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06.12.08Panagwawagi: An Isneg Celebration
It’s a bit of a challenge to find news stories written about our Isneg brothers and sisters as well as stories on the Cordillera boundary towns so I’m thrilled when I came across this story by Floy Quintos.
Floy writes about the Panagwawagi Festival in Dumalneg, a town located between the Cordilleras and the Ilocos. Read it here.
But here’s an excerpt:
For Cordillera heritage, one must go to Baguio, or Sagada or Banaue. But Ilocos Norte?
Why not? We must remember the northern tip of the Gran Cordillera mountain range rises from the foothills of Ilocos Norte.
The mountainous jungle fastness bordering Ilocos and Cagayan Valley are home to the Apayao, just as the eastern ranges of Ilocos Sur and Abra are home to the Tingguian. Where does the Ilocos’ culture end and Cordillera’s begin? Or do they gradually meld together, here in these mist-covered foothills?
It’s good to discover the diversity of the peoples of the Cordilleras, no?
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04.19.08Blast From the Past: American Governor of Benguet Investigated
So these “indiscretions” by the American Governor in Benguet must be one of the ways how American mining companies ended up owning much of the province’s rich mines. Funny how he was only charged with “indiscretions” when he was practically stealing the land of the iBenguets. But then again, at least he was charged with something unlike Gloria and her alipores who will likely get away with their various crimes against the Republic and its peoples.
Source: New York Times
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04.08.08Lang-ay 2008 Video
Here’s a photo collection (in video format) of the recently concluded Lang-ay 2008 festival in Bontoc. Video courtesy of Rafael Manuel Jr.
Since, you will be watching a lot of the peoples of Mt. Province in the video, maybe this is a good time to talk a little bit about them. According to the National Statistics Office the population of Mt. Province is broken down as follows:
Applai: 2,947
Balangao/Baliwon:18,886
Bontok/Binontok: 2,510
Ibontoc: 17,234
Ilocano: 6,968
Kalinga: 2,468
Kankanai/Kankaney/Kankanaey: 72,694
Other Local Ethnicity: 16,197
Other Foreign Ethnicity: 22
Not Reported: 413Total Mountain Province Population (Year 2000): 140,339
Apparently, because Kankanaeys compose a slight majority of the population, the NSO ridiculously dubbed Mt. Province as “Home of the Kankanais”. Hah, maybe we should encourage our Bontoc and Baliwon/Balangao activist-friends to make “sugod” the NSO to change their ill-advised title/description for Mt. Province. What you think, Layad?
Anyways, Applai is a Kankanaey sub-tribe so they should be included in the Kankanaey total. The Bontok/Binontok and Ibontoc are, of course, one group and should not have a separate count. Meanwhile, in case you are wondering, the Balangaos/Baliwons are from the eastern part of Mt. Province particularly Natonin and Paracelis.
I hope the NSO made a breakdown of the 16,197 who are listed as “other local ethnicity” but maybe they’re busy spending all their time coming up with trying-to-be-catchy-but-actually-silly titles like “Home of the Kankanais”.
Hala, let’s make sugod na the NSO so it will change that ridiculous title with an inclusive one.
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04.05.08Coming Up: Cordillera Day 2008
If you’re looking for something to do these next three weeks, joining the Cordillera day celebration would be a good option. Apparently the celebration will be held in Baay-Licuan, Abra this year so it is a good excuse to visit Abra province. Visit the CPA website for a background on Cordi Day.
Cordi day celebration goes to Abra
By Rimaliza Opiña
MINING and the government’s approval of explorations in minerals rich areas in the country will be theme of this year’s celebration of 24th Cordillera Day Celebration.To be held in Abra on April 23 and 24, the event will be hosted by the local chapter of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), the Kakailian Salakniban Tay Nagtaudan (Kastan)
This celebration of Cordillera Day is one of the three celebrations spearheaded by several groups here, two of which are led by the Cordillera Regional Assembly and local government units.
The event will also advance the call for the immediate implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) for it to be meaningful in the recognition of indigenous peoples’ collective right to self determination, the CPA said in a statement.
The CPA is a staunch oppositionist of mining activities in the region because of its impact on environment as well as it displaces indigenous peoples in areas where mine exploration are done.
Pending mining applications of local and global mining giants cover 1.2 million hectares or 66 percent of the Cordillera land area, the CPA said.
Celebration of Cordillera Day has also expanded abroad in Hong Kong, Belgium, Macau, Taiwan, and Japan. These are organized by migrant workers together with international solidarity partners and advocates of Cordillera struggles and indigenous peoples’ rights.
“More than just a gathering, Cordillera Day is a political statement on present realities by the militant Cordillera people’s movement. It carries with it the historical advances of the mass movement for self determination and national democracy,” the CPA stressed.
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03.10.08Apologies for the Past
I first thought of just adding this to the quick links I posted earlier but then thought that maybe it needs a post of its own.
I think the Japanese tend to have a longer memory than Filipinos so it’s good that they continue to remind us of the lessons of the past. In the GMA News article which you will find below, two Japanese women went to Kiangan, Ifugao to apologize in behalf of some Japanese soldiers for the horrors of World War II.
I’m sure you’ll agree that apologies like these are welcome. Still, in addition to these individual apologies, the Japanese government should also apologize for forcing women to become sex slaves during the war. It’s refusal to apologize on this matter continues to be a thorn in Japan’s otherwise good relations with the Philippines as well as other parts of Asia.
Anyways, in case you missed our earlier posts on the heroism of our people during the second World War, here are the links: Those Gallant Igorots; A Video Documentary; Those Gallant Igorots: A Word From the Producers; and Major Dennis Molintas.
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03.04.08MarcOzymandias
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, a man named Marcos, who fancied himself as the legendary Malakas built this monument for himself in the mountains of Tuba, Benguet.
He wanted a grand monument. It would be much much grander than Mt. Rushmore because he will have the mountain all to himself unlike Lincoln, and Washington, and that other President who had to share the limelight with the others. Co-starring lang sila habang si Marcos ay main and only feature.
But Marcos wasn’t contented to be the only dweller of the mountain, so he kicked out the Ibaloys who lived there since time immemorial.
And so the days passed. And the days turned to years. Then the century turned. Then this is what became of Marcos.
PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Zapata/Baguiocity.com
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02.08.08Very Interesting Reads
Miriam Coronel Ferrer has an article on Igorotness which you might find interesting. You can read it here. But here’s a quote:
… those who proudly self-identify as Igorots are generating more and more “Igorot” cultural resources to reproduce, enrich and somehow transform Igorot identity. Jimmy Fong’s presentation featured photos of children wearing t-shirts emblazoned with “Igorotak” (”I am Igorot”) followed by a dictionary-like entry that goes “n.Bibakese* – a statement asserting ethnic identity.” Fong also sampled exchanges in blogs among Igorots about Igorots. A hot topic were pop stars Paolo of Starstruck and Marky Cielo, both of Igorot descent, and their “Igorotness.” Or, in the case of Paolo, his shameful disowning of his identity ala the infamous quip, “My parents are Igorot but I am not.”
I’m not quite sure whether Paolo really did disown his identity. He was hesitant to reveal that he is part Igorot but there have been no reports of him expressly stating “na parents lang niya ang Igorot”. Maybe he did, maybe not. Pero may mga PaKoLI (parents ko lang Igorots) sa Quezon City (sa may E. Rod hehe). Hah, we coined PaKoLI ha. You read it here first.
Anyway, let’s go back to Coronel’s piece.
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