SOC SCI 102

PHIL HISTORY, CULTURE, AND

INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
PROF. HENRY DE LEON, MBA, MAT, LL.B, Ph.D. MGMT
What it means to be indigenous?
The word 'indigenous' refers to the notion of a
place-based human ethnic culture that has not
migrated from its homeland, and is not a settler or
colonial population. To be indigenous is therefore
by definition different from being of a world
culture, such as the Western or Euro-American
culture.
Bontoc Igorot
headhunters
Leonard Siffleet about to be beheaded with a sword by a Japanese
Ethnic groups, ethnic communities – controversial
label
-these people were considered minority; least
acculturated among the rest of the population;
derogatorily described as primitive, wild and
savages.
Lumad – a Cebuano term meaning indigenous.
They are not savages, primitives or backward
people. They have only different cultural ways of
thinking.
What are the differences between Tribes and Indigenous people ?

This is a good anthropological question. Indigenous peoples are

defined as the original, native or first ethnic groups of people living
in their own or original region or place (Examples: Aborigines,
American Indians or primitive people who have not contacted the
modern civilization). They might constitute tribes. A tribe, however,
may constitute an ethnic group, but it has marital relationships with
members of other tribes and is in continuous mobility or moving
from place seeking subsistence economy, basically herding animals
(Example, Bedouins or tribes living mostly in desert).
How many indigenous groups are there in the
Philippines?
The Philippines is a culturally diverse country with
an estimated 14- 17 million Indigenous
Peoples (IPs) belonging to 110 ethno-linguistic
groups. They are mainly concentrated in Northern
Luzon (Cordillera Administrative Region, 33%) and
Mindanao (61%), with some groups in the Visayas
area.
What qualifies as indigenous?

- peoples in independent countries who are

regarded as indigenous on account of their descent
from the populations which inhabited the country,
or a geographical region to which the country
belongs, at the time of conquest or colonization or
the establishment of present state.
Three reasons why we should all care about Indigenous Peoples

First, Indigenous Peoples and ethnic minorities are more likely to be

poor.
Second, while there have been advances, Indigenous Peoples and
ethnic minorities continue to face exclusion and marginalization, and
lack equal access to basic services.

Third, Indigenous Peoples help protect our environment, fight

climate change, and build resilience to natural disasters, yet their
rights aren’t always protected.
Mindanao Lumads account for 2.1 millions out of 6.5
millions indigenous.

Does indigenous mean poor?

Present in over 90 countries, indigenous communities
represent about 5% of the world's population but make up
15% of the world's extreme poor , and 1/3 of the
rural poor. ... Wherever they live, Indigenous Peoples face
distinct pressures, including being among the poorest and
most marginalized in their societies.
Importance of the Study
1. Indigenous ethnic communities have preserved their colorful,
elaborate and unique institutions and cultural practices.
2. Contemporary indigenous cultures as important links to the
Philippine past.
3. Philippine ethnology is a rich but little work field. [no government
agenda]
Indigenous Peoples need to celebrate their history because doing so
helps to stop the loss and grow their cultures. Celebrating their
history invigorates pride in being Indigenous. In their existence. In
the preservation of their cultures, protocols, spirituality, traditions,
and languages.
It also builds respect and confidence. It
is important because at the end of the day, it
should be about them. Providing culturally
appropriate programs also builds Indigenous
Peoples' identity. They realize that what they
already know is useful and they take pride in
their own culture and knowledge.
Why should we protect indigenous cultures?

A stronger voice. Yet across the world, indigenous

cultures and practices are being eroded by
modernization, commercial development
pressures, lack of secure rights to land and
resources, migration and lack of cultural education.
... New biodiversity targets, for example, must
protect indigenous cultures.
Protecting indigenous cultures is crucial for saving the world’s
biodiversity
- Indigenous peoples have conserved biodiversity for millennia. They
have created much of the world’s agricultural biodiversity, including
thousands of crop varieties, livestock breeds and unique landscapes.
These practices continue today in many of their territories, creating
new varieties of crops and livestock that are often more resilient
than modern equivalents.
So it is unsurprising that the rich diversity of nature is declining less
rapidly on indigenous peoples’ lands than in other areas. This clearly
shows that the world’s 370 million to 500 million indigenous people
play a critical role in conserving biodiversity.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN THE PHILIPPINES:
PERSPECTIVES ON INCLUSION
- The Philippines’ seven thousand one hundred
seven islands are home to more than five hundred
Indigenous People communities. Indigenous
Peoples in the world remain one of the poorest,
most excluded and disadvantaged sectors of
society. They continuously face different issues
including discrimination, poverty and human rights
abuse.
In response to these challenges, the Philippine government has
passed the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997, which
affirms Indigenous Peoples’ rights to ancestral domains, self-
governance and empowerment, social justice and human rights,
and rights to cultural identity. Ten years later, in 2007, the UN
General Assembly adopted the 
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (
UNDRIP)
, which provides a framework for the survival, dignity, well-being
and rights of the world’s Indigenous Peoples, and strengthens
their rights to identity, education, health, employment and
language, amongst others.
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples theme is
devoted to the right to education.

