Aurora Province: The Treasure of the Philippines | Free Documentary

[Music] for many people groups on earth it is very important to them to preserve their traditions and to treat the beauty of their natural environment as a priceless treasure that it is it is different in Aurora here the traditional and the modern coexist in harmony with one another [Music] the Filipino province of Aurora is situated on the east coast of the northern part of the main island about five hours drive from the capital city of Manila it is a small strip of land between the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Pacific Ocean Aurora means pre-dawn light and that is fitting as this is the place the Morning Sun hits the Philippine Islands first Aurora's landscape makes the regional land of contrasts a place of peaceful yet passionate beauty [Music] [Applause] the Philippines largest forests are located here about 70% of the region is covered with rainforests and offers refuge for many animals the Philippine deer is one of them as well as a Filipino rhinoceros Berg or hornbill he often suffers the consequences of the destruction of his natural habitat but here in Aurora he finds refuge [Music] Aurora is the land of waterfalls the t2 mob a waterfall for example cascades down a 40 meter high cliff face the clear water makes its way down into the valley over other cliffs and around other rocky obstacles in its way in the midst of the wild flora lies the mother waterfall the cool mountain water flowing down its overgrown face fills the crystal-clear pool that is formed at its base it is a welcome salve to our travel weary bones after our long trek to get here [Music] hidden deep in the mountain rainforests we discover the spectacular D below Falls this 80 meter high waterfall is located in Dilla Sauk the northernmost community in Aurora primates such as the Filipino macaques call the rainforests their home this one is looking for something edible in the crown of the trees a few guavas are his reward but they don't seem to be quite his taste these small monkeys are also called shrimp eating macaques they like to augment their diet with seafood that they find in the mangrove thickets as he found something sadly not another mikake takes the time to enjoy a banana the others good fortune seems to make our friend a bit sad but he has no choice but to resign himself to just keep on foraging for his next morsel Aurora's vast rainforest has only been partially explored scientists expect to find yet unknown types of plants and animals as they press into unexplored parts of the jungle Arvin see de Moss of the National Museum in Manila is a hepatologist a snake expert he is leading the expedition the oriental whip adder is well camouflaged in the leafy canopy flooded by sunlight but on darker leaves our snake expert spots them very quickly to get the measurements he needs the snake is packed securely our expert assures us that that is not done out of fear this is a completely harmless snake and it's one of those very common forest species of snake you find on top of trees and you seldom find them outside of the forest habitats this is quite common in the parts of the chair mattress in our province but it's also found in other places of the Philippines the mountain streams flow fresh and clear in the direction of the Wyatt valleys the Sierra Madre Mountains dominate Aurora's landscape but there are also broad expanses of cultivated agricultural land a variety of field crops are grown here such as coffee peanuts corn and other vegetables [Music] race is an extremely successful crop in Aurora thanks to a well-developed irrigation system the system allows water to be sent to exactly where it is needed when it is needed nature rewards the farmers tedious work of planting the rice plants by hand in this climate the farmers are able to harvest the fields up to twice a year after it is harvested the rice is dried at the side of the road moist rice spoils very quickly after a few hours under the tropical Sun and the grains of rice still in their husks are packed in bags and transported to a modern rice mill the mill is the result of a cooperative effort with the government of South Korea [Music] Aurora's agriculture is very diversified fruit grows here in abundance and there are many different kinds papaya avocado or dragon fruit [Music] bananas also grow all over the place here there is even an indigenous type the Sabah banana some claim that the sweetest pineapples in the entire Philippines grow right here in these fields extensive coconut plantations produce fruit that are a good 20 percent larger and more heavy than the country average it's no wonder that coconut juice is a favourite thirst quencher in this area this majestic tree is called a millennium tree it is a fig tree belonging to the ficus Bengal iNSYS family they are also referred to as strangulation fig trees in the course of its growth the host tree dies leaving a hollow Center biologists have determined that this tree is between 400 and 600 years old [Music] aurorus eastern flank is a 410 kilometer long coastline on the Pacific Ocean the oldest mangroves in the Philippines are found here they provide habitat for a myriad of animals among them the mudskipper for example when the tide goes out the fish come out of their caves to feed on the mud banks the mangrove crabs make their home around the aerial roots of the mangroves [Music] these crabs are only 2 centimeters in size and yet pretty courageous as this battle over fallen leaf shows and as is the case so often in life the stronger one takes the prize [Music] the ocean reefs along aurora's coast are still completely undisturbed in many places divers and snorkelers glide along in a virtual underwater paradise among an impressive variety of sea life hermit crabs are at home here as well as the giant clam the distant relative of the giant clam is the quarry snail it has become very rare in most places it has been hunted to near-extinction because of its shell in aurora's marine environment to reserve it is still able to flourish in contrast to their relatives on