Posts Tagged ‘DAP-AY’
<pDiaspora is a term originally used for the Jews who were driven away or forced to leave their homeland in multitudes and settling in a foreign land. At the present times, it is used to refer to a people group who left the homeland or country of origin and settled in a different country whether forced to leave or left with their own decision. The Philippine Diaspora can be described as the exodus of men to the US navy, women and men as nurses, engineers, teachers and doctors; and later as overseas workers in different countries in the world. It is called a Filipino Diaspora as it may technically unaccept because they are of different tribes and people groups.
The Cordillera has a socio political uniqueness because of its cultural traditions where indigenous systems have been in place and practiced for generations. There are at least eight major tribes that find the Cordillera their origin and their identity as a tribe and as a people. There are set indigenous systems that guide their environment, political systems, peace and justice systems as well as the existence of the dap-ay, ator, ato structures in some tribes. These structures and systems spell out their tribal territories and their rules of war and peace as laid out in bodong, pechen, vochong, pochon, peden or peace pact systems and structures. The observance of these give harmony in the community.
It is a widely acknowledged fact that the Philippine economy is sustained by the overseas dollars remitted by Philippine Diaspora, hitting 25 Billion US dollars in 2013. This affected Philippine families economically yet it is not clear of its effect in culturally and politically. It has been widely discussed among circles that in the most recent election, the dollars were poured in towards the campaign fund of some local elected officials. An interesting study could be made to find out if this overseas fund raising influences the political decisions and directions after the election. Further suppositions include the influence of the Filipinos who left the Philippines during the Spanish time and the Martial Law days.
Unfortunately, these socio cultural and political traditions have been replaced with national laws and systems that placed the region into the mainstream of government systems. Nevertheless, the Cordillera Diaspora found in countries around the world continues their ties to the region. I made a study of the Igorot Diaspora philanthropy and it revealed that the Diaspora’s connection is based on Cultural and socio economic reasons where family and communities in the hometown ask the assistance of the Diaspora especially in times of disaster, educational needs and medical assistance. As I have just visited Vancouver and met bibak members it was a common sharing the they have supported members of the family and relatives socio economically specially in educational needs. But it would be far out for them to politically influence the hometown. But they speak out against the environmental decay in the guise of development. So it must be, but how great their influence I will discuss it in my following articles as I share the findings of my research.
Numerous studies have been made on the socio economic Diaspora in the recent years because of the influence that those in the Diaspora have both in the homeland in the host country. This is not only in the Philippines but for other countries trying to study the influence of the Diaspora effect or influence in the hometown. We read articles, social media postings and letters to editors of our expats on how they perceive our government systems, environmental campaigns, response to disasters and almost any topic of local situation. This adds pressure to the decision makers as well as the influence of those who are returning overseas workers and immigrants who influence the life in the local communities including the Cordillera region. It is doubtful there is any political Diaspora influence in the region but can still is explored further. Though we have experienced a Political Diaspora in the country during the martial law decades as some of those politically involved left the country it is still premature to say that the Diaspora greatly influences our political life.
Political Diaspora can be considered dangerous as mentioned by David Carment of the Canadian Policy Journal “Diasporas can exert pressure on their home government from abroad, free from political threats and fear of retribution. And they can lobby their host country to put pressure on their home government to endorse policies ranging from human rights and governance reform to favorable international trade policies and security guarantees. Diaspora politics is seductive and populist. And governing parties can ride the wave of new immigrant support for generations.”
HEAD HUNTING
Posted on: January 25, 2014
HEAD HUNTING BY OUR FOREFATHERS AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN
Head hunting takes several definitions like a literal act of beheading before or after killing a person, moreover, a custom of cutting and preserving the head of enemies as a trophy by the killer. Head hunting is also a slang to mean an attempt of removing power and influence of political opponents.
However, in the management context, head hunting is a recruitment process of searching for the head or executives of corporation and organizations. There are several recruitment outfits calling themselves “Head Hunter” “head hunting” or similar words. This term also found its way into the music world as “Head hunter” is the title of an album of Herbie Hancock released by Columbia Records last October 13, 1973.
Head hunting was practiced in various countries as well as in ancient times most specially to display prowess of heroic fighters as well as martial arts combats. European headhunters were common among the Celts, West Germanic tribes, the Vikings, Scythians. The tribes of Melanesia, Papua New Guinea, Wa tribes of Burma China border, Borneo, Indonesia and other islands of South East Asia. Other Asians like the Japanese, China, and Taiwan have practiced head hunting and sometimes as raids. The Nagas of India and Burma as well as other tribes of India have practiced head hunting.
During the World War Two as well as in the Vietnam War, there were records that the heads of opponents were kept as “skull trophies” by the soldiers.
