EGONGOT AND IGOROT LEADERS FEAR

   

  The elders of the Ilongot or Egongot and Igorot Tribes here in Aurora  are now afraid that their tradition might vanish because their children today are not raise as how they raised by their parents during their time . They don’t speak their language. They are just wear g-string if there is only occasions that needs their tribe image.

       “Taong Bukel” as we call Mr. Romeo Cawad, the current Provincial Ilongot Tribe Chieftain shared his fear to us. What if these youth of today (Ilongot) will not be informed of their fathers and forefather’s history of brevity? What if in their home, they use tagalog in conversation? What if these children of today will become shy in wearing their attire, the G-string? What will happen to the new generations of the tribe? 

         One time of our conversation, Taong Bukel said he is envisioning that their language and their traditions will be once again recall to their youth. For how many years of trying to seek ways on how that vision of this leader be in reality, the K to 12 of our DEPEd Curriculum somehow give clarity for the fulfillment of this simple prayer and vision of the tribe’s historian. The secondary school in the community started inserting teaching their traditions before K to 12 starts implementation. It was started by the School Head during that year (2013), Dr. Charlaw G. Quiben. With the effort of the Elders and leaders of the tribe, school head, teachers and the community, they started teaching Ilongot traditions and language. The IPEd teachers and elders came into sessions and interviews for community history of the tribe. In this way, at least even in short hour once a week, the youth of the tribes recall the traditions and language of their fathers and forefathers. It is their simple way to revive the Ilongot way of living…except their old tradition of head hunting. In this matter, on their classes the teacher explained why in the old times their elders hunted heads. 
    The teachers made innovations to help in recalling and reviving the culture to the students by making modules where in the leaders, life and traditions of their forefathers will be unveiled to them. Hoping that they will find pride for their origin is. In addition to this, the Egongot-Tagalog/Engish Dictionary had made though it is still under development.

           They are now using their language and accessories with out inhibitions. From feeling humiliated, the tribe’s youth today are more confident than before. PROUD TO BE AN EGONGOT/ILONGOT