Gamet: Black Gold
Dried gamet sheets
Photo courtesy of ilocostimes.com
Harvesting gamet is not for the faint of heart. Nor is it for the slow-footed. Citizens of Burgos, Ilocos Norte, a province north of Manila can attest to this, as they have lost three members of their community to gamet harvest since 1970. Others have been injured. Only the well-trained dares to go and collect gamet during peak harvest months.
Gamet, very similar to the Japanese nori used as sushi wrappers, can be found in rock islets and coral reefs off the shoreline of Burgos. This rare and expensive seaweed grows seasonally from September to February, when the sea is most perilous as waves crash onto the rocks. It seems that the strong waves are instrumental in encouraging gamet production.
Gamet collectors wait until the waves retreat before they pick the seaweeds and then start running when the waves start approaching. The seaweeds grows deep in cracks and crevices, making harvest difficult. Gatherers don gloves and use their thumb and forefinger to pluck out gamet from their small niches.
Made from porphyra, a red seaweed, gamet is also found in other coastal municipalities, Burgos gamet is said to be the best among its kind. Dubbed as “black gold,” gamet found in this municipality are superior in quality as the seawater in Burgos are clean and unpolluted. With a distinct scent, it’s been said that gamet gatherers from other municipalities come to Burgos to wash off their harvest in the local shore before drying them to sell.
The local tourism council has started initiatives to help market this black gold national and internationally. They have also requested assistance from the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) to develop technology to enable oven-drying gamet during the monsoon season.
