PAMPANGA STATE AGRICULTURAL

UNIVERSITY
PSAU, Magalang, Pampanga
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

An interesting discussion piqued my interest this session about the different

types of “culture” that are practiced in the society. Obviously, we are aware that as there
many different tribes, groups of people within our country, they also have different ways
of living in terms of their mores, rituals, traditions, and such. One example of this is the
concept of Child Brides are discussed earlier. During my bachelor degree, a
documentary by journalist Kara David was presented for us to analyze. The
documentary was entitled “Ang mga Dalagita ng Sapang Kawayan”. The feature, which
was set in a coastal town in Masantol, Pampanga, tells the story of female children
aged 14 and below who, instead of playing with dolls and going to school, are already
spending most of their young adolescence as mothers to their infant children. In fact,
most of the mothers in that village are actually young girls. The story garnered mixed
reviews and some of the residents were even offended at Miss David because their
culture, they felt, was represented negatively. For them, the notion of child brides is a
tradition that is rooted since the time of their ancestors. We may see it as inappropriate
and immoral, but for them, in their town, it is completely normal.
When studying about the culture, we must always set aside our own biases and
beliefs if we are to fully understand even the most bizarre customs of another group. We
do not necessarily have to embrace every culture we study, but at the very least, we
can give the respect that is due to them. Only then can we achieve cultural awareness,
and in time, we may also have the cultural competence to pass on this knowledge and
understanding to our students.