‘Cultural slur’

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY – The Kankanaeys and the Ifontoks have words for it – “Eyaka sa,” to mean, ‘That’s enough.”

We are referring to Dr. Vladimir Cayabas, administrator and Board director of the Baguio-based National Institute for Information Technology who was quoted as demanding that former US President Bill Clinton and organizers of the latter’s recent talk in Manila apologize to him and two of his students for the “cultural insult” they suffered in attending the affair.

With his demand, he is now starting to look like a hungry politician out to squeeze every ounce of media mileage out of the situation considering there is already an apology from the US government.

Cayabas was with two students of the NIIT – Moshe Dacneg, an Igorot of the Kankanaey tribe from Taccong, Sagada town, Mountain Province and Joneelyn Aparri.

Dacneg, who wore an Igorot wanes (g-string), Cayabas and Aparri were inside the hall where Clinton was to speak when a US Secret Service agent approached Dacneg and in a menacing tone, ordered him to leave.

Ironically, Clinton’s talk last November in Manila was on “respect and interdependence among the inter-cultural and ethnic groups around the world.” The forum was themed “Embracing Our Common Humanity.”

Cayabas, Dacneg and Aparri attended the event as members of cultural minorities so they wore indigenous attire they thought fitting for the occasion.

It could have been a productive session for the three if not for Clinton’s security guard who may have thought no way they could get near to hear his boss.

There was no dress code for the occasion, we were told, and it was a wonder why this nincompoop had to bully people wearing g-string.
Anyway, the United States through US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. had apologized to Cordillerans for the “cultural slur.”

Thomas sent a letter to the government tribal body National Commission on Indigenous Peoples on Dec. 14, expressing “sincere apology and regret for the offense made by US agent’s discriminatory act” against Cayabas, Dacneg and Aparri.

This, after the “cultural bias” enraged Cordillerans, including Cordillera congressmen prompting Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat, chairman of the House committee on cultural communities, to file a resolution in the House of Representatives last December for an inquiry.

Cordillerans, in various internet feeds, had demanded an apology not only to Cordillerans but all indigenous peoples of the world, some saying it was “discrimination at its height.”

“Unfortunately, in situations such as this, those unaware of the richness of the Filipino culture and tradition often fail to appreciate its historical significance and value in the treasured partnership of our two nations,” the US ambassador stated in his letter.

Cayabas was quoted as saying he was honored by the letter of the US ambassador. “That is a clear act of admission of their absurd deed. However, based on accountability, the apology should come from former President Clinton and the event organizers.”

Cayabas also said the letter “did not specify what actions or reprimand would be given to the Secret Service agent to give him a lesson.”

He said he hoped the letter of apology “is really a sincere one, not just an act in compliance with the elements of diplomatic protocol just to wash their hands of their guilt.”

But a piece of advice to Cayabas: Let event organizers apologize but don’t insist that Clinton do so. It seems he was not aware earlier of the transgression of his overzealous Pit Bull and would not have allowed such thing to happen.

But if he will apologize, then accept it graciously. This could be the first time a former US president apologized to an Igolot. It could be one for Ripleys or material for a book on understanding indigenous peoples.

Even Baguilat said that with the apology, although late, an inquiry at the House is already moot and academic. Baguilat had also proposed the US Secret Service should be educated on their manners in dealing with people when in other countries.

You see, if the incident happened in the not so distant past in a sacred dap-ay (indigenous hut where elder men converge) in a Mountain Province town, the guard could have gone home without his head.