CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Several ethnic cultures faded due to the acceleration of development. This is

a trend not only in the Philippines but over the world. In our college thesis entitled

Igorots by Igorots: Presenting the Banaue Igorots through Ethnovideography (2012),

it was revealed that with modernization happening in the community, there is a threat

of cultural degradation. Some of its local people say that they are starting to embrace

modernity. In fact, with the accelerated development of education and the spread of

Christianity in the area, many local people in Banaue are starting to draw away from

their old practices and are resorting to new ways of doing things. To preserve their

heritage, they use rituals and symbols only during festivities and special occasions. If

this is happening in their community, do other ethnic communities experience the

same thing? With the researcher’s curiosity on fading cultures, he explored the

phenomenon on another indigenous group, The Tagbanua.

Known to be one of the oldest tribes in the world, the Tagbanua is believed to

be the descendants of the Tabon man, the early inhabitants in the Philippines (Diaz,

2011). The term is derived from “taga” which means “people from” and “banua”

meaning “countryside – two words put together create the phrase, people from the

countryside (Llamzon, 1978).

The Tagbanua are widely distributed across Palawan. They occupy areas in

South Central Palawan, Kalamian, Coron, and Busuanga. Their livelihood is based

on livestock, rice planting, hunting, fishing and harvesting of honey while fishing is

the main source of living for those who live in the coastal areas. They earn mostly

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through selling handicrafts such as woodworking, mat making and basketry (Diaz,

2011). The Tagbanua are mostly slim and have a brown skinned body. Their hair is

mostly straight. While there are some studies conducted about the Tagbanua over

the last few decades, not a lot of Filipinos, even the people in Palawan; know about

their way of life (Villarosa, 2006).

This research is among those initiatives that aim to discover the life and

practices of the Tagbanua and to add in the body of indigenous knowledge systems.

Despite modernization in Palawan, the Tagbanua were able to preserve their cultural

systems, and this helps the community adapt to changes and challenges in the area.

Cuevas and Olvida (n.d.) assert that “the preservation of their traditional practices is

a crucial element for climate change adaptation, particularly in the preservation of

genetic diversity.” They also add that this could be attributed not only to their

traditional agricultural systems but also to their “social relations, dynamic decision-

making, and rich background of performative knowledge developed within the

cultural framework of the Tagbanua. We can see from this assertion that the

community’s way of life has a direct link to their survival. As this may be the case,

some questions arise. With several ethnic cultures over the world fading, how long

will these traditional practices of the Tagbanua last?

Significance of the Study

With development efforts happening in Palawan, there is a possibility for the

same situation to happen. This research aims to document current realities in the

Tagbanua's way of life. This will be done by documenting slices of their reality using

a video camera. This can help in keeping a record of their traditions and practices

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which can be used later on as reference in case cultural preservation efforts will be

needed.

Statement of the Problem

Specifically, the researcher of this study wants to address the following issues.

1.) What are the Tagbanua’s current realities in terms of their way of life?

2.) Are their traditions and practices nowadays the same as before? Or are they

gradually fading?

3.) Do the Tagbanua prefer to preserve their cultural traditions and practices? Or

they prefer embracing modern life practices?

Objectives of the Study

This research aims to accomplish the following objectives:

1. Know about the Tagbanua’s realities.

2. Document the Tagbanua’s way of life through a method called

Ethnovideography

3. Know the perception of the Tagbanua in preserving their traditions and

practices and in modernization.

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 CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

There have been several studies that were conducted in the area of cultural

preservation and development. Paradoxical as it may seem, efforts are being exerted

on how to bridge the gap between the two concepts. This review explores both the

positive and negative views on the concepts surrounding culture and development.

The researcher chose five main concepts relevant to the study; namely, the

Tagbanua, Cultural Relativism, Cultural Preservation, Development, and Cultural

Preservation vis-à-vis Development. The researcher aims to explain how these

concepts are related to each other. Also, existing researches on fading cultures will

be discussed in this chapter.

The Tagbanua

Before moving into the study, it is vital that we have a good understanding of

the group that will serve as the subject of this study. The group is called the

Tagbanua.

The Tagbanua is an indigenous group that can be found in the coastal areas

of Palawan. The Tagbanua, as referred to in nlpdl, inhabit different areas in South-

central Palawan, Northern Palawan, Kalamian, Coron and Busuanga. The name

‘Tagbanua’ is derived from the Filipino terms ‘taga’ which means ‘people from’ and

‘banua’ meaning ‘countryside. Putting the words together would form the meaning

‘people from the countryside.’

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 History indicates that Tagbanua villages are heavily concentrated near rivers

and streams for practical reasons. Rivers, coastal areas, and streams are a vital

source of food and water for the group. Hence, this indigenous group is easily found

in the eastern part of Palawan as the western region is covered in mountains.

For the Tagbanua’s brief history (Kress, 1977 as cited in nlpdl), underwent

three major historical periods; namely, the indigenous period, the Muslim period; and

the Spanish, American, and contemporary periods. In the early times, the Tagbanua

was observed by Antonio Pigafetta as a result of Magellan’s expedition in 1521.

