Tribal Filipino Week 2010 Highlights Cultural Exchange Between Indigenous Youth and Elders
 
On this year’s celebration of Tribal Filipino Week, around 150 youth, elders and indigenous peoples’ advocates from Baguio City and Cordillera provinces will be holding a cultural exchange and workshop on positive cultural values, indigenous dances, chants, attires, and instruments on October 9-10, 2010 at the Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary, Campo Sioco, Baguio City. With the theme “Ipannakkel  Kultura a Nakabigbigan, Padur-asen, Aywanan ken Salakniban!,” the activity is jointly organized by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary, Dap-ayan ti Kultura iti Kordilyera and the Regional Ecumenical Council in the Cordillera (RECCORD). The second Sunday of October has been declared by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines as Tribal Filipino Sunday in honor of indigenous peoples in the country.

“There are many threats  and factors contributing to the disintegration and weakening of traditional knowledge, positive cultural values including  indigenous practices  in our region. Through this activity, we hope to provide a venue for Cordillera indigenous youth and elders to have a learning exchange for the passing on of such knowledge and sharing of wisdom to the younger generation,” said Abie Anongos, CPA secretary general, adding that “apart from being taught how to beat the gongs or perform chants and dances correctly, we hope this activity will instill in our youth how  the role of our elders and  our indigenous socio political institutions figured in the Cordillera indigenous peoples’ struggle for ancestral land rights and self determination.”

An indigenous ritual will open the activity at 6:00 in the morning of October 9 to be followed by discussions and sharing on indigenous socio-political systems and positive cultural values, and workshops on Cordillera dances, instruments and chants until noon of the second day, October 10. Indigenous attires will be presented in the morning of October 10. The activity organizers are inviting the public for a cultural solidarity gathering starting at 1:00 PM on the second day where the workshop participants will perform what they have learned.

“We owe it to our elders, who have left both a legacy and challenge to our generation to  take pride in our cultural heritage  as we assert our rights as indigenous peoples and Filipinos,” Anongos added. #