40 Indigenous Filipinos gather in Ilocos for Katutubo Exchange

FORTY indigenous Filipinos got selected and invited to showcase their culture and tra ditions to the annual cultural exchange program Katutubo Exchange held this year in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur on October 5-7 to celebrate National Indigenous People’s Month.

Cultural bearers from 13 indigenous communities from all over the country performed their unique traditional dances, musical instruments, songs, chants, and attires to better understand by the Ilocos peoples our cultural diversity as a nation and thereby revitalizing the recognition of ethnic identity and preserving cultural heritage.

This year’s program is dubbed as Akhad Eskwela Katutubo, advancing the Indigenous People’s education where the participants have to share their indigenous cultures to students and teachers of the mainstream society of the Ilocos provinces as it was awarded with a grant by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and supported by the Barangay Government of Casili and the City Government of Laoag under the able leadership of Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas.

2018 marks sixth year of the program as well as the 5th anniversary of the volunteer organization Katutubo Exchange Philippines founded by Dr. Edwin V. Antonio with the theme “Limang taon na tuloy tuloy na pagpapalaganap ng katutubong kultura”. The first three years of the program was staged in Manila, then Sarangani and Iloilo in the years 2016 & 2017 respectively.

Dr. Edwin Antonio, founder of Katutubo Exchange Philippines said that “the annual program Katutubo Exchange now on its sixth year continues to serve and empower indigenous young people. It is a way to make them realize their potentials especially that it’s the first time of the majority of the participants to travel outside their communities and made it far to the extreme north of the country. They were able to experience local culture and in turn shared proudly of their indigenous cultural heritage to the mainstream people of Ilocos region.”

This year’s participants are the Blaan of Sarangani, Yakan of Basilan, Maguindanao of Cotabato, T’boli of South Cotabato, Panay Bukidnon of Iloilo, Tagbanwa of Palawan, Mangyan of Occidental Mindoro, Bugkalot of Nueva Vizcaya, Gaddang of Mountain Province, Ifugao of Ifugao, Ibaloi of Benguet, Ayta of Bataan and Tinggian of Ilocos Norte.

IP pride parade on kalesa around downtown Laoag was a great welcome to the delegates. James Gonzales, adult leader of Tagbanwa said that, I was truly amazed to experience my very first calesa ride with my youth delegates. It’s the first time of the majority of the participants to ride on a calesa as well to be in Ilocos.

The opening program was held at the Laoag City Multipurpose Hall with Mayor Fariñas as guest of honor and speaker while the participants performed one tribe after another. It was attended by students of higher institutions and Laoag City government officials and employees. In the speech of Mayor Farinas, she said, “if there are things that anybody can be proud of, that would be the history, culture, and tradition of every individual, regardless of human race or skin color. She added that, “the Katutubo Exchange program serves