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In the Philippines, October is celebrated as Indigenous Peoples’ Month to recognise, uplift, and celebrate the dignity of indigenous peoples. The scholarship students of the Father Leoni Mission Foundation, who are from the different tribes of Bukidnon, organised events and activities to honour our history, and acknowledge the role of indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge.
As per tradition, the month-long celebration began with a Mass and a ritual. Rituals are an integral part of the rich heritage of indigenous peoples. Datu Samuel Ali from the Umajamnen tribe of Cabanglasan led the ritual, which served to remind all of us to always give thanks and praise to Magbabaya (God), seek guidance from the Mu ulin ulin (Holy Spirit), and show deep respect for the spirits that dwell around us.
Several sessions were held to deepen our knowledge of indigenous ways that are oftentimes challenged by mainstream culture. During the first session, Datu Manpadayag Naphtali Sagubay shared a brief background of the seven tribes of Bukidnon. Through his sharing, we felt a strong sense of connection with one another. Despite our differences in language and tribe, we share a common set of values, cultural heritage, and history.
Since the main theme is on the importance of indigenous women in the community, Bae Naydesign Joan Talasan discussed the important role women play in the transmission of indigenous knowledge across generations. They are the guardians of our ancestral lands, our environmental stewards, and upholders of our collective rights.
One of our formators, Marlyn Manlangit, correlated the structure of the tribe with the parts of the human body, emphasising humanity’s affiliation with nature. She also shared on the roles of the ritualist, oralist, arbitrator, healer, economist, and tribal guard in the indigenous community.
A cultural night served to showcase the various talents and skills of the scholars. There was graceful and enthusiastic dancing, chanting, and singing. A role playing activity depicted the importance of the Batasan Hu Lumad (core values) of the seven tribes of Bukidnon. These core values are Kilala ha Batasan (law of mutual recognition and respect), Buliga ha Batasan (law of mutual help), Pabaton-batona ha Batasan (law of complementarity), and Pauyag-uyaga ha Batasan (law of mutual protection of life and our duty to uplift each other). Seeing them portrayed opened our interest to strive hard to be caretakers of our cultural domain and become leaders of our own tribes following the footsteps of our elders.
Our celebration ended with a Mass presided by Fr Ambrosio Flores SJ. In his homily, he cited the three important points evident in our celebration: commitment, consistency, and companionship.
There were several other activities that were carried out by the scholars throughout the month, including service to the Jesuit mission areas in Cabanglasan and Kaulayanan. All of these gave us a renewed sense of determination and inspiration to strive with passion in our studies, and to become innovative community leaders who will work to preserve our cultural values.
Anjehny Aquino from Can-ayan, Malaybalay City belongs to the Bukidnon-Tagoloanen tribe. She is in her second year of studying Development Communication at Bukidnon State University.