Banaue Rice Terraces

Not to be confused with Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras.

Banaue Rice Terraces
The Banaue Rice Terraces of Ifugao
Map showing the location of Banaue Rice Terraces
Map showing the location of Banaue Rice Terraces
Location in Luzon
Map showing the location of Banaue Rice Terraces
Map showing the location of Banaue Rice Terraces
Location in the Philippines
LocationIfugao, Philippines
Coordinates16°54′N 121°3′E / 16.900°N 121.050°E / 16.900; 121.050

The Banaue Rice Terraces (Filipino: Hagdan-hagdang Palayan ng Banawe) [bɐˈnawe] are terraces that were carved into the mountains of Banaue, Ifugao, in the Philippines, by the ancestors of the Igorot people. The terraces are occasionally called the "Eighth Wonder of the World".[1][2][3] It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand.[4] The terraces are located approximately 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) above sea level. These are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces. It is said that if the steps were put end to end, it would encircle half of the globe.[5]

Locals up to this day still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing,[6] often opting for the more lucrative hospitality industry generated by the terraces.[7] The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps", which require constant reconstruction and care. In 2010, a further problem encountered was drought, with the terraces drying up completely in March of that year.[8]

Anthropologist Otley Beyer has estimated that the terraces are over 2000 years old, but several researchers dispute this and contend that they were built much later.[9][10] Nevertheless, rice is an ancient ancestral crop of the Philippines, having been carried by Austronesian migrations into the islands since at least 1500 BCE (3500 years ago).[11]

Current threats to the terraces include the giant earthworms ("olang" in Ifugao) of the genus Pheretima or Polypheretima elongata which are blamed for causing damage to the terraces,[12] as well as rodents of the genus Chrotomys and snails.[13]

  1. ^ Filipinasoul.com.‘The Best’ of the Philippines - its natural wonders Archived November 5, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ National Statistical Coordinating Body of the Philippines. FACTS & FIGURES:Ifugao province
  3. ^ About Banaue > Tourist Attractions Archived December 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Talavera, Catherine (June 29, 2018). "Banaue Rice Terraces rehab to start by year end". Philippine Star. Retrieved February 16, 2019. The Banaue Rice Terraces, built by the Ifugaos by hand some 2,000 years ago, is among the country's national cultural treasures and is listed as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site.
  5. ^ Department of Tourism: Ifugao Province Archived March 2, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Accessed September 4, 2008.
  6. ^ Jesus, Totel V. De (April 7, 2018). "Not just Boracay: Banaue Rice Terraces also need help". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved February 16, 2019. Add to that, the loss of interest among the younger generations to farming. They'd rather go down to the cities and try their luck for a more stable income in call centers, real estate and other salary-based careers.
  7. ^ "Banaue Rice Terraces Pictures, Photos & Facts - Ifugao". famouswonders.com. March 15, 2009. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  8. ^ Agence France-Presse [1] Drought ravages famed Banaue rice terraces. March 9, 2010.
  9. ^ Cabreza, Vincent (July 15, 2013). "For Ifugao rice terraces, age should not matter". Inquirer.net. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  10. ^ "Ifugao Rice Terraces may be younger than we think". Rappler. April 29, 2015. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  11. ^ Bellwood, Peter; Hiscock, Peter (2005). "Australia and the Austronesians". In Scarre, Christopher (ed.). The Human Past: World Prehistory and the Development of Human Societies. Thames & Hudson. pp. 264–305. ISBN 9780500294208.
  12. ^ "Giant worms destroying ancient rice terraces". The Telegraph. March 3, 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  13. ^ "The brittle Steps to the Sky – T". www.insights-philippines.de. Retrieved November 10, 2018.