Module 1-4

Introduction and relevance of Indigenous Community studies

What is an indigenous community?

Indigenous peoples, also known in some regions as First peoples, First
Nations, Aboriginal peoples or Native peoples or autochthonous peoples, are ethnic
groups who are the original or earliest known inhabitants of an area in contrast to
groups that have settled, occupied or colonized the area more recently.

Groups are usually described as indigenous when they maintain traditions or other
aspects of an early culture that is associated with a given region.

Not all indigenous peoples share this characteristic, as many have adopted
substantial elements of a colonizing culture, such as dress, religion or language.
Example: Zamboangenos (consists of Subanon and Moro Raiders)adapted a few
traits from the Spaniards. They use chavacano as their dialect.

Indigenous peoples may be settled in a given region (sedentary) or exhibit

a nomadic lifestyle across a large territory, but they are generally historically
associated with a specific territory on which they depend.

Sedentary Indigenous Lifestyle

Sedentary Indigenous lifestyle is a type of lifestyle where the community permanently
resides from one place and a transition from having a nomadic lifestyle. Essentially,
sedentism means living in groups permanently in one place.
This is the practice of living in one place for a long time or permanently.

Igorots are example of sedentary indigenous groups since they settled

in the mountains of Luzon.

Nomadic Indigenous Lifestyle

A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation which regularly moves

to and from the same areas. Nomadic lifestyle include groups that are hunter
gatherers, pastoral nomads(owning livestock), and trader nomads since they require
to always move from one place to another.

The Aetas are a good example of Nomads since they are scattered all
throughout the archipelago due to hunting and finding new lands to
settle in.

Why is it important for us to study Indigenous communities?

Philippine Indigenous Community is important because it plays an important role in
teaching everyone about our country’s colonial history and benefits both non-
Indigenous and Indigenous students by teaching them about our rich and shared
cultural heritage.

Native people make up 5% of the world’s population with approximately 370 million
people belonging to 5,000 different groups in 90 countries, according to the Cultural
Survival Organization. Indigenous people have distinct populations and unique
nations relative to the post colonial culture of their countries. In fact, many still
observe traditions and use languages influenced by their ancestral homelands.
The Philippines is home to around on:
  110 Indigenous peoples communities
  Approx. 15 to 20 million in population
  More than 60% in Mindanao
  30% in Luzon
  10% in Visayas

While varying in ways of life and cultural heritage, they share similar
experiences of discrimination and marginalization.

Also, they are considered as Filipinos as well. They are a part of our colorful culture
that shows our identity. This elective’s goal is to know more about them and show
appreciation and recognition to their own community. Even today, their communities
face Human right violations, Health issues, Environmental injustices, Racism and
discrimination same as us. So it is important for everyone to acknowledge them as
an equal. As a fellow Filipino citizen.
We need to study this course to obtain a proper sensitivity towards this serious
matter.

Terminologies Peoples
The plural “peoples” recognizes that more than one distinct group comprises the
Indigenous population. For example, “Aboriginal people” (singular) might mean each
Indigenous individual, whereas “Indigenous peoples” (plural) indicates a number of
separate Indigenous populations.

Aboriginal
The term “Aboriginal” does not refer to the first inhabitants of the Philippines since its
for the country, Canada. It also includes First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. This
term came into popular usage in contexts after 1982, when Section 35 of the
Canadian Constitution defined the term as such. Aboriginal is also a common term
for the Indigenous peoples of Australia as well.

Aboriginal also traveled in south east Asian countries and had minor influences
to neighboring archipelagos.

Austronesian
Austronesians are a large group of various people in Island Southeast
Asia, Micronesia, coastal New Guinea, Island Melanesia, Polynesia,
and Madagascar, that speak the Austronesian languages. The nations and territories
predominantly populated by Austronesian-speaking peoples are sometimes known
collectively as Austronesia.
It is believed that Austronesians reached the Philippines by 1500 BC.
That makes us a descendant of them.

