Council pushes FPIC for use of IP attires

THE Davao City Council Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs positively recommended a proposed resolution/ordinance promoting the proper use of indigenous people’s (IPs) traditional attire and encourage prior permission and consultation to the tribal leaders before its use during parades, exhibits, gatherings, pre- sentation and other public activities.

Based on the approved committee report, three committee hearings were conducted dated April 28,2017, May 22, 2017 and June 9, 2017, attended by representatives of major tribes, government officials, City Tourism Office, Barangay and Cultural Communities Affairs Division (BCCAD), National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), Museo Dabawenyo, etc.

During the hearing tribal leaders expressed their resentment in the apparent misuse of their respective Attire during public exhibition.

“They put forth the fact that some organizers/designers do not respect the IP attire of the IP because they modify the IP attire in violation of their cultural beliefs and tradition,” the committee report read.

Tribal leaders also claimed that the improprieties of the use and exhibition of IP attire were usually made by combining and/or changing colors of the attire, improper cuts of fabric and design (e.g short skirt, above-theknee blouses), augmenting modern dances and music with traditional dances and musical play resulting to utter disregard and disrespect of the culture and heritage.

They emphasized that every color, design, cut and fabric has certain meaning to their respective tribe but people tend to disregard this fact. According to them, the improprieties have resulted