It only took a five-minute uphill trike ride from the Basco Welcome Arch to our next stop, the Mt. Carmel Chapel, also known as Tukon Chapel. Tukon, we were told, literally means hill or hilltop in Ivatan, and it was an appropriate name for the edifice of worship.

Tukon Chapel is a relatively new edifice in Batanes, having been established only in 2008. It has been dedicated to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, hence its other name, commemorating the devotion to the Virgin Mary who is the patroness of the Carmelites, a Catholic religious whose roots trace back as far as 1209 at Mt. Carmel in Haifa, Israel.

Seated conveniently atop a hill overlooking the sea and landscapes of Basco while surrounded by greeneries, the chapel evokes the aptness of both of its known names: atop a hill, commemorating the Lady of the mountain, the flower of Carmel.

Despite it being a new addition in Basco, the chapel was built using the traditional materials and technique of the Ivatan, allowing it to visually blend to the topography of the islands. Such blend of culture to build a chapel is also a testament to the long-standing custom of inculturation in the Philippines, underscoring the universality of the Catholic Church.

After taking our photos outside the chapel, we went inside. We could say that it has definitely seen better days, but it is still in good shape nonetheless.

We spent some minutes inside taking photos of the chapel and saying a little prayer, after which, we exited the chapel through its side door which leads to a viewing deck which offers a spectacular view of the sea.

The combination of the hills and the sea around us and the warm touch of the afternoon sun coupled by the cool breeze gave so much of a rustic vibe during our tour that had just started. The fact that it was just our guides, Ran and I who were at a place at a given time also helped in establishing the mood of our tour, giving us the feeling that we got the place all to ourselves.

It seems overwhelming already, but we haven’t really seen much yet. The home of the winds had way more in store for us. Having seen in Tukon Chapel how Ivatan architectural customs could be inculturated to Christian faith, we were next bound to see how the force of nature cannot be subdued which made the Ivatan a resilient people, given that inclement weather is their reputed companion from time immemorial.