PWC Documents Uvu Cooking

             Armed with cameras, notebooks, and pens, the research team of the Philippine Women’s College of Davao (PWC) traveled to Sitio Macatabo, Barangay Carmen, Baguio District, Davao City on Sept 5. to document Uvu-Manuvu cooking.

The PWC Research Team with the Uvu-Manuvu tribe.

The Uvu-Manuvu cooks were Bae Nilda Landim, Rodelyn Aggas, Mercy Aggas, Vecetation Bangcas, and Datu Paulino Landim, the chief cook.

Datu Landim cooks food stuffed in bamboo tubes over an open fire.

            Aside from cooking the usual pork, chicken, cassava, and rice, the Uvu-Manuvu cooks presented a very rare delicacy: bakbak or frogs. For this special dish, 4 Uvu Manuvu boys had to trek for 3 hours to the Bunoyun River and camp out for the night to catch the frogs. The frogs were cooked in bamboo, while some portions were wrapped in alik-ik leaves and roasted.       

These bakbak or frogs were caught fresh from Bunoyun River.

            For the benefit of the PWC research team, Bae Nilda Landim showed how tinapoy is prepared. Tinapoy is fermented rice that is ordinarily prepared alone, in secret, and in silence by the cook. Violation of this rule will result in failure and spoil the tinapoy, making it inedible. Bae Nilda demonstrated the process of preparing tinapoy upon the request of the research team. She explained that since she was violating the rules of cooking tinapoy, she will throw away what she had made.       

Ka-lot is a poisonous tuber. The Uvu-Manuvu has found a way to make it edible through special cooking procedures.

To end the cooking session, Datu Paulino Landim showed the team the kal-lot, a tuber that is highly poisonous but can be eaten if prepared properly. According to Datu Landim, many hungry, retreating Japanese soldiers died at the end of the Second World War because they ate kal-lot. Unfortunately, the cooks could not show the team how to prepare the kal-lot properly because they only found a small kal-lot tuber  in the forest.

A variety of delicacies cooked in bamboo. Lutlot na bakbak, lutlot na humay, lutlot na manok, linaplap, lutlot na balanghoy, and lutlot na baboy.

            The cooking session with the Uvu-Manuvu is part of the PWC’s research into the Lumad culinary arts of Davao. The research aims to document and preserve Lumad cooking for the benefit not only of the Lumads but also of the entire Filipino people. 

(Published on Sunstar Davao, October 4, 2012) 

A Day with the Diangan-Klata Tribe

Traveling on rocky roads at the steep foothills of Mt. Apo, the Philippine Women’s College of Davao (PWC) Research Team, headed by Research Director Dr. Macario Tiu, embarked on a whole day journey to Tambobong, Baguio District, on Oct 29, 2012. The team was composed of PWC faculty, Michelle Cuestas, Renelyn Bana, Glyd Arañes, Jo-Anne Lim, and students, Angelica Jumalon and Concepcion Cortez. Dr. Ruthlyn Sumandang, a teacher of Magallanes Elementary School, and her husband Alan Joy Sumandang, President and CEO of Solarzoom Business Club who is also of the Jangan-Klata tribe, guided the research team. The mission of the day was to research and document the dying culinary arts of the Jangan-Klata tribe so that these will be preserved before they vanish.

Students of PWC, Angelica Jumalon and Concepcion Cortez, with teacher Ms. Bana (right), pose with the view of picturesque mountains as backdrop.

While the team struggled through the difficult roads to Tambobong, they gasped in amazement at the never-ending scenery of virgin mountains and thousands of sprawling banana trees from plantations. “Murag wala ta sa Davao (It's like we're not in Davao),”  a teacher commented.

The Sumandang family of the Diangan-Klata tribe welcomes the PWC Research Team.

Arriving at the Sumandang family home, the team was welcomed by the patriarch Datu Pandayan Sumandang, with the rest of the family,   Pastor Ruben Sumandang  and his wife Lucrecia Sumandang, DepED Mobile  teacher Alben Joy Sumandang  and his wife  Maribel Sumandang  Brgy. Tambobong  treasurer , Deborah (Subok) Nuñes  and  Mersa Ali. They were dressed in splendid costumes and accessories handed down from former generations.

Subok Nuñes  stuffs rice wrapped in kukos leaves into bamboo while Ms. Cuestas take photos.

Linutlot ngo non’no. Shrimps are wrapped in tawongoy leaves and are cooked inside bamboo.

Lud'dong. Taro tubers and stems, dried fish, and spices are stewed in coconut milk.

 

The team diligently took notes and photos as the Diangan-Klata cooks prepared native delicacies such as dinugdug ngo bulig  (mashed bananas with calamondin rinds), lud’dong (taro stewed in coconut milk), linutlot ngo bal’las (rice cooked in bamboo), linutlot ngo non’no (shrimps cooked in bamboo), linutlot ngo manok (chicken cooked in bamboo), and pinit (vegetable soup).

The banana plantation belongs to the mobile teacher Alben Joy Sumandang and his family. This area was one of the bases of the Japanese during WW2. Landmines and other artifacts have been found in the area.

While the others were busy, Datu Sumandang guided some of the researchers to the woods where various herbs and spices with medicinal and culinary properties could be found. He showed the team the koluki plant; its pod seeds could be used as a cleanser like soap, and the dalikan plant which its heart could be used as an aromatic spice. He also narrated the history of Tambobong where the Japanese invaded the land and was the last stronghold in Davao against the other forces. To this day, Japanese relics such as weapons, soldier uniforms, and landmines could still be found in the area.

The day ended with a small feast featuring the native dishes the tribe had prepared. No leftovers could be found at the table. 

(Published on Sunstar Davao, Nov. 15, 2012)