‘Timpuyog’ of ethnic groups in Santiago

SANTIAGO CITY -- Sixteen ethnic groups, dressed in native attires and representing various indigenous tribes from all over Luzon, converged here last week to participate in the celebration of the Indigenous Peoples’ Month.

The gathering was dubbed "Timpuyog," an Ilocano term for unity or "Pattaradday" in the Gaddang dialect.

The National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, led by its chairman Dr. Vilma Labrador and Executive Director Cecile Guidote Alvarez, was the organizing agency. It also served as major fund sponsor for the ethnic cultural celebration.

Live performances, arts and craft workshops, lectures on cultural awareness, and tours focused on the traditions and cultures of the 16 major ethnic groups. These included Kalinga, Ilocano, Ifugao, Tingguian, Pampangan, Bontoc, Ayta, Isneg, Bicol, Mangyan, Ibaloi, Kankanaey, Ibanag, Itawes, Gaddang, Isinay, Bugkalot, and Tagbanua.

"For some reasons, a number of other tribal groups were not included in the program not because they were not welcomed, but they might have failed to indicate their desire to participate in due time. Likewise, there were those who signified their participation but failed to come," said Santiago City’s Executive Assistant for Tourism Affairs Yuan Mor’O Ocampo.

An indigenous people’s village, which was built at the former Santiago City research center in Barangay Balintocatoc here, showcases the different tribal houses of the participating indigenous groups.

Like the Pattaradday Festival which has just been installed in the Hall of Fame as the Best Tourism Event in the country, Timpuyog was designed to gather all the ethnic groups in one place for a cultural exchange highlighting significant aspects of their way of life," said Santiago City Mayor Amelita Sison-Navarro.

At a forum on indigenous peoples’ rights and concerns on preservation, promotion and development of traditional culture, Alvarez said that modernization should be synchronized with the protection of the physical environment and tribal rights.

"This cultural event was not only meant for our tribal brothers and sisters to just celebrate, but it also an appropriate occasion to discuss concerns about the preservation of their rich cultural heritage and on how to keep racial discrimination out of the picture," Alvarez said.

Every participating tribe was asked to demonstrate and exhibit its traditional home, cultural resources, rituals, chants, music, songs and dances, stories, traditional arts and craft, and indigenous games in the week-long activities.

"Simultaneous inter-active activities such as performances, exhibitions, fora, lecture-demonstrations and workshops on traditional craft, cuisine, and indigenous games and a particular tradition of every tribal group are given special focus for the appreciation and understanding of other communities and students of various colleges and universities as well," Ocampo said. -- CP