Are you looking for good and interesting reads?
We suggest you check out Ellen Tordesillas’ blog as she has the latest updates on our jailed heroes, Captain Ruben Guinolbay and Captain Dante Langkit. Check it out here. Thanks Ellen for looking after our kailiyans.
Then you should also check out our conversations (i.e., Chyt and I) with Dean Jorge Bocobo on indigenous peoples, the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), and Igorots. You can read the Dean’s post here and Chyt’s first comment here (if the link doesn’t bring you to Chyt’s comment, just scroll down to the bottom of the page).
We are planning to come up with a future post in this blog to answer the many issues raised by the Dean.
Hi Igorotblogger,
Thanks for the citation and link. I have enjoyed the conversation and hope for more.
I hope it will be clear to all that my position is this:
We are ALL indigenous peoples of the Philippines, including the Christian majority.
We were all oppressed and subjugated by foreigners and more importantly, by each other.
IPRA is no solution to the injustices of the past as it represents an injustice of the future.
The Right and Just have priority over Good that benefits only part of the citizenry.
The Republic is one nation. If we act to divide it up into the domains of our ancestors, then our descendants will inherit nothing but envy, strife and bloodshed.
I have Igorot blood myself, through my Ilocano great grandfather, but my mother’s family were all Tagalogs and Spaniards, and now my significant other is Pampango and Chinese.
But as you will discover, I have no great worries about the Igorots, who’ve apparently given up headhunting for good. Unlike some indigenous peoples I know about and hesitate to give a base from which to manufacture AXES.
Sorry, dto ko na sagutin yung inquiry nyo back at my blog. Dunno what happened. I uploaded widgets from Yahoo apps and imbeeded them at the sites. Kaso the widget won’t show up and there were these error messages which kept on popping up. So i tried removing the codes but i can’t. The next day, I received an e-mail from Google stating that i violated Blogger policies and that they are terminating my accounts. It’s a good thing they didn’t terminate all my blogs. Anyway I’m just setting up another Igorot blog in another account. thanks.
This artificial eloquence on the plight of the IP’s, is just that.
>>>We are all indigenous peoples of the Philippines, including the
Christian Majority<<<
Besides you, and the very few, what fraction of the population do you think attest to such gesture(except all IP’s).
>>>We were all oppressed and subjugated by foreigners and more important, by each other<<<
True, we were subservient to the foreigners, but by each other?
Kindly give us tidbits of synopsis
as to how any IP’s of CAR subjugated the lowlanders?
During the search for replacement of the late Gen. Wycoco as NBI Director, Igorot NBI Deputy Director Lammawin was well-qualfied
to assume directorship. A close friend of mine is a very close friend of Mr. Lammawin (both worked on covert operations), and intimated that Mr. Lammawin, never got the top posts due to his being Igorot. Someone in the cabinet who holds a key secretary position
made this comment: “Hindi puedeng NBI Director yan, Igorot siya”.
If that’s not oppression, what is!
>>>I have Igorot blood myself through my Ilocano great-grandfather<<<
I’m bewildered, unless your great-grandpa is from Mt Province or Benguet, then yes, you have true blue igorot blood running thru your veins.
Our country needs 80 million people like you. Until that happens, only good decent Igorot professionals and those that will come before them carries the weight of a deferred history on their indegenous shoulders.
Btw, i’ve seen you twice as guest on either Korinna or Pia Hontiveros’s
program.
Ooopppss, Bill, my comment is for Dean Bacobo to respond, thanks….
hayy, I’ve read the whole conversation! kakaloka! 🙂 I’ll leave na lang the discussion to you law people.. basta ang alam ko, IP ako at karapatan kong angkinin ang lupang dati nang amin, kung saan nagtanim ng kamote ang lola ng lola ng lola ng lola ng lola ko!
