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Romania's traditional glass-making Romania is famous the world over for its delicate, hand-crafted glass. However, artisans in the trade fear it is dying out because there are not enough newcomers to the industry. A  factory on the outskirts of Bucharest which has been operating since 1922. Though global demand for Romanian glass is strong, the factory’s manager, Petru Stefanescu, said it is hard to get young people into the busine ss: “We try to attract young people by telling them our stories, by showing them what we do. But very few of them are really interested in actually doing this job. Young people today are no longer interested in handicraft. And there are no policies to encourage young people to go for such jobs these days in Romania.” The glass tubes he is working on are imported from Germany and the Czech Republic. They are melted to a temperature of 1,600 Celsius and turned into chandeliers, candle holders, drinking glasses and teapots. So far, the Ro...
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Kalinga’s Traditional Tattoos Apo Whang Od, a 93-year-old woman from the mountains of Kalinga, is considered to be the last traditional tattoo artist of the Philippines. During her younger years, she marked many fearless tribal warriors with  symbolic tattoos  using only two bamboo sticks and a small citrus fruit locally known as calamansi. Also known as  batuk , these traditional tattoos were more than just a visual decoration for the Kalinga tribe. They signified pride, honor, and dignity; they were markers that elevated courageous warriors from ordinary members of the society. Men were awarded these traditional tattoos only if they were able to cut off an enemy’s head and bring it back to the village. For their tattoos, the Kalinga people drew inspiration from animals. In the past, it was common for warriors to get a tattoo of a centipede on their arms for protection and a python on their shoulders for strength. An eagle on the chest and the back was al...
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Sagada Death Rituals Hanging coffins are coffins which have been placed on Mountain cliffs as part of the Igorot indigenous culture and burial tradition of Sagada People. It may not be unique in the Philippines since these old tradition is also being done in some parts of Indonesia and China but this only proves that we have a culture of our own. Coffins are made of hollowed out log normally carved by the elderly Igorots before they die, each cadaver was smoked throughout the 5-day pre-burial feast to avoid fast decomposition. Hanging the coffins in high elevated cliffs is the traditional way of burying a qualified individual. The indigenous death ritual also involves pushing the bodies into the tight spaces of the coffin for them to fit into the coffin space made from Pine tree logs. This ancient practice in Sagada was already more than 2,000-year-old tradition. Although it was no longer a common practice for locals of Sagada, the latest addition to the hanging coffins of ...
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The Hanging Coffins of Sagada is definitely one of the most popular tourist spot in Mountain Province. Visiting this old world burial site only involves a short hike but one thing more interesting is you will have to pass by an American influenced cemetery which is located on a hilltop called Echo Valley. Trekking to the hilltop was a chilly and easy journey but seeing a Globe Telecom Cell Site right at the back of the Calvary replica was rather disappointing. After just a short walk down to the place called Echo Valley, the disappointment we had was eased after seeing the magnificent view of Sagada’s rocky village and the jaw-dropping view of the Hanging Coffins. Sagada Modern Cemetery The path was not paved and the soil is naturally sticky and slippery so everyone decided not to continue the trek down to the nearest Hanging Coffin’s viewpoint, instead, everyone enjoyed shouting and cam-whoring in the valley. The place was not called Echo Valley for nothing, Its one of the few p...
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