A Picture is Worth 2,000 Years

Story and photos by Philippe Teston

“Hey, want to take picture?” shouted the blind hunchbacked native.

He motioned us over to the rock on which he was sitting, overlooking vast rice terraces in the distance. Despite his affinity for photography, the man — a member of the ancient Ifugao tribe — was preserved in a time capsule. For thousands of years the Ifugao have inhabited this mountain region in the Philippines. Sheltered from the developing world, the Ifugao and the splendor of their Banaue rice terraces represent a much simpler time.

Simpler, yet grand all the same. With varying shades of green and yellow rice painting the peaks, the rice terraces cover over four thousand square miles of land etched into mountains.

Paired with the easy-going natives, they create a sanctuary for any tourist looking to get away. Banaue provides a welcome escape from the intense heat of other places in the Philippines. It is unusually cold, with temperatures averaging between 18ºC to 24ºC (65-75ºF), much lower than, for example, Manila’s 30ºC (82ºF). 

Over two thousand years ago, using only basic hand tools and elbow grease, the Ifugao tribe shaped the mountains of Banaue into rice terraces that rose — and continue to tower — thousands of feet above the ground. Today, the region is a UNESCO world heritage site, which will effectively protect it from over-commercialization and preserve its unique tranquility. To this day, the Ifugao people continue to harvest rice from the fields using traditional methods, scurrying up and down ladders to terraces above and below. Unfortunately, because of the increasing popularity of Banaue, the terraces are beginning to show signs of deterioration and constantly require repair.

Banaue, much like the Ifugao people, has resisted the progress of the contemporary world. As a result, modern conveniences such as roads and running water are few and far between.

This, however, contributes to the beauty of the region – its simplicity and humble habitat serves as an oasis from the chaotic world just outside of the mountain range.

Influenced by the calming backdrop of the rice terraces, native Ifugaos are extremely friendly and willing to go out of their way to accommodate the thousands of tourists who frequent the terraces each year — just like I experienced firsthand.

For anyone who is looking for a place to visit that is out of the ordinary, the Banaue rice terraces are ideal. Tucked away deep in the mountains of the Philippines, Banaue and the mystical Ifugao people offer a refreshing escape from the modern world. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the Ifugaos don’t like taking pictures. The old man, like the rest of the Ifugao tribe, relishes the chance to preserve his heritage through our photographs.