Traditional food practices in Kibungan

Community traditions

Karylle P. Piaga

Food and culture are said to be interconnected with each other, as food plays a significant role in shaping cultures that reflect beliefs, customs, and values of certain community. 
    Kibungan is one of the municipalities in the province of Benguet, popularly known as the "Switzerland of Benguet" because of its rocky mountains, pine trees, rivers, and streams. 
    Aside from its natural beauty, it has rich traditional food crops, specifically vegetables. Indigenous and traditional food crops are vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains that are native to the region or that are consumed linked to culture and heritage. 
    In Kibungan, traditional food crops help and serve as immediate source of sustenance for the people.
    Sherilyn B. Balauro of the Benguet State University’s College of Home Economics and Technology and Matyline A. Camfili-Talastas of Institute of Social Research and Development conducted a study in 2019 titled "Traditional food crops and their role in nutrition well-being of a semi-subsistent community in Kibungan, Benguet." 
    The study documented existing traditional food crops, post-harvest practices, and cooking methods, estimated the nutrient value of these crops, and assessed the contribution of these to the nutritional well-being of the community. 
    The three key informants and 13 respondents identified different food crops, which were categorized into root crops, vegetables, seeds, and fruits.
    Participants in the study said their traditional food crops are produced mainly for home consumption, and in cases of surplus, sold or bartered with their neighbors, or brought to Beyeng, a community near their place for selling.
    Common root crops include gabi, galyang, camote, cassava, and peanuts. The gabi (gamey), and galyang (bela), are usually found in the corners of the rice fields but are also planted in water-logged areas of the front yard or backyard of houses. 
    Telay or cassava is produced in the 'uma' (swidden farm) or at the side of the garden since it requires low maintenance and can grow independently. Peanuts are usually intercropped with beans in the 'uma' while potato is planted in gardens.    
    Traditional food crops include vegetables, not necessarily leafy but still supply the food requirements of the community.     These are primarily found in the gardens, but some are also around the houses, especially in households with home gardens, which are usually planted with various vegetables such as pechay and beans for household consumption.
    At study site, gardens for vegetable production are small parcels of land and not as extensive as those found in Atok and Buguias. Despite this, this did not limit them from producing cash crops at limited volume.
    These are legumes and grains also planted in 'uma' and gardens. There were different kinds and varieties of legumes, such as "kedis" or pigeon pea, "batong" or "sinai" and patani still available in the community. However, these are produced at a limited quantity which is just enough for the household consumption.
    These include guava, pomelo, avocado, and banana, which are usually grown in the front or backyard and consumed at the household level or shared with relatives and neighbors. Some extras can be bartered or sold around.
    The community has simple post-harvest practices for handling their traditional food crops since most of their produce is for home consumption. This post-harvest practice is a sure way to get most of the nutrients from produce in its fresh state. 
    One of the distinct practices of the community is the panagkilang or panagkirog, where seed crops such as legumes are roasted before storage in either a bottle, plastic, or cellophane to avoid molding. It applies to legumes intended to be consumed or eaten, which can be stored for a year.
    This does not apply to legumes that are kept as seeds for the next planting season. According to one of the respondents, roated “kardis” can be stored for a year without being infected with weevil.However, it was observed that the longer the legume is stored, the longer it takes took cook. They observed that the roasted legume does not loss its “taste” aside from a minor odor, but is tolerable even for children.
    Another, technique is panagbilag (sun-drying) to remove moisture before storage. It is applied to legumes and some root crops.
    Further, it includes the panag-suo, an alternative way of drying seed crops, where these are placed above the "dalikan" or fireplace. This is common during the rainy season when the sun seldom shines. In most cases, seed crops are dried under the sun at day time and put on the "suolan" in the evening.
    Aside from it includes panag-buko, which involves peeling of root crops, usually sweet potato, then slicing it into thin layers before sun-dried until crisp. After this, sun-dried sweet potato chips can be stored or powdered as flour.
    The participants shared that they have simple cooking methods in the community. Most of their crops are either boiled, 'ginisa' (sauteed), or stir-fried. Legumes, for instance, are boiled or "agasen" to soften before other vegetables and spices can be mixed. For vegetables, though, these are usually sauteed in lard and some spices whenever available. 
    Cooking methods for the powdered 'camote' or cassava can be creative, like adding some sugar and coconut, if available, and wrapping it with banana leaves before steaming. On the other hand, 'aggey' can just be boiled for snacks, or it can also be mixed in preparing 'kintoman' or sticky rice as rice wine to add flavor and texture.
    The community believes that traditional food crops can be medicinal and improve their nutritional status as they are free from pesticides. It also adds taste and flavor to their diet, improves palatability, and helps to balance protein, vitamin, and mineral intakes.
    The traditional food crops grown in the community provides a variety of essential nutrients. As every 100g of the edible portion of root crops contain energy, carbohydrates, protein, crude fiber, calcium and ascorbic acid or vitamin C. In the interviews conducted, almost all residents of the community consume sweetpotato. Sweetpotato when compared to other rootcrops such as potatoes, yam,  and cassava yields the highes dietarry energy at 70,000 kcal/ha/day. 
    Majority of the leafy vegetables contain very high beta carotene, a common provitamin A.  Beta carotene is called the safe form of vitamin A since the body converts only what is needed (Ruiz & Claudio, 2010). It is worth noting that ‘sayote’ tops, which are abundant in Benguet, rank first as the richest source of beta-carotene, even higher compared to malunggay that are abundantly grown in the lowlands. 
    Legumes are dubbed as “poor man’s meat”. Sagum (2013) mentioned that legumes have twice the protein content of cereal grains and an economical source of good quality protein. 
    Fruits also provide a variety of essential nutrients. Vitamin C is highest in most fruits. Guava and kalamansi, which are grown in Sitio Legleg, serve as the cheapest sources of vitamin C. In interviews conducted, the respondents didi not mention any symptom or complain about lowered resistance to infection or vitamin C deficiency such as scorbutic symptoms characterized by bleeding, swollen gums, loose teeth, swollen tender joints, internal hemorrhages ubderneath the skin, etc. (Ruiz & Claudio 2010).
    The study emphasizes that the preservation of indigenous knowledge of traditional foods, specifically post-harvest practices and cooking methods, indicates the community's nutrition security.
    The study reminds us that with trends in food that have been evolving in the country, it is still beneficial to patronize and promote traditional food since traditional food crops shape community cultures and identities.