A Box of Local Products
The photo below shows a box of the products made by the (selected) Manobo and women of Loreto.
The (long) yellow bottle contains vinegar called Libas Suka. It is a vinegar made from an Indigenous (Wild) Fruit locally called Libas (known as Spondias), also called Golden Apples.
In the short bottle is a Libas Jam used as a sandwich spread. In the white packaging is katmon cookies. Katmon is endemic to the Philippines. It is called elephant apple or Dillenia philippinensis by the foreign people.
The brown pouch with violet flowers on top is the output of the women of The Hinang Project of the Municipal Tourism Office. The ( indigenous) materials used to make the pouch and the box are in the forests of Loreto, Agusan del Sur. They craft them carefully and passionately with the help of the local designer from the city of Davao.
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A box of local products
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Indigenous Body Accessories
They also craft body accessories like necklaces and earrings worn by the Bai Umajam candidates, as shown in the photo below.
The inspirations for the designs of the accessories are the lotuses (abundant in its bodies of water) and the Manobo tribes residing in the municipality. |
Body accessories made by the women of Hinang,
worn by the candidates of Bai Umajam 2022,
and captured by J.C. Molina's photography |
Binaga
The photo below shows the food delicacy (and also a favorite) of the Manobos of Loreto.
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| Marinated Haluan on a griller (prepared for Binaga Festival) |
Binaga is a local term for grilled mudfish called Haluan. The fish is also famous when dried, we call "daing".
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Daing displayed in the market
Photo source: MLGU Loreto MIO |
The traditional way of cooking Binaga is uncomplicated. The only challenging part is the way to clean and slice it, but you can let the fish vendor do the job unless you want it to be very fresh as you cook it. Most Manobos in the Municipality buy the whole fish and do the slicing at their home. They cut the fish horizontally from the center-head of the fish to the tail. Then they will remove the gills (and other organs) to clean them well and season them with salt.
Those who do not like the fishy smell/taste of the Haluan will marinate the fish in a mixture of soy sauce, citrus, spices, and other condiments. That new way of cooking Binaga makes it more delicious, especially when dipped in a soy sauce with slices of tomatoes, ginger, onion, and drops of citrus juice.
These products are some of the creations of the indigenous people (IPs) of Loreto that we are proud of. They tell stories of the natives in Loreto, the rich culture and biodiversity, and the communities' history.
According to Mark Brennan (professor and UNESCO chair in community, Leadership, and Youth Development), " Local culture is a fundamental component of community life which shapes the unique character, needs, and possibilities of individual rural areas".
With the promotions of these products, we hope to bring cultural and economic development to the town of Loreto, Agusan del Sur.
