Kamulo Enterprise: Clothing Line from a Young Baguio Entrepreneur

The young owner of the Baguio City based KAMULO ENTERPRISE has announced the launch of it's online presence at Multiply. Kamulo Enterprise is a clothing line that specializes on jackets with an ethnic twist. It's product line features trendy jackets that not only focuses on quality, style, and comfort but also on promoting the culture of the Igorot people in northwestern Philippines. As the website explains, KAMULO, is the Igorot name of the owner’s maternal grandfather. It also happens to be my Igorot name as well. *BIG SMILE* (Go figure.)

The website provides a section on Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) including minimum quantity required, order duration, cancellation policy, delivery information, and other pertinent information. Orders are accepted through an online order form, personal messages, or email. Both local and international orders are accepted.

While the launch of the website just happened recently, KAMULO ENTERPRISE jackets have been available in the Baguio market for some time now. My wife actually used a Kamulo jacket in her first-ever 5K run near Chicago last month. It's very comfortable and stylish for the spring and fall weather here in the US Midwest, and can be worn casually. It's a good buy for the young and the young at heart.

Don't wait any longer. Order your own KAMULO jacket by following this link.

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3 New Igorot Blogs

Found 3 new blogs by 2 Igorot bloggers that sprouted in the web recently.

1. Spirited Thoughts - a blog from a fellow i-Sagada and neighbor Gary Pekas. Gary is a regular contributor to a Baguio-based publication and describes himself as a loose cannon, iconoclast, freeloader, and outlaw. Sure enough, the first blog post was titled "SHIT" and had me blushing and laughing out loud at the same time.

2. Writings by An American Igorot - by Igorot author, Rex Delson. The Chicago-based blogger plans to write on "a wide range of inspirational topics relating with ethnic identity, assimilation, purpose, character and much more". One of his posts has already attracted dozens of comments due to a negative comment by a Filipino poster that targeted the Igorot people.

3. Igorots of Character - also by Rex Delson. This blog will be recognizing outstanding individuals and groups through the TIM TEBOW RECOGNITION AWARD and the U2 RECOGNITION AWARD, respectively. The Chicagoland Coalition for Asian Disaster Relief (CCADR) was the first recipient of the group award while the search for the first individual award is still on-going.

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Igorot Video Collection

I've just added the Igorot Video Collection to my blog-roll. It's a relatively new blog, most likely less than a year old, that sorts and categorizes Youtube videos on the Igorot people / culture. Currently, there are more than 250 videos in the blog. The major categories are "Cordillera Dance", "Cordillera Movie", "Documentary", "Igorot Songs", "Igorot Worldwide", and "Municipality".

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Sagada Widow on Inquirer; Igorots on the Blogosphere

Inquirer features a story about a Sagada widow involved in organic farming. The name sounded very familiar and then I realized it was about a close Nangonogan neighbor who was just 3 batches ahead of me during my elementary days. The story tells how she is seeking justice about the murder of her husband, along with engaging in what she calls "peace and healing initiatives", which include promoting organic farming and organizing an organic farmers’ cooperative in Sagada. Read about Florence Macagne-Manegdeg on Widow helps heal wounds of Earth.

Also, check out a study done on Igorot bloggers by Liezl C. Longboan of the UK's Cardiff University. The study takes on how "several indigenous groups in North Luzon, collectively known as Igorots, are using blogs more extensively to re-construct and re-present their ethnic identity in cyberspace". Read Igorots in the Blogosphere: Claiming Spaces, Re-constructing Identities.

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Igorot Links for this Weekend

Some interesting weekend reading on blog posts regarding Igorots.

• 3 lady bloggers made a mention on "big Igorot legs". One going as far to say that her Igorot mom's legs "suggested their ancestors were built to do manual labor outside—they could easily squat and wash by the river". Ah, vanity. See Cheri Lucas, Ubbog Cordillera, and Kalawakan.
• Howie Severino's blog post on Igorot Cowboys.
• Adventurers from Monash University feature the Easter Weaving Room's role in preserving traditional Igorot weaving.
• A spa now offers dagdagay, described as ancient foot massage from Mountain Province. See Hot City. Naganas met-a nan menpa-dagay.
• See Sadiri's brief commentary on why Igorots are still considered primitive amongst Filipinos.

