Ifugao ‘food of the gods’ rice invading markets

LAGAWE IFUGAO, Philippines -- The local Ifugao rice Tinawon, locally called the “food of the gods” is now being packaged locally and for abroad for premium price.

Identified as the One Town One Product (OTOP) of the municipalities of Hingyon and Banaue, the tinawon variety is a high value crop which is grown in high elevation terraced areas of the province which is now in demand in local and international markets because of its aroma and quality which other rice varieties do not have.

Local officials of these two towns are assisting farmers to intensify production and meet demands of the market considering that more individuals are patronizing the native rice considering that it is organically grown.

Records from the provincial government showed a total of 27,851 hectares are planted with tinawon in the irrigated rice paddies in Banaue and other municipalities.

The Department of Trade and Industry said total production reached as high as 27,851 metric tons thereby giving a big lift to the local rice production which is the major source of livelihood of the people.

Hingyon exported 700 kilos of tinawon through RICE Inc., a non-government organization assisting the farmers to ship the product to the United States while the Banaue cluster site was able to produce and export 2,040 kilos.

The produce generated P102,000. Organic markets in Metro Manila are also interested in selling Ifugao rice.

Ifugao mythology said tinawon is the rice of the Ifugao gods.

Folklore has it that it was bequeathed to an Ipugaw (man of the earth) in exchange for fire.

From then on, the Ifugaos of old planted rice in their terraces but had always acknowledged the participation of the Ifugao deities.

Thus rituals are offered to the gods in almost every phase of the agricultural system of the Ifugaos. The Ifugaos believe that the tinawon is a gift of the gods to the people of the earth.

It is called tinawon because it is only harvested once a year. This medium-size rice grain, ranging in color from white to red, requires six to eight months growth period and therefore can only be harvested once a year.
Tinawon is the original rice variety planted by the Ifugao ancestors in the terraces.