Pigafetta observed that the group practiced blood compact, field cultivation,

and hunting with blowpipes and wooden arrows. They also noted that brass rings,

bells, knives are highly valuable belongings in the period. Gambling was also a

common activity in the ancient period as they raised and tamed cocks for a cockfight.

In the 17th century, the southern part of Palawan was under the governance Brunei. It

was during the period when the Spaniards and the Muslims in Mindanao, Palawan,

and North Borneo were at conflict.

Decades and centuries passed, the Tagbanua continued to believe in their

native gods; namely, Magnisda or Nagabacaban, the lord of the heavens; Poco, the

lord of the sea and perceived as a good spirit; Sedumunadoc, the god of the earth

whom the group asked for good harvest; and Tabiacoud, who dwelled in the deep

bowels of the earth. For all these gods, the group prepared a big feast each year

after each harvest.

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 The change was inevitable for the group when the United States colonized the

Philippines after the Spanish colonization. The dominance of Christianity and the

assimilation of the island into the economic and political mainstream caused the

marginalization of the Tagbanua, especially those who were not subdued by the

dominant culture.

Cultural Relativism

Cultural Relativism as viewed by Alexandra Howson (2009) is “associated

with a general tolerance and respect for difference, which refers to that idea cultural

context is critical in the understanding of people’s values, beliefs, and practices.”

Under this view, there is recognition that there is no culture that is superior to

another. On a historical note, most westerners during the period of colonial

expansion believed that their culture is superior to others, and their purpose of

colonizing other territories is to civilize other societies. This historical context paved

the way to the perception that indigenous values and beliefs are subservient to

Western values and ideas. This idea is called ethnocentrism, the opposite of cultural

relativism. Nullify indigenous culture (Howson, 2009). Howson views cultural

relativism as a tool to challenge ethnocentric Western views and practices and to

promote and appreciate cultural diversity.

Vincent Ruggiero (as cited in Rosado, 1994) states how ethnocentrism can be

eliminated in the article entitled Understanding Cultural Relativism in a Multicultural

World. It was emphasized in the paper that it is important to (1) study the cultural

context in which the action occurs, (2) determine the circumstances of time, place,

and condition surrounding it, and (3) learn the reason that underlies it and the moral

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value it reflects. Rosado (1994) supports Rugierro's idea by stating that "at the heart

of these three steps lies the importance of learning to ‘take the role of the other,' the

ability to see things, especially that with which we are not familiar, from the

perspective of the other before any consideration of judgment is considered."

Rosado recommends that in order to avoid ethnocentrism, the concept where we

use our own culture as a basis for judging other cultures, "the behavior of other

cultures must be evaluated in terms of the total structures of its social and cultural

forms and the sanctions that are prescribed." He cites Herskovits in his paper to

establish the idea of cultural relativism. According to Herskovits (as cited in Rosado,

1994), “the basic principle out of which cultural relativism emerges is a simple one:

Judgements are based on experience, and experience is interpreted by each

individual in terms of his or her own enculturation.

Although there were many positive views about the idea of cultural relativism,

criticisms also exist. There is the idea that cultural relativism threatens standards of

ethics as if values are relative to a certain culture, that means that there is no

universal standard of judging people's behavior (Rosado, 1994). Ruggiero (1973, as

cited in Rosado, 1994) states that "if there is no observable control transcending all

cultures, no eternal book of rules, then right and wrong are a matter of opinion, and it

doesn't matter what we do: anything goes." Despite these views, Howson concludes

in his paper that it is possible to have a cultural relativist standpoint without leaving

the idea of universal standards. According to him, it is important to see cultural

relativism as a methodological position that explains the ideas of different cultures

with the frames of their cosmologies, and not assigning a negative meaning to them.

Further, Rosado thinks that if society is to be successful in a multi-cultural world,

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people need to develop a culturally sensitive frame of reference.

Cultural Preservation

In Elizabeth A Thomas-Hoffman’s article entitled, Cultural Preservation and

Protection (n.d.), she recognizes that “cultural identity is essential for the peaceful

cooperation of civilizations.” She added that “if people have a strong sense of self-

identity through culture, they are more likely to interact peacefully with other cultures,

with respect for the diversity of value systems and religious beliefs as well as the

tangible aspects of culture.” We can see from her perspective that there is a need for

preserving culture to maintain harmony in a globalized world. According to her, “the

fluid nature of culture can be positive, leading to stronger societal structures and

values, but can destroy minority or less-powerful cultures, leading to the

disintegration of fundamental human values.” There was an example stated in the

paper about the North American Native People losing their cultural identity since they

are now joining the socio-economic of the dominant culture in the region. However,

in cultural preservation, what needs to be preserved?

Eric W. Allison and Mary Ann Allison (n.d.) set some criteria of what cultural

heritage is in the article, Preserving Tangible Cultural Assets: A Framework for a New

Dialog in Preservation. The said that cultural heritage means “the practices,

representations, expressions, knowledge, skills, as well as instruments, objects,

artifacts, and cultural spaces.” These heritages give people a sense of identity and

continuity which promotes cultural diversity and human creativity.

