Spared from the stain of sin, but not from suffering

IFUGAO KAPE
The name Ifugao was derived from the word Ipugo. It means “people on earth” (as opposed to the “deities of the Skyworld”). Ifugao mythology narrates that Kabbigat and Bugan, the first parents of Ifugao people, were brought down to earth by their father Wigan from the Skyworld. They stayed in the fertile valley called Kay-ang along Ibulao river, and had five mortal children. They multiplied and populated the Ifugao world.

The Spaniards changed “Ipugo” to “Ifugaw” and the Americans change the spelling to”Ifugao”. It refers to several ethnolinguistic groups: Tuwali, Ayangan and Kalanguya. The Ifugaos have no recollection, even in mythical form, of having migrated. They were just there as “people on earth”- to till the soil, raise animals and take care of their homeland.

Coffee was introduced in Ifugao by the Spaniard. Ifugao got its share of coffee seeds and plants between 1593 to 1620 through immigrants from panuypuy-Ituy (Bambang, Nueva Viscaya) areas who planted them at Antipolo, Duit and Tinoc. A century and a half later, Ifugao being a part of Nueva Viscaya and Isabela, the proliferation of coffee plants occurred in the mission station forts at Olilicon, Bae, Magulon, Lagwek (Cuta and Boble), Alimit and Mayawyaw.  The present plants found in these places can trace their antecedents to those planted by the Spaniards in between 1815 to 1898.

Coffee drinking was never developed as a culture  of the Ifugao people since there had been already existence a stronger drink - the rice wine of Bayah. In order to remain in sober throughout a dialogue or important meeting. IFUGAO KAPE is the fitting brew to be served.  (Source of historical in formation: Willian Henry Scott, Lourdes Dulawan, and Angel B. Guimbatan)

IGOROT KAPE
Igorot originally means “People of the Mountain Chain”. It was spelled “Igorot” in the 18th century. It is generic term that refers to several ethnic groups of the Cordillera Region who resisted deliberately and continuously foreign aggressions during Spanish Regimes for the centuries.

The derogatory connotation s of the word Igorot started with the 1904 St. Louis Exposition in the USA, where a village of “wild men” was exhibited. But with the educational institutions introduced by the Catholic Church (the Belgian CICM and ICM Missionaries) and the Anglican Church (American Missionaries), the Igorots became educated and competed for work in Government offices and private institutions. Political and academic achievements of the Igorot made their name less embarrassing and it was warmly promoted.

Through the written works of Anthropologist like Otley Beyer, Fr. Francis Lambrecht (CICM), Roy Barton and William Henry Scott, Igorot consciousness and identity crystallized and identity crystallized.

They survived the development aggressions during the Martial Law years  with the different roles played by the Igorot freedom fighters and peace workers like Fr. Pat Guyguyon and Bishop Francisco Claver, SJ. Up to the post-modern day, the Igorot people are still asserting their Native Title to their Igorot homeland. The fight is for real self-determination, for the National Government to grant their Ancestral Domain Title. This development direction attached to the name Igorot will always be promoted, in a small way, by the introduction of the product: IGOROT KAPE.

Coffee was brought in during Spanish Regime. But it was taken a new identity when planted, grown, harvested and processed in the mountains of the Igorots. It has become the IGOROT KAPE.
(Source of historical Information: William Henry Scott)


LAGAWE BLEND
Is the advocacy product of the  Cordi Group. a cooperative of coffee growers, technicians and coffee enthusiasts who work to sustain a local coffee industry Lagawe and in the Cordillera.

Lagawe is the capital town and coffee blending capital of Ifugao Province, home the famous Banaue Rice Terraces. Lagawe has been growing coffee since the last 1950s; however, coffee farms were neglected when the world price of the coffee dropped in the late 1980s.
Every purchase of Lagawe Blend coffee means a contribution to the revival of the Philippine coffee industry; part of the gross sales go to trainings for the farmers, community tree planting events  and coffee education.

The passion in this advocacy drives us to continuously develop high quality organic coffee blends that you can warmly share with those close to you heart.

LAGAWE KAPE is more on Robusta so the taste is bold while IFUGAO KAPE is a balanced blend of Arabica and Robusta so it has a combination of bold  and aromatic taste. And the IGOROT KAPE is more on Arabica so the taste is mild and aromatic.

Pagod, hirap, tuwa at saya, iyan ang aming naranasan sa isang araw na pag-aalay ng lakas, isip at oras para sa mga taong nasalanta ng nakaraang bagyong Undoy. Sira-sira at gula-gulanit na tahanan ng mga mamamayan ang aming naabutan sa Sub-Urban Village, San Isidro Temfacil, Montalban Rizal.

The list of Tanging Yaman Foundation scholars for 2011 is posted here...