00:00The foundation of the ancient civilization is fire and steel.
00:16It was this balance that led to the first weapons, tools, and inventions.
00:24But as time passed, the ancient tradition continued.
00:40In a remote place in the heart of Banaue Rice Terraces, this sound can be heard every day.
00:49At the home of Tatay Himanggo, the last rice terraces of Cambulo.
00:54We are now going to Barangay Cambulo in Banaue.
00:59This is where you can find one of the oldest rice terraces in Ifugao province.
01:05In other words, the centuries-old tradition of rice terraces is still alive in this place.
01:14Aside from being a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
01:21the people of Ifugao are also known for their courage and bravery in the battle,
01:27using their steel weapons.
01:32That is why in ancient times,
01:34steel weapons were one of the most important members of the Cordillera culture.
02:05Are you Tatay Himanggo?
02:07I am Kara.
02:09Thank you.
02:12How are you?
02:14Good.
02:15Are you strong?
02:16Medium.
02:19Where do you work?
02:21Here.
02:26Where is the fire?
02:28We put the fire there.
02:31Then you put it here?
02:33Yes.
02:44He is the founder of Usok, or Himanggo, in Ifugao.
02:48This is the home of Pedro Pinay-An.
02:51He has been a panday for more than 50 years.
02:55His hair is white and one of his eyes is bulging.
02:59But he continues to make knives, knives, and weapons.
03:05When I was young, I was forced to work as a panday.
03:20I was forced to work as a panday.
03:26I was forced to work as a panday.
03:33A tradition passed down from our ancestors,
03:37due to the ability of the panday, or the use of steel,
03:41its shape is historical.
03:45Steel for agriculture,
03:47for war,
03:48or for hunting.
03:50None of these can be used by the ancient Filipinos
03:53if not for the existence of our communities of panday.
04:00Himanggo was only 14 years old when he learned how to make a panday.
04:04He was able to reach a time when the community
04:08of his ancestors, like him, also made weapons.
04:14But this quickly changed when the youths lost interest in making panday
04:21and left Himanggo alone.
04:24Were you fond of knives when you were young?
04:30Yes, I was fond of it.
04:34If you make a panday like that,
04:37you can make one here and one there.
04:42My son wouldn't make a panday.
04:47Why?
04:48I don't know.
04:49He wouldn't be able to do it.
04:51He's afraid of fire.
04:55According to Himanggo,
04:57the quality of the knives he makes is of a first-class quality.
05:04But his work is not a joke.
05:06To make a knife like this,
05:08you have to endure the heat of fire every day
05:12for three weeks or more.
05:16This is the material used by the panday here in Banawe
05:20to make itak.
05:23This is actually scrap metal.
05:26This is what you see underneath jeeps,
05:29or what they call molye.
05:31Who would have thought that this scrap metal
05:34could become an art piece like this?
05:40It's beautiful, isn't it?
05:42This handle was made by Himanggo for three months.
05:48It's a double-edged blade.
05:51It's an ancient tradition of the panday for a long time.
05:57It's beautiful.
06:07In spite of the modern times,
06:09Himanggo continues to use an ancient tool.
06:22The steel is burned several times in the fire
06:26to make it sharp.
06:31Unlike other itaks that have a wooden handle,
06:35the itak of the ifugao is made of pure steel,
06:39from the handle to the handle.
06:43Is it hard to make panday?
06:45It's really hard.
06:47Why is it hard?
06:49It's hard because of the fire.
06:51You have to look at the fire.
06:57The fire is really intense.
06:59You have to be careful not to get burned.
07:02You have to be careful not to get hurt.
07:05You have to be careful not to get hurt.
07:13The steel is constantly hammered
07:15until the itak is smooth.
07:20The longer you hammer it,
07:21the sharper it gets.
07:28At first,
07:30I was afraid to do it.
07:33I didn't know if it was okay.
07:38I didn't know if it was okay or not.
07:41I didn't know if I could do it.
07:44I didn't know if I could do it.
07:49It's been a long time?
07:56It's been a long time.
08:01It's just that it's good to see.
08:04It's not just for show.
08:09Once the steel is smooth, it will go through a process called quenching.
08:15The steel is then poured into the kiln to harden.
08:22After this, they will hold a rod that will be used as a handle.
08:32Tatay Himanggo is meticulous with her knives.
08:37Each one needs to be tested to see if it's strong enough.
08:42I'm holding a Kalabaw rod.
08:46It's said to be harder than wood.
08:49We will test if Tatay's blade is really strong.
08:55Tatay Himanggo and Tatay Himanggo test their knives.
09:07If the knife is not sharp enough, it will break or break.
09:14Yes, it will break.
09:17It's still straight.