The theme is fitting, given the continuous issues which indigenous

communities face when it comes to receiving adequate and fair
education. Discrimination, racism, stigmatisation of identities,
language barriers and a lack of resources are just some of these
issues and sadly, they continue to happen worldwide.
In the Philippines, Caritas Australia is working closely with 
partner organizations to ensure that the country’s indigenous
peoples can access their basic right to an education.
Rainey S. Dolatre, is a former volunteer who
worked with the indigenous Tagbanua Community
of Culion, Palawan. She is now working as the
resource development officer of CFI. Bricks
Sabella Sintaon is a member of the Talaandig
tribe-one of the eight tribes in Bukidnon. He is
now working as the education coordinator of CFI [
Cartwheel Foundation Inc. (CFI)]
Bricks: When I was a child in our community, being an indigenous person was
not an issue. We were only interacting within our own community. It is only
when I started college and went out of our community that I became aware of
the difference. Organizations and individuals who also worked with us raised our
awareness of the different issues; although some were “insensitive” in their
approach and made us feel bad and that we “needed” all these other things
because we didn’t have them, instead of recognizing what we do have.

Personally,  We were called “ipis” (cockroaches) by other students. I also felt

judged because of my unfamiliarity with technology, modes of transportation,
etc. I felt that they talked to me in a different tone. In our community, we also
experienced being taken advantage of, especially in politics. Indigenous
Peoples’ members who were not literate were used for cheating in elections.
Rainey: Issues related to ancestral domains remain to be
one of the biggest challenges. These are often
interconnected to other issues like mining, displacement
and political conflict which affect them
negatively. Threats to their land, for example, affects
their food security. Political conflicts threaten their
communities’ safety because insurgent or military groups
often camp near their areas of residence. Sometimes, the
natural abundance of their ancestral domains also make
them prone to being taken advantage of, or worse,
displaced entirely.
Bricks: In our community, education is given importance.
There is already an awareness of the bigger picture of
society and that education can help us towards progress
and work towards continued community growth. There
is a view that education is a tool to transfer Indigenous
Peoples’ knowledge and to gain basic skills such as basic
calculations and literacy skills. Education is also a tool to
be more empowered with their rights such as voting and
to claim their ancestral land.
Rainey: There is a common desire for them to participate actively
in community life outside their own. They also see that education
can provide them with more access to different opportunities. I
think that these are the prevailing perceptions now, partly because
of the work of the government and NGOs in raising their awareness
about the value of education.
Barriers to Indigenous learners’ access to education. One of these
is related to their livelihood. There are instances wherein
education takes a backseat because work is a priority. However,
we see that gender perceptions also influence education. Despite
having the ability to take leader roles, some women with whom I
have had the experience of working seem to be holding back.
 Bricks: When I was studying within our own community and our
teachers were outsiders, our Indigenous identity was not taken up
in depth. I learned about other Indigenous Peoples’ communities in
our textbooks but was not aware we were also one. Education was
Western-based. I also attended a sectarian secondary school and
learned about Christianity and participated in community events
where our cultural arts were showcased.
In Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Peoples Education, I faced the
challenge of being away from my family. However, I also had the
opportunity to be with other Indigenous students. I learned to be
self-reliant and appreciated the uniqueness of my own
tribe. Through different activities such as cultural exchange, we
were able to have more unity.
Bricks: It is important that Indigenous learners should be
first exposed to the cultural traditions of the community
where they belong, wherein their being grounded will be
part of the formation of their identity.
It is ideal for their curriculum to be integrated with both
Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP) and
mainstream perspective promoting holistic growth and
development of the learner. It is in this way that they
become aware of both perspectives as a key to achieving
balance in knowing their own community and others as
well.
Cultures flourished:
1. Epic poetry of Ifugao – Hudhud and Alim
2. Labaw Dunggon of the Sulod
3. Darangan of the Islamic Groups [compare with Iliad and
Odyssey]
4. Ambahan – poetic forms of Hanunoo Mangyan
5. Okil of the Maranao – art exemplified in the painted wood
carvings in floral motifs that decorate the Torogan or royal
palace
6. Flute music in Palawan
Method of Controlled Comparison

- Used by evolutionist and historicalists in making

generalizations about societal growth and in
explaining the phenomenon of societal
organization.
-Study pursued on a smaller scale and with as
much control over the frame of comparison.
-Alternative approach to large scale comparison.
Thank you very much!
Questions???