land the new tea breaks or marine slugs are particularly beautiful and exquisitely colored instead of carrying a shell on their backs they carry their breathing apparatus feathery gills sacs the clownfish well-loved thanks to a popular animated film finds his refuge among the poisonous tentacles of the sea anenome our our journey takes us on to the Kasab Sepang Bay where a member of the do McGann tribe demonstrates his fishing skills his name is Francis the small doulica tribe has preserved many of its traditions over the centuries among them is the art of fishing by casting a net unfortunately today he catches nothing and returns to his clan empty-handed Frances lives in the nearby duma got village not far from the community of caseta don in the northern part of aurora the duma gods are half nomads and move their dwelling place according to prevailing conditions and the availability of food when resources run out in one place they move on they will not return to the same place for many years that gives nature sufficient time to regenerate the dual God are a very creative people the spirit is member of the tribe is crafting will serve as an excellent harpoon not in the least bothered by his earlier lack of success fishing Francis repairs his diving goggles our poon in hand he embarks on his next fishing expedition another group of Douma got forages for food in the bushland a bit further inland [Music] in the meantime the women prepare the dwellings the Duma got lived mainly from foraging fishing hunting and a little bit of farming they know their natural habitat like the backs of their hands and they are expert marksmen with a bow and arrow [Music] the duma cot share the fruit of their hunts everyone in the tribe gets a portion all other work is shared as well this strengthens the social bonds and the sense of community among the members of the tribe [Music] [Music] meanwhile back in the village Frances teaches the children of the village the traditional method of making fire wrapping a narrow piece of flexible wrought on around a piece of hard wood and pulling it quickly back and forth produces enough heat to ignite the kindling the air cooking planten's a type of cooking banana that is a food staple in Asia and other tropical regions of the world these and other traditions are taught to the children to this day that ensures the survival of their tribal culture the history of Aurora has inspired countless local and international artists to some of their best works weather events out of the distant past or our more recent history there is a good chance that they are reflected in Aurora's works of art [Music] archaeological proof of Aurora's settlement by the Duma God and other tribes has existed since the 14th century the first Spanish expedition to the Philippines took place in 1521 the Philippines were conquered less by politics or military force than by evangelization the Franciscan monk Blas Palomino arrived in the coastal city of Butler in 1609 and converted the local farmers fishermen and hunters to Christianity the first church was built in 1611 and dedicated to Saint Luis Obispo who remains the patron saint of the city to this day a dramatic event on December 26 1735 documents the resilience of the inhabitants of bawler this monument to Trumbo Medina stands as an everlasting testimony during the night of that day a tsunami devastated the city some of the people took refuge in the church and miraculously survived others were able to swim to a hill which is still known as Ermita hill the most influential families in Aurora are descendants of those who survived the tsunami they are the ones who rebuilt Balor about five kilometres further inland [Music] the church was rebuilt as well out of this dramatic experience the Franciscan monks had it built as if it were to be a fortress during the Filipino Revolution the church was the location of one of the most heroic battles in the history of the Philippines the siege of Balor the survivors were celebrated as heroes in Spain and became famous through the classic film los últimos de filipinas on June 30th 1898 a garrison of 54 Spanish soldiers among them a priest barricaded themselves in the church they anticipated an attack by the Revolutionary Army the capita narrows the Spaniards held their position for three hundred and thirty seven days in spite of illness desertions and death they held a position for their fatherland and refused to believe that the war would end during the time of the siege when they finally surrendered on June 2nd 1899 there were only 35 of them left alive a capito narrows and the inhabitants of Balor granted them safe passage to Spain where they were celebrated as heroes the more than 400 year old church in Balor has survived natural disasters and man-made catastrophes over the centuries in 1939 under the supervision of the country's first lady Dona Otto a kiss on the church was renovated from the ground up and is now protected as a historical National Monument [Music] the siege of Balor was one of the longest in modern military history [Music] to commemorate all of these historical events Aurora celebrates the Filipino Spanish Day of Friendship every year the festivities are carried out with all military honors and are attended by high-ranking government officials and the Spanish ambassador for one of the celebrations young people paint the sails of these boats with scenes of the siege the colonial occupation of Aurora is commemorated for an entire weekend with cultural events put on by both countries that promotes tolerance and increases the common understanding between the two peoples a triathlon has recently been added to the program the swim bike run is a friendly competition which draws athletes from all over the country [Music] following these footprints leads us right to Balor's Museum behind its doors the visitor is presented with the highlights of the local history and culture relics works of art and photographs make up most of the display nemecio diego jr from the National Museum in Manila Illustrated Aurora's wealth of flora for the museum a complete section