Tags: Beverages, Truly Pinoy Food and Drinks
By Anna Valmero
NAGUILIAN, LA UNION— This town has become synonymous to the local brew basi, a local wine from fermented sugarcane that is said to have been popular among Spanish colonizers who even brought it to Europe centuries ago.
Basi is produced using the dadapilan, a local equipment also used in making muscuvado brown sugar. Sugarcane is crushed and the juice is collected, boiled and fermented in earthen jars. Once the boiled sugarcane juice cools down and stored for fermentation, flavor is added using ground malagkit or glutinous rice and duhat bark. (For those curious about making homemade basi, try this this recipe.)
Blogger and college professor Dr. Abercio V. Rotor says the distinct mellow taste of basi- a mix of sweet and a sour flavors – is attributed to storing it in burnay earthen jars. The jars are kept for years in home cellars or buried underground, and sealed hermetically with hard clay. (See photos here.)
The unique taste of basi, which is often compared to fruit liqueur from France, was also a hit among the Spaniards when they colonized the country, declaring a wine monopoly. From 1565 to 1815, basi reached Europe via the Galleon Trade plying Ciudad Fernandina (now Vigan City) and Europe through Acapulco, the tip of Mexico.
This caused a short-lived uprising among Ilocanos, dubbed the Basi Revolt in 1807, according to Rotor. The uprising happened in Vigan but the action took place some four kilometers where the industry flourished—on both sides of the Bantaoay River, which runs through the towns of San Ildefonso and San Vicente, the major suppliers of basi in Vigan’s tourist market. The revolt culminated on September 29, 1907 with the public execution of the captured rebels.
Fourteen big oil paintings depicting the Basi Revolt, also known as Ambaristo Revolt (named after its leader) can be seen today at the Vigan Ayala Museum, which is housed in the original residence of Filipino priest martyr, Father Jose Burgos.
The painter Don Esteban Villanueva was an eyewitness of this historic event. Today, the original basi paintings precariously hang on the houses of a few entrepreneurs who are probably descendants of the heroes of the Basi Revolt of 1807, according to Rotor.
Every May 7, La Union celebrates the Basi Festival to celebrate the drink that has been part of their life, sharing it with the Ilocanos, who helped them in the Basi Revolt.
Basi is drank to celebrate special occasions such as pamamanhikan, an age-old custom wherein a guy and his family meets with his girlfriend’s family to ask for her hand in marriage. During weddings, the couple drink basi and pass the glass to their ninongs and ninangs (sponsors). During burials, the family of the deceased performs a rite as a priest or officiator makes a cross on their foreheads with basi.
With or without specials, Ilocanos are known to drink basi everyday.
Here’s a piece of trivia: La Unión was formed in 1850 when the Spanish Governor-General Antonio Maria Blanco merged the southern towns of Ilocos Sur, the northern towns of Pangasinan, and the western towns of Benguet to the east.
How to get to Naguilian:
A number of bus lines have daily trips to San Fernando City, La Union including Autobus, Maria de Leon and Farinas in Sampaloc, Manila; and Dominion and Genesis in Cubao, Quezon City. Get down Bauang town (just before San Fernando City) and take a local bus going to Naguilian. If you are coming from Baguio, Naguilian is about 40 kilometers away via the Naguilian Highway.
Photos from blogger Crissy and Flickr
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