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 With the deterioration of some of the world’s culture, efforts are being carried

out to preserve some of the world’s dying cultures. It was stated in the paper that

respect for cultural diversity and preservation has been a main tenet of the United

Nations, and the real solutions to cultural sensitivity are to design programs on a

local level, with the direct participation of the cultural groups.

With development efforts being carried out in Palawan, particularly in

Tagbanua communities in the area, there is a threat of cultural degradation. Despite

this threat, efforts are being carried out by NGOs to address this issue. As cited by

Maider Maraña (2010) in his UNESCO working paper entitled Culture and

Development: Evolution and Prospects, “Despite all this work carried out in the area

of culture and development, civil society, cultural organizations, and the NGOs,

amongst others, have all identified the need to examine further the role of culture in

development processes, both on the theoretical level and in its practical application

through development activities and projects: starting with the cultural comprehension

of the very concept of development, and then clarifying what is understood by culture

in development cooperation, in order to generate tools which favour the application

of the theory and the mainstreaming of culture in development practice.” Certainly,

cultural preservation and development seem to be two contradicting words as we

have witnessed in history that many indigenous cultures ceased to exist due to

globalization and development; however, there must be a way to bridge these two

concepts. Maraña points out in his article that "there is still plenty of work left to be

done" in the area of culture and development binomial.

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Development

Myint (1980, as cited in Cambridge University Press) states that that are two

general approaches of development. One is the fight against poverty which focused

on the problems of poor quality of living, famine, and misery in developing countries.

The goal in this approach is to make some improvements materialize in the short

term. Another approach to development is the analysis of long-term economic and

social development. When using this approach, we focus on comparing development

in different societies to have a better understanding of the variables that have long-

term effects on the socio-economic development of a society. In the same paper, it

recognizes that development and modernization lead to the deterioration of

traditional cultures and lifestyles due to the prevalence of ‘uniform materialistic mass

culture.' This trend as mentioned in the paper leads to cultural shallowness, loss of

meaning and spirituality, and exploitation of people. There were views that people

prefer to live in traditional societies rather than in modern societies. Frank (1969)

also suggests that some authors see development as "a euphemism for Western

penetration and domination of the world, involving great misery and exploitation."

There is a modern definition of development in the book entitled, Introduction

to Development Communication (2003). It says that development is not measured in

numbers or in a country's GDP. Rather, the true measure of development is man.

Development is measured by the quality of people's lives, not with the amount of

money the household earns. They also have stated in the same book the views on

development on the Third Development Decade. According to them, the new

development decade is characterized by further refinement and focus of the earlier

development decades. New concerns are introduced, namely, the women in

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development, the environment, social dimensions – wherein people should look at

the social and cultural impacts of development – the indigenous peoples, and

sustainable development – that is the convergence of economic, social and

environmental goals.

Meanwhile, Hoffman (n.d.) recognizes development as both a threat and an

opportunity to the cultures of the world. There are dilemmas on how to provide the

benefits of globalization to people to preserve the cultures of the world

Literature on Fading Cultures

There are also existing researches on fading cultures. As for the foreign literature, a

piece of research entitled Changing Climates, Fading Cultures: A Study of Place

Annihilation as a result of Climate Change published in 2015 reveals a direct link

between cultural degradation and climate change. Bolsinger (2015) concluded in his

research that "cultures that rely heavily on geographical niches will find themselves

most vulnerable to cultural annihilation as a result of climate change.” He gave the

native cultures in Alaska as an example. According to him, climate change can

adversely affect their environment which puts a great risk to their culture which

destroys their shared emotions, perceptions, and physical interactions by means of

destroying their land. This applies to cultures that rely heavily on nature for their

traditions and practices.

Another piece of research by Vineet Kaul (2012) entitled Globalisation and crisis of

cultural identity established a linked between globalization and cultural deterioration.

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According to his research, "globalization is manifested in the intercultural penetration

processes which have substantial effects on the cultural identities.” Findings of his

research indicate that over time, there will be less ethnological variety and people

will adapt to the reality of our time. Festivals, customs, ceremonies, rites, and beliefs

will continuously disappear or just be confined in minority cultures. This change is

brought by modernization. Kaul stated in theory that a country could keep its identity

if it lives in isolation. It means that an existing society should cut-off any exchange

with other societies and practice self-sufficiency.

There are also existing efforts in the Philippines on documenting vanishing

indigenous cultures. There is a project created by Jacob Maentz entitled Project

Katutubong Pinoy. He is a documentary photographer who aims to capture photo

documentaries of indigenous groups still existing in the country. In his website

(2018), he stated, "despite having held onto their way of life for many generations,

the last few decades have brought about a myriad of changes, both socially and

economically for these indigenous groups. This rapidly changing environment has

led to the gradual loss of centuries-old customs and culture." Maentz is carrying out

efforts in doing visual documentation of the indigenous groups in the Philippines

which led him to the idea of creating the Katutubong Filipino Project. It aims to bring

about awareness by collecting stories and images of disappearing cultural heritages

before their way of life is lost forever.