of the museum is dedicated to the display of Aurora's natural riches right next door the museum has dedicated a display to the Elanco tribe this tribe was nearly wiped out by countless blood feuds even though Modern Life has an ever greater influence on their lifestyle the remaining alone gods still hunt regularly they use improvised animal calls to lure their prey out of hiding their most common prey includes ape deer and wild pigs they hunt with traps Spears or bows and arrows the women of the tribe carry their load as well among other things they gather various fruits and vegetables to augment the tribes diet over the generations they have learned to differentiate between edible and poisonous plants even when they look nearly exactly alike like these two they also take care of the rice harvest they separate the valuable grain from the chaff using heavy wooden poles when an Elan godmen wants to make his interest in a woman known he will try to help her in her work as often as possible in the hope of being able to briefly stroke her hand while they work the illunga are expert climbers and use a special ritand rope to get up into the trees from there they connect strong branches in the Crown's of the trees together using durable rotten lines it takes a lot of practice to develop the skill required to move gracefully among the treetops along this route on highway in this way they are able to cut the wood they need without having to fill the entire tree [Music] when the tribal elders tell the children exciting stories they are also passing on the cultural rules of the tribe this ancient teaching method is practiced by many primitive peoples the lung caught have a long history of headhunting before the Spaniards arrived head hunting was quite common among Filipino tribes the along got continued this tradition until far into the 1970s the violence did not even stop at the boundary of one's own family this forced the along got to put distance between themselves and spread out over large areas the performance of the head hunting ritual is a reminder of those violent times in times past the men would have thrown the heads of their enemies to the ground and mocked and ridiculed him [Music] only if a man were a successful headhunter would he be allowed to wear the headdress of the hornbill a rhinoceros bird their rituals and festivals are not the only things accompanied by music and dance the illunga danced to everything from the hunt to weddings to death and war the Tagum a dance performed after the hunt shows the aggressive manner with which the along got handled their weapons to this day the women on the other hand reveal a peaceful aspect of the dance one would not expect from the former headhunters music is made with traditional instruments such as the bamboo guitar or zither the bamboo fiddle and the flute the advancement of civilization in the Philippines has not weakened the established tribal culture of the along gods it is carried on to this day [Music] the hunters have brought back a wild pig the meat is cooked or grilled and everyone takes part in the meal everyone gets an equal share as almost all Filipinos the peoples of Aurora are very religious and treat all religious people with respect the local people have maintained their ancient beliefs and merged Christianity with them when it came on the scene later today Christians make up the majority in the population as in most of the rest of the country the people of Aurora deny themselves by fasting during the week of Easter on Good Friday the believers carry their Christian icons through the streets of the cities in solemn procession closed only in a skirt of coconut leaves in a crown of leaves some extreme believers begin a long and painful process of self chastisement they beat themselves on the back with whips tipped with sharp bits of wood in addition the skin of their backs is cut open with razor blades to ensure that sufficient blood flows in this attempt to share in the sufferings of Jesus Christ and the blade used on each believer is not always a fresh one Easter Sunday is the climax of the celebrations church services and processions take place throughout the day [Music] the local faith healers and many other believers put army lights and talismans in the glass coffin of Santa Chittoor to have it laid at the feet of a statue of Jesus that is supposed to bring good luck during the year until the next procession the coming of the Holy Spirit symbolized by lighting the fire marks the end of the Easter celebrations aurora also cultivates more modern secular forms of art in bawler alone there are several choirs that are renowned far beyond the borders of the province the bells of bawler for example combine beauty with gentle voices [Music] only few artists are able to play that wrong Dahlia a 12 strength guitar with such perfection and feeling this group with their skill and the charm of their traditional dress leaves a lasting impression [Music] the angklung made from bamboo produces only one note an entire ensemble is required to play a complete song a group like this children's Orchestra for example Aurora's capital city of baller boasts of the oldest Community Theatre in the Philippines the commedia day by layer the pieces performed here deal with typical themes of classic comedia the conflict between Muslims and Christians complex costumes choreography and real weapons play a major role in a very lively theatre productions the comedy gunday autobahn ho deals with an albanian prince who takes part in a tournament to win the hand of a princess the piece was performed for the first time in baller on the 24th of October 1927 the day of the patron saint Raphael [Music] the Art Academy in bawler offers youth in education in the arts but it is not the only place for artists and those who would like to become artists can express their passion this is an artist colony on the Decca saladin Bay here creative individuals find display rooms studios and places to work together under the patronage of experienced artists such as Sherwin Gonzales for example developing local artists are helped