One year, eleven months, eleven days – that’s how long it has taken me to write about you and the indigenous peoples in general. During this period I have been contemplating about a precise comeback to express something about the Tagabawas, the tribe that has become very special to me as a cultural worker and ecotourism advocate. Yes, my engagement with Tagabawa community over the years is decorated with success and challenges. It enriches my appreciation of your existence. It underscored series of narratives. It was a roller-coaster of emotions.
I still can recall the very first engagement I had with the Tagabawa was when we erected a cultural village project in Tibolo 19 years ago. It was sort of a baptism of fire for me, having to deal with tribal elders and the community in a place I knew very little about. At a young age I immersed myself to convince all of them that the project would be a fitting mechanism to help them improve their place and boost their cultural well-being. At first I found it very interesting to work with them, but as denser necessities arose, I realized it was a tall order.
The first 5 years of the project gave me different experiences, some are praising while others are traumatic. Tibolo – how can I forget you when in fact you gave me the very first facial bruises when one stranger harassed us in the middle of the night while we were sleeping. It definitely takes forever to forget. But of course, what didn’t kill me made me stronger. With that I learned to put positive perspective in everything, even in death-defying moments of my life.
Then came opportunities from the national government to establish more structures in the village to complement to the growing demand of culture-based tourism. Instantly the project captured the attention of regional leaders. We made our presence felt. When the Department of Tourism XI scouted for perfect locations to showcase tribal living museum attractions, Tibolo became a hit. Right now, after 19 long years, a lot has happened. This cultural village project has established an identity as one of the most successful community-based tourism sites in the region and even in Mindanao. The effort to integrate heritage safeguarding into the mainstream of tourism development is exhibited in the project right now.
The success, however, would not have been savored without downfalls along the way. In the middle of all the ups, I witnessed how the community overcame despairs. Datu Ruben Ayoc, the father of this initiative, passed away in 2015 just few years after his wife Bai Alicia Ubad died. The ever supportive barangay captain Delfin Lanzo also perished in later years, losing another very important piece to the equation. But instead of giving up, Datu Ernido, son of Datu Ruben and now the tribal chieftain of Tibolo whom I considered a very close friend, took care of business. A young and dynamic leader emerged, paving way for more milestones during his watch. Under his leadership, he produced more IP scholars who are now professionals, established an empowered IP women association handling tourism-related enterprise, created network to access road and water system projects for the barangay, institutionalized the School of Living Tradition and launched the Bagobo-Tagabawa Museum. Datu Ernido made sure that Tibolo would become a benchmark of cultural preservation and prompted other tribal leaders in Mindanao to emulate the kind of success he employed. I pray other leaders from the IP community learn how Datu Ernido worked hard for the welfare of his constituents.
While putting together all these pieces about the place I considered second home, I realized that there is no shortcut to success. Tibolo might have given me professional struggles but to some extent this place also gave me priceless possession. The way the Tagabawas accorded me utmost respect is extra special. The moment they consider me part of the significant family gatherings is more than just monetary remuneration, even precious than mid-year and year-end bonuses in the workplace. The fact that they welcome me in their ancestral domain just like member of their clan is huge. And all these I consider products of the effort I exerted back when I was a young and lowly employee of the local government.
All of my life I craved for this kind of reception. I am glad Tibolo gave it to me. I am glad Manama offered to me this little piece of creation. And I am glad I knew you. If knowing you is the consolation of those facial bruises I succumbed, then thank you God for that incident.
