Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras
Encyclopedia
The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List
in 1995. This inscription has five sites: the Batad Rice Terraces, Bangaan Rice Terraces (both in Banaue
), Mayoyao Rice Terraces (in Mayoyao
), Hungduan Rice Terraces (in Hungduan
) and Nagacadan Rice Terraces (in Kiangan
), all in the Ifugao
Province, the Philippines
. Built 2000 years ago and passed on from generation to generation, the Ifugao Rice Terraces reach a higher altitude and were built on steeper slopes than many other terraces. The Ifugao complex of stone or mud walls and the careful carving of the natural contours of hills and mountains to make terraced pond fields, coupled with the development of intricate irrigation systems, harvesting water from the forests of the mountain tops, and an elaborate farming system. The terraces illustrate a persistence of cultural traditions and remarkable continuity and endurance; archaeological evidence reveals that this technique has been in use in the region for 2000 years virtually unchanged.
Maintenance of the living rice terraces reflects a primarily cooperative approach of the whole community which is based on detailed knowledge of the rich diversity of biological resources existing in the Ifugao agro-ecosystem, a finely tuned annual system respecting lunar cycles, zoning and planning, extensive soil conservation, and mastery of a complex pest control regime based on the processing of a variety of herbs, accompanied by religious rituals.
but are not referred to as the Banaue Rice Terraces.
The Banaue Rice Terraces
refer to the cluster close to the Banaue poblacion
as seen from the viewpoint. Contrary to popular belief, these terraces are not part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. They were not included in the UNESCO inscription due to the presence of numerous modern structures, making it score low in the integrity criterion of UNESCO. The Banaue Rice Terraces are however a National Cultural Treasure under Ifugao Rice Terraces, together with the other rice terraces clusters.
were named as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre
in 1995. It has passed by UNESCO’s standards due to the blending of the physical, socio-cultural, economic, religious, and political environment as a living cultural landscape.
The Ifugao Rice Terraces have also been inscribed in the List of World Heritage in Danger on 2001 as the dangers of deforestation and climate change threatens to destroy the terraces. Another contributing factor is globalization
where the younger generations of the Ifugaos have recently had the opportunity to gain access to media and education, most of the younger Ifugaos have opted to come to the capital for work instead of the traditional farming tradition.
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 1995. This inscription has five sites: the Batad Rice Terraces, Bangaan Rice Terraces (both in Banaue
Banaue, Ifugao
Banaue is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ifugao, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 21,448 people in 3,952 households...
), Mayoyao Rice Terraces (in Mayoyao
Mayoyao, Ifugao
Mayoyao is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ifugao, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 16,722 people in 2,917 households.-Barangays:Mayoyao is politically subdivided into 27 barangays.* Aduyongan* Alimit...
), Hungduan Rice Terraces (in Hungduan
Hungduan, Ifugao
Hungduan is a 5th class municipality in the province of Ifugao, Philippines. It is bounded on the northeast by the town of Banaue in the east by Hingyon and on the southeast by the town of Kiangan. It borders in the south with the town of Tinoc, Ifugao...
) and Nagacadan Rice Terraces (in Kiangan
Kiangan, Ifugao
Kiangan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ifugao, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 15,448 people in 2,692 households.Locally spoken languages include Tuwali, Ilocano,Ayangan, Tagalog, and English....
), all in the Ifugao
Ifugao
Ifugao is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Covering a total land area of 262,820 hectares, the province of Ifugao is located in a mountainous region characterized by rugged terrain, river valleys, and massive forests...
Province, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Built 2000 years ago and passed on from generation to generation, the Ifugao Rice Terraces reach a higher altitude and were built on steeper slopes than many other terraces. The Ifugao complex of stone or mud walls and the careful carving of the natural contours of hills and mountains to make terraced pond fields, coupled with the development of intricate irrigation systems, harvesting water from the forests of the mountain tops, and an elaborate farming system. The terraces illustrate a persistence of cultural traditions and remarkable continuity and endurance; archaeological evidence reveals that this technique has been in use in the region for 2000 years virtually unchanged.
Maintenance of the living rice terraces reflects a primarily cooperative approach of the whole community which is based on detailed knowledge of the rich diversity of biological resources existing in the Ifugao agro-ecosystem, a finely tuned annual system respecting lunar cycles, zoning and planning, extensive soil conservation, and mastery of a complex pest control regime based on the processing of a variety of herbs, accompanied by religious rituals.
National Cultural Treasures
The five clusters inscribed as part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are Batad, Bangaan, Hungduan, Mayoyao Central and Nagacadan. Batad and Bangaan are under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of BanaueBanaue, Ifugao
Banaue is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ifugao, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 21,448 people in 3,952 households...
but are not referred to as the Banaue Rice Terraces.
The Banaue Rice Terraces
Banaue Rice Terraces
The Banaue Rice Terraces also called Payew, are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the indigenous people. The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to by Filipinos as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". It is commonly thought that...
refer to the cluster close to the Banaue poblacion
Poblacion
A Poblacion or Población, literally "town" or "Population" in Spanish, is the name commonly used for the central barangay or barangays of a Philippine city or municipality. Common features of the poblacion include a town plaza, church, market, school and town hall. It is sometimes shortened to...
as seen from the viewpoint. Contrary to popular belief, these terraces are not part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. They were not included in the UNESCO inscription due to the presence of numerous modern structures, making it score low in the integrity criterion of UNESCO. The Banaue Rice Terraces are however a National Cultural Treasure under Ifugao Rice Terraces, together with the other rice terraces clusters.
The Ifugao epic Hudhud
Aside from the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, UNESCO inscribed the Hudhud Chants of the Ifugao, another National Cultural Treasure, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 (originally proclaimed in 2001). The Hudhud consists of narrative chants performed mainly by elder Ifugao women usually during the rice sowing season, at harvest time and at funeral wakes and rituals.Preservation
The Rice Terraces of the Philippine CordillerasCordillera Administrative Region
The Cordillera Administrative Region 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...
were named as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 1995. It has passed by UNESCO’s standards due to the blending of the physical, socio-cultural, economic, religious, and political environment as a living cultural landscape.
The Ifugao Rice Terraces have also been inscribed in the List of World Heritage in Danger on 2001 as the dangers of deforestation and climate change threatens to destroy the terraces. Another contributing factor is globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
where the younger generations of the Ifugaos have recently had the opportunity to gain access to media and education, most of the younger Ifugaos have opted to come to the capital for work instead of the traditional farming tradition.