I read a short article that noted the book, Internalized Oppression: the psychology of marginalized groups.
The Psychology of Marginalized Groups and Why We Need to Stop Hating Ourselves.
This was followed with a film cut of Morgan Freeman making a point on Black History Month
(which I think people took way out of context).
"...Imma stop callin' you, a white man. And, Imma ask you to stop callin' me, a black man. I know you as Mike Wallace and you know me as Morgan Freeman..."
I was really affected by that. Truly resonated, but wasn't sure how exactly at the time. I just knew that I didn't want to be attached to labels anymore, no longer want to participate in being categorized and a slave to life long programs of personal oppression.I would like to be free from these constructs that chain us all. I don't want to be "half- anything" anymore. I would just like to be-human and learn to honor all my ancestors as the continuation of them.
That just goes to show that Race -as a construct- transcends ethnicity. I have struggled with identification of my 'race' as long as my memory goes. I am embraced as brown or even black by ethnic communities, taken for exotic or ethnic by 'whites' and taken for anything but Filipino by Filipinos. And the only reason why all of this non-sense has a anchor deep into my psyche is because of a misconstrued belief of what I should look like. I want to be 'brown', to resemble my Mama and Lolo; But all I would see when I look in the mirror is 'white'...but check it out yo! I am brown! Today, sometimes I see Pinoy, sometimes I see Anglo. Also, realized recently, that though I am not ashamed of my white ancestry, I harbor a certain degree of resentment of being raised 'White'. Taken out of context this will probably sound extremely offensive, I'm sure. It all comes down to these obsolete constructs that lend to social control.
I'm ready to move through this now and find peace. The sooner I do with this personal struggle, the sooner I can be useful to the rest of us.
A day later I read an article about a Kalinga tribal victory against a mining firm's incursion into their ancestral land. This article which brought up the question of indigeniety; one that had has brewing within me for some time now.
I reacted with an inspired post:
More than 500 years ago, a dominating culture from a far far foreign land, made contact, colonized, systematically subjugated, and then nearly annihilated the indigenous cultures that were native to this continent. Not too long after, much of the same happened throughout the Islands known today as the Philippines.
The indigenous peoples of this continent are still indigenous and they always will be. One can have indigenous ancestry in their bloodline...a "percentage" over shadowed by some other ancestry originating not from this continent, and, they will still be Indigenous.
So, how is it, that throughout the archipelago today known as the Philippines, in the regions where cultures whose people still live in the old ways have maintained their indigenous identity, while the rest of the Filipinos, who's ancestors, for all intensive purposes, are native to those islands also, are other-than indigenous?
As a so-called mestizo "half-blood", I understand about being a multi-ethnic person. But I'm pretty sure back on the islands of my mother's ancestors, the foreign bloodlines in the mix of the population today are in the minority.
It seems to me that all Filipinos are indigenous by default and there should be change in the way we (Filipinos in the homeland and in the diaspora) position ourselves to our own country women and men.
What is this really?
Indigenous = the descendants of the unconquered
vs.
non-indigenous = the descendants of the colonized?
Fact: Pre-colonial Philippines = No Philippines!
Primarily through the effective tactics of divide and conquer and realignment of loyalties through religious conversion, foreign entrepreneurial cultures of Europe slowly but surely seized effective control over the islands.
These were thousands of islands inhabited by innumerable tribal peoples of rich cultures. They were complex societies and governments, possessed native spirituality, complete healing systems, knowledge of how to live in harmony with the earth and the cosmos, written language, music, art, poetry, native instruments, dances, rituals, myths and creation stories, master hunters, warriors, farmers, and sea farers, as well as established and respected trading with their neighbors.
Complete Cultures.
Isn't this the heritage of all Filipinos?
Don’t get me wrong, I do not take issue with the way things have gone for our human existence. Human beings do what human beings do. I am well aware that I am also the descendant of those ‘colonizing dominating cultures’ at some point or another as well as Pinoy. The way I see it, it is my responsibility to take issue with the results of those who have long passed on and whom I am a continuation of.