Indigenous

Indigenous is a term used to encompass a variety of Aboriginal groups. It is

most frequently used in an international, transnational, or global context.

In the UN, “Indigenous” is used to refer broadly to peoples of long settlement

and connection to specific lands who have been adversely affected by
incursions by industrial economies, displacement, and settlement of their
traditional territories by others
Indigenous people are commonly defined as the descendants of the inhabitants of a
country or region who are present when people of different ethnic or cultural origins
arrive and later become dominate through settlement or occupation of some means.
Indigenous identities are contested in the Philippines as a result of successive ways
of migration of many different peoples throughout the Asian region, long before the
arrival and colonization by Europeans 

Of the 78 provinces that make up the Philippines, Indigenous peoples are present in
more than 50 and, depending on the definition of Indigenous populations used,
represent from 10 to 20 percent of the total Philippine population

Such a high density of cultural, language, and ethnicity differentiation among

Indigenous peoples in the Philippines arose as a result of geographical segregation,
and many of these populations retreated into isolated regions during successive
events related to immigrations, displacement, discrimination, and more recently
economic development

Native
Native is a general term that refers to a person or thing that has originated from a
particular place. The term “native” does not denote a specific Aboriginal ethnicity

Some may feel that “native” has a negative connotation and is outdated. This term
can also be problematic in certain contexts, as some non-Aboriginal peoples born in
a settler state may argue that they, too, are “native.”

Module 5-6
Challenges faced by Indigenous Communities

Common issues include lack of representation at all societal levels, education gaps,
poverty, and discrimination. The indigenous peoples (IPs) of the Philippines and
other countries are among the poorest and most disadvantaged groups despite the
richness of natural riches nearby. They are denied the chance to get the skills
necessary to adapt to the fast changing social, economic, and political environment.

Treats to indigenous peoples’ livelihoods and traditional knowledge

The biggest problem currently facing humanity is climate change. However, its
consequences are unevenly dispersed, particularly harming marginalized and at-risk
demographic groups. Indigenous peoples are among the first to experience the direct
effects of climate change on the ecosystems or landscapes they call home. This is
because they depend heavily on the environment and its resources and have a deep
relationship with them. In addition, a large number of indigenous peoples are
becoming environmental refugees as a result of the frequency and severity of these
and other climatic disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, and typhoons, which
devastate the land and property of indigenous peoples.

Indigenous peoples are guardians of the biological diversity and cultural variety of
the planet. Despite making up only about 5% of the global population, they effectively
manage an estimated 20% to 25% of the planets land area.
 Indigenous peoples have employed these techniques to manage and use the
natural resources to ensure their continued conservation. Indigenous peoples can
contribute to mitigation and adaptation techniques in this situation. Some of the
contributions made by indigenous peoples include their successful ampaigns against
deforestation, mineral, oil, and gas extraction on their ancestral lands, their
opposition to the further expansion of monocrop plantations, their promotion of
sustainable production and consumption systems based on traditional wisdom and
values of reciprocity with nature, and their effective management of the lands and
territories of indigenous women and men.

Threats of economic development to biodiversity and ecosystem

The exploitation od resources has sped up the loss of biodiversity and the
detetrioration of ecosystem as a result of the rising global demand. In turn, this leads
to an increase in resource displacement, loss of land,water, and means of
subsistence. The negative effects on the environment,regions,and populations are
not given any consideration when these infractions take place. Despite these
obstacles, indigenous peoples continue to fight for environmental protection and
cultural preservation in opposition to their respective States’ desire to give priority to
the economid development based on fossil fuels,whose carbon emissions also have
a negative impact on the environment.

The Vital contribution of indigenous women

If there is a difference between the rights guaranteed by the law and how they are
actually exercised for all women , it is considerably wider for indigenous women since
they experience more discrimination based on their gender, ethniccity, and
socioeconomic status. Additionally, both inside their own communities and in nearby
rural anf urban regions, they face discrimination,

Module 6-9
Indigenous Movements against Oppression

What is oppression?
Oppression means prolonged cruelty or unjust treatment of controlto a certain
individual, groups or nationality.

