CULTURE
ALA-A: Indigenous Stewards of Creation
Fulfilling our responsibility as Stewards of Creation through Indigenous Culture
Environmental professionals and activists have long been advocating for the preservation and protection of biodiversity and natural resources. They speak of our duty to care for the environment and how the consequences of destroying it would lead to our downfall. For decades, they have been championing the restoration of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable management and development, and a combat against biodiversity loss. But a sense of advocacy is not the only fuel that one may carry when it comes to ecological support. A strong sense of purpose and putting faith into action are also formidable weapons. This is true to most Christians, especially at present.
As Christians, we have our responsibilities as stewards of creation. Almost immediately, the Bible makes this clear from the beginning of its first book. Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” It is then a part of our faith to manage, sustain, and protect the environment not only for our own benefit but also for the glory of God.
As societies continue to grow through modernization, numerous pioneering measures have been introduced for ecological conservation. Alongside these modern approaches, traditional practices have also been recognized for displaying the results that conservation measures seek to achieve. These practices root from the symbiotic relationship of indigenous communities with the environment. Such can especially be observed across the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in Northern Philippines.
CAR is home to many indigenous tribes, collectively known as the Igorots or Cordillerans. And yes, I belong to one of these tribes — the Kankanaey tribe of Benguet Province. Our history will tell you much about our ancestors’ victory over being conquered by the Spaniards and Japanese from the 15th to the 19th centuries. This led to the well preservation of our culture, which remains rich and vibrant to date.
As stewards of creation, our indigenous ancestors have passed on multiple ways and practices for us to continue conserving our farms, mountains, forests, and rivers within our ancestral lands. It also highlights the significance of indigenous practices as a principal consideration in developing conservation measures.
In Leviticus 25:23–24, it says “The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.” If we can be stewards of creation through innovation, we can also be such through our indigenous culture and identity. This remains true not only in our region but to all indigenous communities around the world.
Some of the well-known environmental practices across the region’s provinces include the muyong of Ifugao, imong of Kalinga, lapat of Abra and Apayao, and the collective customary management practices of the Kalanguya tribe, such as the inum-an, pamettey, gen-gen, tuping, balkah, day-og, and kinebbah. One notable characteristic of these practices is their maintaining process to improve vegetation.
However, there are also indigenous practices that do not include such processes but still contribute to environmental sustainability. One is the ala-a system of the Ifugaos in the context of traditional forest management. From my research, there are no sources that tell of the origins of the term ala-a. This may be an indication that the term itself is deeply rooted in the history of Ifugao’s culture.
The ala-a is a communally managed forestland that is free from any private claims or titles. Its environmental maintenance is not dependent on the care of one specific tribe or family, as it is not an inheritance that can be passed from one generation to another. It is sometimes identified as a hunting ground and is often intended for gathering resources, especially food and fuel.
Though the ala-a exists with no mode of ownership and is not managed for vegetation or farming, traditional knowledge from its surrounding communities remains predominant for its conservation and sustainability.
Rules have to be followed when people visit Ala-a’s. First, there shall be no burning of trees. Unless taken away from the ala-a to be used for household purposes, dry branches should not be burned as well. Second, what is gathered should not go beyond what is needed. The forestland should not be taken advantage of for its resources. Third, resources should be shared, as they are communally managed. No one should dominate the land’s bounty. All these are being followed by the foundation of integrity and trust, aside from culture. The Bible talks about the same principle when it comes to protecting the environment. It says in 1 Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover, it is required of stewards to be trustworthy”.
In addition, these rules, under traditional knowledge, were not solely created for the ala-a as a forest management system. Rather, these also form an integral part of the surrounding communities’ indigenous identity and culture and thus may have existed even before the system was called ala-a. Said practice is a fulfillment of the community’s duty over the environment, both traditionally and spiritually. In Deuteronomy 20:19, it says, “A land that the Lord your God cares for. The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”
We can also gain wisdom from learning about the management measures of the ala-a system.
First, recognizing a non-boundary environment. The communal management of the ala-a system is a reminder to us that though people have set boundaries on lands through titling, nature says otherwise. The trees, waters, air, and mountains do not recognize boundaries, whether local or national. Any damage to the environment cannot easily be contained through boundary rules. For example, one cannot stop the flow of a spilled hazardous chemical in a river from reaching other provinces by telling it to stop crossing boundary lines. The concept of a non-boundary environment shows us how something small impacts the larger scale. Even the improper disposal of one plastic wrapper intersects with environmental contamination and other threats to biodiversity. This leads us to our second point — a shared sense of ecological responsibility.
The situations given above and the concept of shared resources from the Ala-a system highlight the fact that we are all responsible for taking care of the environment. And third, the wisdom behind balance. Needless to say, the idea of not taking more than what you need should come from a global perspective. The same goes with ensuring the protection and sustainability of nature after taking what you need. As Ezekiel 34:18 says, “Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet?”.
The ala-a system, and other indigenous practices that are still being applied at present, serves as a ground to the balance and mutual inclusivity between conservation and modern development. It shows the link between this indigenous practice on forest conservation system to environment and natural resource management. It also shows that indigenous people have been stewards of God’s creation for a long time through their traditional knowledge and culture.
As stated by Genova College, “There are numerous things we can do in our everyday lives that help protect God′s creation, such as conserving energy and reducing waste. These in no way interfere with our witness to unbelievers. Rather, they enhance our witness as others see us put our faith into action. Our concern for the environment may open up opportunities to share with unbelievers that our service to the creation overflows from our love for God, the creator. We worship God the Creator more fully as we see His glory in his creation and as we participate in His work of sustaining and restoring proper relationships within the creation.” Let us then continue fulfilling our duties as stewards of His creation through our indigenous practices that seek for ecological sustainability and putting our faith into action.
“When you come to know nature is when you become one with our living world. One life. One world. One sky.” — Tony Ten Fingers, Wanbli Nata’u, Oglala Lakota
