(since the university of the philippines system website seems to be under some sorta state of recovery [tho the issuu account is well and healthy, i guess], i am sharing my article [may kaunting edit lang sa notes] as published in the july-august issue of u.p. forum. in commemoration of macliing dulag, here it is.)
There is a thin line—a letter—between
“indigene” and “indigence.” Though their meanings and their Latin roots
differ—the former from indigena1 and the latter from indigentia2—both describe indigenous peoples (IPs). In an
interview, Dr. Nestor Castro, UP Department of Anthropology chair, quoted
Conrad Kottak3 and said that IPs refer to “the original
inhabitants or particular territories; often the descendants of tribespeople who
live on as culturally distinct colonized peoples, many of whom aspire political
autonomy.”
Their right to self-determination, however, will not be served on a silver platter, more
so, a golden one. Despite being guardians of domains blessed with gold, the
indigene’s wealth is being looted, making them indigent. No matter how the
“civilized” and the “outsiders” romanticize IPs as “rich in culture,” IPs live
impoverished lives because of eco-political “developments” that are rather
destructive to than cooperative with the environment. Though sources differ
regarding Philippines’s ranking4 in terms of gold deposits, our country’s being
gold-rich is reflected in folk epics, as bulawan (gold) and is often
attributed to matters considered good—which shall not be mistaken as
materialistic in the capitalist sense.5
Beyond the indigene’s identities are their communities—their
stories, cultures and economies. But because of the images that dominant
faction of the “civilized” paint, the IPs and their way of life are
misunderstood; or worse, reduced as objects fit for museums and coffeetable
books. Instead of heeding the call of the tabusaw6,
most of us fall for the myths of how fantastic “developments” are authored by
owners and operators of giant machines that excavate mines and construct
dams—and displace IP communities.
