"Our culture is our identity; when we lose it, we lose ourselves."
October is a special time for all Filipinos as we come together to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Month, which runs from October 1 to 30. This year’s theme, “Mga Katutubo at Katutubong Dunong: Pahalagahan, Pangalagaan at Parangalana” (Valuing, Nurturing, and Honoring Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge), encourages us to reflect on the importance of Indigenous cultures and the invaluable knowledge that these communities have passed down for generations. It’s a reminder for us to appreciate the wisdom of Indigenous peoples, not just as part of our history, but as a living, breathing part of our country’s future.
One of the most important aspects of this month is the commemoration of the 27th anniversary of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA). The law recognizes and protects the rights of Indigenous communities, including their ancestral lands, cultural practices, and right to self-determination. During this month, we are reminded of how crucial it is to ensure that the rights enshrined in the IPRA are upheld. The challenges faced by Indigenous peoples like displacement from their ancestral lands, discrimination, and the threat of cultural loss are still real today. Indigenous Peoples Month is a call for all of us to protect these rights, to stand in solidarity with these communities, and to make sure that they are not left behind in the modern world.
What’s also special about this month is how it brings us together, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike. By celebrating and learning more about Indigenous knowledge, we can better understand the wisdom they offer, especially in areas like agriculture, healing, and sustainability. It’s not just about honoring the past, but also about realizing how much we can learn from these communities today. Indigenous knowledge can teach us valuable lessons on how to live in harmony with nature, how to preserve our environment, and how to build stronger, more inclusive communities. National Indigenous Peoples Month isn’t just a time for recognition—it’s a reminder that Indigenous peoples and their knowledge deserve our respect, protection, and admiration every day of the year. Let’s value, nurture, and honor them, not just for one month, but for generations to come.
References:
NCIPR2024_Admin. (2022, October 12). National Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) Month. Official Website of National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Region III. https://www.ncipr3.com/national-indigenous-peoples-ip-month/
Pinoy, F. (2024, June 22). Indigenous tribes of the Philippines. Festive Pinoy. https://festivepinoy.com/indigenous-tribes-of-the-philippines/
Wikipedia contributors. (2015, April 25). File:Igorot Ladies.jpg - Wikipedia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Igorot_ladies.jpg
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