Punnuk @ Hungduan, Ifugao
A few months ago, my crew and I visited Hungduan Town, Ifugao province to document the Punnuk, a post harvest thanksgiving feast. Our trip to the confluence of two rivers brought us to Baguio City first as we had an interview and coverage at U.P. Baguio. After that, we left for our final destination. Unfortunately, I was starting to get sick. The drive was long, dark, twisty, and cold. It felt like forever, but at last, we arrived at our home for the quick night.
Once I climbed up our Abong-Bali (traditional Ifugao house), I immediately fell into a deep sleep, wishing for the pain and weakness to leave me. When I woke up the next morning, I was completely healed. I thank the mountains for healing me then, proving once again the curing power of nature. We proceeded to the confluence of two rivers where locals, tourists, and government officials all gathered for the Punnuk.
After witnessing ancient tradition alive with my own eyes, I was dying to know more, so I did a number of interviews to know more about their culture.
So, where’s the hike, you may ask. Well, to get from the road to the confluence of two rivers, you have to walk across the numerous payo (rice paddies) and down steps jutting out from the paddy walls. Long ago, stones and mud made up the paddy walls, but recently, they have been upgraded to concrete. However, the signature stone steps are still there.
In the end, despite being one of my shortest hikes, it didn’t lack the nature, the culture, and the experiences attached to each hike.