Despite many pieces of research showing that indigenous cultures are

gradually fading, there are still some that remain intact. A research conducted by

Severino and Marife Alivento (2017) entitled Cultural Practices of the Tribal

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Communities in the Province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines reveals that "despite the fact

that people are now living the modern age, the tribal communities still preserved

some of their cultural practices." This goes to show that there is hope to preserve

remaining cultures despite modernization.

Synthesis: Cultural Preservation vis-à-vis Development

Due to the recognition that some cultures are slowly fading, UNESCO

established key objectives during the World Decade for Cultural Development in

1998-1997 (Hoffman, n.d.). The objectives are as follows: (1) to acknowledge the

cultural dimension of development, (2) to affirm and enrich cultural identities, (3) to

broaden participation in cultural life; and (4) to promote international cultural co-

operation. This study would like to align with those objectives so the researcher

designed a study that will help include the cultural dimension in every development

effort. Although cultural preservation and development seem to be paradoxical, there

still seems to be a positive relationship between the two. Interventions must be made

so as to prevent the degradation of some of the world's cultures. In the paper,

Culture and Development: Evolution and Prospects by Maider Maraña (2010), it

states:

"In recent years, the idea that the cultural dimension must be included in the

development policies and actions has become generally accepted. Due to the

prioritization of sustainable human development over other more econometric

development models, culture has been studied as a necessary element for the full

development of people and communities."

It goes to show that we should never exclude the cultural sphere in every

development effort that we make. A solution suggested in the paper is governments

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should formulate policies which ensure that dominant groups in a society do not

shun the interests of minority or indigenous groups. In fact, the AECID provided a

model that systematizes the integration of the cultural dimension in any cooperation

action. It is called the culture and development strategy. The model is as follows

(Maraña, 2010):

- Conduct a thorough analysis of the cultural reality of the context in which

intervention is to be carried out. This analysis must then be used in the

identification, design, and development of development cooperation actions.

- Introduce cultural and social impact indicators.

- Analyze the contribution of culture to the different development cooperation

projects and programmes as concerns intangible or symbolic dimensions (political

life, social cohesion, co-existence, citizenship, identity, etc.) as well as the more

tangible and material sectors (economics, employment, tourism, local

development, etc.)

- Encourage respect for the integration of languages and minority cultural

manifestations in those places where actions are implemented.

- Integrate the concept of cultural diversity

- Do not allow the defense of cultural identity to generate defensive and exclusive

standards which fail to respect co-existence and respect for human rights.

The researcher would like to use this strategy as a model in his research.

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 CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study employed a qualitative research design. The researcher used

ethnovideography, participant observation, and interpretation to generate data. In

most cultural and communication research, a qualitative research design is suitable

as symbols exist to be interpreted. Interviews were conducted to get more data

about the community’s way of life.

This study will follow a research method called Ethnovideography. There are

stages in the process (Flor, 2002), pre-videography, videography, and post-

videography.

In the pre-videography stage, the researcher will have to do a field

exposure/participant observation in the community for about 3-7 days. This will

enable him to identify his subjects and familiarize himself within the community and

its culture. During this stage, he will have to start writing in his journal. At this stage,

the researcher must start identifying prospective subjects, visualizing the shots, and

familiarizing himself with the community. It is a time when the researcher formally

communicates with the community leaders about his intention to do the research

which includes video and written documentation of events, people, etc. During this

time, no shots should be taken yet to avoid camera intimidation and as Flor (2002)

states it, "inculcate a certain discipline in exposing videotape."

The researchers must exercise discipline at this stage, making sure that he

observes and understands situations first before attempting to shoot. This way, he

could plan the technical aspect of video documentation – angles, sequencing, etc.

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The researcher must also take this opportunity to talk to the people about possible

situations that merit video documentation. By gathering information in this stage, he

will be able to plan the logistics of the video-documentation.

The videography stage is where data will be collected through the use of a

camera. Ideally, there shall be two researchers who shall execute this stage. But

since this research is carried out by a single person, he will have to execute the

functions of recording and interviewing at the same time. People coming from

different socio-economic groups will be selected as subjects.

After documentation, shots will be reviewed and indexed. This is the time when good

shots will be identified. Notations shall be written in the journal.

In the post-videography stage, the researcher will leave the field for post-

production. Flor (2002) states that there are four major activities in this stage, (1)

shot cataloging and classification, (2) pre-editing and digitizing (3) abstracting, and

(4) assembling:

Shot Cataloguing and Classification – Shots are classified and annotated.

Indexing helps in identifying the location of the shot and analysis procedures.

This way, the data collected will be organized.

Pre-editing and digitizing – Only good shots such as those with potential

significance in terms of visuals and substance will be used. Rough edges will

be cut. The editing software used by the researcher is Wondershare Filmora.

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 Abstracting – According to Flor (2002), it reduces the number of frames per

unit time in the footage. Hence it will reduce the size of a file into smaller

chunks. It involves selecting keyframes that may be used to represent the

total image sequence.

Assembling – This is where the raw files are assembled and edited for

presentation.

Once all of these are assembled, the product can be used for the analysis of

situations and problems documented.

Population and Sample

The researcher selected the Tagbanua Community in Aborlan Palawan as

research participants. He selected representatives from a different age, gender, and

socio-economic groups so as to have fair representations from all the members of

the community. There were representatives from the community’s leadership,

religious groups, children, and family.

