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.
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.