In this case, IP has always been on the oppressed side since majority of the world
look to them as a lower-class individual in the community.

Why are they a target of oppression?

They are often marginalized and face discrimination in countries’ legal systems,
leaving them even more vulnerable to violence and abuse.

They are always left behind since majority of the IP(indigenous people)wanted to
nurture their way of life. (meaning they wanted to remain the same without bowing
down of globalization)

Peaceful efforts by Indigenous People to maintain their cultural identity or exercise

control over their traditional lands, which are often rich in resources and biodiversity ,
have led to accusations of treason or terrorism.

Discrimination is the reasom ehy indigenous people make up 15% of the word’s
extreme pour. Globally, they also suffer higher rates of landlessness, malnutrition
and internal displacement than other groups. And with all this, Capitalists takes
advantages of them depsite the constitutional guarntee and a special law for the
protection.

Their lands are converted to cities, subdivision and commercial use. While having
majority of their tribe members without formal education, they are always taken
advantages legally and illegally.

Indigenous People today

Yet, indigenous peoples continue to suffer discrimination,marginalization,extreme

poverty and confilct.

Some are being dispossessed of their traditional lands as their livelihoods are being
undermind. Meanwhile, their belief systems, cultures, languages and ways of life
continue to be threatened, sometimes even by extinction.

Increasingly, governments are recognizing these threats, and matching such

recognition with action.

From land claims settlements and constitutional amendments to important symbolic

actions such as apologies for past treatment of indigenous peoles. Governments
around the world are making important step towards addressing indigenous peoples’
concerns.

In responding to the challenges,they continue to face, indigenous peoples have

engaged the international community, calling for a declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples and a permanent forum at the United Nations that meets
regularly to discuss indigenous peoples’ issues and make recommendations to the
UN system and beyond.

The United Nations has committed its unwavering support to a future where all
indigenous peoples will enjoy peace, human rights and well-being, and has
responded to indigenous peoples’ demands, welcoming them as partners.

The United Nations Declaration on the right of Indigenous People was adopted in
September 2007, and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues meets annually at
UN Headquarters, bringing together indigenous peoples, Member States, NGOs, UN
agencies and other intergovernmental organizations.

The Philippines and its IP

Depsite the existence of the Indigenous Peoples Right Act of 1997, the security of
their rights enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the abundance of
international covenants and treaties which protect the rights of indigenous peoples,
the indigenous peoples in the Philippines still figure in social discrimination, economic
marginalization, and political disempowerment.

Important figures discussed this on Indigenous People forum.

There are an estimated 14million indigenous peoples in the country, subdivided intro
around 110 linguistic groups or tribes. Most are based in the northern part of the
main island, Luzon and in the southern island of Mindanao.

Among the prominent groups are the Badjao, B’laan, Bagobo, Mangyan, Manobo,
T’boli and Teduray.
The indigenous peoples in the Philippines also face many challenges in the context
of development, peace and security, and human rights, most notably in Mindanao.

Their overall socio-economic indicators are some of the lowest in the country and
where there has been long-standing armed conflict.

Types Of Oppression IP Face

1. Violence - violence is probably the most obvious and visible form of oppression,
and all forms of sexual violence and hate crimes are prevalent examples.

This doesn’t include the rape victims in the Indigenous communities. Since majority
of them has no education and no voice in the community, there is a lot sexual
predators preying on them.

They know what majority of the IP wont battle them in court or any terms legally, so
they are a target of sexual violece.

2. Economic deprivation and impoverishment- all ethnic groups deal with violence
against women and poverty increases the likelihood of violence. It also includes
cheap labor that employer’s eye for the IP

Some are poaching them to be recruited as an underpaid worker with more than the
prescribed working hours per week permits.

Since some of the IP wanted jobs, some of them explore NCR or other metro cities
for jobs. Resulting into an unfair system where they work cheap for the employers.

