It is known that Tinapa is one of Pinoy's favorite native delicacies, but what most people are not familiar with is the hidden art that lies in the process of making it. Everyday, hundreds of locals of Mercedes, Camarines Norte endures the scorching heat and the smell that reeks inside these smoked-fished factories.
Usok: The Art of Smoked-Fish Processing is a project done for my Photography elective class back in Junior Year. For our final project, I decided to showcase the art behind the Tinapa production in one of the little towns of the province i grew up in -- Camarines Norte.
Mercedes, Camarines Norte is a small coastal town in the Bicol region known for their seafood industry. Everyday, different kinds of fish are brought to Mercedes’ fish port by the local fishermen to be sold and/or made for the production of bagoong and tinapa. These tinapa are cooked inside small factories not much far from the fish port. Inside, you will witness how fishes are fermented, dried, arranged in beds, smoked then loaded in vehicles.
When I visited the first factory, I couldn’t help but be amazed by how photogenic the place is. Although the delicious smell were strong enough to stay on my shirt, the way the sliver of sunlight looks inside these factories were very rewarding. But because of the smell and extreme heat, I only stayed inside for 5 minutes each to take pictures. The workers immediately gained my respect and admiration from the thought of how they endure it for hours, everyday, without even complaining. More people should realize and appreciate what they do because it is not just simply cooking, but rather art that needs to be appreciated and recognized.
