Thursday, April 24, 2008 Igorots unite for common cause
THE beating of gongs, the dancing of the cañao and the chanting marks another significant event in the history of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
On April 12 to 15, Igorots from all over the world gathered at the Banaue Hotel in Ifugao Province to celebrate, discuss, relearn and revisit their culture, traditions and heritage that for some may have been forgotten or had to take a backseat.
In organizing the seventh year of the International Igorot Consultation (IIC), the municipality of Banaue, home of the renowned amphitheater-like rice terraces in Ifugao province, was chosen as venue for the event -- an experiment that organizers of the IIC claim proved successful, despite the distance from Baguio or from Manila.
Aware that preserving the Igorot custom, tradition, culture and legacy require more than joining meetings, organizers of the seventh IIC invited the youth to become part of planning sessions.
Issues discussed in the three-day session revolved on environmental preservation particularly the Cordillera's role as watershed cradle of the north, revival of the bid for autonomy, production of organic vegetables, development of own educational system using the native language of the different tribes of Igorots and recognition of IP (indigenous peoples) rights.
Blessed with abundant natural and mineral resources, delegates to the IIC agreed that to preserve what is left of forests of the Cordillera, there should be a concerted effort and alternative livelihood to those who will affected.
In some farming villages in the region, kaingin or the slash-and-burn method is done. This method however affects soil stability and endangers the habitat of some animals that the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) prohibits the practice.
The practice however is still done, albeit under wraps.
Baguio Representative Mauricio Domogan said several discussions have been done on environmental preservation, but much has to be desired in terms of implementation.
"This is everybody's concern, but many of us do not contribute," said the lawmaker who revived the long-delayed plan of establishing an autonomous region.
IIC-Philippines president Juan Ngalob and IIC-international president Rey Baguilat agreed that autonomy can help preserve the Cordillera's environment.
In the meantime that autonomy has not been approved by people of the Cordillera, they agreed the executive order that created the CAR has to be amended to avoid re-integration with Regions I and II, delegates to the IIC said.
Delegates also passed a resolution that called on the Government Service Insurance System to give to the people of Baguio as a gift for the centennial, the pine stand at the Baguio Convention Center compound, which the GSIS intends to sell or lease for development.
In Ifugao, the community-based land use plan is now employed to ensure that communal forests and watersheds are preserved.
"We let the community decide which areas they want to develop into a garden or farming site or residential area," Ifugao Governor Teddy Baguilat Jr. said.
Organic farming is also being promoted, Baguilat added.
In efforts of preserving the Cordillera, it was also suggested that a language and education system be developed here.
"Used to its fullest potential, multicultural education cannot be only an important vehicle for cross-cultural understanding but it is also important in achieving equity for a greater diversity of our students within an indigenous people's society," Ret. Rev. Alexander Wandag Sr. said.
As an organization, Wandag challenged the Igorot Global Organization (IGO) to initiate change in teaching method, adopt a new curriculum fit for the environment where IPs study.
But while this may still be a suggestion, Ifugao is now working on asking the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) to integrate indigenous knowledge topics such as terracing, community land use and watershed preservation in some schools in Ifugao.
Also showcased during the IIC are the native attire, accessories, delicacy and dances in Cordillera.
Philian Weygan, a member of the IGO organizing committee, suggested that in the upcoming IIC's, there should be a youth camp.
Weygan said this is to give chance for the youth to immerse in the community for a number of days, unlike this year where the community immersion was limited only for a few hours.
Indigenous youth who participated in the IIC did a few hours of immersion in Barangay Poitan, danced the native dance, planted rice saplings, butchered a native pig and ate native rice along with boiled native pork.
The next IIC will be held in Vancouver, Canada. (RO)