Those hundreds of years ago are so far removed; yet I will not deny that my immediate ancestors are the products of a catastrophic clashing of cultures. This is about the here and now, dealing with the process of equalization and a much needed timely reassessment of cultural identification.
I have had the privilege of making many friends recently who know quite a bit on the matter and have been fighting this fight for sometime, and I would love any technical or personal insight, please.
However, to my family, friends, comrades, guests and strangers alike; to any this subject strikes a cord somewhere deep within:
Whether this be sorely familiar, fresh or even the first time that you are being confronted with such a harsh concept of the reality which is the severed connection to the heritage of our own ancestors, to 'Filipino Culture' understood and embraced entirely -I invite you to explore this crucial inquiry with me and let yourself get concerned, annoyed...heck! get irate and up in arms!
In this moment I know I am.
I feel pissed, yo!
Several friends and elders responded with empathy, sentiments, wisdom and encouragement.
The following email with a comrade is where I have left off on the subject.
I've done some digging around after I let me raw thoughts and emotions simmer for bit.
This whole thing regarding indigenous, native, tribal...how have these words evolved in their political context?
Cause really, this is the arena we are playing in, no?
I had to consider a recap of how the trigger was pulled to set me off on that roll...
My '500 years ago' response was off the cuff. Just like raw. sort of embarrassed actually.. After I cooled a bit, it kinda read like a temper tantrum haha.
It turns out that to be identified and labeled as an Indigenous Group has evolved into a sort of protection measure politically -which I totally advocate.
However, this brings up the greater problem and the root of the matter: The rotten fruits of Colonialism.
In PI, I can perceive at least three basic sub-groups within Society: Urban, Rural and Tribal. But ALL Filipino.
Isn't the Philippines classified as being divided into a vast number of 'ethnic groups'? If this is the case, then the situation isn't about who is indigenous/non-indigenous, but instead is about dominant ethnic groups and class disparity.
I feel that this perspective of separation from our "indigenous" roots is fairly new; I suspect like post-WW2 generation new. And what's further, the demarcation of who is considered indigenous in today's Philippines could be on the verge of total invisibility. I hope this is making sense...could it be that in an effort to preserve the liberty and sovereignty of minority ethnic groups, those who fight for justice are creating this construct of separation? Yo! If so, this is shite! I'm referring to that rotten ass fruit. What's more, there is this whole other critical element of authenticity and the question of [mis]appropriation. I know you feel me on this.
I want to jump on board with the 'Getting back to our indigenous roots' as the leaders at the conference [talk about], but I just don't know how we can with all the political loop holes.
The Baybaylan approach I resonate with very much. What's more, because spirituality stands to transcend politics, there is a high chance of sustainability as a movement. But again, there is a critical need for authenticity and a great degree of credibility. If this movement is going to go anywhere, I imagine it must always maintain a balance. I fear it could easily fall short of its potential if it is ever dismissed as a movement of "New Age Asian Hippies." Of course I am referring to Baybaylan as the legitimate inheritance of all Filipinos no matter their ethnic dominance or the condition of their societal structure and/or class. I suspect that a path of consistent academia and professionalism could be enough to assure preservation. To be embraced "mainstream" could effectively bypass any of the side effects that come from defining who is indigenous -and therefore who is not- in order to protect the rights of those who are in the extreme political minority.
You know, I remembered today that my Momma, when talking about the "tribal people" when I was growing up...she never referred to them as such, nor as indigenous, natives or 'indians'. She would just say: mountain people, primitive people. But they were still Filipinos. She always had a very strong reaction to the subject and beyond these derogatory dismissals, she refused to talk anymore on the subject of ethnic minority groups . As a child, she received a lot of abuse because of the darkness of her skin. There are many pieces to our family story between her and my Lolo that have gaps that need filling. In 2015, I plan to dig up all that I can when I return to the Islands (haha since I was 4y/o)
The whole thing's incredible, how we are all a part of this piecing back together what was taken apart hundreds of years ago.
[My Friend], I have truly appreciated connecting with you. Maraming salamat!
--
That was my tirade. I'm learning and pray I will always remain learning.
What's next?
I've been invited to have tea to discuss the topic and concern with one of the elder kapwatids.
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