In the Cordillera Region of Northern Philippines, the men were described as warrior by early writers including Albert Henry Jenks in his book “the Bontok Igorots” published in 1905 and gave a vivid description of battles they undertook “Men go to war armed with a wooden shield, a steel battle ax and one to three steel or wooden spear. It is a man’s agility and skill in keeping his shield between himself and his enemy that preserves his life. Their battles are full of quick and incessant springing motion. There are sudden rushes and retreats even sneaking to cut off the enemy. These battles lasted about 30- minutes to an hour and often ceases after the taking of a single head by either side. But there were cases where fights last for half a day and a dozen or more heads taken. At times, rocks were thrown and sometimes hit and knock down enemies and there he loses his head if he was not assisted by friends. “
These battle skills were recorded when the Igorots fought against the Japanese. General Douglas Mac Arthur in his communiqué included “Hampered by the dense undergrowth and lost in the confusing maze of bamboo thickets, vines and creepers, the tankers would have been impotent had it not been for the aid of the Igorot troops of the 2nd Battalion, 11th infantry. Hoisted to the top of the tanks where they were exposed to enemy fire The Igorots chopped away the entangling foliage with their bolos and served as eyes for the American tank crew, firing with their pistols while guiding the drivers.
“When the attack was over,” said the General, “the remnants of the tanks and of the Igorots were still there, but the 20th Japanese Infantry Regiment was completely annihilated.
“Many desperate acts of courage and heroism have fallen under my observation on many fields of battle in many parts of the world. I have seen forlorn hopes become realities. I have seen last-ditch stands and innumerable acts of personal heroism that defy description. But for sheer breathtaking and heart stopping desperation, I have never known the equal of those Igorots riding the tanks. Gentlemen, when you tell the story stand in tribute to those gallant Igorots.”
My husband relates a story that happened in the 1950s as kids when; he and his brother Alex were spending their vacation in Alab. One night there was a commotion in the village because the men arrived from their head hunting. Some of the kids were afraid, but some of them found it as festivities for a bountiful harvest. They were told that the hunters took the jaws for their gong handles. When my husband asked his grand pa what happened to the other parts of the head, he was told that they were buried beneath the slabs of stones in the dap-ay. This brought chills and nightmares to some of the young kids sleeping in the dap-ay. But these were easily forgotten as they frolicked under the sun and bath in the rivers.
In the present day, head hunting may take some other form, though not as brutally killing the person, but making them “inutil” unable to function or stripping opportunities for opponents to exercise their responsibilities. This can take forms of boycotting people in authority. It could mean walking out of a hearing or a dialogue to incapacitate those who need to the consultation towards a resolution of an issue or a problem. Head hunters are in the social media with their irresponsible attack on people in authority without the facts or simply hunting them down blaming opponents with every problem that the community experiences. There are other strategies that have been developed in warfare including modern day head hunting.
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Ug-ogbo: a spirit of volunteerism
Character formation is a universal aspiration of different people in different culture and place. Yet these universal characters find specific expression in cultures especially among Indigenous peoples. As a member of the Igorot community, our people continue to discuss and model generation age value towards character formation in our present day Igorots and express these generation old practices that must be passed on to the next generation. One of those values is “Ugbo, Ug-ogbo, Ogbo, Og-ubgo” and translated in English as cooperative volunteerism, reciprocal labor exchange, common community undertaking, mutual self-help and similar translations.
What was common in the uplands was Og-ugbo during planting and harvest time. A group of people with fields would band together and harvest the field of family 1. The field owner usually provides lunch and shows where the field is to be worked on. On the next day the group moves one to family 2 and this goes on until all the fields of those who banded together us harvested. This is just one example and is also done during the planting season, the “dapilan” or the sugar cane crushed to make sugar, the building of a house in the “ili” and the like.
In the common day life, it is practiced in tune with the current needs and situation. Among the Maengs of Abra, during the sports competition other out of town competitions, the families practice “ur-or” “or-or” where each family gives one chupa or cup of rice for the team as their food contribution to those sent out to compete. This is also practiced in other activities when food is needed.
But this practice is slowly diminishing as most things are now translated into cash equivalence and labor is being paid. The practice is sometimes limited to close family or clan activities.
In mid 1980s a group of young professionals aged 21 to 30 started an organization called Association of Young Igorot Professionals, Inc. (AYIP) The vision and ideals that these Igorots profess is the plowing back of resources, professional expertise and time towards the betterment of communities. This was the volunteerism that speaks of their expression of volunteerism.
