3rd Davao City IP Youth Artists' Assembly

Estudillo, Mary Grace M.

Mantica, Trexie Jane
Pahud, Phoebe Cates
BSED-Social Studies 2nd year

In celebration and commemoration of the 22nd year of the Indigenous Peoples

Rights Act (RA 8371), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Region XI -
Davao City Provincial Office in coordination with the City Tourism Operations Office
conducted the 3rd Davao City IP Youth Artists’ Assembly on October 8, 2019 at
Magsaysay Park, Davao City. As a feature of the celebration, the workplace is offering
significance to the commitment and impact of our Indigenous Political Structure (IPS)
pioneers and culture bearers and Indigenous Peoples (IP) youth in the initiative that
delivers improvement to their respective communities. Further, in connection to the
acknowledgment and promotion of cultural integrity, the State regards, perceives and
ensures the privileges of the ICCs/IPs to safeguard and secure their way of life,
conventions and foundations, the NCIP is offering significance to the commitment and
impact of our Indigenous Peoples (IP) youth in the acknowledgment, conservation and
advancement of their traditions and customs. The IP youth is one of the backbones of
the IP people group. Like their non-IP counterparts, the IP youth is dynamic, loaded with
vitality, anxious to investigate and is available to learning. With the correct inspiration
and backing, the IP youth can impact changes that could realize IP rights
acknowledgment and advancement in their communities. In addition to the fact that they
are one of the larger parts in number among the IP population yet their transparency
and openness to work helpfully with individual IP youth make them powerful agents of
change. Significantly, in celebration and commemoration of the 22nd year of the IPRA,
the 3rd Davao City IP Youth Artists’ Assembly was conducted with a theme
"Strengthening Future Leadership and Management of Ancestral Domains:
ENTRUSTING THE IP YOUTHS”. This activity was a gathering of IP youth leaders,
artists’, EAP grantees and IPS leaders/elders and culture bearers.
The event started with a sacred ritual headed by the elder member of the Bagobo
Klata Tribe. There was wine, tilad, buyo a medicine for fever, a seed they used to
strengthen their teeth and a ritual white chicken to let us know the unity of all tribes and
to diminish pride that all of us will have a one goal and that is development. “Ipakita sa
kabataan ang panaghiusa aron ang kultura ug tradisyon sa atong katigulangan madala
ug dili mawala kay kasagaran gina usab ang nahitabo ug nawala na ang imahe sa
atong kultura gikan sa sanina ug labaw nasa sinultian.” This was stated by the elder
member and he also emphasized that the ritual is all about unity, preservation of the
forest, tradition and culture and that all of us will unite.
A simultaneous learning lecture by the IPs was also held with the following topics
about Decision Making (FPIC process), Environmental Protection and Preservation,
IKSP (Tribal Wedding), Cultural Identity (Proper Usage of Tribal Attire) and Tribal
leadership and Concept of Self-Governance (IPS). The highlights of the said event are
that every tribal are given an important topic to discuss. All the participants are invited to
choose a particular tribal group to which they are interested to listen to. The elder
members of the tribe are the designated one to speak about the topic. In our group we
choose the Ata tribe, and their topic is all about Environmental Protection. The first elder
to speak is one of the Datu, he said that the topic is very well suited to their tribe. There
are 1,200 virgin hectares forest reserved in Paquibato District and 65,818 hectares
ancestral domain, which is registered to the DENR. This 1,200-hectare virgin forest is
expected to increase because the indigenous people are now awake about the climate
change. They are now starting again planting more trees and fruits. Five to ten years
from now, the Paquibato will boom again. Ata tribe is very simple, they belong to the
forest because all of their needs are already there. As a finale, the elder said that the life
of an Ata tribe is very simple, they belong to the forest because all of their needs is
already there, the foods, the medicines and their homes. The elders are requesting to
their young ones to be an active member of their society, for they are soon to a leader
of their tribes.

Our reflection about the celebration of the indigenous people is that it is important
to protect the rights of the indigenous people, to recognize their contributions in
sustaining their territories for generations. As we all know, they are facing a challenge
that will affect their lived and that is the loss of their lands due to the aggressive
development of our country. The indigenous people are calling for the total respect of
their land rights because their lands define them; it is the sources of everything for
them. We are honored to witness their celebration, because I gain more knowledge. We
hope that through the celebration of the indigenous people day the government will be
more active in protecting the rights of the indigenous people as they are stewards of
natural resources. We also admired their strong belief and conviction to fight their
ancestral rights and to preserve their customs and traditions. Their love to their tribes
and for the environment is immeasurable. They are the precious gems that we could
ever have. They are the true and certified environmentalist. Their principle, foundation
and stand are indestructible. The IP youths are the hope of their IP elders to preserve
their treasures. We realized that regardless of our cultural diversity and cultural identity,
Unity is the key.
Indigenous Poster Making Contest The Sacred Ritual
Jessel Mundo from Matigsalug ICCs/IPs Headed by the elder member of Bagobo
is this year's winner of poster-making klata Tribe. Grace.
contest. She won the hearts of the
audience in her interpretation of the
Theme using indigenous crafts colored
with raw materials such as tomato,
coffee,
achuete, and bell pepper.
NCIP Region 11

Inside the Ata Tribe House Learning Lecture: Environmental

Protection. Elder member to the IP
(from left to right: Phoebe Cates. Grace, youths in protecting their ancestral
and Trexie). Trexie. rights. Trexie.
IP Youths from the ATA Tribe During the sacred ritual
On learning discussions about Elder member of Bagobo Klata Tribe
Environmental Protection. Trexie. explained the rituals.
Grace

Ancestral things of Ata Tribes

Outside the ATA Tribe House
(From left to right: Phoebe Cates, The materials used to make these are
Grace) Trexie. from nature. Trexie.