ABSTRACT
Terraced rice fields dominate the landscape of the Ifugao; the production and consumption of rice also shapes the social life of the traditional Ifugao. The cultivation of the tinawon, the local rice variety, is anchored to elaborate rituals, in each phase of the agricultural cycle. Epics, myths, ballads, and prayer chants accompany each activity in the rice fields. This intangible heritage provides clues to the deeper understanding of the history, religion and spirituality, material culture, and other facets of the way of life of these indigenous peoples famous for their extensive rice terracing culture. The assimilation of the Ifugao into wider Philippine society and their rapid conversion to Christianity has spelled doom to most Ifugao rituals. However, rice rituals, although declining, are still practised by several communities. In this chapter, we argue that the continued practice of rice rituals signifies Ifugao resistance to landscape conversion, economic and political shifts, and assimilation to the wider Philippine society. We focus on the role of the rice terraces in linking individuals and settlements in the broader Ifugao community.
