Kalinga: Francis Pa~in, The Passionate Tour Guide

He came dashing in the Sleeping Beauty Inn. I shook his hand. He started talking. About the people he has guided here, in the ancestral domain of Tinglayan, Kalinga. 

His visitors were from the famous Filipino celebrities of the blogosphere, television and academe; some are simple but enthusiastic travellers. He has escorted numerous foreigners from all over the world. He showed me the currency that had been given to him; paper bills from Kenya, Tazmania, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, among others. He also humbly mentioned that his name is written in two travel books, as the tour guide of Kalinga.

When I landed, he was ready to go, while I wanted to rest a bit in stillness and just stare at the scenery. The almost 4-hour ride on top of the jeepney was painful on the butt and back, I said. The rainy afternoon did not stop him from taking me immediately hiking the village, to the beautifully-designed tattooed woman, Chummangyag. The people in the houses we passed by would always have a word for him. I believe they know Francis well. And they would give their warmest greeting to me too.

He fell in love once or twice, but remains single at his forty~ish or fifty~ish years.

He would just wait at the Sleeping Beauty Inn for his visitors and would be busy monitoring their whereabouts thru his mobile phone, on their way to this untouched side of Kalinga, the municipality of Tinglayan. It was a genuine manifestation of his caring attitude for his guests.

He would cheerfully trek along with travellers all the way to Buscalan, where Fang-Od, the oldest tattoo artist lives. Did he ever get a tattoo too? Better ask him.  J

He was of course proud to tell me of his coffee bean farm. He invited me to taste his produce the next morning in their house. He was also glad to show me his mother he calls Ina, Uwong, who is gorgeous with her necklace tattoo and her arm tattoos. His big family is so friendly. I met his brother and sister, and some of her nieces, and granddaughters. 

As he was ready to go, I was still sitting on the bench, staring at the breathtaking sight. The view of the Chico River and some mountains from the bench outside his house soothingly gave me stress-free thoughts.

The stay in Tinglayan, Kalinga would never be the same without Francis, or “Ansis”, as I noticed people call him along the streets. His stories about the warrior tattooed head hunter, Miguel, were thrilling. The real tribal wars on land dispute and boundaries of other tribes and his were told with passion.

He would just be there by my side, feeding me with tales, about native boars, some monkeys, some fabricated jokes to break my quietness, and his own true adventures. The one I like best is about how his tribe sustain the mountains around this ancestral domain that gives them potable drinking water, organic produce of vegetables and livestock, and the aromatic coffee that this place is known for. That sounded so marvellous that maybe he sensed what I was thinking and offered me to live here. Well, I can consider that. As long as there is a native Kalinga House that would shelter me.

Francis is the Mr. Congeniality of this tribe, Tinglayan. His niceness is sincere and warm. When you visit Fang-Od, the oldest tattoo artist of the tribe, Francis is the best welcoming tour guide to bring you to her.  He is more than a tour guide; he can be your friend.  We are.

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You may get in touch with Francis Pa~In through his mobile contact number: +63915.769.08.43