Move over Darna, Captain Barbell and Dyesebel – no disrespect to your creator, the legendary Mars Ravelo. Here come Lampong, Pili, Inlablabbuut and others. The latter have come alive in a new comic book collaboration by young artists from the Cordilleras.

The Igorots have both priests and priestesses, and they perform many public and private ceremonies, both for the benefit of the great deities and for the countless minor spirits which inhabit the sacred mountains, cliffs, groves, trees, and bushes that are scattered throughout the Igorot country.

Three weeks in the Cordilleras of Luzon and I feel like I have only scratched the surface of experiencing the rich cultures that make up the Igorot people. This is a common trend I have experienced while working on the Katutubong Filipino Project and one reason I hope to extended the project longer term, perhaps for another three years. More time is needed.