United Igorots in Europe

 

Getting to Know the Igorots: An Introduction

 

by Yvonne Belen

 

During the 3^rd Igorot Cordillera BIMAAK Consultation (ICBE Consultation) held from 5-8 May 2005 in Aeschi, Switzerland, one topic of a workshop was “Stories of our Igorot Culture.” The workshop’s aim was to collect stories of our Igorot culture, especially our experiences, and to suggest ways in which we could publish our stories.

The participants suggested that the stories would include Igorot practices on birth, child rearing (growth), sickness, marriage and daily life practices. It would also include relationships of man to nature and relationship of Christianity and our Igorot beliefs.

Experiences of participants on "Ab-abiik," speaking to Spirits and "Sapsapo" were recounted during the workshop. There were more experiences and stories about our Igorot culture and our way of life, which needed to be documented and handed down to our next generation.

The workshop participants agreed that the stories will be written by Igorots who have direct experiences or are witnesses to Igorot practices. I volunteered to collect the stories. It was suggested that BIBAK Switzerland will be the publisher should they approve it.
Suggestions on the publication’s name were: "Is-istorya," "Kaistoryaan di Kaigorotan," and "Kaigorotan."

Through the ICBE Forum, I invited participants of the 3^rd ICBE Consultation and members of the forum to submit their stories. I have since received stories and proposed that we post these in our website. More will be posted as stories are submitted.

It’s important to note that Igorot customs and traditions differ within the Cordillera region; they also vary from village from village. In many of these stories, the authors reflect their experiences based on the village they come from. Other authors stress the regional nature of the story.

The workshop on “Stories of our Igorot Culture” has generated stories, which has evolved into “Getting to Know the Igorots.” Hopefully, through this collection, we will enable people (Igorots and visitors) to learn about us.

 

¹⁾ Claus Nabert visited Sagada, Mountain Province in 1993 where he was quickly adopted by the elders and was given the Igorot name Agpad. In having been named after an ancestral leader he was then instructed to honour the spirit of Agpad. This very quickly led to him working with the indigenous peoples of the Cordillera and returning to the Philippines every two or three years for fifteen years to undertake many challenges. Some of his challenges have been being one of six founders of a non government organization (the Igorot Global organization), the development of a scholarship program for Igorot children in the Cordillera attending regional colleges, undertaking a medical mission in Kalinga province and addressing significant conflicts with the San Roque dam at the time it was being built. He was also fortunate to be able to participate in some very rare Sagadan pagan practices that are dying out very quickly. His stories and pictures are intended to honour spirits of the elders who had adopted him and to help preserve their memory and their culture as much as possible.

 

²⁾ Kristine Kawi was born in Bontoc. Mountain Province. Her mother is from Bontoc and father from Besao. She left the Philippines for the UK at the age of 19 to pursue Psychiatric Nursing studies. She now lives in the south of England, somewhere between London and Paris, with her French husband and two children. She aims to raise her children with a multicultural outlook – English, French, and yes...Igorot.

Igorot Intro	By Claus Nabert 1)
Igorot Funeral	By Claus Nabert 1)
Rice	By Claus Nabert 1)
Igorot Planting Ceremony	By Claus Nabert 1)
Building a Rice Terrace	By Claus Nabert 1)
Helping those at Home	By Claus Nabert 1)
Cabbages	By Claus Nabert 1)
On Being named Igorot Style	By Claus Nabert 1)
Medical Mission	By Claus Nabert 1)
Western Influence	By Claus Nabert 1)
Making Peace	By Claus Nabert 1)
A Hill Station	By Claus Nabert 1)
Money	By Claus Nabert 1)
Mountain Roads	By Claus Nabert 1)
Fighting back	By Claus Nabert 1)

 

Getting to Know the Igorots