Wagering the Land

Wagering the Land examines the social and economic transformations of Buguias, a region in the Philippines' northern Cordillera mountains, from 1900 to 1986. The study centers on the Southern Kankana-ey people's practice of ritual feasting and its connection to agricultural development. The book traces the evolution of Buguias from a traditional economy based on sweet potatoes and cattle to a commercial vegetable farming system after World War II. Lewis documents the Japanese occupation's impact and the subsequent emergence of Chinese-led agricultural enterprises that reshaped local farming practices. The narrative follows the mounting environmental and economic pressures on Buguias between 1972 and 1990, including soil degradation and market instability. The persistence of traditional ritual practices alongside modern farming methods creates a complex portrait of cultural resilience. The work presents a significant challenge to conventional theories about economic modernization in Southeast Asia, demonstrating how traditional social structures can adapt and persist within new commercial frameworks. Through this lens, Lewis explores broader questions about the relationship between economic development, environmental change, and cultural preservation.

Few online reviews exist for this academic work about indigenous irrigation systems in the Philippines. A search across review platforms turns up only 3 ratings on Goodreads, with no written reviews. Readers note the book's detail in documenting traditional agricultural practices and water management among the Ifugao people. The anthropological fieldwork and historical research provide insights into how communal land ownership operated in practice. Critical responses focus on the dense academic writing style and limited accessibility for general readers. Some note that the technical descriptions of irrigation systems can be difficult to follow without background knowledge. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.67/5 (3 ratings, 0 reviews) Amazon: No ratings or reviews WorldCat: No ratings or reviews Note: Due to the specialized academic nature of this 1991 book about Philippine agricultural systems, public reader reviews are extremely limited online. Most discussion appears in academic citations rather than consumer reviews.

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🌿 The Southern Kankana-ey people were among the first indigenous groups in Southeast Asia to successfully transition to commercial vegetable farming while maintaining traditional practices. 🗺️ Martin W. Lewis later became a renowned political geographer at Stanford University, where he helped develop innovative approaches to teaching world geography and history. 🐄 The cattle-based feasting rituals (cañao) described in the book served not just as social events but as complex economic mechanisms for wealth redistribution within the community. 🥔 Sweet potatoes, locally known as camote, were the traditional staple crop in the Cordillera region before the shift to commercial vegetables, introduced during the American colonial period. 🏔️ The Buguias region, located in the Cordillera Central mountains of Luzon, sits at elevations around 2,000 meters above sea level, making it ideal for growing temperate vegetables despite its tropical location.