Last September 28, 2013 the Soroptimist International of Baguio organized a barn dance titled “I LOVE YOU THIS BIG” where several groups came to join to render mutual help in raising funds for the beneficiaries. The singing Congressman Nicasio Aliping Jr, Benj Cruz, Millet Juarigue, May Ann Balangue, Eva Marie Fianza, Pete Agoot were those who volunteered to sing with the accompaniment of the PRO Cor Combo. Groups who came to help raise funds included thee Veterans of foreign Wars Post 124 led by Post commander Willy Totanes and Past Post commander Larry Senato; Provincial Director Angela Gabriel of TESDA; PCI Dyann Bancawayan; BCPO city director Jess Cambay; Pastor Dante Ferrer, the Federation of Women’s Club; the Episcopal Church Women, Soroptimist Pines led by President Elisa Namoca; family and friends came together for self-help. Before the end of the night the Soroptimist International gave fifteen thousand pesos (15,000.00) to Kalipi Hillside Barangay to buy two sewing machine for their livelihood program and another fifteen thousand (15,000.00) to BCPO women and children protection desk for their one way mirror. The expression of self-help has reached a contemporary scenario where the basic need towards the livelihood program of the Kalipi Hillside Barangay is met through the cooperative effort of several sectors of the community. PSSupt Divina Mencio in her words of gratitude mentioned that the one way mirror has been a long desired need of the multi awarded unit.
In this present day occurrences’, the spirit of ug-ogbo seems so remote to Igorots yet in character transformation seminars this take the name volunteerism, community life and others. In those conferences and workshops of Igorot International Conferences (IIC) the International Cordillera BIMAAK Europe (ICBE) Conference; Grand Canao and other international conferences the desire to pass on good values and practices to younger generations persists. Yet, there are realities that seem to hinder these aspirations. Like what AYIP aspire and the “I love you this Big” activity it is then up to the people of today to anchor these volunteerism initiatives as expressions or even acts of deepening the appreciation of indigenous practices and values. It is fast diminishing because of the lack of knowledge and experience of the generation of Igorots today, thus it is highly encouraged to be taught not only in the dap-ay or ator but also in the sociology classes in the schools in all levels. Similarly, Character transformation should be anchored on culture and religious values. (Oct 5, 2013)
STORIES THE STONES HEAR
Posted on: September 11, 2013
SANGAL DI KULTURA
STORIES THE STONES HEAR
In 2007, the column “Sangal di Kultura” was launched, a Maeng phrase meaning “Web of Cultures.” The column always considered Cordillera culture vis a vis other cultures. This was based on more than 15 years experience and study that I had in the Cordillera, the Himalayas and other parts of Asia.
The column took a leave after I assumed office as a city councilor of Baguio. The column resumes as we celebrate the 104th Charter day of the City of Baguio and I share some stories about the early times in Baguio.
During my tour of duty in the city, I was able to come across several Dap-ays structures in public offices as well as in the barangays. Dap-ays is part of the culture of the Maengs of Abra and the tribes of the Mountain Province including Sagada and Besao. This is similar to the Ator and Ato of the Bontoc tribe. There are several structural features of the dap-ay but the most common is the circularly arranged stones with a seat and a backrest with a fire pit in the middle. The Dap-ay is one of the cultural practices of the Maengs of Abra that sets them apart from the rest of the tribal groups of Abra.
In the olden times, the Dap-ay was the recognized formal institution of learning, leadership, legislation, justice. It was the seat of governance and rituals that preserve the identity, peace and order and their spirituality. There are still Dap-ays that continue to function as such. Though the rituals, discussions and decisions are the more important aspects of the dap-ay, it is the circularly arranged stones that is commonly seen as the symbol of the Dap-ay.
To archeologists and students of culture, stone carvings unearthed or built have much to say about the history and culture of people. Stone walls portray skills, imagination and functionability.
More recently, Dap-ays have been constructed in various places around Baguio City. Most popular among them are those found in Café by the Ruins, PIA-Car, DILG, Bontoc Village, Guisad Barangay.
Guisad valley in the 1960s, according to my husband was one wide children’s playground with perimeters that stretches from what is the present Campo Filipino, Cresencia Village, Pinsao, Pinget, Dizon Lucban, Quirino Hill and the Guisad Barangays. In those times the valley perimeters were forested and the most common activity they do was to explore the caves, gather mushroom after the rain, kid fights to determine who is the “King of the Mountain” and raiding the kaingin “umas” for camote, corn, peanuts and bananas.
They raid the strawberry fields of the Bureau, slept in uninhabited tombs and build huts in the mountain where they slept during summers. They were also known as the fire fighters during those days. But accordingly they were the ones who set the bushes on fire so they can gather the vintage bullets and cannon balls of the war remnants.
Not many may still remember Guisad valley, but part of revisiting and holding on to history maybe the reason that on January 07, 2010 with RA 9918, the Pines City High School annex located in Cresencia Village was named Guisad Valley National High School. ( Sept 1, 2013)
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