𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝘇𝗼𝘀𝗼𝘀 How do natives of Cagayan, the Ibanag and Itawit, uniquely engage with the spiritual anticipation of Christmas?The answer lies in the 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙂𝙤𝙯𝙤𝙨𝙤𝙨 (or simply, 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙣), a profound tradition that showcases the deep synthesis of indigenous culture and Spanish-introduced Christianity among the Catholic Ibanag and Itawit peoples. Regarded… continue reading

𝙍𝙚𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙞𝙪𝙖𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙩𝙖 In Cagayan Valley, indigenous culture preserves a profound philosophy of courtship– a point of impact where heroic literature and performing arts collide. This intersection marks a sophisticated transition from the imagined to the seen; it takes the epic of Biuag and… continue reading

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 The theme for National Women’s Month 2026– “Lead like the Babaylans, Filipinas!”, aimed to honor our nation’s indigenous spiritual leaders, is timely and fitting for us Cagayanos. For through it, we can examine our roots to uncover a foundational truth– long before colonial influence, the Cagayano spirit… continue reading

 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝘄 𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗼 – 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Cagayan’s story during the Philippine Revolution reached its peak when the province was formally integrated into the First Philippine Republic, which was established on January 23, 1899, in Malolos, Bulacan. This event was a turning point in national history, as it transformed a scattered revolutionary movement into a… continue reading

𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 Each January, Philippine Tropical Fabrics Month (Proclamation No. 313 s. 2012) celebrates the natural fibers and textile traditions that define the nation’s cultural soul. In Cagayan Valley, this observance intertwines with Cagayan history through 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙪𝙣– the Ibanag, Itawit, and Gaddang term for textiles and clothing, a once existing tradition that… continue reading

The “Three Musketeers”: the Cagayano Connection to Jose Rizal Today, on the 129th anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, we explore his connection to Cagayan through former governor Honorio Lasam. The camaraderie between Rizal, Lasam, Leoncio Bauson, and Feliciano Cabrera represents a significant localized facet of the National Hero’s social network. Referring to themselves… continue reading