Riding the waves of Batanes
A project commissioned by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for Senator Loren Legarda's DAYAW show
Photographs and Art Direction by Dino Dimar
Written by Floy Quintos
Anyone who has ever been to Batanes always returns marveling at the majestic vistas, the rolling terrain, the awe-inspiring mix of mountains and cliffs and ocean.
Among the memories many visitors take away is that of the great open sea, the angry waves, the massive swells and ebbs of the tides. All which we comfortably view from a safe distance.
What does it take to work with this most unpredictable of natural elements, to learn to ride the waves, to understand the signs of the winds and the waters? And to make from this vast store of knowledge, a life.
Things our fathers taught us.
Fort Paganawan is a major fishing port in Itbayat, Batanes. You won’t often find it in the tourist routes, but it is a good place to try and understand the ways in which the Ivatan have taken the traditional knowledge of the sea, and put these to good use for the local industry. To watch the boats and the fishermen enter the port is to see how the Ivatan have taken the knowledge of their forefathers into our own times. The realities they face daily are the very ones that challenged their forefathers.
The Dayaw team went on a fishing expedition with Victor Gonzales, 46. He was kind enough to take a camera crew of four on his boat. He told many stories about the risks that fishermen in these waters faced daily.
"There are times when the waves reach a height of three meters. Many times, we have to sail in Storm Signal no.2 weather. It is good that we have internet now. So, we have access to weather information. But in the past, we had to rely on the signs of the wind, thewaves. These are things our fathers taught us.”
The long ride on his tataya was a rough one. But as we watched him expertly maneuver his boat against the swells, we could not help but admire both his skill, as well as the mindfulness of the elements that he steered the small craft with.
In many industries, youth is considered an advantage. “But among us fishermen, age and experience ensure our survival.”
Although Victor has tried his hand at other livelihoods, it is to this trade that he has returned. “It is difficult. Sometimes, we catch very little, just enough for the needs of our family. Sometimes, we are able to catch enough to sell. We are not big-time fishermen. This boat is the only one we depend on. But I don’t feel this occupation is a burden. I have come back to fishing because I felt empty doing other work. I am happy here in the open waters. It is difficult. But this is where we are happiest.”
Humility. Patience. Mindfulness. A respect for an environment which can never be conquered. These are the most valuable lessons that we can learn from these resilient Ivatan.
This story has been published in the book called Dayaw.
Senator Loren Legarda proposed the idea for the Dayaw documentary series, which is now available as a book, as part of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts' (NCCA) roadmap. Using print and broadcast media, the objective is to popularise both our tangible and intangible cultural legacy.
Senator Loren Legarda is a supporter of Philippine arts and culture as well as the preservation of our national legacy.
For the book, Dino has been commissioned as both the art director and photographer.
For assignment and print inquiry, please send a message to dinoldimar@gmail.com
All images are copyrighted property of Dino Dimar © All rights reserved
These stories offer us a glimpse into a world that we may never have the chance to experience ourselves.
These are a few that made it and are worthy of global dissemination.
We can't wait to hear your's.
A fragment of Filipino DNA
The HeadOn Photo Awards are among the most prestigious photography contests worldwide, attracting over 10,000 entries from photographers in more than 30 countries. The portrait category is one of the most competitive, with entries from some of the world's most renowned portrait photographers.
Carrying the Talisman story, photographer Dino Dimar from the Philippines has been selected as one of the competition's finalists out of over 10,000 entries from 30 nations.
The winning photographs are now on display at the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney, Australia, from November 10 to December 3, 2023.
Together, let's explore what lies ahead for us.
You can tell me the story you have in mind, and together we can make it come to life.