09:19I'm the only one who does this.
09:24It's still straight.
09:26It didn't turn.
09:32Because of technology, there are many new ways of making knives today.
09:37Most of the time, it's faster and more people can do it.
09:42But Tatay Himanggo doesn't give up on the old style.
09:46You have to work hard to make a good knife.
09:54If you don't work hard, you won't be happy.
10:03So you have to work hard.
10:07If you don't work hard, you won't be happy.
10:11Even if you are poor?
10:13Yes, even if you are poor, you have to work hard.
10:18If you don't work hard, you won't be happy.
10:25You have to work hard.
10:33Compared to other knives that can be bought in markets and souvenir shops,
10:37these knives are made meticulously.
10:43They are handcrafted and carved according to the old tradition.
10:50Each knife has its own style of making a blade.
10:56But there are ways to find out how polished the knife is.
11:02If you buy a knife in Ifugao province,
11:07you will immediately find that the handle should be made of steel.
11:10That is the standard of Ifugao province.
11:12It means that it is made of steel.
11:14From the blade to the handle, it is made of steel.
11:18There is no risk that the blade will come off the wood.
11:22What they do is, they wrap it with cotton.
11:26And look at this blade.
11:28The cotton handle is very fine.
11:33It is very beautiful.
11:34Between the handle and the blade,
11:37this is called the heart of the blade or navel.
11:41You can also see here how good the handle is because it is very symmetrical
11:46and the workmanship is very polished.
11:48Of course, if you look at the blade,
11:51you will see if it is straight and not curved.
11:56Even here, if it is straight and symmetrical,
11:59the workmanship of the blade.
12:01This blade that I am holding was made by Father Himango.
12:05He said that the secret of his knives
12:08is that he tested the whole blade in the field.
12:12That is why it is very strong and smooth.
12:15Not only here on the edges,
12:18it is very strong and smooth
12:20up to the inside of this blade.
12:24It is really different when it is handmade.
12:27The workmanship of these knives is not simple.
12:38Here in Banawe,
12:39you can find some of Father Himango's most beautiful works.
12:45Each one is strong and beautiful,
12:48no matter how long these knives are.
12:54The workmanship of these knives is fully handmade.
12:58It was really persevered, Ma'am.
13:01As mentioned by Father Himango,
13:04a blade is not just made for a day or two.
13:10It is really given attention and time,
13:14and the knife is really persevered.
13:16For me, I can see the sacrifice of a knife.
13:19I want to preserve our Ifugao blades
13:23so that in the next generations,
13:27they will see the beauty of an Ifugao blade.
13:38For Father Himango,
13:39the craftsmanship of knives
13:43is not just a means of earning a living or a job.
13:49It is also a part of their culture
13:52and a part of their tribe.
14:12Father Himango is now 70 years old.
14:15If he will not pass on the talent of the craftsmanship,
14:19the legacy of the ancient tradition
14:22will remain for a long time.
14:26Until when will you continue to make Itakas and knives?
14:30Actually, I can only make the basic ones.
14:35I can't do it by myself.
14:37I can only make five of them.
14:41I don't know.
14:43Maybe I can't do it for a year.
14:46But I can do it.
14:54Conrad is Father Himango's second son.
14:58When you were a child,
15:00did you also dream of becoming a knife maker like your father?
15:04No, ma'am.
15:05I don't want to become a knife maker.
15:08I saw that it is hard.
15:10I am trying to help him.
15:13It is really hard.
15:14That's why I dream of studying.
15:16I don't want to become a knife maker.
15:18I want to grow up.
15:22According to Conrad,
15:23aside from being hard to become a knife maker,
15:25there is another reason why many young people
15:28are not able to enter this field.
15:32For others,
15:34here in our village,
15:36not all of them think highly of you.
15:43They think that you are just a knife maker.
15:45It is hard to earn money.
15:48It is hard to make a living.
15:52They look down on you.
15:53Yes, they look down on me.
15:54In the past, knife makers were very important.
15:57With the advent of modernization,
16:00their talent was gradually lost.
16:06That is why instead of continuing what his father taught,
16:09Conrad left Manila to help others.
16:14I am a knife maker.
16:16I am a knife maker.
16:18I am a knife maker.
16:20I am a knife maker.
16:22I am a knife maker.
16:30But a few years later,
16:33when he learned that his father's body was getting weaker,
16:38Conrad went home to continue his father's legacy.
16:45In my job,
16:47I can earn a lot of money.
16:49Yes.
16:50I also want to give back to my father.
16:53Yes.
16:56I want to give back to my father.
16:59Why is it important for you to give back to your father?
17:02I don't want him to lose what he started as an artist.
17:09Yes.
