Long before the
movie "That Thing Called Tadhana" influenced many from the younger
generation to see Baguio City as a destination for broken-hearted people, the
City of Pines has attracted a diverse range of individuals from various
backgrounds for a multitude of purposes. For artists, the cool atmosphere of
this mountaintop town fostered creativity, leading to a flourishing artist
community over the years, which resulted in the creation of the Baguio Arts
Guild, a prominent organization of artists founded by National Artists Kidlat
Tahimik and Benedicto Cabrera aka BenCab, along with the late Santi Bose in
1987.
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| Woven baskets by Rovilyn Mayat-an |
During the 1970s
and the 1980s, the city became a center of psychic healing, attracting scores
of people around the world, including American comedian Andy Kaufman, who in
1984 consulted with the controversial psychic healer Jun Labo during the later
stages of his battle against lung cancer.
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| The month-long Ibagiw Creative Festival has prepared a list of interesting activities |
While the belief in
spiritual healing waned, Baguio City remained a magnet to the creative minds,
the hopeless romantics, among other types of vacationers, and more recently,
the ones we call foodies, or gastronomy enthusiasts.
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| Amare Cusina's Strawberry Burrata Kinuday Salad |
With art and food
at the heart of Baguio City's appeal, in addition to being the "Summer
Capital of the Philippines," it is fitting that this year's Ibagiw
Creative Festival would serve as the city's flagship event, honoring both its established
art community and emerging culinary scene.
Ibagiw Creative
Festival in the UNESCO Creative City of Baguio
The UNESCO Creative
Cities Network designated Baguio City as a City of Crafts and Folk Arts on
October 31, 2017. To date, this network honors more than 300 cities from around
the world in the fields of film, literature, music, crafts and folk arts, design,
gastronomy, and media arts.
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| Art exhibit at the basement of Baguio Convention Center |
Under the Crafts
and Folk Arts category, Baguio City is joined by a little over 50 cities; in
the Philippines, it is one of the only three cities included in UNESCO's
Creative Cities network, with Iloilo City for gastronomy and Cebu City for
design being the other two.
Similar to the
requirements of UNESCO Heritage Sites, the Creative City distinction earned by
Baguio needs to be sustained thus the need for endeavors that will further
spread and promote arts in the city. As a result, Marie Venus Tan, who is also
the Co-Chairperson of the Creative Baguio City Council, got together with
Kidlat Tahimik and Benedict Cabrera of the Baguio Arts Guild to create a yearly
festival honoring the city's crafts and arts.
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| Marie Venus Tan was also the former COO of the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines |
“Actually, even
before Baguio became the first city in the Philippines to earn a UNESCO
Creative City merit, the Baguio Arts Guild founded by Kidlat and BenCab was
already holding yearly art festival in November” Marie Venus Tan informed us.
In the 1990s, the
once a year festival organized by the Baguio Arts Guild slowly came to an end.
However, the timely collaboration between Tan, Kidlat, and BenCab to revive the
city’s arts festival in the form of the Creative Festival emerged as a fitting
tribute to Baguio’s recognition from UNESCO.
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| Myself at BenCab Museum a few years ago |
Since its inception
in 2018, the annual Creative Festival has seen figures like BenCab and Kidlat
Tahimik continue their mission as the leading voices within the city's vibrant
art community. In 2019, the festival adopted the name Ibagiw Creative Festival,
derived from the local term "bagiw," meaning "moss." This
name pays homage to what the Ibaloi people, one of the earliest settlers in the
Cordillera, used to call and describe the place where Baguio is now located due
to its abundance of mossy areas.
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| Kidlat Tahimik's Ili-Likha Artist Village also in Baguio City |
The festival, which
is in its 7th year now, has provided an expansive platform for both established
and emerging creatives across various disciplines, including painting,
sculpture, music, film, performance art, and more.
Gastro X Art
Creative Crawl
It was only two
years ago that the festival introduced the creative crawl aspect, enabling
people to visit numerous museums and venues hosting art exhibitions, including
art in the park installations.
This year, Marie
Venus Tan envisioned a fresh approach by incorporating various players from the
vibrant art and tourism ecosystem of Baguio. “Baguio City attracts a diverse
crowd, and one of the key draws is its array of restaurants,” Tan remarked.
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| Some of Joey Simsim's artworks displayed at Gypsy Baguio |
The result is an
exceptional merging of gastronomy and the arts. Eleven restaurants have joined
forces with artists, showcasing their works within the dining spaces while also
featuring a selection of Cordilleran-inspired or fusion dishes on their menus
throughout the festival.
