I’m officially going on record and saying that Gap Orchard Resort is one of my new “must see” attractions in the Philippines. Located in Davao, “Gap Orchard Resort is a ten-hectare pomelo, rambutan and sweet tamarind orchard located in Green Valley, Ma-a. It has a swimming pool, a cave, horse riding and a chapel dedicated to the Santo Nino and the Mother of Perpetual Help. There are cottages and picnic areas for those who just want to take a day tour. Camp sites are readily available for those who want to stay longer.”
As if that weren’t enough, the have a “parade of heroes” which features busts of the more prominent Filipino real-life heroes, a “parade of tribes” showing statues of various indigenous tribes, wearing traditional attire, and…wait for it…a PARADE OF MYTHICAL MONSTERS! How cool is that?
Gap Orchard Resort states that they are not promoting the superstitions of the Philippines, but instead using these statues to educate people on the various folkloric stories that exists. What a concept! I applaud them for embracing this part of Philippine heritage and displaying it right along with national heroes and indigenous tribes. They are just as much a part of Philippine history as anything else. I am thrilled to see more and more places exploring the diverse stories and lessons that local Philippine folklore can teach us. Well done Gap Orchard Resort…well done.
Jordan Clark is a Canadian born descendant of Scottish immigrants living on the homelands of the Lekwungen speaking peoples. His interest in Philippine myth and folklore began in 2004. Finding it difficult to track down resources on the topic, he founded The Aswang Project in 2006. Shortly after, he embarked on a 5 year journey, along with producing partner Cheryl Anne del Rosario, to make the 2011 feature length documentary THE ASWANG PHENOMENON – an exploration of the aswang myth and its effects on Philippine society. In 2015 he directed “The Creatures of Philippine Mythology” web-series, which features 3 folkloric beings from the Philippines – the TIKBALANG, KAPRE and BAKUNAWA. Episodes are available to watch on YouTube. Jordan recently oversaw the editing for the English language release of Ferdinand Blumentritt’s DICCIONARIO MITOLÓGICO DE FILIPINAS (Dictionary of Philippine Mythology) and is working on two more releases with fellow creators scheduled for release later this year. When his nose isn’t in a book, he spends time with his amazing Filipina wife of 20 years and their smart and wonderful teenaged daughter.
