IT was the stunning landscape of Mount Pulag that made Tommy Hafalladecide to pursue photography way back in 1978. Trading his aircraft-engineering diploma for a camera, he would make it his life’s work to document his beloved Cordilleras in the way that no artist has done, with more devotion to his craft and dedication to the culture and tradition of the region. Such is his love for the people and their place that he has made Sagada his second home (Tommy was born and raised in Baguio) and earned him the title of an adopted Kankana-ey. Now, this Sagada artist brings his creative heritage to Manila audiences via his photography students through Foto Baryo: A Three-Part Exhibition of Students’ Works From the Tanauan, Parañaque and Sagada Projects, a photo exhibit that will be on view at theCultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) from June 5 to July 6. “The first time when I was in Mount Pulag, I was stunned by the immensity and beauty of nature. I was in awe beyond words,” recalls Hafalla. Since he admits that he does not have the gift for writing, and neither is he adept in painting, Hafalla felt that the best way to capture what he saw in Mount Pulag was through a camera lens. Unfortunately, he did not own one at the time but, within the year, he got himself a camera and promptly went back to Mount Pulag. 
It was to be the start of his lifelong affair with the Cordilleras. Still, he felt that focusing on the landscape would be limiting the story of the Cordilleras; its people had to be in the pictures. Visitors to Sagada today are likely to find the realization of his artistic vision in the postcards and framed pictures that one can find in stores that vividly depict the people and scenery that is uniquely of our northern tribal lands. Of course, initially, Hafalla had reservations about intruding on the lives of these people. He knew it was imperative that he earn their trust and confidence, and thus became a frequent Sagada visitor. Eventually, he decided to get his own place and become a permanent fixture in the community. It was through his immersion in the local culture and his growing knowledge of the mountain terrain of the Cordillera provinces—Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga and Apayao—allowed him to understand and appreciate the various tribal mores and traditions. And so began for Hafalla his more than three decades-long visual and audio documentation of the different tribes, whose collective history goes a long way back before the coming of any colonizers to the archipelago. His personal archive of photographs and recorded materials are a rich trove of tribal lore and culture that he hopes would be passed on to the next generations of Cordillerans.  Five years ago the self-taught photographer decided to conduct a workshop among locals “in order for them to appreciate and learn the documentation skills that I used to record their way of life.” This became the cornerstone of what will become the upcoming Foto Baryo exhibit at the CCP. “I will not be here forever, or I may be someplace else, so this is my means of giving back to them what I know,” Hafalla says wistfully.
This adopted Kankana-ey photographer is still one of the few in his craft who has not succumbed to the lure of digital photography. In fact, he still uses a 35-mm film camera and prints his photos in his own darkroom. Teased about where he gets his paper, he tells us that there are still stores in Manila that sell these. He goes a step further by combining his own chemical solution because “I find the commercial developing products quite expensive.” His photo equipment may be a throwback to the past but the idea to share and teach the locals the fine art of photography has caught fire. During one of his stays in Baguio, he met New York-based photographer Fernando Afable, who was so impressed by his advocacy that he decided to donate some photography equipment. In fact, Afable was so amazed by Hafalla’s dedication that he decided to replicate the photography workshop in Tanauan, Batangas, and in Parañaque. They also use black-and-white photography as their medium. “I am not expecting that everyone who comes to my class will become a ‘documentarist’, but I want them to use photography as a tool [to record their culture],” Hafalla explains. Asked why he prefers black and white over color, he explains, “It is every day that you see colors and you interpret a scene in shades rather than in hues, so I see colors in black and white.” He adds, “Going on to the technical aspects, colors in photographs would fade in time; black and white is more preferable.” Hafalla is the cocurator of the Sagada segment of the Foto Baryo exhibit. There has been no turning back for Hafalla since he first fell in love with the Cordilleras and its people some 30 years ago. His passion is such that one of the advocacies he espouses is “to correct the misrepresentation of the region.” And there are a lot. But, for now, he wants to be remembered as someone who unselfishly shared what he knows in order for the world and the next generations to know how rich and varied our culture is. Even if they will see it in black and white. | 
