I sent my Ilocano driver Oliver to his second cousin to find a steady source of deer meat and wild pig meat. There Oliver met at the foot of Mount Tabuk members of an Ilocano Native Tribe. They spoke to him in deep Ilocano language. If we are to follow this language clue, these are some of the original Ilocanos who were driven up the mountains to make a living.

These people are damn built. They are lighter skinned than my Ilocano driver. Their muscles are built like rocks. “Bato bato” was Oliver’s term. And they moved swiftly in the mountain grasses and forest on bare feet. And only had some loin cloth and moth eaten t-shirt for the men. For the women, loin cloth and some cloth on their breasts. And the women were built sexy too. The women had big breasts… contrast to the common low land Filipina who has small breasts. Oliver had to fight his gaze, as it may be fatal if you look too enamored at their women. Oliver saw the youngest native woman at seemingly 14 years old with a child. But they don’t really know how old they are as they keep no calendars.

So it seems the mountain gives adequate nutrition to these natives. What I do know is whatever pristine food they have up there is different. We bought from them an in tribe born wild boar and it doesn’t like our papaya peelings. Maybe our lowland commercial papaya tastes different and smells different.

The natives he met at Tabuk did not speak Tagalog. They can only go so far down the mountain as they are frustrated by gun toting men if they try to bring in deer or wild boar. So sending a steady supply via these natives directly was a no go. You have to contact them, pick up the deer or wild boar half way. Too much hassle and too far for us. And at the prices they want, those animals are better kept in a zoo and not for eating regularly… ah… it’s just too far. Maybe a better way of getting deer and wild boar will come up.

I wish he could have taken pictures, but his camera conked out.

Smells like an adventure I would like one day. Pay them a visit with Oliver next time. Bring cameras.