The Ifugao Honey of Asipulo

The Ifugao Honey

farmeric September 7th, 2010

The Ifugao Honey by Juan B. Dait, Jr,

THE RARE IFUGAO HONEY is not cultured. Pure and unadulterated, it is made from the nectar of wild flowers which colonies of bees gathered in the distant forests of Asipulo town in Ifugao.

Honey season in Asipulo starts from the month of March and ends in August. During these months, swarm of honeybees settle in in the forests of some barangays in Asipulo and busy themselves making honeycombs in the branches of trees. The yearly appearance of the honeybees in Asipulo reminds one of the annual migration to the Philippines of flock of foreign birds ti escape the cold Siberian winds.

The seasonal migration of honeybees in Asipulo is a boon to the natives of the far-flung barangays of the the town who earn good income by gathering the “manufactured” honey and selling the sweet liquid in bottles in the nearby markets of Kiangan, Lagawe, Lamut, and Banaue. The rare honey even reaches the markets of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Baguio City.

Ifugao honey is ripe for gathering one month after the bees start making beehives. The natives traditionally gather the manufactured honey by smoking to drive away the bees from their hives. The honeycomb is then pulled down and opened to allow the honey to flow out into containers.

There are two kinds of Ifugao honey: the Uyukan and the Alig. The Uyukan bees are bigger and they produce brown or dark-colored honey. The Alig bees, on one hand, are smaller and produce light-colored honey.

Three barangays of Asipulo are annually visited by the honey-making bees. These are Liwon, Namal, and Numpaling. Their fourth destination is Sitio Balukluk.

The bees suck the nectar of the flowers of certain indigenous trees and plants like the betelnut, coffee, binul, adawe, palayon, tabangawon, avocado, pummelo, uyuk, and the habawel vine.

According to the honey producers of Asipulo, honey is very healthful. The native us it to combat colds, influenza, and chicken pox. It is also applied in superficial wounds to prevent infection.

The drained and emptied honeycomb is useful, too. It is heated with water and converted into wax, which is used to make candles.

Elders of Asipulo claim that honey is also a perfect mix for gin drinks. They also say that chickens fed with rice and palay laced with honey grown healthier, fatter, and more tasteful.

But where do the Uyukan and Alig honeybees come from? Where do they go after the honey season?

I have asked these questions in several dialogues with some Asipulo honey producers like Ignacio Lumauig, Robert Bugtong and Amado Maddawat. However, they all do now know. All they know is that the bees come in March from nowhere and leaves in August; perhaps they transfer to another place where they could also make honey.

source:Agriculture Magazine October 2007