Author Description

INTRODUCTION We've long wanted to push that door open. A door to what had seemed to be an antiquated farm house. But it's not a house, just more like one. They say it contains food Some who have peeped through it saw sacks of rice and bundled panicles. Some say it has more. What must be it? Others saw traces of hands. Some hear semblances of laughter emanating from it. but there is more than meets the eye or ear We saw heavy footprints from the ricefield into the kamalig. We saw their faces--who they are, how they love and how they treasure what they do. The kamalig is the farmer's palace in the ricefield It's a granary, a warehouse, and a resting place: a bastion of hunger-defeating opulence. We talked to the farmers, tried to master their psyche, softened their hearts through constant dialogue and discovered what they loved to do best. The kamalig undoubtedly plays a crucial role in the farmer's life. It has sustained him and his loved ones through the ages. It is a sublime symbol of his secure existence as he proudly stands outside this thatched structure surveying his kingdom. Through those years, we watched with keen interest the intricacies of farming practices that breathed interest in our journey from the dirt roads of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to the confines of the academe and up to the restricted areas of advanced rice research laboratories of the world. A leisurely walk in any ricefield thus provides us with a stimulating experience, a very different realization, and a better comprehension of what might have been without this lowly hut, the kamalig. The kamalig is a picture-perfect landmark within rice paddies that are glamorized today in art galleries, blogs, restaurants, and even in resorts and hotels. It's always a beautiful sight. It's a world entirely on its own. Leaf through these pages as we share with you our discoveries--from the fragrant green rice field to the incredible kamalig.