The town of Batad in the Philippines' Mountain Province. The local industry is rice, which is harvested on terraces believed to have been sculpted from the hills over 2000 years ago. Despite the lush appearance, Batad is no longer self-sufficient, and when the men of the village are not needed for harvesting they must travel outside the town to find alternative employment to support their families. The nearest road is a two hour walk from the town. The town of Batad in the Philippines' Mountain Province. The local industry is rice, which is harvested on terraces believed to have been sculpted from the hills over 2000 years ago. Despite the lush appearance, Batad is no longer self-sufficient, and when the men of the village are not needed for harvesting they must travel outside the town to find alternative employment to support their families. The nearest road is a two hour walk from the town. Many of the traditional ways still remain, though they are usually combined with modern practices as well. This native of Batad is over 80 years old and still wears the traditional g-string (along with a t-shirt). In the 1950's a Catholic church was built in the center of the village. Residents claim that the early missionaries encouraged the people to become Catholics in addition to practicing their indigenous beliefs, which are largely animist. There are now three churches in Batad: Catholic, protestant, and an evangelical. Along with the Church, tourism has probably had the greatest impact on the people's lives. Without exception, children demand payment to be photographed, as do most adults. Old and young still chew on the Betel Nut, a mild stimulant. A wake mixes the old with the new. Traditionally, the deceased would be bound in a chair, embalmed, and then placed in a man-made ancestral cave. Today, coffins are used, though the body will still be placed in the cave. A wake is still observed, and the coffin will remain under the family's house for five days. This shroud indicates that the family is middle-class. The family of the deceased is expected to provide food for the mourners, but traditionally does not partake of the food themselves. On each of the five days of the wake the family will provide a pig which will be prepared in the local style--boiling it in salt water. This can be a tremendous financial burden--on the fifth day this family bought the largest pig in the village, which cost approximately $320. Guests help out by providing assistance in kind. Before placing the body of the deceased in his family's ancestral cave a relative mourns. All photographs on swallace.wirephoto.com are copyright Stephen Wallace and may not be republished or redistributed in any form without permission.