INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN MINDANAO. A featured image about the Human Security of Indigenous people in Mindanao; highlighting their experience. Photo by IDEAS FOR PEACE.
The Center for Community Extension Services (CCES) launched Project EPANAW: The Journey of Indigenous People, a week-long celebration in commemoration of the Indigenous People Rights Act (IPRA) and Indigenous People Month at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) Salvador Campus, Canisius Lobby, on October 10, 2022.
With the theme “Moving towards a shared mission of inclusivity and solidarity together with the Indigenious People of Zamboanga City,” the event was in partnership with the different indigenous tribe of the city namely the Subanon, Sama Banguingui, and Sama Badjau which showcases the cultural and historical events of the indigenous people of Zamboanga City through an exhibit.
”It is more likely to give awareness to the students that the office had been doing programs for the indigenous people(s) and a way to let the community be informed about the indigenous peoples” said Marilou E. Floriza, director of the CCES office in an interview regarding the event and the theme.
“I thought of the theme as one community…more of thinking that as Atenean there is already that mindfulness that there are other groups, not just us here in Zamboanga City. Basically we have to also think about them.” Floriza stated that the intention was to give an input and involve the students, the faculty and staff of the school to be aware and to showcase the rich culture and traditions of the indigenous people living in Zamboanga City.
Furthermore, the programme strives to extend Atenean perspectives by educating students about indigenous culture in order to empower indigenous people to defend themselves, make them feel less oppressed and more appreciated, and make them feel that they are a part of the community.
“What we did was a good starting point that we can do it again here at school…I hope to see these indigenous people be inspired to see that they are part of the plan and to let them see for themselves that they are respected, taken in consideration, and is a part of the plan,” Floriza stated that indigenous people should be taken care of by the city and that when thinking about development, they should be included in the plan and not left behind.
Since 2017, the office has hosted the Kolodyaan (Subanon for “celebrate”) festival and exhibits involving at least three barangays and a variety of stakeholders.
Furthermore, Project EPANAW, which was hosted in AdZU, is simply a slice of the full project, which was celebrated in Kolodyaan. In earlier years, the festival would often run two days and an overnight, with many activities catered to the culture of each indigenous people tribe, giving time to demonstrate their group’s rich culture, traditions, and practices.