along their way [Music] [Applause] the landscape around aurora is breathtakingly gorgeous it invites the visitor to admire its rugged coastlines and to explore the inland mountains mountain bikes are the right vehicles for that many of the roads in the Sierra Madre Mountains are still mere dirt trails all of the many rivers in Aurora empty into the Pacific Ocean the Sierra Madre Mountains form a useful watershed protecting the back lands from storms and the romantic beaches seem to go on forever heavy surf doesn't come up all the time but seasonally the waves can get up to three meters high it is only natural dat water sports like surfing would be very popular among the younger generation here the numerous beaches offer beginners as well as experts the chance to show what they can do and when the ocean is calm they simply enjoy the pleasant climate [Music] in Aurora the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and astronomical Services Administration or PAGASA which means hope in Filipino maintains one of the two weather radar stations in the country it is a vital link in the Southeast Asian weather forecasting system and provides storm warnings for the more than 7,000 islands of the Philippine archipelago and the surrounding region in addition to the radar the weather station keeps track of cloud formation and temperature development of the ocean water the weather can turn within moments between the Sierra Madre Mountains in the ocean in the best case that results in fantastic waves for the surfers surfing became popular during the American occupation after World War two soldiers from California brought their surfboards along with them according to the locals even Hollywood has been to Aurora Francis Ford Coppola's film crew supposedly shot to napalm attack scenes in the American war film Apocalypse Now as well as the famous scene of the surfing general here according to legend the actors left first surfboards behind on ballers beach today Aurora is one of the bastions of the Filipino surfing scene the number of surfers coming here to find the perfect wave has grown astronomically over the past few years some of the most modern hotels in the country have been built in Aurora to accommodate growing number of tourists [Music] ampere Beach is located to the north of baller the dart Pebble Beach is a local insider's tip and only rarely visited by tourists cassie guten is the second oldest city in the province it lies in a natural harbour that was used already by the spaniards to anchor their galleons the bay is protected by the sun ildefonso peninsula the collapse upon beach is located on the northern side of the peninsula someday is fine white sand will certainly attract numerous visitors but for now hardly any tourists find their way to this isolated paradise only one of Aurora Zaid communities is landlocked with no direct access to the ocean so it is no wonder that fishing is the main source of income for about a third of the region's population the fresh catches are taken to the market daily and prepared then and there for final consumption high-quality fish is the rule here most customers buy their fish fresh each day there are not enough refrigeration possibilities in the country to allow for longer storage but the great catches of fish have a dark side to them no nation in the world could equal the wealth the beauty and the biodiversity of our seas but lately our seas have been depleted because of the combination of neglect and abuse made by the fishermen themselves so our seas became repeated and the government has to look for a new source food for our ever-increasing population and this new source is aquaculture or fish farming this aquaculture facility is a government-funded pilot project in the 321 hectare facility one hectare being 10,000 square meters fish are being raised for human consumption with this project and others like it the government hopes to assure a significant increase in fish production in the years to come [Music] scientists are working to optimize every step of the process as they go along besides working with enclosed fish ponds tests are being carried out in permanent net facilities in the open waters of the ocean as well some things have already become clearer protected from their natural enemies the fish have a better chance of survival and thanks to regular feeding they grow more quickly in Aurora the importance of the ocean to the human population has been recognized in large areas have been placed under environmental protection that has saved many natural habitats from serious damage where the ocean meets the land mangrove forests have developed over eons of time they form one of the most complex ecosystems on earth the mangroves serve as nurseries for young fish and as habitat for crabs and other shellfish as well as the smallest of life-forms the University of the Philippines carries out regular research projects under the leadership of dr. Miguel fortes the mangroves serve not only as a natural habitat but also as a type of coastal line of defense against the forces of erosion storms and tsunamis if you look at the normal arrangement or sequence of ecosystems deeper area of the coral reefs shallower area of the seekers beds and a shallow West you have the mangroves in terms of dissipation of the impact of waves the coral reefs is the first line of defense among those three and with contribution for the seekers beds the waves are much opt-in you ated and then finally the mangroves so those three really act as one to protect the coast the Aurora State College of Technology Ascot for short is a driving force behind the protection of the ocean it is Aurora's most highly respected Institute of higher learning and works closely with the Institute of Oceanography of the University of the Philippines work is being done in cooperation with other institutions as well to find new methods of using marine biological resources more wisely for example algae are well-suited as animal fodder but also in the production of biodiesel the ocean has already provided us with ingredients that have become a standard