Indigenous peoples of the Cordilleras survive within the context of rich local biodiversity and indigenous knowledge systems of their own. The IPs function as a member of society through their knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, morals, costumes, and many other capabilities and habits they acquired. Much related to this acquisition is Indigenous knowledge (Knowledge-based practice). To know its importance is to know its practical, performative, non-modern ontology or the properties of such knowledge and how they greatly contribute to the individual and the society’s success amid challenges by the modern world.
The epithet for indigeneity and Indigenous knowledge is resilience: where I define it as the innate capability of a person/group of people or community to recover from environmental and man-made disasters; For the IPCC (2007), it is defined as the ability of social or ecological systems to absorb disturbances while retaining the same basic structure and ways of function, the capacity of self-organization, and the ability to adapt to stress and change.
There are two (2) fundamental facets in promoting Indigenous knowledge. First are the pragmatic ways of coping with ongoing crises, that is, discovering coping strategies and learning to live in permanent crises. And second, is the actual ways of knowing: the preventive or anticipatory knowledge of nonhuman forces, which is occluded by modernist ontology. The first facet is a necessary knowledge system for the survival of the human race; the latter undermines hegemonic western thinking.
Some elements of tribal knowledge involve technical knowledge, natural knowledge, supernatural knowledge, and magical knowledge. Technical knowledge is useful in dealing with practical problems like methods of acquiring food, dealing with disease, means of transportation, tools, and implements, and weapons of war. Natural knowledge is facts about the natural world, both biological and physical aspects. Supernatural knowledge refers to the perception of actions of gods, goddesses, demons, angels or spirits and natural beings, like shamans, witches, and others that held supernatural powers. Magical knowledge is the perception of methods of influencing supernatural events by manipulating certain laws of nature.
Aboriginal knowledge of the indigenous people of the cordillera involves sustainability and conservation of natural resources. This is considered to be innate to them. IPs were able to preserve their forests, which they believe to be sacred places because it is where their ancestors believed to be living. Thus, forests are protected and preserved from illegal logging and destruction.
For education to attain its mission of transformation to IP learners, it has to seriously inculcate salient features of indigeneity in our educational system and pedagogy (for neutrality):
Capacity building by employing more indigenous academic staff and where necessary growing them;
Capability building by uplifting the skill and leadership level of indigenous academic staff;
Developing indigenous staff into leadership positions across the academy;
Growing a critical mass of indigenous intellectuals who have a consciousness about their indigenous roots and responsibilities;
Developing curriculum options that are built around indigenous interests first and foremost;
Growing both horizontal (participation across the institution and disciplines) and vertical (indigenous programming for indigenous students first and foremost) equity development within institutions;
Re-claiming equity definitions from the neo-liberal economic hegemony that tends to argue against compensatory forms of equity in favor of the `level playing field’ form of equity that simply entrenches the `status quo’;
Putting equal emphasis and accountability on `access’, `participation’, ‘retention, and `success’ of indigenous students.
These traditional acts and systems should be inculcated in the learners to support their survival and strengthen their resilience. These could be enhanced, preserved, and nourished through the aid of education. Best practices of different cultures could be utilized, adapted, appreciated, and borrowed, which should be included in books and instructional materials as part of the curriculum in order to address prevailing major issues that face IP learners.
By: Julius B. Gal, M.A.Philo./Senior High School Teacher
Dilag Integrated School, Dilag, Tabuk City, Kalinga
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