General Santos City, October 30 – To amplify the voice and rights of cultural communities across the country, the Mindanao State University-General Santos City (MSU-GSC) History Department administer Bantay Pamana: Pagkilala ng mga Katutubong Kaalaman at Karapatan at Regional Science Research Center (RSRC).
With the theme “Mga Katutubo at Katutubong Dunong: Pahalagahan, Pangalagaan, at Parangalan”, the two-lectured to event focused on the essence of giving importance to Indigenous People (IP), particularly to their practices, belief, and knowledged, stated under Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997 (IPRA), officially designated as Republic Act No. 8371.
"The whole earth is our home, the sky's the roof and the earth is the floor”, Timuay Edtami Mansayagan, Former NCIP Commissioner and Manobo - Arumanen Tribal Leader, shared his favorite line of the book about American-Indian cultural significance during the lecture.
© Adrian Joven
Identity, Knowledge, Rights
During his lectures, Mangsayagan highlighted the value of acknowledging IP as cultural community and not minorities, and also expressing the weight of the knowledge and practices that each IPs’ have, adapting and solving problems raised in their communities.
“Sharing defines survival in the community, pero daghan pa kaayo ang dapat mabal an na Indigenous knowledge, pero daghan kaayo na nawala nga language tungod sa discrimination, through this initiative, I hope na dili ma discriminate ang mga IP,” he stated.
Additionally, he expressed his thoughts about the essence of keeping the Indigenous Knowledge (IK) that every tribe possessed, primarily on research and publications.
“Ang pinaka importante kay wala pay nasulat about IKSP, but the scientist believes na may Ethnoscience, to fully grasp IK. Each tribe solve their problems in terms of their own knowledge and practices,” he added.
Documenting IP Community
In the second lecture, Marites T. Gonzalo LPT, MA, shared her stories and documentation about the Indigenous People, and their IKSP among the Tagakaolo in Malita Davao Occidental, especially with the support of Malita Tagakaolo Mission (MaTaMis), addressing education and literacy challenges while also keeping their own knowledge and practices.
“Ang layunin ko po sa pagababahagi nito ay ang layuning na makikita ninyo, ma aware kayo kung ano ang pwede nating gawin together with and for IP communities na nandito sa ating pamayananan sa Mindanao”, she emphasized.
Moreover, she shared her experiences, practices, and knowledge about her tribe Tagakaolo, and she narrate the significant events that happened in her 10 years in MaTaMis, with 3 IP schools established in Malita.
“Nung 2011 may isang batang lalaki sa LebLeb, kapag pumupunta siya sa paaralan, tumatawid siya sa tatlong sapa, bago siya maka rating sa paaralan... Isang araw umulan, sinundo siya ng kanyang ina, nung patawid na sila sa ikalawang sapa, tinangay ang bata sa baha... Tungod sa kahadlok sa sitio, nidulog sila sa simbahan, kay importante ang edukasyon sa mga bata,” she shared.
Participant's Perspective
Jann Marf M. Cervantes, 3rd Year BA History, expressed enjoyment and pride in conducting the event, especially to the History Department, giving valuable opportunity to dive into a topic that makes them students reflect, learn, and grow in IPRA.
“Understanding the importance of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) represents a commitment to justice and equity, and it’s inspiring to see how it upholds the dignity and rights of Indigenous communities while safeguarding their contributions to our shared heritage,” he shared.
In addition, Cervantes addresses the significant role of the youth in preserving Indigenous cultures, holding the opportunity and responsibility to be allies for Indigenous Peoples, to advocate for their rights, and to ensure their stories are remembered and celebrated.
“Supporting Indigenous rights isn’t just about helping a specific group—it’s about fostering a society rooted in justice, respect, and diversity. Choosing to support Indigenous rights is also a choice to uphold basic human rights, equality, and the preservation of culture and knowledge that have shaped our history,” he explained.
The event was conducted in partnership with History Student Society, highlighting the significance of the event in uplifting their consciousness in helping and addressing the issues related to IP communities.
Through this initiative, the participants were exposed to the inspiring stories that each lecturer shared, and they were given the chance to ask questions in contributing in nation building through compassion to the cultural communities across the nation.
© Adrian Joven
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