3. Cultural Imperialism- Cultural Imperialism involves taking the dominating group

culture and establishing it as a norm that all others should abide by. As colonization
was inficted upon us, the assertion of cultural imperialism in conjuction with
colonization for assimilation and cultural genocide.

The dominating group control the Others in society by dissenminated their beliefs,
values, goals, and achievements. The ones who hold the most power are white
males because they can have a distinct identity and can be an individual while all
other groups are groups of Others.

However, there are cases where some of our IP retained their culture no matter
what. Even with the effects of globalization, majority of them are still intact with their
respective culture.

4. Exploitation- this is the most common of them all.

A. Land Exploitaio- loss of land. A common scenario where the IP where booted
out form their lands for commercial purposes. Our country has already an existing
law about this but still, our Indigenous people still lose the long fights.
B. Human Trafficking- slave trade was already a tabo from all over the globe.
However, modern day human trafficking still exists due to the fact that people take
advantage on our IP and sad to say some are being sold/transferred to places with a
promise of a stable job or work.
C. Environmental and economic exploitation- Another type of exploitation on the
natural resources on the land. When abundant natural resources were found on
Idigenous reservations and after the treaty making era, some capitalists seek to gain
direct access and control over the remaining Indigenous Natural resources.
5. Marginalization- Is a process of exclusion, the act of relegationg or confining a
group of people to a lower social standing.

Marginalization is in some ways worse than exploitation because society has

decided that it cannot or will not use these people even for labor.

In the Philippines,Education,Social class and Economic statuse is a key factor in

marginalization.

6. Powerlessness and Silence- the powerless are ruled by the dominating class
and are to take orders from them. Oppressed Indigenous Peoples become so
powerless that they do not even talks about their oppression, the oppressed are
silenced, and they have no voice and no will.

Media plays a huge role in this. There are times were some of their struggles was
shared on the national media but almost everytime, it is not. It makes them feel
devalued that it comes to the point that they become their own oppressors.

i. e. The Lumad killings

The history of violence and unwarranted (extrajudical)killings of lumad at the hands
of military, paramilitary, and private security forces is in the hundreds, with the arrest
and torture Lumad activists in the thousands. Fifysix percent of Philippine military
have been deployed to the Mindanao region.

Today many of the Lumad have sought safety and shelter in evacuation centers
where they and other victims of war are crowded into small spaces, lacking sanitary
conditions and food, and endure harassment by local police including sexual
harassment.

The concept of Indigenouse Peoples

Indigenouse communities, peoples and nations are those which, having a historical
continuty with pre-invasion and pre-colonial societies that developed on their
territories,consider themselves distinct from other sectors of societies now prevalling
on those territories, or parts of them.

They form at present non-dominant sectors of society and are detrermined to

preserve,develop and transmit to future generations their ancestral territories , and
their ethnic identity, as the basis of their continued existence as peoples, in
accordance with their own cultural patterns, social institutions and legal system.

This historical continuity may consist of the continuation, for a extended period
reaching into the present of one or more of the following factors:
A. Occupation of ancestral lands, or atleast of part of them
B. Common ancestry with the original occupants of these lands
C. Culture in general, or in specific manifestations(such as religion, living under a
tribal system, membership of an indigenous community,dress,means of
livelihood,lifestyl, etc)
D. Language(whether used as the only language,as mother-tongue,as the habitual
means of communication at home or in the family, or as the main,
prefferred,habitual,general or normal language)
E. Residence in certain parts of the country, or in certain regions of the world.
New threats of globalization
The global asendancy of neo-liberal economic and the entrenchment of corporate
power in international and national affairs have deepened inequalities between and
within nations and largely undermind efforts toward sustainable developmet.

The benefits of these policies frequently fail to reach the indigenous peoples of the
world, who acutely feel their costs, such as environmental degradation and loss of
traditonal lands and territories.

Agriculture and food security

The WTO (means World Trade Organitions ) Agreement on Agriculture, which
promotes export competiton and import liberalization, has allowed the entry of cheap
agricultural products into indigenous peoples’ communities,thereby compromising
their sustainable agricultural practices, food , health and cultures.

