Food Crisis Series 5: Love the Bahay Kubo (Nipa Hut) - Bastion of Food Self-Sufficiency

 Food Crisis Series 5 

Love the Bahay Kubo (Nipa Hut) 

- Bastion of Food Self-Sufficiency 

Bahay Kubo takes us closer to nature, makes us appreciate our culture, and leads us to the inner calling for peace, quiet and joy.

Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature - School on Blog 

Bahay Kubo is an enduring symbol of food self-sufficiency, indigenous biodiversity, simplicity and quaintness of living and natural beauty.

Traditional Bahay Kubo painting by the author

Bahay Kubo (My Nipa Hut) is one of the most loved traditional songs. All kids in my generation learned it by heart in the elementary. Not so many kids today are familiar with it. It is good to rediscover the beauty and lesson of the song. 

Bahay kubo, kahit munti,
ang halaman duon ay sari-sari.
Singkamas at talong,
Sigarilyas at mani.
Sitaw, bataw, patani.
Kundol, patola, upo't kalabasa.
At saka meron pa,
Labanos, mustasa.
Sibuyas, kamatis,
Bawang at luya.
Sa paligid-ligid ay puno ng linga.

These are main features of the song.

· There are eighteen (18) plants, which are indigenous, mostly native species/varieties. (biodiversity)

· Many of the plants have medicinal values and are effective home remedies for common ailments (luya, sibuyas, bawang).

· The four kinds of vegetables are represented: leafy (mustasa), fruit (kamatis, talong, kalabasa), root (labanos, singkamas), seed (linga, patani, mani).

· Spices and condiments are included in the list (linga, luya, bawang)

· The plants have different planting and harvesting schedules, thus enhancing whole year round supply of vegetables, and the use of resources and family labor.

· The plants have different growing types or habits which means they occupy specific places and have space allocations. (viny, herb, bush).

· Nutrition-wise they provide the basic requirements for growing up and good health.

· The ambiance projected by the scene is green, tranquil, clean, shady and cool (environment-friendly).

· The garden exudes a feeling of self-sufficiency and offers a potential for livelihood.

· Simplicity is the key to a contented life (with least energy consumption, and amenities).

· Such a scene expands the imagination to include a backyard fishpond, chicken coop, orchard trees and ornamental plants, among others – all of these contribute to the enrichment of the Bahay Kubo, without modifying its basic concept and principle.

Folk wisdom tells us how good it is to live simply and naturally, eat properly, stay young, healthy and active, save and earn money, depend less on energy and imported goods, and enjoy being at home with the family. Bahay Kubo takes us closer to nature, to appreciate our culture, and leads us to the inner calling for peace, quiet and joy.~ 

Bahay Kubo is evolving to suit with simple, healthy and happy living - and safety from the onslaught of current pandemic. Upper photo, a cozy native home in Floridablanca, Pampanga (photo by the author); modern bahay kubo version, photo from the Internet. 

Part 2 - Homesite

     

Here is a plan of a Homesite - an ideal integrated garden around a home in a rural setting. Compare this with Bahay Kubo. Update it. Innovate it according to your concept, situation and needs. Allow innovations as long as these do not lose the essence of the plan. You can even expand the area, adding more features to it.

In effect, this Homesite model becomes a model farm, a Homestead - one that has economic and ecological attributes that characterize the concept of sustainable productivity cum aesthetics and educational values. ~