Tribal Filipino Week

COMMUNITY BILLBOARD

Julius Ceasar Daguitan

SINSINAPO is a youth gathering in line with the Tribal Filipino Week (TFW) celebration on Oct. 27,at the University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) organized by various indigenous youth organization in Baguio City and La Trinidad.

With the theme “Agtutubo, iyabante iti pulitika iti panagbalbaliw para iti panangsalaknib iti daga, biag ken kinabaknang!” aims to discussed pressing issues faced by the indigenous youth and come out with resolutions and recommendations on how they will address it. Particularly, youth’s role on the politics of change will be discussed at the 2013 Elections is coming.

Apart from the August world’s indigenous peoples month, the second Sunday of October had been declared by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) as Tribal Filipino Sunday in honor of the indigenous peoples in the country. The celebration is then called TFW. Since 1978, it is yearly celebrated by various organizations advancing the indigenous peoples and welfare. Moreover, October is dubbed as the National Indigenous Peoples month by the government as declared in the Presidential Proclamation 1906.

This year’s celebration will be a Katribu youth assembly to discuss indigenous youth’s role in the politics of change and the defense of land, life and resources. Part of the activity will be a workshop on indigenous dances and music as part of learning the indigenous culture. There will also be a slogan making and essay writing contest among the participating organizations. A choral competition will also be done to give venue to the youth’s indigenous original compositions.

Highlights of this gathering will be the Cultural Parade for the public to witness this memorable activity as the indigenous youth will show their unity in depending their land, life and resources;  and the Cultural Jamming that will showcase performances of the youth organizations.

SINSINAPO is organized by Kalinga Students Association-Baguio Benguet, BIMAAK-Baguio Central University, Ifugao Students Association-University of the Cordilleras, BIBAK-University of Baguio, PINATUD-Anakbayan, Cordillera Youth Center, Progressive Igorots for Social Action, Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network, Program for Indigenous Culture-UPB and KATRIBU Indigenous Peoples Partylist.

*Sinsinapo is a Tingguian term for learning and sharing.