scholarly journals “In the mountains, we are like prisoners”: Kalinggawasan as Indigenous Freedom of the Mamanwa of Basey, Samar

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Apple Jane Molabola ◽  
◽  
Allan Abiera ◽  
Jan Gresil Kahambing ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Indigenous Studies

The Lumad struggle in the Philippines, embodied in its various indigenous peoples (IPs), is still situated and differentiated from modern understandings of their plight. Agamben notes that the notion of ‘people’ is always political and is inherent in its underlying poverty, disinheritance, and exclusion. As such, the struggle is a struggle that concerns a progression of freedom from these conditions. Going over such conditions means that one shifts the focus from the socio-political and eventually reveals the ontological facet of such knowledge to reveal the epistemic formation of the truth of their experience. It is then the concern of this paper to expose the concept of freedom as a vital indigenous knowledge from the Mamanwa of Basey, Samar. Using philosophical sagacity as a valid indigenous method, we interview ConchingCabadungga, one of the elders of the tribe, to help us understand how the Mamanwa conceive freedom in the various ways it may be specifically and geographically positioned apart from other indigenous studies. The paper contextualizes the diasporic element and the futuristic component of such freedom within the trajectory of liberation. The Mamanwa subverts the conception of freedom as a form of return to old ways and radically informs of a new way of seeing them as a ‘people.’ It supports recent studies on their literature that recommend the development of their livelihood rather than a formulaic solution of sending them back to where they were. The settlement in Basey changes their identification as a ‘forest people’ into a more radical identity.

scholarly journals Sacred Texts and Symbols: An Indigenous Filipino Perspective on Reading

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Elena Clariza
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sacred Texts ◽  
Ancestral Knowledge ◽  
Printed Text ◽  
Filipino Culture ◽  
Filipino People

Reading in the Philippines is a process whereby the body, mind and spirit are engaged. Even though Filipinos are predominantly Catholic, many believe that creative energy, in the form of spirits, dwells in nature. These spirits must be respected or else they can unleash their wrath through sickness and natural calamities. As a contribution to preserving Filipino indigenous knowledge, this paper will explore whatok, the tattooing tradition of the Butbut people of Kalinga and t’nalak, the weaving tradition of the T’boli people of Mindanao. The aim of this paper is to preserve the unique culture of the Philippines’ indigenous peoples’ while sharing a decolonized perspective on reading. The term “decolonized” is used to mean peeling away the layers of nearly 400 years of Spanish and American colonial influence on Filipino culture. I will do this by studying the ways in which indigenous Filipino people record memory. The Philippines has an ancient syllabary system, but I will focus on older forms of transmitting ancestral knowledge, tattooing and textile making. Hopefully, this method will challenge readers to see tattoos and textiles as a valid means of documentation beyond printed text.

Juvenile Fiction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mavis Reimer ◽  
Clare Bradford ◽  
Heather Snell
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
British Literature ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Indigenous Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Juvenile Fiction

This chapter focuses on the juvenile fiction of the British settler colonies to 1950, and considers how writers both take up forms familiar to them from British literature and revise these forms in the attempt to account for the specific geography, politics, and cultures of their places. It is during this time that the heroics associated with building the empire had taken hold of British cultural and literary imaginations. Repeatedly, the juvenile fiction of settler colonies returns to the question of the relations between settlers and Indigenous inhabitants—sometimes respecting the power of Indigenous knowledge and traditions; often expressing the conviction of natural British superiority to Indigenous ways of knowing and living; always revealing, whether overtly or covertly, the haunting of the stories of settler cultures by the displacement of Indigenous peoples on whose land those cultures are founded.

Rain or Shine Shield: Language and Ropes of Sadok Making

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loyalda T. Bolivar ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Economic Activity ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Cultural Practice ◽  
Cultural Tradition ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
The People ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Materials Used

A sadok or salakot is a farmer’s cherished possession, protecting him from the sun or rain. The Sadok, persisting up to the present, has many uses. The study of Sadok making was pursued to highlight an important product, as a cultural tradition in the community as craft, art, and part of indigenous knowledge in central Antique in the Philippines. Despite that this valuable economic activity needs sustainability, it is given little importance if not neglected, and seems to be a dying economic activity. The qualitative study uses ethnophenomenological approaches to gather data using interviews and participant observation, which aims to describe the importance of Sadok making. It describes how the makers learned the language of Sadok making, especially terms related to materials and processes. The study revealed that the makers of Sadok learned the language from their ancestors. They have lived with them and interacted with them since they were young. Sadok making is a way of life and the people observe their parents work and assist in the work which allows them to learn Sadok making. They were exposed to this process through observations and hands-on activities or ‘on-the-job’ informal training. They were adept with the terms related to the materials and processes involved in the making of Sadok as they heard these terms from them. They learned the terms bamboo, rattan, tabun-ak (leaves used) and nito (those creeping vines) as materials used in Sadok making. The informants revealed that the processes involved in the making of Sadok are long and tedious, starting from the soaking, curing and drying of the bamboo, cleaning and cutting these bamboo into desired pieces, then with the intricacies in arranging the tabun-ak or the leaves, and the weaving part, until the leaves are arranged, up to the last phase of decorating the already made Sadok. In summary, socialization is one important factor in learning the language and a cultural practice such as Sadok making. It is an important aspect of indigenous knowledge that must be communicated to the young for it to become a sustainable economic activity, which could impact on the economy of the locality. Local government units should give attention to this indigenous livelihood. Studies that would help in the enhancement of the products can likewise be given emphasis.

