The Igorot tribe is an aboriginal group of people in Banaue, Philippines, that is famous for their beautiful rice terraces and their wood carving skills that they use to build beautiful, fully functional scooters and bicycles.

The scooters were designed as a way to help the men of the tribe carry rice and wood down the mountain sides much easier and faster, and now the bicycles are gaining publicity. The scooters are made entirely from trees, including the wheels, and each bike is a unique representation of the man that rides or creates it. They may be rustic but they are beautifully crafted.

The two-wheeled vehicles are often carved into lion, tiger, horse, and dragon shapes. However, they take great skill to ride because they can reach up to 25 mph going downhill but only have rudimentary breaks. During the month of April, the hand-carved scooters take on a new role outside of being used for work purposes. They become the center of the annual scooter races.

During the Imbayah Festival, there is a cultural parade and the tribe dresses in their native attire and parades down the main area of town. The parade is followed by native dancing and wood carving competitions.

Then come the scooter races. The men stay in their tribal attire and wear no protective gear. This is their chance to show off their crafting skills with the rest of the tribe as well as the tourists that are drawn to the annual attraction.

The men will tell you that the event is all in fun and a way to keep their culture alive, but the scooters are also a bit of a status symbol for people that are typically unable to afford a “normal” bicycle.

If the scooters aren’t properly built the riders can suffer significant injuries. Although fatalities are uncommon, many of the riders have deep scars on their arms and legs, signs of rides gone wrong.

Sadly, the Igorot struggle against their quest to stay indigenous and are currently pushing to be recognized as their own self-governing people so they can benefit from the resources that are taken from the mountain in which they have lived for generations.

Check out the video below to learn more about the tribe and to see the scooters in action. These rustic pieces of art are not just beautiful, but amazing machines, so be sure to share this story with your family and friends.