Traditional Knowledge is Alive Among the Talaandig

Jill and Manang Vicky from Baguio City

 joined the Cross Visit

to the Talaandig Tribe

 in Barangay Sungco, Lantapan, Bukidnon.

On September 8, 2008, fifteen of us indigenous people from different areas in the Philippines visited the Talaandig Tribe, to learn from them. We had heard about their successful efforts in consciously reviving the ancient wisdom of the tribe. We went with a desire to see for ourselves what they had accomplished, and whether we could bring home lessons for our own communities.

Indeed, the Talaandig tribe shows the way to bring culture to the heart of the struggle to assert identity, and rights to territory and ways of life. The whole community is involved in the regeneration of their culture. Datu Vic Migketay Saway compares the various groups in the community to the different parts of the body, which have particular contributions and work together harmoniously.

The women and elders play the role of peacemakers and mediators. They have revived the tribal ways of resolving conflicts, and offer an effective and cheaper way of maintaining peace than court litigation. They were successful in resolving critical feuds which had involved murders. They also effectively confronted outsiders who threatened the Talaandig territory.

The cultural guards were organized to defend the territory of the tribe. They are the enforcers of customary law. They conduct patrols and fight against those who threaten the tribe and their territory. They employ ancient weapons and magic that have proven effective against their foes.

The elders also teach in the school for living tradition. They share their expertise in such fields as chanting, embroidery, dance, and story telling.

The youth are active in reviving and further developing their tribal arts. Waway made a first drum in 1996, based on his memory of a community drum during his childhood. And now, all children are adept in playing the traditional rhythms on their drums. Instead of discos and benefit dances, the youth are engaged in creative work in music, earth paintings, production of musical instruments and accessories, and traditional dance.

All of us cross-visitors were quite amazed that here in the Philippines is a community that is consciously pursuing their cultural identity, keeping alive their ritual, arts, and traditional knowledge in the face of the ever-present and never-ending invasion of western/modern ways. Our lessons were many, which I hope to share more of in future posts. Meanwhile,  I am digesting this experience, and seriously thinking about ways to revive the Ibaloi culture in Baguio city...