The Ivatans are known for their distinct culture and tradition. Through the years, they learned various survival techniques as they lived in an isolated and catastrophe-prone zone, frequently visited by typhoons and other natural disasters - Batanes. 

Inaccessible most time of the year, the people of the island province of Region 2 were able to develop sustainable indigenous practices that have been beneficial to them up to this time.

The isolation of the province from the rest of the country forced the islanders to think of ways and means to preserve the bounty of their seas and lands.

One of these is the 'Kulay' - their unique way of preserving food bounties. Kulay is an Ivatan word that means sun and air-drying. The people have been into it for as long as they can remember, and it has been part of the survival process of all the islanders.

For the ordinary Ivatan, the harvest from the sea can be best preserved through the application of enough salt, which can last them until the fair weather returns. That is likewise true of their famous root crops like sweet potatoes, cassava, and yam, where the benefits of the sun and the air are maximized to the fullest.

In Batanes, without rice, the root crops become the staple food of the sturdy Ivatans, taken with dried fish. 

While in the cities and highly urbanized towns, the people are so dependent on refrigeration for food preservation, Kulay is preferred in Batanes as it is an easier, economical, and environment-friendly way of preserving food as opposed to cold storage using refrigerators, which generate gases that are destructive to the environment.

"Kulay has been part of our traditional lifestyle. This ensures sustainability, particularly during the rainy months when food from the mainland cannot be relied upon," Manuel Villegas, an Ivatan who has been practicing Kulay up to the present. 

While even the Department of Agriculture continues to introduce new technologies for the preservation of products in the province, the Ivatans still prefer Kulay, as they want not only to conserve energy but also to preserve their unique traditional way of food preservation. 

"When there's no supply of crude oil for our power generator from the mainland, we don't have electric power, so we resort to the blessings from above - the sun and air drying of our foods that will lasts after the typhoon season where we can again venture out to catch fish and/or plant in the hills," Villegas said. 

Kulay is prominent to the fishers as they practice it to preserve their fish catch, especially when they have an abundant catch of Arayu (Dinorado), which they call ‘Pinpin’ and Dibang (Flying Fish), which they call ‘Pawpaw’. 

Batanes are also known for their abundant root crops, which is why they also preserve their 'Gabi' stalks, which they call ‘Venes’  through Kulay, as well as their onions and garlic harvests. 

Basco, the capital town, has adopted Kulay as the name of their festival for the past few years as a way of recognizing this culture.

Kulay Festival, celebrated every April, highlights the trade fair and exhibits of preserved foods aside from the usual festival events and activities. 

For the Ivatan, the practice of Kulay will ensure food sustainability in the province. It is one of Batanes’ secrets why they have continued to survive since their existence as a community, possibly from Tao Island (Orchid Island), now the toast of research to link Ivatans and them. (OTB/PIA Region 2)