Workshop Group Discussion Reports on the Theme 3
“Preservation and Promotion of the Cordillera Cultural Heritage and Addressing Prevailing Issues in Society”
Anna Liza Anton
There should be an aggressive continuing education among the youths on the dances, chants, indigenous technologies for them to understand their implication for development.
So, the group has spoken. For the aggressive education, we have to involve them. We have to give them the chance to experience and learn with hands-on experience. We should provide workshops. We should provide narration during workshops and explain what culture is. Culture not only includes dances and chants but also dialects, costumes, stories and narration.
On reason that was also brought up with educating the youth is for them to know why. There is a difference between telling them what they should do and telling them why. It gives them more reason to do it than being just obliged “because my parents said.”
Oral and written documentation. Other groups have talked about this. There will be CDs or videos or articles that will be written about our culture.
Re-enactment of culture especially for us here abroad because we don’t get to see rituals at home being reenacted here. It has to be done right. It has to be explained while doing the reenactment. It should be done in a quiet and solemn manner just to preserve the solemnity of the rituals.
Recommendation:
1. There should be a continuity of education not only during gatherings or conferences but one should start at home.
That parents should educate and explain culture to their children. They should speak to them in the dialect. They should explain to them what culture is.
2. We should involve other Filipino communities.
Unfortunately, it is other Filipinos who have degraded us a lot of ways. “Ay Igorot ka,” with all the moral degradation.
What we can do is to involve them during gatherings like this conference, to educate them. One more thing, to avoid misrepresentation of our culture, being commercialized, being adulterated. What we want to do is to let Igorot peoples represent themselves the proper way.
Involving other Filipino communities to let them know of our culture is the right way.
Thank you.
Members:
Anna Liza Anton Reporter
Fely Bongalos
Cristabel Bounggick
Mark Calawen
Gracia Kibad
Claus Nabert
Rose Nabert Facilitator