Among the items discovered by the Ateneo Department of Sociology and Anthropology's Mindoro Archaeology Project, along with stone tools, shell mounds, obsidian, and remains of coral reef fish and open-ocean fish, were remnants of ube found on the stones.
These originate from approximately 40,000 years ago when individuals from the Asian mainland arrived via boats and were anatomically modern humans (AMH). Evidence of their presence has been discovered on Ilin Island, located near Occidental Mindoro.
It seems that climate change isn’t merely an issue of modern times; it has been evident throughout history as well. From the time of the last Ice Age up until now, during the Holocene epoch, we have seen significant decreases in temperatures, accompanied by severe conditions like droughts, floods, and storms. Early humans relied heavily on whatever resources nature offered them to endure such chaotic periods. One natural bounty that served this purpose was ube (Dioscorea alata), providing essential carbohydrates alongside staple foods like coral fish and oceanic fish species, along with land animals evidenced through animal bone remnants discovered within ancient coastal debris piles—indicating human habitation at those sites.
In today’s time, ube stands out as a distinctive purple yam known for its vibrant violet hue once readied for consumption. Although believed to originate from the Philippines, this tuber can also be found in other parts of Southeast Asia such as Vietnam and even reaches into regions of South Asia including India. However, within the Philippines, it carries a celebratory connotation due to its transformation into various delectable treats. Here, it serves not just as sustenance but as a delightful addition often enjoyed as desserts or after-meal sweets, taking forms such as ice creams, cakes, cookies, pastries, and preserves.
Our forefathers consumed it to endure difficult weather and continue surviving. It provided them the strength to overcome the challenging environmental conditions brought about by climate shifts. This assertion stems from the clear evidence seen in the Ilin stratigraphy, which demonstrates significant variations in weather patterns affecting living circumstances, particularly during more severe seasons.
According to Claude Tayag, the food historian, using ube as a sweet treat likely emerged around the mid-20th century. Prior to this period, it was consumed similarly to how we eat regular yams—boiled or roasted—with nothing added to them. Ube has been part of our culinary tradition even longer than rice.
It’s fascinating how it has emerged as a symbol of Philippine farming. Across the United States, you can find sellers at flea markets offering ube-based goods. Meanwhile, in locations such as Germany, Filipinos celebrate ube festivities. According to our Consul General in Germany, Maria Yvette Banzon Abalos, the Filipino diaspora organizes these annual ube celebrations beginning with events in Bonn in 2022, followed by Bavaria in 2023, then Wiesbaden in 2024, and now extending to Stuttgart this year. These ube festivals serve not just as gatherings for the Filipino community but also draw quite a few Germans interested in organic cuisine, viewing ube as the quintessential natural yam product.
Given everything mentioned about ube, it appears that our current production does not match up with the existing demand. The decline in youth engagement in agriculture coupled with inconsistent ube yields has led to insufficient supply. In contrast, Vietnam manages to produce significant quantities of ube which they then export. Meanwhile, according to the consul general based in Germany, there isn’t sufficient local stock available to fulfill their requirements.
Besides boosting production, maybe we should process ube into various edible products. Essentially, enhance the item’s worth instead of selling it unprocessed. Our aim should be exporting value-added goods like ube cookies, cakes, ice cream, and candies for higher returns on our investments.
In the meantime, the Department of Agriculture ought to promote the cultivation of ube. To date, the global community recognizes ube as a Philippine specialty. We should nurture this trend since both domestic and international markets would embrace such an initiative.