Research Instruments

The following are the instruments used by the researcher (Flor, 2002):

The Digital Camcorder - The digital camcorder will be used for gathering

information through the referent (The Tagbanua). The criteria set for the selection of

the camcorder to be used are user-friendliness, durability, and cost. The camera

should be simple to operate, should withstand extreme conditions and shock in the

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field. It should have a reasonable cost.

The Journal - The journal is another crucial tool in the process. It is where the

shot list, index, and description of shots will be contained. It should also contain

facts, figures, an enumeration and description of contacts and key informants. The

insights of the research should also be written here.

Video Editing Software – The researcher used Wondershare Filmora as his

main video editing and assembling tool.

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 CHAPTER 4
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The Steep and Rocky Path to the Cultural Village

Situated in the West Coast of Aborlan, Palawan is Sitio Daan Brgy. Apurawan,

the place where a homogenous Tagbanua Tribe can be found. Brgy. Apurawan is a

two-hour ride away from Puerto Prinsesa.In order to reach Sitio Daan, the traveler

has to take a four to six-hour trek up the mountain. If the traveler desires a fast track,

he or she has to take a motor ride where time duration is reduced to two and a half

hours.

Mobility to Sitio Daan is challenging as roads were rough and very steep.

Despite the difficult roads, one can enjoy the beautiful sights along the way. The

researcher passed through a waterfall, rivers, mountains, and many bodies of

nature. The area is rich in biodiversity. The researcher was also able to see monkeys

and an eagle in the area. Soil is also fertile and dark red, an indicator that the terrain

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is rich in nickel. The area is lush; however, along the way, the researcher observed

barren areas due to the kaingin practice by the dwellers of the mountain. According

to a local dweller, kaingin is one of the common practices in the mountain as it is also

their source of livelihood.

One can observe that there are not a lot of dwellers in the mountain, probably

because of the challenge in mobility. The researcher also figured that in order for the

dwellers – mostly Tagbanua people – to reach the barangay proper, they have to

walk for four to six hours. They normally go to the barangay proper when they are

invited to do cultural dances and practices during festivals. They also visit the

barangay proper to buy and sell supplies. Mostly, they sell crops such as ginger,

honey, and root crops. They sell these products for a very low cost – one kilo of

ginger costs Php 20.00.

Sights were beautiful going to the Tagbanua Village. However, a safety plan

has to be established so as to ensure a smooth trip going to the village.

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 Impressions of the researcher on the things observed on his way to the village

are that although the place is rich in diversity, the area needs development in terms

of mobility. The local dwellers are experiencing challenges in having access to

community services, and it takes a long time before one could reach the hospital or

any medical facility. Roads can be further developed so as to improve transportation

in the area. At this moment, people in the community go to the town proper on foot or

by motorbike. It is an indicator there is a lot of space for improvement in terms of

transportation.

A Glimpse into the Homogenous Tagbanua Village

The researcher was able to arrive at the Tagbanua Village with the help of Mr.

Karenn Temple, tourism officer of Aborlan, Palawan and two village dwellers, Ryan,

and Dondon who brought us to the community with a motorcycle. Upon arrival at the

community, the researcher was lucky to meet one of the tribal leaders of Sitio Daan.

He is one of the bageral in the territory, Mr. Roberto Ungo. The bageral is like a

judicial council in the Tagbanua political system. People consult them when there are

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conflicts or cases that need to be resolved.

With the goal of knowing the realities of the Tagbanua in terms of their current

way of life, and if their practices in the olden days are still intact or fading, the

researcher set an interview with the bageral at a nipa hut nearby. Bageral Roberto

was very accommodating to the researcher’s request.

When asked about the cultural practices of the Tagbanua, Bageral Roberto

noted the practice of Pagdidiwata, the practice of communicating to the spirit world to

seek help when someone is sick or when requesting for a good harvest and the like.

He also noted that in order to do this, dance rituals are done to the beat of the

agong. This kind of practice is called Kundar. The pagdidiwata and kundar are

conducted by the babaylan, the Tagbanua version of shaman or priestess. When

they want to pray for a good harvest or when they want to remove bad spirits in

terrain or in a body of water, they seek for the babaylan’s help. This practice of the

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Tagbanua indicates that prior to other religions spread in the community, they have

their own gods and goddesses. The indigenous group had their own religious beliefs

which are gradually fading in the modern days. Also, their concept of medicine is

linked to religion because instead of seeking help from doctors to treat illnesses, they

rely on the babaylan as they believe that illness is caused by bad spirits.

Dance rituals are also done to pray for blessings at the end of the year where

they make lambay, an offering to theTagbanua spiritual beings. Their typical offerings

are native chicken, taro, and rice grains. When this kind of practice is done, no one is

allowed to do the laundry or to display black clothing so as to maintain the

sacredness of the ritual. Tabad, Tagbanua rice wine is also prepared during rituals.

These rituals are done before they do the kaingin practice so as not to cause anger

among spiritual beings. There is also a traditional food served during festivals called

the lutlut. This is rice steamed inside bamboo stems. Lutlut is normally served with

tabad when there are special occasions.

