Philstar.com amplifies calls for protection of indigenous culture

CHEERS TO Philstar.com for highlighting the concerns of indigenous peoples (IPs). The online news site’s August 9 report is a timely reminder of the multi-cultural quality of the country and how respect for the traditions of indigenous peoples is imperative. The Philippines commemorates National Indigenous Peoples’ Day every 9^th of August.

Jap Tobias’ report on Cordilleran IPs recalled an incident in June in which the participants in a beauty pageant walked down the runway in bahag, the male Igorot loincloth, for the event’s swimwear portion. The Cordilleran IP community described it as a disrespectful presentation of an integral part of Igorot identity. 

Igorot community members told Tobias that aside from the incorrect promotion of the bahag as swimwear, “it was also presented in a way that elicited disrespectful and sexualized comments on social media.” Marcos Mangallay, a researcher and member of the Applai IP community of the Mountain Province called the pageant incident “disturbing.” 

The report explained that “bahag are neither costumes nor worn as fashion. They are used traditionally in agricultural activities, rituals, festivals and celebrations where IPs showcase their cultural identity.”

Tobias noted how the Philippine fashion industry now incorporates and even highlights indigenous elements in clothing, a sign that IP culture has earned the admiration of non-IPs. But the IPs interviewed by Tobias said this can lead to more incidents like that during the pageant. 

Cordillera’s IPs are taking active steps to address that possibility while preserving and celebrating their identity through cultural education, storytelling, filmmaking, weaving workshops, traditional ritual and dance practices, and documentation.

The report concluded with Tobias’ IP interviewees calling for national government support in protecting indigenous cultures: “We as IPs want people to understand that these things may seem like nothing to them, but we need them [non-IPs] to understand that they mean a lot to us because they are part of our culture and identity.”

Media should be one with the IP community in the defense of their culture and representation. They can play a huge role in shaping public understanding. Reports like Tobias’ raise the standards of discourse on IP cultural issues and enable the general public to hear from IPs themselves.