17:10At least we can learn from him.
17:12Conrad continues to enhance the talent of his father.
17:17He hopes that one day,
17:20the tradition of his ancestors will be respected again.
17:26What do you feel when you hear that?
17:29You said earlier that you were being mocked.
17:32Yes.
17:33That's all.
17:34It's not for me.
17:35It's okay.
17:36That's how it is.
17:39I don't have a problem with that.
17:41Even if that's what they think of me,
17:43it's important.
17:44I will do what I want.
17:46Of course,
17:47no matter who they are,
17:49they don't want to lose that tradition.
17:52Those who started our ancestors,
17:56I don't want them to lose it.
17:59Because it's important.
18:02But is there still hope for the survival of our ancient culture?
18:07After Conrad and Father Himangko,
18:10will there be a next generation?
18:32In a small place in the town of Aguinaldo,
18:35a familiar sound can be heard every morning.
18:46But when I enter the place,
18:49it's not old,
18:51but it's a familiar sound.
18:54It's the sound of a bell.
18:58But when I enter the place,
19:01it's not old,
19:03but it's a familiar sound.
19:10At the age of 14,
19:12Eric is the youngest panday in the town of Aguinaldo.
19:16He only learned it last year,
19:19but he can now make simple knives and forks.
19:24Is it hard to be a panday?
19:27It's hard.
19:29My hands are like this.
19:32When you enter,
19:34it's hot.
19:37Even my eyes get hot.
19:39Even your eyes?
19:40My eyes.
19:41Ah, your eyes get hot?
19:43Yes.
19:44The steel falls,
19:47and it gets into my hands.
19:51It gets into your hands?
19:55Yes, ma'am.
19:58Of course, it's painful.
20:01So what do you do when you enter?
20:04I don't do anything.
20:06I just endure.
20:10According to Eric's father,
20:12he has long forgotten how to be a panday in their place.
20:15But when the pandemic happened,
20:18and no one could leave the house,
20:20they were forced to look for a job.
20:27The Tagaritos brought back the old tradition,
20:30no matter how hard the work is.
20:32Why do you need to help your father to be a panday?
20:36To save money.
20:40Why?
20:42For what money?
20:44For food,
20:48because it will help me study.
20:52Now, Eric's whole family is in the business of panday.
20:57Eric and his father make itak,
21:03while his mother grinds ratan.
21:09Compared to the works of his father,
21:11who has been working for many years,
21:14the works of Eric's father are not simple.
21:18But he also buys it from markets and souvenir shops.
21:26Aside from Eric's family,
21:28the interest in panday in the neighborhood of Alfonso Lista
21:31is slowly returning.
21:37It started with the 80-year-old panday,
21:40father Odjina.
21:42But instead of making panday,
21:44he chose to farm.
21:48When farming became a part of his life,
21:51he was forced to go back to making panday.
21:54When I started making panday,
21:57I had to buy rice.
22:00I also had to buy hay.
22:03I had to buy hay to plant.
22:09When I started making panday,
22:11I had to buy hay to plant.
22:14I had to buy hay to plant.
22:20Now, his children continue to make panday.
22:24Soldiers and the police usually order itak for them.
22:40Conrad continues to teach and inspire
22:44the people of Banawe to embrace the tradition of making panday.
22:50He hopes that through teaching,
22:53the culture of their ancestors will remain alive.
23:03But is it enough to pass on knowledge
23:06so that the culture of their ancestors can continue?
23:15Before we left Ifugao,
23:17I asked Eric about his dreams.
23:20I was surprised by what I heard.
23:24What is your dream in life?
23:26To become a police officer, ma'am.
23:28Why don't you want to become a panday?
23:30Why do you want to become a police officer?
23:33How can you use what you've learned?
23:38When you finish school, you should have a dream.
23:42It's hard to become a panday.
23:47You can't dream of becoming a panday?
23:49Yes.
23:52I remember what Conrad told me.
23:54Even if he wants to continue what his father started,
23:58if his view of them remains low,
24:02is there still a chance to pass on the culture of their ancestors?
24:15At first glance, it's easy to think that
24:17these are just common knives and forks.
24:22But more than being strong and sharp,
24:25each master's work carries an important history.
24:33A culture that was strengthened by fire.
24:37A tradition that was passed down for a long time.
24:42A wealth that was passed on to many generations.
24:51It's a waste if we don't value it.
24:56It's a waste if we let it be forgotten.
25:03It's a waste if we don't support the last signs of our society.
25:13I am Cara David, and this is Eyewitness.
25:25Eyewitness
25:50Thank you for tuning in to Eyewitness, Kapuso.
25:53What can you say about this documentary?
25:56Comment below and subscribe to the GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel.
Comments