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Building my Igorot BlogRoll

I've had this blog for more than six months now but I still just have a few blogs in my blogroll. While I'm tempted to go over Bill Bilig's blog and copy his list of Igorot blogs, I decided to go the long route and enjoy the process of actually reading a blog before listing it here.

I've come across several interesting blogs written by Igorots. There is the fellow Igorot from Liverpool, UK who has written multiple encouraging comments on my posts. Kasta man kailyan - I'll never tire of these. This guy goes by the pen name "Manny, Manwer, Manwell "; very unique if I may say so. He has a photoblog and a blog for poems; the blog names are equally poetic. Check them out at Summer Breeze and Mildsummer Showers.

Kayni of Hawaii posted a note on my "Remembering Auntie Rhoda" post saying that we may be related. It doesn't happen often that you find relatives through your blogs. Its another example on how the Internet is making the world so small. She has her reflections documented in kayni's corner cafe.

Atty. Cheryl Daytec-Yangot's recent posts are on her trip with her daughter to Disneyland - HK. Her daughter's name, Gawani, is as Igorot as it can get. She did say that sometimes, "I am a busy person and she (the daughter) has to fit into my schedule". Ay, ay pay sa. Hope your grandparents don't get mad at you for such "busy-ness", hehe. Is she perhaps related to my friend Dina D? She blogs at Beauty Beyond Beauty.

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Bloggables 002 - Of "motit", Igorot bloggers, and the Sagada Hospital website

My second list of bloggables - items in the Web that either features Sagada and the Igorots, or are works by fellow Igorots. Refer to Bloggables 001.

Photo Credit: Alamid Coffee at Squidoo

‘Motit’ excites Cordillera coffee lovers. Learn how the “motit”, Kankana-ey term for the Philippine civet cat (Paradoxurus philippinensis) is exciting coffee growers across the Cordilleras. There are lots of motits in Sagada and as a child, I’ve seen them eating coffee at our neighbors garden. They eat coffee cherries and later excrete these as feces. When cleaned and processed, Forbes magazine has described this coffee as the rarest and most expensive in the world. Read more…

Sagada Hospital Website: An anonymous commenter left a URL that pointed to the Saint Theodore’s Hospital website. This is a pleasant surprise. I didn’t even know it existed and judging from the articles, it’s just been newly set-up. It has a lot of articles on therapeutic cancer and detoxification and I might just want to read on these as my wife and I are trying to improve our diet. Lastly, it was a bonus to see familiar faces amongst the staff. I recognized Janice, the sister of a ka-barkada, and the high school teacher of my sisters. Visit SagadaHospital.com.

IGOROT BLOGGERS: Three Igorot bloggers deserve some attention – (1) Martin Polichay is an Igorot from Australia and writes on an igorot journey. (2) Vicente Sapguian previews the work of Leon Lonogan – “The Sun Sets at Sunrise: The Rise of the Agawa Tribe” in his blog, from greatman. (3) A young Igorot academic scholar in California writes on President JFK and General MacArthur’s “Igorot” comments at Allan’s Blog.

