In celebration of the Indigenous People’s Month last October, the Union of Students for the Advancement of Democracy – Ateneo de Zamboanga University (USAD-AdZU) together with El Consejo Atenista (ECA) launched its Indigenous People’s Initiative called “BALINTATAW” from October 25-27, 2023.
The event aimed to pay tribute to the life, culture, and stories of the IPs from Mindanao and to encourage Ateneans to be proactive in the discussions on their rights and welfare.
The three-day celebration schedule was as follows:
- October 25, 2023 – BALINTATAW Virtual Launch
- October 25 – 27, 2023 – Kayamanan ng Katutubo, an on-site marketplace for IP Vendors located at the C-Garden
- October 26, 2023 – Usapang Katutubo: A Focus Group Discussion at the Audio-Visual Room (AVR)
IP vendor Monalyn Muzarin expressed her thoughts on the exhibit, “Malaking tulong ito sa amin, sa mga daily needs namin. Kahit estudyante lang, sinusuportahan nila ang mga product namin, nandito rin sila at nag participate.”
IP vendors did not only sell their handmade products to the AdZU community but also taught some students how their products are made.
Bryan Vergara, a 4th-year Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education student, experienced the weaving process as guided by the IP vendors to which he stated, “For my experience, mahirap siya. considering the patterns you have to undergo, anong sinulid ang kukunin mo, and more. I thought it was just easy, but if you’re the one weaving these pieces, they said it takes weeks to complete one cloth. ”
USAD-AdZU Party Premier Ezikiel M. Pamaran shared his experience during the exhibit, “We have seen that they are really talented, they’re really gifted, but they just lacked exposure to the community which is something we are trying to give out to the people.”
He also added that it was important that the Ateneo community was enlightened on what IPs are dealing with and help them progress in a way that we look at their lenses, “Our very goal is to have our IP communities, their existence, and their exposure to showcase the culture.”
USAD-AdZU plans to continue celebrating IPs through BALINTATAW in the coming years to bring their historical existence to modern society.