Why Igorots worldwide continue to meet

WHILE friends in Baguio and Mountain Province are still mourning the death of Narda Capuyan, Cordillera’s icon for woven garments, indigenous fashionable wears and tapestry, it will also be a homecoming for many expatriates who are attending the 11th Igorot International Consultation ( IIC) in Bontoc, Mountain Province which coincides with the Lang-ay Festival.

The IIC is convened by the Igorot Global Organization (IGO) every two years and the next will be held in Mountain Province on April 6 to 8, 2016 with the theme: “Understanding Each Other, Celebrating Together.”

I happened to attend the first IIC which was held in West Covina, California in September 1995 through the invitation passed on to me by Manang Narda Capuyan who was not able to attend due to important engagement. The theme during the first consultation was “Looking to the future of the Igorots” and I recorded the late Rex Botengan giving his views saying that “we have a culture that we should contribute to the rest of the world in the same manner that there are cultures around that we should learn from”. Botengan also authored an IIC resolution acknowledging my presence and expressing appreciation to my personal effort in covering the event.

Together with my wife Helen, we were in Virginia, Washington DC in 1997 for the following consultation and the idea of an Igorot international organization was proposed and unanimously approved. The theme of the 1997 IIC was “Respecting Our Heritage: Adapting to our Environment” and many resolutions carried the inclusion of groups under BIBAK, Igorot and Cordillera umbrella organizations. At first, the use of the term “Igorot” in the name of the umbrella organization was objected and proposed alternative “Cordillera” resulted to a passionate debate until a voting was held resulting to 80 % in favor of the term ‘Igorot’ leading to the pro- posed creation of an Igorot Global Organization.

Because of the Y2K preparation and mini planning sessions by each of the cluster, the third IIC was held sometime in 2000 in Baguio City where I was identified as among the council of elders of IGO.

Carrying the theme “Igorot identity and empowerment, yesterday, today and tomorrow,” the Baguio City was attended by some 500 delegates from different parts of the globe. As expected, the umbrella organization Igorot Global Organization was firmed up with the formation of IGOUK, IGO- US and IGO-RP etc. As follow up consultations, IIC 4 was held in London, UK on June 28-July 1, 2002, with the theme “Igorot Roots to the Future: Perspectives on Igorot Responses to Globalization” hosted by Igorot UK, which replaced BIBAK UK in 1995. IIC 5 with theme “Igorot: St. Louis – To the World.” was held in St. Louis Missouri on July 1 - 4, 2004 coinciding with the centennial celebration of the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904 where more than 100 Igorots were exhibited as simply “dog-eating curiosities.”

The 2006 IIC 6, was held in Melbourne, Australia hosted by the MABIKA ANZ organization which also recognizes the Australian Aborigines. The organizers felt that the Aborigines faced horrific trials throughout their history that IGO can learn valuable lessons from. The general sentiment among the IIC-Australia organizers arose to the formation of the theme “A more tolerant world through cultural sharing” explaining that the conference is not just for Igorots but rather ‘Indigenous’.” I was not down under but according to the information passed on to me by the Bontoc group, the Australian aborigines became part of IIC-6 to enable consultation participants to develop strategies that will “make our world a more tolerant place for our respective peoples.”

I was part of the organizing group during IIC 7 which was held in Banaue, Ifugao on April 1215, 2008. The theme was “Nurturing our culture and resources to chart and secure our destiny”. What stood out in my photographic coverage at that time was the group of female tourism cops wearing their indigenous woven skirts. That same year, international delegates to the IIC also participated in the Mountain Province Day and Lang-ay celebrations. The IIC 8 was held in Vancouver, Canada in august 2010 hosted by BIBAK Organization of British Columbia whose members constructed an Igorot Village to encourage more participation from the general public and the other Filipino communities. They also invited other Filipino groups to prepare cultural presentations and about 500 Canadians and Filipinos joined the 200 who attended the IIC. The theme of the Canada IIC was “Keeping our Heritage Alive.” The IIC-9 was held at the Baguio Country Club on April 11-14, 2012, with the theme “Igorots in Partnership for Development”. It was during this consultation where a consular delegate from the US embassy joined the IIC delegates in a cultural congress at the Pooten’s residence in Asin, Tuba, Benguet. It was in that cultural event where the IGO gong was turned over to the delegates of Igorot Austria for the hosting of IIC 10. And so it happened that in August 7-10, 2014, IIC-10 was held in Vienna with the theme “Celebrating a milestone of preserving the Igorot culture with dignity and meeting the challenges ahead with endurance”. While attending as guest of honor and speaker during the event, Governor Mayaen accepted the challenge of the IGO global community for the Provincial government of Mountain Province to cosponsor the hosting of IIC 11. I am now gearing up to attend the Bontoc IIC where my office will also showcase locally produced products but I am also bent on attending the 2018 IIC which will be held in Hawaii. Meanwhile, see you in Bontoc this April.