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 Bageral Roberto also shared the dowry practice called the bandi where a man

pays 500 to the family of the woman he is interested to marry. If there is another man

interested in the same woman, he can pay bandi amounting to triple the price. In

their belief, this kind of system prevents problems and conflicts among men in the

community as there is value in making relationships. However, it creates the

impression that women do not have the freedom to choose their own partner. The

power to select who to marry is invested in men, indicating that the indigenous group

is patriarchal where women have a monetary value.

He also shared the practice of Tultl, a form of literature practiced in their

culture. It is also referred to as the kwentong bayan, a form of entertainment among

local people, especially children in the community. This practice is normally done in

the evening before they sleep where people gather in the community grounds to

listen to the elders in the community. These elders are the ones who share stories

ranging from stories about people who started poor and became rich, fables, and

many more. The Tagbanua have their own concept of literature which is based on

their own realities. Literature was their old form of entertainment; however, in the

modern days, mass media is taking the place of literature. Also, the researcher did

not see any practice of tultl when he was living in the community.

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 When the researcher toured the village, he observed that there is a good

sense of community among the dwellers. They were building a concrete structure for

social service. The sense of collectiveness or Bayanihan is called Gulpimano in their

culture. It shows that the Tagbanua shares the Filipino culture of helping each other

in times of need.

An Interview with a Babalyan’s Descendant

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 In the East Coast of Palawan is Brgy. Sagpangan. It is a place where the

researcher found a daughter of a babalyan, Ms. Analu.

She gave an account of what a babaylan is. According to her, the kaingin

practice is normally done in March. Most of her descriptions of the babaylan are

similar to what Bageral Roberto shared. She added the practice of Runsay. This

tradition is done in the shore where they put rice and other offerings on a boat such

as native chicken on a boat to ask permission before kaingin. The kundar is also

done as a ritual for the offertory. When the boat does not come back, it means they

are allowed to do kaingin, but when it comes back, it means they are not permitted

by the spirits to do the practice. According to her, this is now rarely practiced as there

are no more people who can do the ritual as the older generation no longer passed

on the tradition to the younger generation. In fact, when the researcher came to the

community, he was not able to see a lot of babaylans. He was just lucky to witness

dance rituals done on one special occasion. However, the purpose of that dance was

to showcase their culture to the local people as an act of preserving their heritage.

This goes to show that the practice is slowly fading.

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The Political System of the Tagbanua

An interview with the tribal leaders of Barangay Sagpangan reveals that the

Tagbanua has a well-structured political system. This political structure is headed by

the Masikampo, the overall leader of the tribe and the Maradya, the village chieftain.

The researcher observed that the majority of the community's leaders are males,

which shows that they are a male-dominated society.

The Tagbanua also has a strong judicial system. The tribal council settles

disputes in the community such as when a person has an affair with a married

person. There are also corresponding punishments for any law offender, and

offenses are normally settled by paying fines. They have a good concept of

determining what is right and what is wrong.

They also shared the practice of bandi similar to what Bageral Roberto

shared, but they added that they have a law where a person who does not belong to

their tribe and intends to marry a Tagbanua has to pay an additional fee of 500 pesos

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to serve as a membership fee in the indigenous group. According to the tribal

council, this serves as a sign that the outsider agrees to comply with the laws and

practices of their cultural group. It also goes to show that the tribe has efforts in

preserving its homogeneity although they still allow outsiders to be part of their

culture.

With regard to the succession of leadership, they follow a bloodline. They do

not follow seniority in the family as to who will be the next leader. The decision on

who will inherit leadership is discussed by the parents. Only males are allowed to

lead. Members of the tribal council are also selected by bloodline. One cannot be a

member of the tribal council if he does not have royalty blood unless the Masikampo,

the Tagbanua’s top leader, nominates someone to be part of the tribal council. The

Masikampo is the overall decision maker of the group, and when the Masikampo is

not around, the Maradya takes over in decision making. When there are cases to be

settled, a meeting is set by the tribal council, and they normally find resolutions as a

group. This signifies a sense of collectiveness.

Considering all the observations above, one can come to a view that the

Tagbanua has a strong political and judicial system which is not heavily influenced by

mainstream culture.

The Tagbanua Family

The researcher also took the time to live with a Tagbanua family in Brgy.

Sagpangan for five days. Brgy. Sagpangan is an amalgamated community. The

researcher noticed that there is a lot of non-Tagbanua in the barangay. Brgy.

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Sagpangan has access to the main road of Aborlan and is near the town proper.

Mobility is relatively good. The researcher wanted to find out if the cultural realities of

the family are changing or remaining intact.

A close observation of the researcher on the family’s way of life reveals that

the family is living a contemporary lifestyle. They wear modern clothes as opposed to

what history indicates that they wear g-strings and tapis. They also use modern tools

and appliances such a television, a radio, and many more. All the rooms inside their

house are similar to how it is in houses in rural areas. They have a living room, two

comfort rooms, a dining area, a dining kitchen, and three bedrooms. There is also

nothing distinct in the food that they eat. Their house is also made of concrete as

opposed to the past where they lived in nipa huts. Their way of life is not different

from a typical Filipino’s way of life.

