A Bit of History Told Through Brushstrokes

After attending the mass and having a short chitchat with the Parish priest, the husband and I went for a spin somewhere far away yesterday. The drive was kinda impromptu and so as the place. It was a bit drizzly and cold so the farmboy thought going south will be warmer. Then we drove off without much planning nor thinking about food and water.

It's quite a bummer because by the time we realize (feel) that we're hungry, we are already in the middle of nowhere with no stores nor any café to buy from. But that's one of the fun things about unplanned trips, lol!

Anyhow, these paintings I'm sharing today are some of those we photographed along the way. The town (Kabayan) seems to love having colors on their street walls which is really nice. Kinda add some good vibes to motorists and perhaps, give them reasons to slow down for a while and enjoy them.

I was on the wheels when the husband noticed an interesting mountain in the distance and was saying we should pull over to take a photo of it. The road was going uphill so we had to find a better place to stop and such a good coincidence that we found these paintings too!

These were found in a village called Gusaran. I forgot if it was a recycling facility but this is the place via Pinmapple. The snapshot on the map is still that of last year so it's showing the pre-painted walls.

Anyway, the paintings depict some stories, one pertaining to "Embosi" which at first, I thought were referring to people. A quick research led me to an interesting history and I quote:

Before the arrival of the Spaniards in 1521, there lived in Kabayan,a group of people, called Ibaloi, who were believed to be among the second wave of Malays who from migrated from Southwest Pacific Islands. They were believed to have sailed through Indonesia and Borneo, until finally, settling on the coastal shores of Pangasinan.

They proceeded north, following the course of the Agno River. Upon reaching the highlands of Benguet, they settled in valley of which they named Baloi. As the story goes, an epidemic broke out in their settlement, that spared several families, the seven of which continued their trek northward, while the rest retraced their steps back to Pangasinan.

The seven families that went north found a valley rich in wild animals and wild edible roots. They decided to stay and named the valley Embossi.
(Source)

So Embosi is actually a place! I would never know about this if I haven't seen the murals.

Another story I see from the wall is the life of women way, way back when they used to carry their produce (fruits, veggies, root crops etc) placed on a woven basket strapped at the back of their heads. On the painting, it shows a woman on a traditional garment with a walking stick carrying a basket full of carrots.

Also on the paintings are show some of the mountains there. This for example is what the farmboy wanted to photograph and it's on the mural too. Or is it not?

The town of Kabayan is so rich not only in their culture but also in creativity which are seen through their artworks along their roads. These murals are just one of them. There will be more to be shared in the coming days.😉

Happy new week everyone and as always, let's keep forging!

Photos are my own. 30012023/09:20ph

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Smile... laugh often... love more... be happy and grateful always!

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