This year's Ibagiw
Creative Festival, themed "Inquisitive, Disruptive, Creative,"
brought a new flavor to the entire festivity, both literally and
metaphorically. Foodies will now discover art, and art enthusiasts will learn
about the region's rich culinary culture.
The Eleven restaurants
showcasing their Cordilleran-cuisine-with-a-twist dishes at the Ibagiw Creative
Baguio Festival are The Gallery by Witchcraft, Chaya, Amare la Cucina, Gypsy Baguio by Chef Waya,
Canto Bogchi Joint, Oh My Gulay!, Baguio Mountain Man, Curious Coffee Company
(G1 Lodge), Le Chef at the Manor, L’Atelier Du Grain, and Rebel Bakehouse.
This writer was
able to visit four of the 11 restaurants in the span of two days before
hurrying home to prepare for the incoming typhoon Pepito. Still, a memorable
set of dining experiences, seasoned with some art appreciation, were created.
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| Japanese cuisine meets Cordillera at Chaya with this Gunkan Sushi topped with Kinuday |
At Chaya, we
feasted on Japanese cuisine infused with a Cordilleran twist, such as Silk Tofu
with Mulukiyah leaves, Gunkan Sushi with Kinuday—a smoked meat delicacy
concocted by the Ibaloy people in the Cordillera, Pork Curry with White Bean,
Pork Chashu Kinuday, Watercress Salad, and Cordillera Arabica Coffee Jelly for
dessert.
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| Leonardo Aguinaldo's art works wowing diners at Chaya |
Chaya's featured
local artist is Leonard Aguinaldo, whose creations depicting locals' daily
lives, customs, and traditions are presented in a satirical form on carved wood
and rubber.
Before we proceeded
to our table at The Gallery by Witchcraft, we had the opportunity to learn
about the art of the artists they’re featuring: Edgar Banasan, whose skill at
restoring traditional bamboo musical instruments instills a sense of cultural
heritage learning, and Claire Jaun-Torres, whose work combines modern abstract
and personal symbolism.
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| Edgar Banasan's artful creation of a Tambi musical instrument |
The elevated
Cordilleran fares we tried at the Gallery include Kiniing Chicken Fillet, The
Gallery Beef Stew with Etag, and the dish I ordered, Benguet Coffee-Rubbed
Grilled Pork. The Gallery serves all these dishes with upland rice, mashed
sweet potato, and pairs them with a Kinuday or Kiniing Beer.
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| A Cordilleran-inspired fare from Gallery by Witchcraft |
"Kiniing"
refers to the smoking of preserved pork meat using pine wood, whereas
"Etag" is essentially the same preserved meat processes, with slight
preparation differences. People in Cordillera commonly interchange and accept
the terms Kinuday, Kiniing, and Etag as long as it refers to the smoked pork of
Cordillera.
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| A sampler of various craft beer flavors from The Gallery by Witchcraft |
The appetizers,
Kiniing Gawid and Kiniing Carpaccio paired with Benguet Sake, set up our palate
for more delicious food. The perfect-tasting dessert of Rhubarb Cheesecake
& Passion Fruit Glaze, Sagada Orange Zest Crust, bookended the meal.
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| This savory Rhubarb Cheesecake from The Gallery by Witchcraft is made with Sagada Orange zest crust, strawberry and passion fruit glaze |
The Gallery by
Witchcraft brews a selection of craft beers, whiskeys, and gins, which enhances
the overall experience. "We named it the Gallery by Witchcraft because of
our craft beer, and of course the supernatural element Baguio City is known
for, so we came up with Witchcraft," owner Christina told us as she joined
our dinner.
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| This whiskey collection from The Gallery by Witchcraft is bottled with art design by Claire Jaun-Torres |
We, particularly
myself, had an even better time sampling the craft beer options. Christina
informed us that these beers do not contain any chemical ingredients, so even
those who avoid alcohol can still enjoy a glass or two without any issues.
There's the Full
Moon Belgian White Wheat, Irish Leprechaun Dry Stout, Devil Dog Pilsner, Grim
Reaper Golden Ale, Potion Pale Ale, and Poltergeist Imperial Porter. Local
artists design the packaging for their premium whiskies, and they also offer a
Gin line called Ghost.
Another can't miss
drink is the Kombucha Tea, flavored with Gipah leaves sourced from the
foothills of Mt. Pulag by members of the Kalanguya IP community.
