' DayawSuroy ' heads to Davao, Zamboanga

THE National Commission for Culture and the Arts ( NCCA) headed by its chairman, National Artist Virgilio Almario, Executive Director Al Ryan Alejandre and Deputy Executive Director Marichu Tellano, through the Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts (SCCTA) led by Commissioner Alphonsus Tesoro organized the Dayaw Suroy (Cebuano word for “stroll”)

Media Caravan in collaboration with Philippine Information Agency ( PIA) Region 11 in Davao City and Region 9 in Zamboanga City on October 15 and October 17, respectively as part of the National Indigenous Peoples’ Month celebration.

There are a series of television and radio guestings in local media stations in Davao joined by Lordan Roxas (Cluster Representative, Casiguran Community), Melanie Joy Seville ( Bagobo/ Kalagan / Tagakaolo Cluster) and Eduardo Delfin (Cluster Head, Itbayat Community) to discuss various activities on the national celebration.

Apart from Davao City, NCCA also went to San Fernando, Pampanga on October 3 and Baguio City on October 4. In Visayas, the caravan was hosted by Iloilo City on October 8 and Bacolod City on October 10. For Mindanao, the caravan will also visit Zamboanga City on October 17.

Pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation 1906 signed in 2009, October of every year is the National Indigenous Peoples’ Month. This year, IP month banners the theme “Vital Wisdoms: Learning with the Indigenous Peoples” ( Buháy na Dunong: Pagkatuto Kasama Ang Mga Katutubo).

“Vital Wisdoms” refer specifically to Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) by Unesco, namely: oral traditions and expressions; performing arts; social practices, rituals and festive events; knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; and traditional craftsmanship. Rather than adopting the notion of “learning from,” which conjures up “unidirectionality and exotic others” spins, the theme espouses “learning with,” which marks learning as a social relational process. At the same time, it considers the diverse positionalities and agendas among actors, be they IPs or non-IPs, involved in conversations on ICH in the Philippine context.

According to Commissioner Tesoro, it is important to enjoin all sectors in celebrating indigenous peoples’ month.

“[ Through the IP Month celebration] the government is recognizing the significant role, the participation, and the contribution of the indigenous peoples’ communities in nation building.” Commissioner Tesoro said.

The IP Month celebration officially kicked off on October 2 with a grand launch held at the NCCA Lobby which featured discussions on the importance of IP knowledge in nation building.

As the highlight program for the celebration of Indigenous Peoples Month, the NCCA is organizing a national Kálkalí (Kankana-ey word for ‘conversations’) under the same banner theme Vital Wisdoms. This will be held at the Maryhill School of Theology, Quezon City on October 28 to 29.

The eight sessions in this twoday Kálkalí will feature speakers from IP communities together with representatives from concerned sectors who will share their views and experiences pertaining to ICH in the Philippines.

In the process, Kálkalí aspires to generate issues, new perspectives, and debates on, but not limited to, the aesthetic, legal, moral, ethical, and pedagogical dimensions of ICH, which will inform current and future initiatives and advocacies in safeguarding ICH in the Philippines. Forum director for the Kalkali is Dr. Eufracio Abaya, anthropologist and professor from the University of the Philippines-Diliman.

The forum expects active participation of teachers, local government functionaries, researchers, mass media workers, and related practitioners from across the country.