PALAWAN, Philippines — Descendants of Palawan’s cave man, known as the Tabon Man, beguile tourists at the provincial capital of Puerto Princesa.
The descendants, which now belong to different highland tribes, walk up to five hours a day from their homes in the mountains to a tribal village in the city, to share their unique culture and heritage to visitors.
To keep their customs and traditions alive, different tribal families exchange in living in the village temporarily to showcase their dialects, survival skills and arts and crafts such as basket weaving, animal hunting, dancing, playing traditional musical instruments, and fire making.
The tribes do not ask for a fee for their presentations as the city government considers the village a venue for cultural exchange. Visitors, however, have the option to donate, buy printed pictures, or patronize the tribes’ finished products. Proceeds are then divided among the tribes to augment their income.
The tribal village is directly connected to the butterfly garden, which has a number of Palawan-endemic butterflies and animals under its care. The garden charges a minimum fee that goes to its maintenance.
A visitor can get to the tribal village as one of the stops of the Puerto Princesa city tour that can be booked through downloadable mobile app Klook. The day tour includes stops at the city’s famed historical and cultural landmarks.