Baguio's Indigenous Art Trail: Exploring Cordilleran Culture in the City of Pines

Tam-awan means 'vantage point' in the local Ibaloi language—an apt name for a place offering clear views into Cordilleran cultural heritage. This artist-initiated village isn't some sanitized tourist trap but a working cultural complex where traditional architecture serves as both exhibit and workspace.

The village features seven traditional Ifugao huts and two Kalinga houses, all dismantled from their original mountain locations and meticulously reconstructed here. I've seen plenty of cultural villages globally, but what sets Tam-awan apart is its function as a living workspace. Artists don't just demonstrate techniques for tourists—they're actively creating, teaching, and preserving cultural knowledge.

During my visit, I watched a master weaver working on a traditional backstrap loom, creating patterns that tell stories of mountain life. The intricate symbols—representing rice terraces, human figures, and celestial bodies—haven't changed in centuries. What has changed is how these textiles find their way to global markets.

'These designs have specific meanings,' explained my guide, pointing to a zigzag pattern. 'This represents the rice terraces—our connection to the land.'

The entrance fee is just 120 pesos (about $2.15), making it accessible for budget travelers. I spent three hours here and could have stayed longer.

Just a 15-minute taxi ride from the city center (about 150 pesos), the BenCab Museum represents the perfect marriage of indigenous inspiration and contemporary execution. National Artist Benedicto Cabrera—BenCab to locals—has created a four-level museum that houses not just his own work but an impressive collection of indigenous Cordilleran artifacts.

The Cordillera Gallery on the third floor houses one of the most comprehensive collections of indigenous artifacts I've seen outside major anthropological museums. Bulul rice guardian figures, ceremonial boxes, weapons, and textiles are displayed with detailed context—not as curiosities but as living cultural expressions.

'I started collecting these pieces in the 1970s,' BenCab told me during a fortuitous encounter in the museum café. 'Not as an anthropologist but as an artist inspired by their forms and meanings.'

What struck me most was how the indigenous collections directly inform BenCab's contemporary paintings. His famous 'Larawan' series clearly draws from traditional Cordilleran aesthetics while addressing modern Filipino identity.

For photographers, the museum offers exceptional lighting conditions. My travel camera captured the subtle textures of wood carvings beautifully, though flash photography is prohibited.

The 150-peso entrance fee ($2.70) is a bargain considering the museum's scope. Budget at least two hours here, and don't miss the Café Sabel downstairs, where farm-to-table dishes use ingredients grown on the museum grounds.

In my decades developing commercial spaces, I've seen countless artisan workshops converted into sterile retail experiences. The Easter Weaving Room, founded in 1909 by American missionary Alice McKay Kelly, has managed to avoid this fate. Located in a modest building along Easter Road, it remains both a working weaving center and retail outlet where you can watch artisans create textiles using traditional techniques.

What makes this place special isn't just the preservation of technique but the economic model. Women weavers from various Cordilleran tribes work here, earning fair wages while passing skills to younger generations. It's exactly the kind of sustainable cultural preservation model I've researched in post-industrial cities across Eastern Europe.

'My grandmother taught me, and now I'm teaching my daughter,' explained Lorna, a master weaver from the Ifugao tribe, as her hands moved deftly across the loom. 'These patterns tell our stories.'

The back-strap looms they use are essentially the same design used for centuries—portable frames that attach to the weaver's body, creating tension through their own weight. The resulting textiles feature geometric patterns in vibrant colors derived from natural dyes.

For those interested in sustainable souvenirs, this is the place. Prices are reasonable—small table runners start around 300 pesos ($5.40), while larger pieces range from 1,000-3,000 pesos ($18-54). All proceeds support the weavers directly.

I bought a small wall hanging that now adorns my Hamburg apartment—a daily reminder of the resilience of indigenous crafts in a globalized world. If you're traveling with limited luggage space like I was, consider packing a packing cube set to organize and compress your textile purchases without wrinkling them.

As someone who's spent a career in real estate development, I'm always looking for innovative adaptive reuse projects. Ili-likha Artists Village, created by filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik (born Eric de Guia), represents one of the most creative examples I've encountered.

Tucked away in the heart of downtown Baguio, this former dilapidated building has been transformed into a warren of art spaces, performance venues, and small eateries. What makes it remarkable is how the renovation preserved the building's deterioration while making it functional—tree roots grow through floors, moss covers walls, and recycled materials form new structures within the old.

'We didn't want to erase the building's history,' explained one of the resident artists. 'The decay is part of its story.'

This philosophy extends to the village's approach to indigenous culture—not as something frozen in time but as a living, evolving tradition. The name 'Ili-likha' combines the Ilocano word for village ('ili') with the Tagalog word for creation ('likha')—a linguistic hybrid reflecting the project's blended approach.

The food stalls here serve traditional Cordilleran dishes with contemporary twists. I tried pinikpikan (traditional chicken soup) at Café Cueva and etag (salt-cured pork) pasta at another stall—both delicious examples of culinary innovation rooted in indigenous traditions.

For documenting these unique spaces, I relied on my travel tripod to capture the challenging low-light conditions without flash. The compact size made it easy to carry through the village's narrow passages.

Entrance is free, making it perfect for budget travelers. Plan to spend at least an hour exploring the various nooks and crannies, longer if you stop for a meal.

The most authentic cultural experiences often happen away from established tourist circuits. In Baguio's Asin Road area, about 30 minutes from the city center, I discovered a cluster of woodcarving workshops where Ifugao masters create everything from traditional bulul figures to contemporary sculptures.

Migyeon's workshop—named after the master carver who established it three generations ago—offers something special: hands-on lessons for visitors. For 500 pesos ($9), you can spend two hours learning basic carving techniques and create a small souvenir to take home.

'We don't just want to sell our art,' explained Jordan, the current workshop leader and Migyeon's grandson. 'We want people to understand the process—the patience and skill required.'

The workshop uses traditional hand tools alongside modern equipment. What hasn't changed is the deep connection to the pine forests that provide their materials. The carvers maintain a sustainable harvesting system, using only fallen trees or those marked for removal.

I've tried many tourist 'workshops' globally that offer little more than performative demonstrations. This was different—genuinely educational and challenging. My small carved pine cone paperweight won't win any awards, but it gave me profound respect for the masters who can transform a block of wood into intricate narrative scenes.

Getting here requires either a taxi (about 200 pesos one-way) or a jeepney to Asin Road (25 pesos) followed by a short walk. Call ahead to schedule a workshop session, as they sometimes close for large commissions or cultural events.

For those serious about documenting their experience, I recommend bringing a travel notebook to sketch designs before carving and take notes on techniques. The craftsmen appreciate visitors who show genuine interest in learning.