Shalom 🙂
hi djb rizalist,
just want to react in your statement “we were all oppresed and subjugated by foreigners and more importantly by each other,IPRA is no solution”
for my own opinion as an ekalinga native, it depends on the people.I mean all things start within ourselves..If we blame others, we should start from blaming ourselves..In Kalinga i can’t say that we are being oppressed by foreigners,instead they bring education on the hinterlands…we should stop from generalizing foreigners as a threat, we should not look to them as threat because not all of them is a threat at all….
sometimes we couldn’t even open our eyes and mouth when they have done something positive,but when they have done a little bit of negative,it’s like lightning and thunder that even if we are suffering from sore eyes and sore throat they are widely open…
Thanks for the heads up! Looking forward to your future blog on this debate, and also to future comments! Would be happy to join the fray.
trueblue,
the family legend has it that that great grandfather married a Kankanaey woman, but I have no way of verifying it. Nonetheless the point there is that there has definitely been intermingling among IPs and non-IPs. This is a big problem for the neat division between them in the Supreme Court decision because “descendants” of IPs are also considered IPs, even if they have moved out of their ancestral domains.
Regarding how we have oppressed each other, consider the centuries during which the Maguindanao Confederacy operated one of the most brutal and lucrative slave trading operations in Southeast Asia, annually marauding the Visayas and Luzon. There is a whole book by Horacio de la Costa (Jesuits in the Philippines) documenting these depredations. In 1602 for example, Rajah Mura and Sorongan took over 800 captives in a huge raid using 80 vintas, getting all the way up to Caliraya, Laguna and Batangas in Luzon. Most of these were Christianized women and children who were defended only by the Spaniards. They became parts of harems and sold off to the Sultanates of Borneo, Java and Sumatra.
My whole point really is why aren’t these Christianized tribes considered IPs?
Granted Igorots have been oppressed and discriminated against, subjugated and converted to “foreign” religions, yet they have clung to “some” of their traditional ways.
Surely we cannot deny that an equally grim history abides in the story of the Tagalogs, Pampangos, Ilocanos, Visayans and lumads in Mindanao.
Yet I ask the question again from my post: Aren’t Tagalogs, Pampangos, et al IPs too by these measures?
I know many Igorots won’t like this, but from a purely technical and legal point of view, and going strictly by the decision Cruz vs. NCIP (December 2000), the “Christianized” Igorot tribes, who successfully resisted Spain, but not America, — the Igorots are really a part of the Christian Majority. They are not “Indigenous Peoples” at all under the Supreme Court definition.
Perhaps if you accept this, at least for the sake of argument, you will feel how a Tagalog-Igorot feels.
Bill & All,
This sharing on IPRA, “Igorotisity” (?)”Igorotness”(?) is very educational and great. Keep up and may the good graces and prayers of Lumawig (not of Ifugao ha? he he) keep you all in good health and abundance to continue sharing the gifts you got from above!!
Igorotly yours!
Hi Dean,
Welcome! And thanks for dropping by. Thanks too for the warm welcome you gave us in your blog. I also enjoyed the conversation and, although we obviously disagree on several issues, it is always good to also view an issue from a different lens — as I have when I was reading your posts.
As you said, we learn from others we disagree with and I certainly learned a lot from your blog.
Thanks again and looking forward to a continuing, friendly conversation 🙂
Hi All,
Hope to upload a more comprehensive post within the week. I’m swamped with work responsibilities at the moment. Thanks 🙂
I’d have to agree that the IPRA is unnecessary and exists only as a belated attempt to correct past mistakes.Sad but true.
Human rights are UNIVERSAL rights.
Ethnicity should have NOTHING to do with it.
Hopefully, in an enlightened future we can throw away the IPRA and other ‘affirmative action’-type laws.
cheers,
Sir Dean does make a good point. From my observation, an indigenous person in the Philippines is someone without any European blood or other Asian blood (i.e. not mestizo/mestiza). And my understanding is that there ain’t too many mestizos in the Philippines to begin with. When I hear the word indigenous, I think of Igorots, Aetas, and the “hill tribes” in Mindanao. But should other groups also be considered indigenous? AFter all, if a Pampangan, for example, can trace his roots several hundred years without any European or Chinese or other foreign blood, should that person also be considered indigenous?