This take the form of huge agricultural monocrop plantations,commercial mines

and/or plantation forest projects,all of which drive people from their lands.

Infrastructure And IP
Infrastructure has become symbols of modern development in the twentieth century,
and recently have also epitomized the unequal economic, social and environmental
impacts of”unsustainable development”

The construction of Infrastructure had disproportionately impacted indigenous

peoples and their future. It also targets their lands disproportionately. They have
suffered from loss of lands and livelihood,cultural losses,fragmentation of political
institutions, breakdown of identity and human rights abuses.

Indigenous People living in urban areas

A growing number of indigenous peoples are today living in urban areas. This is the
result of, among other things, the deterioration in and dispossession of lands, the
forced evictions, and the lack of local emplyoment opportunities that many
indigenous people experience.

It is common in many cities to see increasing numbers of indigenous workers and

beggars. Indigenous women and children in parcticular are affected by these
conditions, as they are also often the victims of discrimination and physical abuse.

Indigenous peoples in urban areas often become an almost invisible population

because of the abstract and non- geographically clustered nature of the
community,and because of the continued existence of stereotypes regarding
indigenous peoples.

QUESTION:
1. This means as prolonged cruelty or uinjust treatment or control to a certain
individual, groups or nationality. OPPRESSION
2. what are the two categories of culture brought by the indigenous people? Tangible
and intangible culture
3. pre-colonial Philippine societies is relied more on what kind of agriculture?
4. In the social classes way back pre-colonial period. They are not required to pay
taxes?
5. It is an art made by the indigenous people of the Philippines? INDIGENOUS ARTS
6.Object that are first shaped of wet clay, then hardened by baking? Potery
7.Member of a community without fixed habitation which regularly moves to and from
the same areas? Poverty,Societal level, Education gaps, Opportunity,
Discrimination
8.He called as the “Dean of Philippine ethnology archacology and pre-history”?Henry
Otley Beyer (wave migration Theory)
9.This art-work is representing a fowl with wings,feathered tail,and a head decorated
with ornaments of scrolled and painted motif of leaves,and feather-like forms?
SARIMANOK
10.Political system- The government system were called BARANGAYS
“DATU/RAJA”
11.Noble with full royal blood Tumao
They are considered as the free men Timawa
Considered as the slaves or commoners Oripun
-Alipin Namamahay
-Alipin Sagigilid
12. Martial arts and weapons Balaraw And Balaraw Blade
13. Armor Kalasag,Palisay, Kupya/Tangkulong
14. Lifestyle where the community permanently resides from one place and a
transtion from having a nomadic lifestyle Sedentary (IGOROTS)
15. Member of a commmunity without fixed habitation which regularly moves to and
from the same areas Nomad
16. Who arrived between 25,000 and 30,000 years ago via land bridges The
Negritos
17. Types of Indigenous Lifestyle Sedentary and Nomadic
18. Common term for the Indigenous peoples of Australia as well Aboriginal
19. General term that refers to a person or thing that has originated from a particular
place Native
20. Using Idonesian group who arrived about 5,000-6,000 years ago The Sea-faring
tool
21. Is a traditional house of the Maranaos Torogan
22. Design dun sa gilid ng bahay ng mga muslim Panolong
23. Challenges faced by Indigenous Communities
1. Threats to indigenous peoples’ livelihoods and traditional knowledge.
2. Threats of economic development to biodiversity and ecosystem
3. Opportunitiesfo Indigenous peoples sustainability.
24. Types of oppression IP faces
-Violence
-Economic Depriuation and Impoverishment
-Cultural Imperialism
- Exploitation: Land Exploitation, Human trafficking,Environmental and
economic exploitation
-Marginalization
-Powerleseness and s
25. Pre-colonial Philippine Societies relied more on swidden agriculture than
intensive permanent agriculture. Agriculture
26. Pre-colonial Filipinos use two kids of swords for combat Kalis at Kampilan
27.