GenEd Elec 2: Philippine Indigenous Communities

1. Title of the Module

Chapter 3: Cultural Research on the Local Histories of IPs in Region 2

2. Introduction

This chapter is focused on the major groups of indigenous peoples in the

Cagayan Valley. It will shed light on their geographic locations, local histories, and
existing traditional practices laden with value systems that are modified today due to
acculturation. Students will also do a cultural mapping of built heritage where these
indigenous groups are located.

3. Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, the student is expected to:
a. identify the major ethnolinguistic groups in the Cagayan Valley;
b. identify existing traditional practices and value systems of the different
indigenous groups; and
c. do a cultural mapping on built heritages where these indigenous groups are
located over time.

4. Learning Content
Topic 1: Major IP Groups of Region 2

5. Teaching and Learning Activities

a. Activity Sheet
b. Textual Reading
c. Group Research

6. Recommended learning materials and resources for supplementary reading

7. Flexible Teaching Learning Modality (FTLM) adopted

Modular Distance Learning (MDL) – Module
Online Distance Learning (ODL) – FB Group/Messenger

8. Assessment Task
a. Group research

References

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 MODULE CONTENT

Topic 1: Major Ethnolinguistic Groups in Region 2

Nominal Duration: 16.5

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this topic, the student must be able to:
1. identify the major IP groups in the Cagayan Valley;
2. identify existing traditional practices and value systems of the different indigenous
groups; and
3. identify built heritages where these indigenous groups are located over time.

Introduction

Region 2 or the famous Cagayan Valley

derives its name from the famous Sagayan River, the
longest and the biggest river in the Philippines. It is
bordered on the west by the Central Cordillera, on the
east by the Sierra Madre Mountains and on the south
by the Carballo Mountain. It is composed of the five
provinces namely: Nueva Viscaya, Quirino, Isabela,
Cagayan, and Batanes.

In 2018, the field office of NCIP identified

different ethnolinguistic groups across this valley: they
are the Agta (Isabela and Cagayan), Yogad (Isabela),
Ibanag (Cagayan), Itawis (Isabela and Cagayan),
Bugkalot (Quirino and Nueva Viscaya), Gaddang
(Isabela and Nueva Viscaya), Dumagat (Isabela), and
Ivatan (Batanes).

Due to people’s mobility, there are also other IP groups that chose to reside
across the valley such as the Ilocanos who come from the Ilocos region, the
Tagalogs from the south, several ethnic groups coming from the Cordilleras, and
others who come from various parts of the country including foreigners from abroad.
The Cagayan Valley has become a melting pot of cultures.

With the overwhelming industrialization and fast-paced modernization of the

place and the people, social and cultural changes have taken place also. Obviously,
the ancestral domains of the different indigenous peoples have been reduced and
destroyed by extractive industries. Many of their lands, for lack of titles, were taken
by private businessmen, schooled-selfish individuals and politicians and even the
government. Indigenous peoples were not only displaced and alienated but also
discriminated. The western educational system brought about by the Spaniards
through the Catholic Church and the Americans were contributory to the changing
value systems of the youth. Some schooled but not educated young professionals
and even students look at their fellow young professional and students who come
from indigenous communities with lower expectations. The stereotyping is still
prevalent: IPs are backward, dirty, uncivilized, ugly, idiot, etc… As a result, there are

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those students who have become shameful of their indigenous identities to the point
that they disown their parents and the place where they come from. Colonial
mentality has ever since become viral in the psyche of Filipinos and even among the
younger generations.

The good news is that across the Cagayan Valley, pockets of indigenous
communities are still identifiable; while adapting to social changes, they are able to
retain their culture, indigenous belief systems and values. Majority of IPs are
disciplined and principled individuals who occupy different positions in the
government and private sector. In spite of a harmonious co-existence among
Filipinos, they choose to see themselves distinct while standing out into the
mainstream society. They still have retained their own worldviews, rituals and
traditions. To what extent were they able to preserve their own worldviews, rituals
and traditions is a matter of debate. Ask the younger generations about their cultural
background and unsurprisingly only a few know and understand anything about
them. Their usual answer has always been that their forebears were ignorant of the
present technological era: “we do not want to go back to the cave”; “Ay, hindi po ako
Itawes, Ibanag, Ilocano, Igorot, Bugkalot, o Yogad kasi natuto na po akong
magtagalog at mag-english.” it is a shame that they say that. The knowledge and
practice of their culture make only a petty sense to them. Some variables to consider
for the drastic non-transmission of indigenous knowledge and change of value-laden
traditions are: government, religion, formal education, technology, money and
influence, intermarriages and migration. To a certain degree, they have become
disinterested or indifferent of their indigenous identity. Would this mean that a
reclaiming to the wisdom of the indigenous peoples be relevant to this age? The
answer must come from the youth themselves if there is any hope they can pass the
soul of their people (their priceless culture) to the next generation!

Activity for Module 3:

a. Individually, you do a cultural mapping of your barangay’s existing built heritages.

A Sample will be provided for you.

b. Built heritages mean structures or landscapes in your barangay that has a

historical significance to the early development of your barangay. It may also
include tourist sites that has a historical importance when your barangay was just
founded and still progressing. It may also include materials (such as claypots,
jewels, antics, jars, etc. that are found only in your barangay and it makes your
barangay unique here in Isabela.

c. To scout for any existing built heritages, you may interview your parents or elders
in you barangay regarding its origin and the story behind it.

d. Get a picture of the place or the structure or the material in your presence. Place
your activity in a bond paper. Deadline of submission will be determined by your
teacher.

For example, your name is Felipiano Vicente de San Jose and you live in Barangay
Anito, one of the ethnics territories in Isabela. In your interview with the elders, you

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found out that one of the special built heritages in your place is the sementeryo that
existed before the coming of the Spaniards and until now the place is still intact but
mysterious sightings of spirits often occur and the village people are mesmerized of
these events. You dug deeper on the story and found out that all your family names
in Barangay Anito are of Spanish family names and all indigenous names were lost
in time and history…but the truth from your elders reveal from their stories that there
was a massacre in the place. Many Spaniards came to the place and took their
residency there about 200 of them: men, women and children. But because the
native people did not like them for grabbing their lands and hunting grounds, all
those 200 people suffered death in the hands of the natives. It was a bloody week
that the natives realized how brutal they were and did not know how to ask for
forgiveness. From the story of the elders, one way for their ancestors to ask for
reparation is to be baptized and took the family names of those they killed to be their
names and family names and thus their native names had been forgotten in time…
This forgetfulness of the past may have been the reason for the sightings of Anitos in
the cemetery.