scholarly journals The Essence of Education in Disruptive COVID-19 Crisis: Capturing the Lived Experience of College Students in the Philippines

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Cahapay
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Recovery Phase ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Marginalized Groups ◽  
Relevant Education

Asserting a responsive, appropriate, and relevant education has historically always been a problem for most learners from marginalized groups. This extant inequality has been magnified in the present novel crisis. Thus, drawing from the lived experience of college students belonging to the marginalized group of indigenous peoples, this research described the essence of education in the context of the current COVID-19 crisis. Following the phenomenological approach based upon the hermeneutic rule of Dahlberg et al. (2008), the researcher interviewed 10 Filipino college students who identify themselves as indigenous peoples. Four themes emerged: 1.) It surprised me: Education has a changed ecology; 2.) It overwhelmed me: Education is fraught with divides; 3.) It motivated me: Education is a driver of aspiration beyond crisis; and 4.) It taught me: Education has unintended positive outcomes. These themes form the structure of the essence of education amid the COVID-19 crisis from the perspectives of college students belonging to the group of indigenous peoples. This research underlines the practical significance of analyzing the state of the students amid a virulent crisis. Given the extant inequality and considering the anticipated educational recovery phase, measures should be planned towards the attainment of responsive, appropriate, and relevant education.

scholarly journals Socio-demographic Characteristics as Determinants of Family Dynamics and Engagement in the Palayamanan System Approach among Agtas in Bicol

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 5537-5559
Author(s):  
Jailyn N. Puerto ◽  
Marison R. Dy ◽  
Jacqueline Lee O. Canilao ◽  
Melissa P. Ferido ◽  
Benjamina Paula G. Flor
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
System Approach ◽  
Family Dynamics ◽  
Family System ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Faces Iv ◽  
The Family ◽  
Toma De Decisiones ◽  
Farming Families

Agtas are one of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) residing in the mountainous parts of Luzon and some can be found in the Bicol Region. They are still dependent on agriculture in order to generate income and sustain their basic needs. Agta farming families are said to be already engaging in the Palayamanan System Approach (PSA), but their knowledge and skills still need to be enhanced to fully maximize the benefits that they can gain from the said approach. The study aimed to analyze the family dynamics structure among farming family systems of Agta Indigenous Peoples in Bicol. It also evaluated how family dynamics affect farm decision-making among Agta farming households. The family dynamics of the Agta farming families was assessed through the FACES IV (Olson, 2011). Results showed that there was unbalanced cohesion and unbalanced adaptability levels within the family system. On the other hand, communication and satisfaction were high. Gender and educational attainment showed a strong correlation to family cohesion and engagement in the PSA, respectively, therefore, both factors could be considered for effective development interventions to take place. Overall, the Agta communities' geographical condition, culture and beliefs, sources of information have affected their way of living, farm practices, and farm-decision making. There have been very limited studies regarding indigenous people and communities in the Philippines. Thus, this study would serve as an entry point to further understand them and would guide in the formulation of appropriate strategies that will help improve and enhance their lives.     Los agtas son uno de los pueblos indígenas (PI) que residen en las zonas montañosas de Luzón y algunos se encuentran en la región de Bicol. Siguen dependiendo de la agricultura para generar ingresos y satisfacer sus necesidades básicas. Se dice que las familias agricultoras de Agta ya participan en el enfoque del sistema Palayamanan (PSA), pero sus conocimientos y habilidades aún deben mejorarse para maximizar los beneficios que pueden obtener de dicho enfoque. El estudio tenía como objetivo analizar la estructura de la dinámica familiar entre los sistemas familiares agrícolas de los pueblos indígenas Agta en Bicol. También se evaluó cómo la dinámica familiar afecta a la toma de decisiones agrícolas entre los hogares agrícolas Agta. La dinámica familiar de las familias agrícolas Agta se evaluó a través del FACES IV (Olson, 2011). Los resultados mostraron que había una cohesión desequilibrada y niveles de adaptabilidad desequilibrados dentro del sistema familiar. Por otro lado, la comunicación y la satisfacción eran altas. El género y el nivel educativo mostraron una fuerte correlación con la cohesión familiar y el compromiso con el APS, respectivamente, por lo tanto, ambos factores podrían ser considerados para que las intervenciones de desarrollo sean efectivas. En general, la condición geográfica, la cultura y las creencias de las comunidades Agta, así como las fuentes de información, han afectado a su modo de vida, a sus prácticas agrícolas y a la toma de decisiones agrícolas. Los estudios sobre los pueblos y comunidades indígenas en Filipinas son muy limitados. Por lo tanto, este estudio servirá como punto de entrada para comprenderlos mejor y guiará en la formulación de estrategias apropiadas que ayudarán a mejorar y potenciar sus vidas.

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