Between People and Place: Folklore Pertaining to the Natural Environment in a Farming Community in Argao, Cebu

A study in folklore is a study of a people’s way of life, thus, by looking through folklore pertaining to the natural environment, we can have a better understanding of how peoples perceive, interact and value the natural environment they live with. Based on qualitative research in a farming community in a mountain barangay in Argao, Cebu, the Philippines, a harmonious interplay between the people and their place is expressed in a variety of forms of intangible cultural heritage. This paper documents the values behind the interplay between culture and nature as embedded in various forms of local folklore pertaining to the natural environment considered culturally and economically significant to the community’s way of living. Specifically, it focuses on (1) local folk beliefs, (2) rituals and practices performed and (3) the folk narratives and stories relating to the natural environment. Drawing on the concept of associative cultural values attached to landscapes, the unwritten local knowledge onto the natural environment transmitted from generation to generation illustrates the intimate relationship between the people in the farming community and their natural environment. Nowadays, however, folklore has become a less understood integral component of culture, and some factors have caused its devaluation, unlearning and discontinuation, especially among the younger generation. Moreover, it presents the urgency of collaborative efforts between the natural and social sciences to multiply the values of landscapes and strengthen the relevance of conservation on the ground.