Panaad and the Paril: traditional systems of soil and water conservation in Cebu, the Philippines

Agricultural heritage encompasses practices, beliefs and values related to farming and crop production passed on from generation to generation through direct experience and other informal means. This paper focuses on a type of terrace farming which uses stone walls (pan) to conserve soil and water, and is traditionally practised in the upland barangays of Argao, a well-known heritage town in Cebu, the Philippines. It examines various aspects of this agricultural heritage and its associated rituals, beliefs and legends. The knowledge of building and repairing the stone walls, as well as the performance and meanings of rituals embedded in legends, demonstrate the intangible aspects of this built agricultural heritage.