Wil. we have foreign blood as well. Many of us in the Cordillera have Chinese blood in our veins. I suspect the Kiltepans to which you belong have a large concentration of Chinese blood in their veins. Aside from your fair complexion, your collective business acumen rivals that of the Chinese and the Jews. They own a large part of Baguio City. And you are everywhere in the Philippines. 90% of ukay-ukay shops are probably owned by i-Kiltepans. And they are making a lot of good money.
Anyway, like TruBlue, condescending comments about my people and their struggle make me puke.
How do you enlighten them who refuse to be enlightened?
It is disillusioning to note that even people who are from the supposed best schools and who have received an education for liberation are part of the stumbling block to the struggle of the IPs for recognition and the restoration. I challenge them to go to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples which, by the way, is headed by an Igorot.
Down with the Supreme Court decision in the Cruz case. May quarters stop using that objectionable decision to belittle the IP struggle. That decision did not enlarge the IP cause. If anything, it restricted it.
The IP struggle is a genuine struggle and it is sad that we need to codify special laws to protect what is basically human rights.
In the Cordilleras we are being driven out of our lands without just cause and due compensation. You don’t need an IP law to see that this contravenes our basic rights.
cheerio
PS. Is it true that Vicky Tauli Corpuz is NOT actually paid for her work with the UN? Apay ngay libre?
She is not being paid (and I’m proud to say she is my Aunt.). I really do not know why. I will ask.
we might be christianized in the cordilleras but christianization doesn’tdetermine whether we are indigineous or not..in the 1920s in Kalinga the american missionary or CICM came to educate us and to preach the gospel..but the act of the people and work being indigenous doesn’t change the life style at all..even morally..maybe call us native then..until now go to tanudan Kalinga, no roads,they practice christianity but cultures and traditions overpowered them..even when it comes to the worst thing,…can’t express my word and the thing i wanna say…
“the CICM came to educate us”….please no.
this is a eurocentric view that we had to be “educated” by them….
for us kalingas..it is very true..CICM and the linguist do the same part.. i may invite you to view this website http://amh2007.bravehost.com marami ako pictures with regards to them kaso no time to publish….asked every kalinga profesionals and leaders kung saan sila nagsimula? all their answers would be CICM, all alumnus of STS tinglayan,lubuagan etc…. i remember my childhood, my father says “Ammum iddi ag iskwela kami awan pay pulos bagas me tapos 48 hours hiking from tanudan to lubuagan.” “anya ngay ammu ni mama me kayat na lang apan kami talon”what now? my father is a valedictorian and a deans lister at BCF law and now a judge…. tapos sabi nya sa amin? ano kayo? sleeping beuty?…nope we have been through his experience kaya i know how to live…i pity lang for my littles kasi wala na alam kunjdi technology daw…
Wow, this is a really interesting read. It made me think about what constitutes ‘indigenousness’, and in a personal way, why I consider myself as indigenous.
Granted, DJB’s question is valid. But then, it does not also nullify the IP struggle for ‘liberation’ as Ms. Chyt terms it.
I’m looking forward to the next blog on this topic. Blessings…
hi nashman, just quoted that CICM educates us because they are the first people to operate schools in Kalinga..They are the first to teach the people of kalinga and they are the first to established schools…should you not agree to my statement then visit this site http://amh2007.bravehost.com …why would i deny the facts that we are not suppressed by the spanish but we are educated by the CICM’s… but this is only limited to kalinga i dunno the other provinces….
CICM built the first schools but it’s overstretching it a bit to say they “educated” us. But I’d agree if you mean formal education. 😀
I’m just having fun with semantics really.
Nats, your articulation of how your people and your clan are well-educated are over-emphasized here, yet the killings continue in your province, same priest is killed trying to educate you all.
Your tribes are killing each other as we speak because, you know what, most of your people cannot grasp the good education offered.
The bodong-bodong, other rituals practiced in your province continues and looks like there is no end to it. You speak for the kalingas, so starting from you, walk the talk my friend.