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| One of the impressive solar painting from Jordan Mang-Usan hanging on the walls of Amare Cusina |
Aside from the mouthwatering
food we had at Amare Cusina, which specializes in Italian pizza and pasta but
was able to fuse a tasteful Cordilleran dish such as Strawberry Burrata Kinuday
Salad, Cordillera Carbonara, Ibag-iw Pizza and Ube Pizza, and Ube and
Strawberry Affogato, the works of Gilbert Alberto and Jordan Mang-Usan, the
featured artists whose works adorn Amare Cusina's walls and comely corners,
immediately grabbed my attention.
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| One of the sculpture works of Gilbert Alberto displayed at Amare Cusina |
Mang-usan, the
creator of the paintings, used a unique technique known as "solar painting,"
where he uses the sun's concentrated rays through a magnifying glass as his
brush, burning through wood to form lines and patterns until he creates his
desired image. Alberto's art, meanwhile,
involves sculpting fascinating objects on mostly driftwood and river stones.
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| Ube Pizza topped with strawberries at Amare Cusina |
Hoping I could come
back before December 10 when the festival ends to try out the rest of the 11
restaurants, we wrapped up our delightful yet fleeting Gastro x Art Creative
Crawl at Gypsy Baguio by Chef Waya, where we met the chef herself, Mam Venus
Tan, and one of the two featured artists in Gypsy, painter Joey Simsim.
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| Rovilyn Mayat-an's woven baskets |
Over delightfully curated Cordillera-inspired fares like the Bu-o Mushroom and Chong-ak Rice Arancini, an Italian rice ball with a local twist; the Pinikpikan Rillette with Bignay Wine Geleé, my personal favorite, especially in the cold climate of Baguio; the Kiniing and Binatog Soup; and Strawberry Tapuey Ice Cream with Green Pinipig Crisps, we listened to Chef Waya and Joey Simsim's short welcoming remarks, as Gypsy Baguio was the scheduled venue that day to host a small gathering of artists, media members, and other guests.
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| Gypsy Baguio by Chef Waya's Bu-o Mushroom and Chong-ak Rice Arancin |
Simsim spoke
briefly and discussed the significance of the Ibagiw Festival as a catalyst for
emerging artists to break out of their shells and gain recognition from the
outside world.
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| Artist Joey Simsim with Chef Waya |
While we missed out
on having Gypsy's other featured artist, Rovilyn Mayat-an, we caught a glimpse
of some of her works displayed on the walls, which encompass woven baskets and
bags crafted skillfully from staple Cordilleran materials like rattan and wild
bamboo, each signifying a design narrating bits and pieces of her own
Cordilleran culture.
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| Chef Waya |
Chef Waya discussed
the connection between storytelling and storytelling through food. “Food should
tell a story,” Chef Waya remarked. “Here, we are celebrating local ingredients
and the people who produce them.”
Here are the other
Gastro X Art Creative Crawl locations around Baguio City that I missed out on
trying, but you could if you hurry now. Le Chef at The Manor showcases
the works of The Mighty Bhutens, Francis Alingcayon, and Irene Bimuyag; over at
Canto Bogchi Joint, Dulthe Munar, Cara Bruno, and Hermie Bruno's
artworks will amaze diners.
At Curious
Coffee at G1 Lounge: inquisitive coffee drinkers will have a chance to
discover the creations of Roland Bay-an, Johnny Bangao, and James
Mang-osan. Rebel Bakehouse collaborates with Clinton Anniversario
and Robelyn Carantes-Gurang. Oh My Gulay’s vegan diners can discuss the
creations of Pinsel and Julius Lumiqued, while Mountain Man features the
art of Carlo Villafuerte and Perry Mamaril, and L'Atelier Du Grain displays
Marlyn De Lazo Bulayo's works.
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| An artwork done by Claire Jaun-Torres as displayed on the walls of The Gallery by Witchcraft |
The Ibagiw Creative
Festival runs until December 10, 2024, and if the interest grows as current
indication points to, it's likely that all the featured restaurants, regardless
of their type, will incorporate bespoke Cordilleran-inspired dishes into their
regular menus and regularly showcase both established and up-and-coming
musicians.
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| The Baguio Imagineers Exhibit is just one of the many art exhibitions during the Ibagiw Creative Festival |
As we rolled into
Kennon Road on our way back to Manila, I couldn't help but wonder how Baguio
City, already one of my favorite cities in the country, became more endearing
to me. As a gateway to the culturally rich Cordillera region, I used to come
here for the cool weather, sights, and culture. Today, I find added reasons to
love the City of Pines: its art community and culinary scene.
This article first appeared on Esquire Philippines.