part of our diet one example being brown algae extracts used in the production of yoghurt and gummy bears [Music] the ocean is a virtually immeasurable source of new elements which are playing an ever-greater role not only in the food industry but also in the pharmaceutical branch that is another reason to invest in the protection and preservation of the world's oceans Aurora has many untapped resources that have never been studied before I think it will open up a big area for for the people in Aurora for the young scientists to tap the Treasuries of their marine environment a multitude of culinary jewels can also be found in Aurora thanks to fresh ingredients from the land and the ocean Aurora's cuisine is simple but authentic homemade dishes are rich in aroma and flavor visitors find culinary delights of a special kind in Aurora's restaurants in salad and Paco for example consists of fern-like leaves dressed with tomatoes and onions adobo is a Filipino delicacy the version made in baller is particularly tasty because it is cooked not only in vinegar but also in coconut milk sometimes fern is added this specialty of aurora's cuisine is known far beyond the borders of the province sumon is a kind of rice pudding the purple colored rice is a special type which grows in the mountains of Aurora [Music] Suman has made fresh daily without preservatives it would spoil in a very short time Suman is already very tasty on its own but it can also be combined with other specialties coconut marmalade and peanut butter for example [Music] aurorus cultural history is reflected in its traditions and handcrafts they testify to the creativity and active fantasy of its people in every community there are entire businesses built around processing local materials by hand these businesses not only produce additional income but also help retain the artistry of the ancestors the production of basket woven products is particularly widespread rheton is a thin very flexible vine like palm which grows almost everywhere in Aurora robust and lightweight at the same time it is used in artistic hand crafts and for making furniture the flexible rattan can be woven into many different products from simple mats to vases and baskets up to larger pieces of furniture like chairs or tables large areas of land in Aurora are designated to the so called Tree of Life the coconut palm every bit of the coconut is put to use even the rough fibers of the coconut husk are used as filler material for German automobile seats for example but a local industry has also developed around the coconut fiber machines separate the long soft fibers from the more coarse short ones another machine is used to extract even the last fibers from the coconuts in the threshing machine what was a solid shell a moment ago is reduced to nothing more than a pile of fibres coconut rope can be sponge from the fibers and used in other products some are made into flower pots or floor mats by far the greatest portion is used to make Nets buried under a layer of soil for example they keep earthen slopes from eroding for filipino travellers it is customary to buy gifts for those that stayed at home this souvenir shop offers a broad selection of local delicacies and various products such as hats and baskets made from Cebu tongue besides Aurora Sabaton grows in only a few places in the Philippines Sabaton plant belongs to the pandan palme family the work of processing the plant is very intensive the main stem of the leaf is removed and the leaf divided in a single stroke the leaf sections are then cut into thinner strips and the thorny edge removed wrapped into bundles the strips are softening water in cooked to make the leaf fibers available in keeping with tradition the work is done by hand without using modern machinery through cooking the fibers are not only softened they also lose their natural green color the Saba con leaves are dyed in boiling water using various pigments often chemical pigments are still used but ecologically produced organic pigments are finding their way into the production process more and more often after the coloration process is complete the residual dye is rinsed out and the leaves dried on linen for the rest of the day in the past the dried sabaton fibers were woven into products for day-to-day use such as hats or mats in the mean time to demand for natural fibers has grown so dramatically that they fetch high prices on the international market a special process awaits the brightly colored saw Bhutan fibers [Music] this dress will have its debut at a very special occasion at the national Moochie Anan Filipinas beauty contest the beauty queen of the Philippines is chosen to complement the typical selection categories such as bathing suits and evening dresses this time the category best in Sabah Tom has been added with a prize for the best designer [Music] all over the world efforts are being made to live in harmony with nature while still embracing progress at the same time it looks like these efforts are beginning to work out in Aurora the right conclusions are being drawn from the past the results applied to life in the present with a thoughtful eye toward the future visitors to this small province in the Philippines will have fond memories of their stay for a long time to come its culture and colorful history will continue to touch people and the timeless beauty of Aurora's landscape in nature will amaze future generations as well Aurora is a piece of heaven at the other end of the world [Music] you

Channel: Free Documentary

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Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, BBC documentary, pacific, philippines, beach, holiday, dream, travel, Aurora Province, Aurora, luzon, Luzon Island, Baler, Aurora Documentary, Travel Documentary, Philippines Documentary, Aurora Province Documentary, Philippine Sea, East Asia, Travel Aurora Province, Travel Philippines, Manila, Duterte, treasure of the philippines, Vacation Aurora Province, Sea, Ocean, Tropics

Id: 26VWCO6kScw

Length: 44min 12sec (2652 seconds)

Published: Wed Jan 16 2019