Most provinces got rid of their old, old ways but not yours with all your so-called educated peoples.
hi anonymous,
we should stop from exagerating the peace and order, what is kalinga peace and order compared to manila and other big cities? the killing of a priest and the malapiat case doesn’t justify that in kalinga it is not peaceful, ilan ba ang reported killing incident sa kalinga for this year 2007> dalawa lang, compare it to manila and other cities.. the court has zero docket in their records, kalinga is a big province.. the killing of a priest occured in Lubuagan far from Tabuk, the malapiat case happen in rizal…so stop telling the people that kalinga is not peaceful at all..you are too much exagerating the situation.. Tanudan Municipality zero reported incident so with other municiplaities…come here to personally see the situation..”Colonel Ramos tells before “Akala ko ba magulo ang Kalinga?” my visitors then before from Manila “Akala ko dito sa Kalinga tulad ng Mindanao” how wrong you were to tell the people that kalinga is not so peaceful.. I am not telling that because majority are educated in Kalinga doesn’t guarantee 100% peace..
wala bang killing sa Baguio?Benguet?Abra?Ifugao?etc…LOL..
The media always generalized mindanao as not as peaceful as it were.. When you go to Davao the place is generally peaceful..
so stop from making conclusion
so if you are trying to conclude that the bodong an old ways of resolving crime to be abolish is insanity.. You don’t speak of the bodong if you don’t know the bodong..The people in Kalinga is trying to revived the bodong.. and the supreme court find ways in resolving crime faster just like what the bodong is..
click here to read the bodong, then you can insult me if you find it bad
http://kalingatambayan.com/Bodong.htm
hi anonymous
“Your tribes are killing each other as we speak because, you know what, most of your people cannot grasp the good education offered.
The bodong-bodong, other rituals practiced in your province continues and looks like there is no end to it.”
Where in the world you get this statement? killing each other? naibus kamin a kuma..exagerated LOL
About the bodong? are you trying to abolish what the people wants to preserve hehe.. you don’t know the bodong dude..
you only get the definition of the bodong from tsismis..hehe
the bodong bodong daw..is this an insult to the law that settles all dispute in the past and enacted and authored by people who are reputable in Kalinga?
Really??? tsismis lang??? Tribal wars in Kalinga does not exist???
2 killings in kalinga for year 2007??? Pls add the good vice governor who was shot in broad daylight in the province’s resume.
In a radio interview of the assassin, he admitted it was for retaliation for the sins of the late vice governor. If what I listened to and read in the news is not truthful, go to the source
my friends.
include that also that happen in magnao (Vice gov), but this isolated case doesn’t represent the whole picture that kalinga is a killing zone.. o kahit sabihin natin 5 incidents for the whole 2007, then compare it to other cities such as manila..daily basis mga patayan dun..
about retaliation and vengeance, “The bodong doesn’t recognized or allow vengeance as solution”
you are generalizing kasi e, ang patayan ba sa rizal, sabihin mo din ganun sa kalinga..ang pinatay sa magnao ganun din sa Tabuk centro? or pag my pinatay sa Lubuagan ganun din sa Tabuk?
funny…
tribal war? are their really tribal war? maybe vengeance but not war..in the old days tribal wars are done by groups and tribe participation…
grabe naman yan, pag gumanti yung isang individual sabihin na “Tribal war?”
War is a prolonged state of violent, large-scale conflict involving two or more groups of people
1970’s pa ata wala nangyari na war sa Kalinga..Killing maybe by individuals but not war at all, last recorded tribal war is Lubo and Mangali..this happen when people of mangali killed the parish priest of lubo..In retaliation the people of lubo declared tribal war to mangali..so this is tribal war, participated by the whole community…
naging definition kasi ng mga tao na tribal war ang mga nangyayaring killings..i.e when i kill someone, you will define it as tribal war because i am a member of a tribe?
but no war exist bet the tribes
so to conclude, their are no tribal war ever happen here since the 1970’s, killings only but they are isolated
ay oo pala explain ko pala kung bakit walang war baka ibahin na naman…
a killing can triggers tribal war but no tribal war ever existed since the 1970’s..all is being setled by the bodong before a war would spark…
so parang cold war lang nangyayari between russia and america but it didn’t create such war…so are we going to abolish the “bodong bodong nga kunam?” who settles all disputes that will spark a war?
you should study the bodong it’s worth living for…^^
Wat??? You just said “WAR is a prolonged state of violent, etc. etc.,,but you kept mentioning WAR or Tribal War. Kala ko walang WAR na existing or cold WAR as you prefer to call it now. So make up your minds and call it something.
