceramics, and karabao or water buffalo skin. Beautiful native wooden tables and chests called narra (Philippine mahogany) are carefully encrusted with carob trees. This type of embroidery usually adorns expensive furniture stores around the world. The so-called “cottage industry” is so widespread that it has become one of the most important industries on the islands.

When you walk past a pond that makes noise when the ducks croak, you remember the main industry in the town of Pateros, Rizal: balut. Balut is a duck egg that is incubated for about two weeks and then boiled before hatching. Street vendors like to sell balut to hungry passers-by who like to eat the whole duck at once, including the feathers. Most Filipinos consider balut a delicacy, but few foreigners try it.

On the way to the Ilocos region, we will come across some of the over 300 varieties of Filipino bananas and the closely related abaca plant from which the famous Manila hemp is made. The hardworking and thrifty people of Ilocano, in the narrow valley north of Manila, retain the rugged, formal architecture of the Spanish era. The large house we see here in Nayon has been moved stone by stone from its original location in the Ilocano region.

Bicol region

A large-scale replica of the Mayon volcano at 2,438 meters dominates this area, as the volcano itself forms the Bicol region. Mayon is said to have the most perfectly formed cone in the world. In 1814, his explosive fury buried the entire town of Cagsawa under 6 meters of rock and molten lava, destroying several other towns and thousands of people. A lone steeple makes its way through the hardened lava to quietly remind us of this disaster. “Yes, the volcano is still active,” we say. The last eruption was in 1968, and like many of the other fifty Philippine volcanoes, it still gives off its fair share of steam.

Amidst the thunderstorm typhoon belt, high winds are such an important part of Bicolano's life that they joke that a storm isn't a typhoon if it can't smash a broken coconut. Winds are more feared than floods, so houses must be firmly anchored in the ground and be able to withstand typhoons at 125 km / h (200 km / h). Although storms inevitably destroy all but the sturdiest homes, the lucky natural Philippines collect few available building materials and start from scratch.

As we walk, we can almost imagine ourselves in one of Bicol's picturesque plantations surrounded by the king of tropical trees, the coconut. Even more precious than silver, the coconut palm is a cornucopia of good things for a Filipino family. The veins in the middle of the leaves form a beautiful gorse; The log can be a permanent bridge, a pole, or an inexpensive water pipe. The roots provide an abundant source of wood. The Filipina housewives even put half a coconut shell under a foot and spread it out on the wooden floor, creating a beautiful shine! Coconut shells make high quality pots, guitars, sculptures, charcoal, and utensils. Butter, soap and oil are made from coconut pulp.

Many farmers plant six coconut trees when a baby is born in the family. When the young man is ready for school, the trees begin to bear fruit, which pays the boy's school fees. As trees age, their fertile products give young people a good start in life.

Visayan State

At the heart of the archipelago are the fascinating Visayas, engaged in the prosperity of a growing sugar industry. 75 percent of all sugar grown in the Philippines is grown here, primarily on the island of Negros. The Spanish-style houses with lattice corridors give visitors a glimpse into the lifestyle of recent years.

Cebu's most densely populated island is the center of a vibrant historical past. In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan set foot on the nearby island of Homonhon. At first it was very well received, but high taxes quickly put an end to native hospitality. A battle between King Lapu-Lapu, the ruler of Cebu, and the army of Magellan resulted in the death of Magellan.

Cebu's most densely populated island is the center of a lively historical past. In 1521, the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan set foot on the neighboring island of Homonhon for the first time. At first it was well received, but high taxes soon wiped out local hospitality. A battle between King Lapu-Lapu, ruler of Cebu, and Magellan's army led to Magellan's death.

Later, Spanish settlers in Cebu erected a large cross to celebrate Magellan, who brought Western religion to the Philippines. Over time, superstition believed that the cross had healing powers. It still needs to be protected in a kiosk or shrine for religious fanatics who wanted a piece of the "miraculous" cross. Even today, those who believe in his powers pay professional dancers to light candles and dance in front of the kiosk. A replica of this famous landmark in the Visayan region is displayed here in Nayong Pilipino.

The mountain province

From the large island of Mindanao in the south, we headed for the mountainous province in the northern part of the island of Luzon. Here at Nayong Pilipino, it's just steps away. In the mountains of this province live a rustic group that with the cold of the mountain and the steep slopes created one of the wonders of the world: the famous rice terraces in Banawe. Hundreds of years ago, simple tools, hard work and patience carved rice terraces behind the rice fields on the almost vertical sides of the mountains, each irrigated by an intricate system of waterfalls flowing from a terrace. for the others. If we finished them last, they would be ten times as long as the Great Wall of China and cover more than half of the world route - 22,530 kilometers!

The house with a thatched roof in this area is built on four robust posts, of which a large wooden block serves as protection for rats. When the house manager is down, visitors are welcome. Then go up. Inside, a fire is lit, food is prepared and the family sleeps. During the heat of the day, they spend most of their time outdoors, weaving and chopping wood. Particularly popular are carabash sculptures and ancient war worms that are reminiscent of the days when headhunting was a part of life.

The house is small because the children do not live there long. At puberty, boys are transferred to male dormitories called Acts and girls to a separate dormitory called Ulog. Eventually an experimental wedding is organized, but if the couple is incompatible or does not have children, it will not be formalized. A formal marriage is only explained if everything goes well.