The Role of Indigenous Peoples in Philippine Society
The Philippines, a country renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty and vibrant cultural variety, is home to several indigenous people. These indigenous groups, also known as “Lumad” in Mindanao, “Katutubo” in Luzon, and “Mangyan” in the Visayas, have had a significant and lasting influence on the development of Philippine society. The indigenous community, which makes up 14% of the total population, is the most socially and economically disadvantaged group in the nation, with greater rates of unemployment, illiteracy, and poverty. In this article, we’ll set out on a quest to comprehend the significant impact, cultural importance, and current difficulties encountered by indigenous people in the Philippines. We will examine the various roles played by indigenous peoples in the dynamic landscape of Filipino culture, from their long-standing customs and religious beliefs to their current fights for land rights and cultural preservation.
Evidence to cultural diversity is the Philippines, which is home to over 100 indigenous cultures. Each of these groups has its own distinctive customs, languages, and worldviews, which greatly enrich the colorful fabric of Philippine culture. The Aetas and Ati, or Negritos, were among the first indigenous groups in the Philippines, emerging from early waves of Malay or Proto-Malay migrants. They are supposed to be the descendants of the archipelago’s first settlers in over 27 other migrants. This demonstrates how much culture from different ethnic groups is carried down from generation to generation. In ways we might not always recognize, diversity fosters development and enriches our lives. We learn to value viewpoints, lifestyles, and experiences that we would not have been exposed to otherwise through exposure to various cultures, customs, and beliefs. This enables us to share knowledge and broaden our perspectives.
One of the best representations among the other ethnic groups is the Ifugao, they’re well-known indigenous people since they built the famed terraces in the isolated location of Cordillera. According to UNESCO (n.d.), The Ifugao Rice Terraces are the valuable legacy that the Filipino people left for posterity to inherit. The Ifugao Rice Terraces, which were constructed 2000 years ago and carried down from the next generation, serve as an enduring example of an ancient society that overcame different difficulties and setbacks brought on by modernisation. The indigenous peoples, such as the Ifugao, have passed down and practiced many diverse cultures, and they believe that their faith is dictated by the will of their Gods, and in order to satisfy their God, people pray and summon them throughout Ifugao’s major occasions such as weddings, harvest, and disease. Furthermore, according to Agoot (2018), Ifugao is notable for its manually carved rice terraces along mountain slopes, and its inhabitants speak Tuwali as their native tongue. The value of cultural diversity cannot be emphasized. It not only enriches the Filipino people’s collective identity, but it also acts as a source of wisdom and information.
One of the roles of indigenous people in the Philippines is to conserve distinctive biodiversity, which is dependent on the knowledge, inventiveness, and traditions of indigenous and local communities that live in close contact with nature. According to the Global Environment Facility (2019), ancestral domains are home to 85% of the nation’s important biodiversity hotspots. The governance of IP communities is important for maintaining and protecting the Philippines’ surviving natural forests. However, parts of the land and forests that have become the ancestral lands of the Indigenous people are gradually being destroyed in order to build buildings, housing projects, mine, and other things since our nation strives to be a developed country. According to Cabico (2022), registered ancestral domains were in conflict with 49% of the nation’s mining operations and 87% of the forest areas that had undergone extensive logging. Projects that were considered to pose ecological concerns, such as significant disturbance and contamination of land, streams, air, and biodiversity, were underway on 1.25 million hectares of indigenous lands, or 21% of registered ancestral domains.
In response, the government passed a law to protect the Indigenous people who made significant contributions to the preservation of our ecosystem or forest. One is the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 (IPRA), also known as Republic Act №8371, which is a key piece of law in the Philippines that acknowledges and defends the rights of the indigenous peoples (IPs) throughout the nation. Its objectives were to correct past injustices, encourage the preservation of their cultural legacy, and ensure their integration in larger society. In addition, in October 2016. An Act Protecting and Strengthening Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Protected Areas, Recognizing Their Contribution to Biodiversity Conservation, Establishing the National ICCA Registry for This Purpose, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes was introduced by Senator Loren Legarda as Senate Bill №1185. In order to ensure that indigenous peoples’ rights, dignity, and cultural legacy are upheld and preserved by the larger community, laws are designed specifically to protect them.
It is crucial for the country to acknowledge the significance of indigenous peoples’ contributions to society as the Philippines develops in the twenty-first century. It is a challenging but essential endeavor to strike a balance between the preservation of these communities’ distinctive cultural identities and their absorption into society as a whole. When this balance is reached, the Philippines can advance toward a future where variety is respected, knowledge is exchanged, and the country’s rich cultural heritage continues to flourish.
In conclusion, the indigenous peoples of the Philippines are crucial to the country’s cultural identity as well as essential in resolving important concerns like social justice, cultural variety, and environmental preservation. For millennia, the Filipino environment has been formed by their enduring customs, languages, and wisdom, which has provided significant insights into sustainable living and peaceful coexistence with nature. Filipinos can create a better future by moving forward in a spirit of respect and solidarity, where the contributions of indigenous peoples are not simply acknowledged but welcomed, creating a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.
References:
17th Congress Senate Bill №1185 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES CONSERVED AREAS ACT. (2016, October). Senate of the Philippines. https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/lis/bill_res.aspx?congress=17&q=SBN-1185
Cabico, G. K. (2022, November 7). Half of ancestral lands threatened by destructive projects — report. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/climate-and-environment/2022/11/07/2222087/half-ancestral-lands-threatened-destructive-projects-report
Cheryl. (2023). The importance of cultural diversity in a globalized world: Why World Day for Cultural Diversity matters now more than ever. Certified Translator Toronto, Translation Agency Toronto — MCIS Languages. https://www.mcislanguages.com/the-importance-of-cultural-diversity-in-a-globalized-world-why-world-day-for-cultural-diversity-matters-now-more-than-ever/#:~:text=Cultural%20diversity%20helps%20develop%20and,not%20been%20exposed%20to%20prior.
Ifugao tribe. (n.d.). Johnspecialobjects. https://www.johnspecialobjects.nl/en_GB/c-3605517-2/ifugao-tribe/
Indigenous peoples in the Philippines leading conservation efforts. (2019, August 9). Global Environment Facility. https://www.thegef.org/newsroom/feature-stories/indigenous-peoples-philippines-leading-conservation-efforts#:~:text=In%20the%20Philippines%2C%20conserving%20unique,in%20direct%20contact%20with%20nature.&text=An%20estimated%2085%25%20of%20the,areas%20are%20within%20ancestral%20domains.
IWGIA — International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs. (2023, September 14). Philippines — IWGIA — International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs. https://www.iwgia.org/en/philippines.html
Minority Rights Group. (2021, March 5). Indigenous peoples — Minority Rights Group. https://minorityrights.org/minorities/indigenous-peoples-6/#:~:text=While%20some%20of%20these%20indigenous,who%20may%20have%20migrated%20there
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. (n.d.). Rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/722/#:~:text=While%20the%20historic%20terraces%20cover,mountains%20for%20thousands%20of%20years.
