Baguio Wood Carvings: Symbol of Culture and Talent

One very special place in the Philippines could be likened to a sanctuary where the heavens are almost within reach -- you have guessed it right, we are talking about the city of pines, Baguio City! The cold climate, the wonderful people, and the amazing tourist spots make it a must to add this place to the list of the places to go to every summer. But if it is just these factors that we consider for setting foot to Baguio, we are honestly missing a lot! Who could ever forget that the very same city is well-known for its wood carving industry? Well, if you are not yet known to this fact, let us then explore Baguio’s realm of wood carving industry.

Because of the rich forests in Baguio, its people mostly venture into industries which make use of the high-quality woods around them. A very important addition to the said quality of the woods they use is the natives’ extraordinary ability to think of and to finally carve these woods into different shapes. To turn the plain wood to some figures with elegance is not as easy as we think of. It requires great inspiration, hard work, and passion to do these pieces of art. And when the natives create a piece of wood carving, it is not just your ordinary wood carving. Why? Because most of their subjects are inspired by the culture of the people in Baguio, especially those of the primitive groups like the Ifugaos. One of the very popular piece of wood carving is the barrel man, which is a trademark product of Baguio city.

Because of the natural beauty of these wood carvings, even foreigners show interest in the said products. Most of these products are imported to and so much appreciated in different countries. We must take pride of this fact because this means that we are letting other nationalities to know more of our Filipino culture.

Break free from the heat of the sun. Go somewhere cold. These are the common stuff we hear when we start sweltering a lot because of the summer heat. But is it summer yet? Let us not make the season a hindrance to our plans to experience the feel of heaven on earth. Be it summer or not, let us go to the world-known Baguio City, see the special talents and abilities of its people, and support them by acquiring their fantastic products, especially their wood carvings. Why? Because we are not only helping them in terms of finance and by promoting their city, we are also learning more about the culture not only of the natives of Baguio, but the whole of our Filipino culture as well.