Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras
Hey kiddo, have you ever seen pictures of some fields where the land looks like steps going up a hill? They're called rice terraces, and in the Philippines, there is a really special group of rice terraces called the Philippine Cordillera Rice Terraces.
So, a long, long time ago, the people who lived in the mountains of the Philippines wanted to grow rice, which is a really important food for them. But the mountains were too steep, and the soil too sandy, for the rice to grow well. So they came up with an idea: they would carve the mountainsides into steps, and fill each step with soil to make a flat surface. And then they'd build little walls around each step, so the water wouldn't all run away, and they could flood each little step to grow the rice.
It was a lot of work! They had to haul soil up the mountain, dig out each step, and pile up stones to make the little walls. But they did it, and over hundreds and hundreds of years, they turned the mountains into a beautiful series of rice terraces.
The rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are really special, because they are so old and have been passed down from generation to generation. They were also built using all natural materials, so they are very eco-friendly. And they are beautiful! The steps create an amazing pattern that really stands out against the green mountains.
Today, some of the rice terraces are still used to grow rice, but many of them are also tourist attractions. People come from all over the world to see this amazing man-made wonder, and to learn about the history and culture of the people who built it.
So, a long, long time ago, the people who lived in the mountains of the Philippines wanted to grow rice, which is a really important food for them. But the mountains were too steep, and the soil too sandy, for the rice to grow well. So they came up with an idea: they would carve the mountainsides into steps, and fill each step with soil to make a flat surface. And then they'd build little walls around each step, so the water wouldn't all run away, and they could flood each little step to grow the rice.
It was a lot of work! They had to haul soil up the mountain, dig out each step, and pile up stones to make the little walls. But they did it, and over hundreds and hundreds of years, they turned the mountains into a beautiful series of rice terraces.
The rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are really special, because they are so old and have been passed down from generation to generation. They were also built using all natural materials, so they are very eco-friendly. And they are beautiful! The steps create an amazing pattern that really stands out against the green mountains.
Today, some of the rice terraces are still used to grow rice, but many of them are also tourist attractions. People come from all over the world to see this amazing man-made wonder, and to learn about the history and culture of the people who built it.