Upholding the ethnic communal against annihilation
Mae Angelica A. Salvador
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The Filipino Watchdog 10:36 PM | Tuesday, March 24th, 2015
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They exist, but they remain to be unknown.
Dumagats, one of the many ethnic groups in the Philippines found in Bulacan, faces the consequences of the irresponsible acts of some that is fueled by self-interest and greed that result to series of illegal logging, mining and quarrying that causes the devastation of Sierra Madre, which they considered as their sanctuary without the knowledge of many.
As modernization takes over places across the globe, environment is one of the most affected avenues, the environment which most of the indigenous people considered as their homes and means of survival causing the ethnic groups to be deprived of shelter, food and security.
Bro. Martin Francisco, founder and chairperson of Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society Inc. (SSMESI) stated, "Hindi mapanganib ang Sierra Madre bagkus, nanganganib ito sa kamay ng mga taong kurap."
Mahabe Pagotan
Francisco, who is serving as a missionary, spends 16 years living with and fighting for the Dumagats documented his experiences and encounters in his long years of stay with them that materialized a book, published in the 2012 entittled "Mahabe Pagotan: Kasaysayan, Kalinangan, at Lipunan ng mga Dumagat sa Bahaging Bulacan ng Sierra Madre."
From their background, their heroic exploits during the colonialization era, how they cope up with the massive changes that occurs in the early 20th century. The book also includes information about the tribe's system of government, lifestyle, medicinal and political practices, way of courting, ideals about faith as well as their culture and art.
Unlike the low-landers, Dumagat executes wedding rights at an early age, with an average age of thirteen for females and sixteen for males. But despite the early marriages that results to early pregnancies their population doesn't seem to grow.
"Kokonti lang sila, kahit maaga silang nag aasawa, hindi sila dumadami dahil marami ang ipinapanganak, marami rin ang namamatay," explains Francisco on the population of the tribe.
As per Francisco, he decided to write down the book so that when the time comes that Dumagats' culture vanished or when they are to be counted as part of the low-land people, a trace will remain about the practices of the ethnic tribe.
The basics and the dilemmas
The said quandary of declining ethnic population was not only experienced by the ethnic groups in the Philippines alone but also in other countries from different parts of the world.
According to reports, indigenous group battles with industrialization having their ancestral lands converted into commercial ones that damaged their primary source of food as well as shelter forcing them to move and leave their homes.
At the same time, the early generations were far too exposed to low-landers that have different ideologies about how someone should dress, talk, eat and even converse. They influence some members of the ethnic group to have their ways converted to fit in and to avoid discrimination.
Tribal groups are known for having their own ways in dealing with diseases relied mostly on herbal medication. Unfortunately, not all diseases nowadays can be cured by that. Most of the time, the epidemic requires the intervention of technology in order for these to be treated.
Not having enough access and knowledge to such practice triggers their death rates to rise making their population count to fall. The unfortunate dropping of ethnic group’s population counts made them on the bridge of extinction in the coming years.
Seeing the light of the day
Francisco encourages the students to extend their hand in helping in the preservation of the nearly vanishing culture of the Dumagats and ethnic groups in general.
"Ang magagawa ninyo bilang mga journalism students ay ipaalam sa iba ang kalalagayan nila (Dumagat) para aware rin sila sa mga problema na mayroon at baka sakali, mayroong mga handang tumulong," concludes Francisco.
The book Mahabe Pagotan was open for the public to purchase and the proceeds are for the benefit of the Dumagat tribe as stated by Bro. Francisco, who also served as stewards of the tribe.
Dumagats, one of the many ethnic groups in the Philippines found in Bulacan, faces the consequences of the irresponsible acts of some that is fueled by self-interest and greed that result to series of illegal logging, mining and quarrying that causes the devastation of Sierra Madre, which they considered as their sanctuary without the knowledge of many.
As modernization takes over places across the globe, environment is one of the most affected avenues, the environment which most of the indigenous people considered as their homes and means of survival causing the ethnic groups to be deprived of shelter, food and security.
Bro. Martin Francisco, founder and chairperson of Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society Inc. (SSMESI) stated, "Hindi mapanganib ang Sierra Madre bagkus, nanganganib ito sa kamay ng mga taong kurap."
Mahabe Pagotan
Francisco, who is serving as a missionary, spends 16 years living with and fighting for the Dumagats documented his experiences and encounters in his long years of stay with them that materialized a book, published in the 2012 entittled "Mahabe Pagotan: Kasaysayan, Kalinangan, at Lipunan ng mga Dumagat sa Bahaging Bulacan ng Sierra Madre."
From their background, their heroic exploits during the colonialization era, how they cope up with the massive changes that occurs in the early 20th century. The book also includes information about the tribe's system of government, lifestyle, medicinal and political practices, way of courting, ideals about faith as well as their culture and art.
Unlike the low-landers, Dumagat executes wedding rights at an early age, with an average age of thirteen for females and sixteen for males. But despite the early marriages that results to early pregnancies their population doesn't seem to grow.
"Kokonti lang sila, kahit maaga silang nag aasawa, hindi sila dumadami dahil marami ang ipinapanganak, marami rin ang namamatay," explains Francisco on the population of the tribe.
As per Francisco, he decided to write down the book so that when the time comes that Dumagats' culture vanished or when they are to be counted as part of the low-land people, a trace will remain about the practices of the ethnic tribe.
The basics and the dilemmas
The said quandary of declining ethnic population was not only experienced by the ethnic groups in the Philippines alone but also in other countries from different parts of the world.
According to reports, indigenous group battles with industrialization having their ancestral lands converted into commercial ones that damaged their primary source of food as well as shelter forcing them to move and leave their homes.
At the same time, the early generations were far too exposed to low-landers that have different ideologies about how someone should dress, talk, eat and even converse. They influence some members of the ethnic group to have their ways converted to fit in and to avoid discrimination.
Tribal groups are known for having their own ways in dealing with diseases relied mostly on herbal medication. Unfortunately, not all diseases nowadays can be cured by that. Most of the time, the epidemic requires the intervention of technology in order for these to be treated.
Not having enough access and knowledge to such practice triggers their death rates to rise making their population count to fall. The unfortunate dropping of ethnic group’s population counts made them on the bridge of extinction in the coming years.
Seeing the light of the day
Francisco encourages the students to extend their hand in helping in the preservation of the nearly vanishing culture of the Dumagats and ethnic groups in general.
"Ang magagawa ninyo bilang mga journalism students ay ipaalam sa iba ang kalalagayan nila (Dumagat) para aware rin sila sa mga problema na mayroon at baka sakali, mayroong mga handang tumulong," concludes Francisco.
The book Mahabe Pagotan was open for the public to purchase and the proceeds are for the benefit of the Dumagat tribe as stated by Bro. Francisco, who also served as stewards of the tribe.