Mr. Lucinito Norte shares his family’s story. He started by describing what he

does as the head of the family. Mr. Lucinito is like any ordinary father. He normally

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spends his day at home and works at the Catholic Church nearby. He lives a typical

family life. He cooks, does carpentry, and feeds chicken and pigs they are raising in

their house. Since it was Holy Week, he is busy doing work at church – constructing

huts for the Stations of the Cross. As a father, he dreams of giving his children a

bright future by sending the children to school. Mr. Norte is like any typical father who

provides for his family and dreams of giving his children a bright future.

When I interviewed the mother of the family, Mrs. Normelita Norte, she shares

that her concept of family is harmony. Her main focus is to take care of children and

to take care of things at home. Her daily activities involve feeding animals, cleaning

the house, doing the laundry, and cooking. Just like any typical mother, she serves

as the nurturer of the home.

Their family is a typical one where the parents do their roles as heads of the

family. One of their children goes to work every day, harvesting palm oil and their

grandchild is an elementary student who goes to school.

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 The researcher also noticed that the family produces their own coal. In the

past, they were using only wood to produce fire, but since an outsider taught them

how to produce coal, they make coals on their own and the process takes around

three days.

Upon living with the family, the researcher did not find anything distinct about

their culture. They live the way as most Filipinos live.

The Tagbanua’s Fading Culture

It is quite sad to note that most of the respondents stated that the traditions

and practices of the Tagbanua are gradually fading.

Bageral Roberto Ungo stated that the Tagbanua culture is gradually fading.

The rituals and practices of the Tagbanua are only done on special occasions.

According to him, this is attributed to the older generation not passing traditional

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knowledge to the younger generations. Practices these days are no longer the same

as before and in the future, their unique culture will continuously fade.

Angelita Analu, the daughter of the babaylan also thinks the same way as

most of the old babaylan already passed away. Their practices were no longer

passed on to their offsprings due to modernization. Dance rituals are done only

when there are celebrations. They are just symbolical and no longer part of their

cultural system and belief. At the same time, children are already drawn to

technology and education, so their attention is no longer on the Tagbanua’s cultural

practices. As much as the Ms. Analuwants to relive the practice, they already have

lost the materials such as musical instruments and no one can do the rituals

anymore as conducting such takes a lot of effort and time. Religion and

amalgamation is also an influence on the fading religious practice of the Tagbanua.

Mr. Lucinito Nortealso accounts that their traditional practices are already

fading since adults are no longer teaching children about their traditions. The only

concepts that children know nowadays are kaingin and working for other people.

When children become educated, they tend to move on with their own lives and

forget their identity as indigenous people. Sad it is to say, most members of their

community who become successful no longer come back to the community and help.

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 On the other hand, the tribal council shares that despite the fading culture,

there are still existing practices that remain intact such as music and dance. They

are exhausting efforts to keep the art alive as over time, the practice is fading.

Children are taught how to make mats, baskets and the like. According to them, this

will help in the preservation of culture. In terms of language and literature, it is fading.

The Tagbanua has its own script or alphabet, but no one among them recognizes the

written script. Language is called Tabanua. Even native people could not understand

the Tagbanua scripts. The practice of Pagdidiwata is also fading. In terms of

livelihood, old practices such as farming and hunting are still being practiced.

However, a growing number of people prefer to do non-agricultural work.

When the researcher interviewed a child in the community, he states that he

no longer knows the cultural practices of the Tagbanua such as Tultl, Pagdidiwata,

Ransoy, and many more.

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Community Resolutions

The Tribal Council is currently reinforcing the value of their heritage. They are

currently creating provisions such as requiring children to serve the community for

one or two years after they graduate. Examples of services they need are education

and advanced farming practices.

Mr. Lucinito Norte, also a tribal council member is also imbibing the value to

his children. He thinks that education is the key for them to become successful, but

he is encouraging the children to help their community when they become

successful. He also dreams that children in the community will give back and exert

efforts to preserve their values, traditions, and practices. Mr. Norte is highly involved

in community engagements. He attends all meetings and contributes to the planning

and implementation of community goals. He dreams of enriching their cultural

practice; however, his challenge is that no matter how careful they set the plans, the

group is not collective in achieving the goals. They don’t materialize as most

members of the community ignore them.

Another challenge the community is facing is the exploitation of resources. He

is worried that the community's main source of livelihoods such as amalsiga and

yantok will soon be depleted outsiders also exploiting them. Their fishing livelihood is

also declining as outsiders also incorporate new ways such as electrocuting.

In a festival the researcher attended, one tribal leader noted that in order to

preserve the cultural practices, education about the indigenous peoples should be

integrated into the school system. There should be provisions in the Philippine about

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reinforcing the value of Indigenous Peoples cultures so as they fade easily.

The respondents also wanted to put forward the following suggestions to

address their challenges.

1. Integrate Indigenous People’s Education in the Philippine Education

System so that their culture and practices will not be forgotten.

2. Continue to hold public events that showcase Indigenous People’s Culture

and Practices such as music, art, and dance.

