Undiscriminating the discriminated

COMMUNITY BILLBOARD
Rhe-Ann B. Ngayaan

Here is a dedicated to every proud and resilient Igorot from Yours Truly:
IGOROT KA? (OO, Bakit?)

‘Ikangiba’ytaong- bundok ako
Gusgusingindiyong ‘di respetado
Oo, kaso ako ngayo’y edukado
Reklamo ng iba'y may buntot daw ako
O, Diyos ko! Hindi ‘yan totoo
‘Tselakskalang! Bahagi tong suot ko!

Tawagin ba namang kanibal ninuno ko
Oo ba.Gusto mo’ng mapugutan ng ulo?
Resbak ko nama’y noon lang ‘yon totoo
Oto- uto ka! Ika’y naniwalang ako’ymaligno
Grabe! Sabihin ba namang ‘di ako tao
Isa isip mo,nabubuhay din ang tulad ko!

Noon, tanong mo’y nasa’n buntot mo?
Nasa’ king harap, gusto mo hawakan ‘kako?
Ngayon, tanong mo’yIgorot ka ‘noh?
‘Ikako, purong Igorot kaya kausap mo
Sabimo’t pinagpipilitan pa ri’y Igorot ay Ita!
Giit ko nama’y iba! Bastos kang nagbabalita!
***
This poem’s content is rooted in the 20th century but the 21st century must put an end to belittling statements towards Igorot tribes such as the following:

“The fact remains that the Igorot is not Filipino, and we are not related”, this was written by Carlos P. Romulo in his book Mother America published in 1943.

“Tao poako, hindi po ako Igorot (I am human, not an Igorot)”, this was blurted out by Filipina actress Candy Pangilinan way back in 2009 during a pre-Mother’s Day show at SM Baguio.

And the most recent and major major cases of cyberbullying of the model, MC Albano, and the Italy-based OFW, Louie Garcia, whether they are offenders or victims, it once more stirs the air with heightened issues of ethnic prejudices and discrimination after almost three silent years.

The word “Igorot” is said to be originally “Igolot” which means “I-gulod” (tagagulod o bundok), pertaining to ‘unhispanised’ and tribal people from the mountains. But because of the Igorot ancestors’ resistance to colonizers before, they were dubbed as uncivilized people. Until today’s generation, being an Igorot has negative connotations attached to it such as filthy, poor, uneducated, cannibal, has a tail, and other nasty ignorant comments.

Nowadays, just hearing the term “Igorot” still invokes images of "savageness" of headhunting and "primitiveness" to the general public. Some may be true but more of these were wrong assumptions and prejudgments that became ingrained in the national consciousness with the aid of careless media and a neglectful educational system.

We, Igorots, neither by lineage nor blood but by heart and mind, together in unity, make this identity discrimination into an opportunity, not an opportunity to self-justify and bark on one’s misinformation, but rather an opportunity to cure others’ ignorance through proper information.

I believe that tolerance and mutual respect for each other’s ethnicities is what every Filipino must exemplify to eradicate local racism not only among primary ethnolinguistic groups of the country but even among minority ethnic groups in the Cordilleras.

Every Igorot must have a deeper appreciation of the historical processes that fashioned and nurtured the Cordillerans’ ethnic identity.

We should not be ashamed of what have transpired in the past resulting to never-ending racist acts against us. Let not our present bury the past, or better yet, let us learn from the past and move on with positive conviction that we are accepted in our own social community because we belong.

For it is more fun in the Philippines to have an Igorot intelligentsia. A toast to every purpose- driven Igorot! Viva Igorotlandia! Matagu-tago ka!