Learn indigenous cassava recipes from these Manobo and Talaandig women

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Philippines – Early in the morning, Talaandig leader Zenaida Mansiliohan and other indigenous women walk through the forest and first perform a ritual in honor of the spirits protecting their crops. To prepare for her community’s meal of the day, Zenaida peels the cassava’s hard wood-like skin using a small knife and manually shreds it with a cheese grater.

Women happily gather around the kitchen, watching Zenaida sprinkle brown sugar to the cassava, to flavor it differently.