3. Continuous video-documentation of cultural practices and traditions so that

they can serve as a reference when addressing challenges in fading

cultures.

4. Encourage children among the IP groups to give back to their community

after they graduate.

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 CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Summarizing the findings of the study, here are the questions raised by the

researcher:

- What are the Tagbanua’s current realities in terms of their way of life?

- Are their traditions and practices nowadays the same as before? Or are they

gradually fading?

- Do the Tagbanua prefer to preserve their cultural traditions and practices? Or

they prefer embracing modern life practices?

Before coming up with the conclusion, here are some photos the researcher

gathered from his aunt, Yolanda Mingoa. She also did a development project in the

community in the 1980s. She was able to capture these photos:

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 It is quite evident that most there were significant changes in how the

Tagbanua lived in the past and now. They went along with modernization. They are

now wearing modern clothes and live in traditional houses as opposed to the past

where they wore g-stringsand lived in nipa huts. As for the practices, here are the

researcher’s conclusions:

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What are the Tagbanua’s current realities in terms of their way of life?

Although there are some practices of the past that no longer exist in the

present days, there are still some that remain intact such as farming and hunting.

The Tagbanua family I immersed with lives a typical family life. The researcher found

not much distinction in the family’s way of life. They are contemporary family with

modern utilities installed in the house – television, fan, and may more. The father

does his role as the head of the family – providing for the members of the house hold

by doing work at the church and doing carpentry work at home. The mother does her

role in nurturing the household – cooking, washing clothes, maintaining cleanliness

in the house, and many more. As for the other members of the household, one of

them works in the palm oil farm and the youngest member of the house studies in an

elementary school. The adults in the family still know their old practices; however, the

younger ones no longer have them in their consciousness.

People in the community wear casual clothes as opposed to accounts that the

Tagbanua wore g-strings and tapis. There is also not much distinction in terms of

food and other ways of life. The cultural music and dances are only practiced during

festivals, and they are no longer included in their way of life. The people in the

community use their local language which is Tagbanua. Overall, the family I lived

with lives a contemporary life with little signs of Tagbanua culture.

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Are their traditions and practices nowadays the same as before? Or are they

gradually fading?

With the facts gathered from members of the Tagbanua community, the

researcher comes to the conclusion that the Tagbanua’s traditions and practices are

already fading.

One aspect of their culture that is fading is literature where they no longer

recognize the Tagbanua script. The practice of Tultl – community sharing of

Tagbanua literature and stories – is also no longer popular among children as their

modern form of entertainment is the television. When the researcher asked a child in

the community, he does not recognize any form of Tagbanua literature.

Religion is also fading as the practice of pagdidiwata and ransoy by the

babaylans is not passed on to the younger generations. Several influences could be

attributed to this such as the impractical conducting of the rituals as according to Ms.

Analu, rituals take a lot of time, effort, and man power. External influences such as

education and other religions amalgamating the community are possible causes too.

Kundar, the Tagbanua’s cultural dance, is only practiced during special occasions.

In terms of clothing and shelter, the researcher was not able to observe any

signs of traditional clothes as the local people are wearing modern clothes. Houses

are also modernized as most of them are made of concrete and only a few are nipa

huts.

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 Art still exists as children are taught how to make mats and baskets. This is a

practice that is still continuously being preserved as it is part of their livelihood.

As for the political system, they still follow a bloodline in the succession of

leadership. Most of their olds laws such as the dowry system, bandi, is still being

practiced nowadays. Their political structure still remains intact and fines as

punishment are being implemented.

Some collective practices such as the Gulpimano, the concept of community

in accomplishing a goal, can be observed. They also do community gatherings such

as the Rakudan where they all celebrate their heritage and sense of collectiveness.

Most respondents are aware about the gradual fading of their culture.

Do the Tagbanua prefer to preserve their cultural traditions and practices? Or they

prefer embracing modern life practices?

Despite the awareness that the Tagbanua culture is gradually fading, most of

the respondents are hopeful that they still remain preserved in the future. Efforts are

being carried out so as to imbibe among the younger generation the traditions and

the practices of the Tagbanua. Although they find modernization to be beneficial to

the community, they still strongly feel that they should not forget their heritage. In

fact, the adults in the community have this in their attention, and they are making

resolutions to the challenge. In a festival the researcher attended, most of the tribal

leaders communicated that occasions like those are a way for them to commemorate

their culture and heritage. Their culture is not something to be ashamed of, but

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something to be proud of.

Recommendations

The researcher recommends the following for future researchers:

1. Explore and document other aspects of Tagbanua culture. With the data

gathered by the researcher, more can be discovered on the following:

a. Tagbanua literature such as Tultl

b. Tagbanua religious practice such as pagdidiwata, runsay, kundar, etc.

c. The Tagbanua’s political system and the roles of the Masikampo,

Maradya, Bageral, etc.

d. The Tagbanua’s courtship and marriage system such as bandi

e. The Tagbanua’s sense of collectiveness, Gulpimano

2. Explore and narrow down the reasons for the fading Tagbanua culture.

3. Do similar studies and documentation of other indigenous cultures for the

purpose of cultural preservation.

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