by Judy Cariño-Fangloy
PIKP Staff
Cordillera traditional food is simple, nourishing and delicious. Making use of the fruits of the land, it reflects the indigenous culture of sharing, zero waste, health and well being. In this day of junk food and over-nutrition, it is time to look back on how our ancestors fed themselves and their families with the local resources, and how they lived healthy and long lives as they worked hard on the land.
Indigenous knowledge and practices on food and nutrition have contributed to the well being of the community. It is necessary to revitalize and document such food systems and practices including indigenous cuisine and recipes, accompanied by stories that explain their importance for indigenous peoples and the wider society. This knowledge, which has benefited indigenous communities for generations, must be promoted among the indigenous youth and the wider community.
We are presently conducting Indigenous Food Workshops to gather stories on indigenous knowledge and practices on sustainable food production, preparation and cooking, nutrition and health, to document traditional recipes, and to learn how to prepare these dishes.
These one-day workshops are being conducted towards the publication of a storybook cum recipe book that will highlight indigenous food systems, nutrition, health, food preparation and cooking for the well being of the family and community. It will document Cordillera indigenous recipes, accompanied by stories about food production and preparation and their value for indigenous peoples.
We would like to express our gratitude to those who have generously shared their knowledge and gave time to gather ingredients and materials for our workshops. We would also like to thank the organizations that hosted and helped organize these workshops. Mabuhay!