Sagada / Igorot News Briefs:

1. “President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has Igorot blood on her hands…” says an activist as the House of Representatives probe the disappearance of Cordillera People’s Alliance founding member, James Balao. Read more…
2. BusinessMirror reports that an ATM unit has been installed in Sagada. Read More…
3. The exhibit “Sagada: Mountain Reflections” is available for viewing at the Crucible Gallery, fourth floor of SM Megamall A, Mandaluyong City. Read more…
4. Singaporean adventurer and world record holder, Khoo Swee Chiow, visited Sagada and remarked “I would definitely go back and bring my family here”. Read more…

Sagada Photo-blogs:
1. My Sagada Adventure by mel
2. Sagada’s Hanging Coffins and Exotic Caves by the “Bride around the Corner”. Is the groom waiting by the corner? Hehehe…
3. Sagada: A Perfect Example of Ecotourism by fellow Sagada blogger and friend, Irene.
4. Food Tripping in Sagada by happyfoodies.com

Site Redesign: Lastly, I’m going to change the look of this site in the coming days. I appreciate your continued support and please continue to provide comments and feedback on my posts. What is a blogger without readers? Have a nice weekend!

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Bloggables 001 - Sapay Koma, Tapis Police, Haikus

I'm starting a list of worthy "bloggable" items in the Web that either features Sagada and the Igorots, or are works by fellow Igorots. This would be the first of such a list.

• Sapay Koma – Essay by Jhoanna Cruz posted in her blog, Dagmay. If an article makes you cry and laugh at the same time, it’s certainly worth reading. A well written piece on a non-Igorot’s marriage to an i-Benguet (man from Benguet).

• Tapis Police (Frank Cimatu, Philippine Daily Inquirer) – Read about the formation of a tourist police force in the Banaue – Bontoc – Sagada area. The article notes that women policemen wear the traditional “tapis” and high heels. These “tapis police” are apparently a hit with locals and tourists. I’d like to see a picture of them. Do they just stand behind the desk at police stations? I think so. I can’t imagine them running around the rugged terrain in high heels.

• Siwat’s Weblog - A 54-year old Igorot, and a stroke-survivor at that, shares his writings and thoughts in this blog. His haikus made me smile.
  

• Checking Up on Sagada - Ferdz Decena's latest blog post on Sagada is a photo-essay that only he can produce. I loved the photo of the young girl peeling a fruit. For one so far away from home like me, it was a nostalgic one. His blog, En Route, has multiple posts on Sagada dating back to 2005.
  

• Pentax Forum Sagada Gallery. I'll never tire of Sagada Photo Galleries. This one is a wonderful collection of black and white and colored photographs of Sagada by Ansbert, a Pentax Forums Senior Member. The photos inside the church are a must see.

• Portraits of Sagada – Erick of Tondo writes about his encounter with the friendly people of Sagada. I smiled at his observation that Sagada locals don’t ask money if they get photographed… unlike people from that another tourist town in the Cordilleras. Well, different strokes for different folks.

• Idiosyncracies– A Bacolod-born freelance writer blogs on happenings in Baguio and the Cordilleras. Includes other topics of interest.

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Igorot & Sagada Artwork by Danny Borja

I first met Mr. Borja when I was in high school (many decades ago, hehehe). His eldest, Percy, was a ka-barkada; his wife is the first cousin of my first cousins (go figure!). He did some of the artwork that decorates a Sagada establishment, plus he organized one of the first martial arts classes in Sagada.

I also had the pleasure of attending one of his art exhibits during my college years - if I remember right, it was in Malate, Manila. It is great to see him display some of his artwork on his blog for the world to see. My favorites are the ones below: an untitled landscape of Sagada, and Last of the Igorot Warrior.

Visit his blog at Danny Borja. More power po sa inyo!

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Igorot bloggers protest pissing statue

"Statue of pissing Igorot removed amid blog protests
By Vincent Cabreza Northern
Luzon Bureau
First Posted 09:29pm (Mla time) 03/08/2007

BAGUIO CITY—Owners of a restaurant here have removed a statue of a urinating Igorot man, a week after Cordillerans based abroad learned of and protested the statue’s existence...."

Read more from the Inquirer Regions Section

Lesson Learned: Don't mess with Igorots. Igorot bloggers will get back at you. This reminded me of the Lucy Torres "Igorot ang tatay niya" comment in the late 90s. Congress had to ask her to testify. Sensibilities 101 should really be taught at our schools.

Kudos to bloggers BUGAN and BILL BILLIG. Write on!

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