Anonymous, have you thought about switching to decaf?
Keep the discussion civil, people. Otherwise, I’d recommend that Bill have your comments deleted.
I’m under decaf Wil. Don’t you think our discussion is civil. I’m trying simply to learn more of the bodong and the inner workings of their different tribus, so pls don’t be jumpy naman.
But I think you are correct, medyo nawala kami nang konti sa riles ng train. Roger and out na lang. Bill understands. Thx also to our kalinga brothers for sharing.
Ahahahaha… Sir B, si Wil na ang gawin mong blog administrator! He’s good at the job. Keep it up, Wil.
Interesting insights from anonymous and our Kalinga brothers; pumudot ti discussion ta ‘war’ gamin ti topic hehe..
Nats, I was wondering, if the media is the culprit in depicting Kalinga as a war zone (cos u say it’s just isolated killings), how come I know of many Kalinga people who admit that Kalinga is indeed a ‘war zone’ (maybe this is not a good term but u know what I mean)? Just asking…
Peace!
A Point of View on Why UN declaration won’t help IPs
http://starbulletin.com/2007/09/16/editorial/editorial01.html
why is djb so bothered about ancestral land rights but not about the haciendas? that’s funny.
djb must recognize that there is a problem with land distribution in the hpilippines
ganito lang yan:
the tagalogs will get a share of their land from the tagalog hacienderos while the igorots will have their own rights to the lands in the cordilelras
simple lang ang solution pero di magawa ng pilipinas
djb, what are your proposed solution?
the ipra and the carp is the solution to our land distribution problem and probably agricultural problems.
and it is a fact that despite modernity, filipino bigots look down the the so called ips… while compaining that foreigners look down on them
uh…even the supposedly nationalistic carlos romulo said that igorots are not filipinos.
i wonder how many filipinos are worried about mankayan sinking?
now i ask you, is it worng fot he igorots to assert what is RIGTFULLY theirs?
“Yet I ask the question again from my post: Aren’t Tagalogs, Pampangos, et al IPs too by these measures?”
Why not tell the supreme court to declare that?
try living in the interiors of the cordillera. maybe, you’ll have a change in opinion because you seem to have limited yourself to baguio and its outskirts.
Hi All,
Thanks to all of you. Apologies for not joining the discussion here. As I said in one of my posts, I’ve been sick this past few days. I will be uploading my response to the matters you raised in the coming days.
Thanks again 🙂
To Nats, UP Gimpong, and anonymouses, and Layad:
Was net surfing and came across a subject labelled “California Dreaming” of Northern Philippine Times. Thought for a moment it was Surfil Wil’s story, surfing the golden shores of California, hehe..darn it wasn’t, it would have been a good read, maybe. This was about ex-governor Dominador Belac of Kalinga and I weed out some of those interesting things he said during the interview with Jong Molintas dated September 5, 2007.
“Kalinga is known for Tribal Wars, killings, and a lot of negative forces detrimental to human life”
“That is why I am anti-bodong system. The bodong system in one way advocates Tribalism”
“I have my own listing in Kalinga that I had 127 relatives killed coz of the bodong”
“Why won’t we realize that the nearby provinces like Benguet and Mountain Province are expunging these cultures”
You can read the entirety of the questions and answers at Northern Philippines Time in this blog.
Nice for the ex-guv to be travel hopping to Canada and America with his wife. Hope it’s a worthwhile trip. Cheers and goodhealth.
ay apo dayta nga Belac I think he was the worst anti kalinga nga Kalinga. he was the worst governor of the provicne and that bespeaks of his comments
Hi Atty Chit Daytec
Please do not say that Atty Victoria Tauli Corpus is not being paid for here work sa UN. Thats baloney She gets money form the UN for all her supposedly Indigenous peoples Work. Sometimes she exagerates her work for the Indigenous Peoples and thinks that she is Mrs. Righteous